To Find You Once Again

Chapter Six

Walang pasok kinabukasan dahil pinaghahandaan ng lahat ang Christmass Ball sa susunod na araw. The ball would fall on the 20th. Pero si Nikki ay nasa school at tumutulong mag-ayos ng venue. Hapon na nang matapos siya sa ginagawa. Paalis na siya nang makita niyang dumating si Ryan. Madilim ang anyo nito.

Walang sabi-sabing hinila siya nito habang mahigpit na nakakapit sa braso niya.

"Ryan, ano ba? Nasasaktan ako!" daing niya dito.

Ibinalya siya ni Ryan nang kung paano na lang. His face was grim.

"What's the meaning of this, Nikki? Kailan mo pa ako inahas?"

May iniabot sa kanya itong litrato. She gasped when she saw the picture. It was her and Matt kissing inside the storage room.

"Sa-saan mo nakuha ito?" she asked softly, her voice was quivering.

"Bea gave me this. Nakita daw niya kayo sa storage room. My god, I didn't know you were this indecent!"

So, tinraydor siya ni Bea. Hindi niya alam kung paano tatanggapin ang katotohanang iyon. Tumingin siya kay Ryan ng diretso. It's now or never.

"I'm breaking up with you," she said firmly.

"Oh no, you can't," marahas na baling nito sa kanya. "Ryan dumps the girl, not the other way around."

Tumaas ang kilay niya. "Then dump me. I don't care." Pagkatapos ay tinalikuran niya ito. Ngunit hinila nito ang kamay niya.

"I can't do that. Nakita ito ng lahat ng kaibigan ko. Ano'ng iisipin nila? That a mere Dominique Martinez betrayed Ryan Ortega for some shabby-looking guy?"

"Hindi ko na problema 'yon!" asik niya. Ngayon niya pinagsisisihan that she ever acquainted herself with him. He was a pig.

"But it will be Matt's problem. Sa tingin mo ba ay palalampasin ko ito?" banta nito.

Biglang kinabahan si Nikki. Ryan maybe a load of crap, but he was still from a prominent family.

"Ipapakita ko ito sa parents ko," patuloy nito. "You know perfectly well that they can't tolerate immorality inside the school grounds. Siguro ikaw, mapapalampas pa nila. But it wouldn't be the same for Matt. He will be kicked out."

Kumunot ang noo niya. "What do you mean?"

"Hindi mo alam? Pangatlong beses na ni Matt ito sa 4th year, and this is his last chance. Ilang beses na siyang nagpapalit-palit ng school dahil hindi siya pinapayagang grumaduate. He wasn't able to meet the attendance requirement. The school finally allowed him to graduate this year. Pero, kapag ipinakita ko ito sa parents ko, bye-bye Mr. Nobody," nang-aasar na sabi nito.

Bakit hindi niya alam iyon? Naguguluhan si Nikki sa mga sinasabi ni Ryan. Ang tanging naiintindihan niya ay maki-kick out si Matt dahil sa kanya. She couldn't even doubt the Ortega's power to do just that.

Nahahapong binalingan niya si Ryan, "What do you want me to do?"

"Attend the ball with me. Let everyone know na pampalipas oras lang si Matt."

"I can't!" tumaas bahagya ang boses niya.

Ryan smirked. "You have no choice in this. Come with me or expect him to be kicked out effective immediately."

Pagkatapos ay umalis na ito.

Naiwang nakatanga si Nikki. What should she do?

***

Hindi nakatulog si Nikki kakaisip sa sitwasyon. Paggising niya kinabukasan ay malaki ang eyebags niya. Mukha siyang aattend ng Halloween Party imbes na Christmas Ball. She was hoping that Matt would come knocking first para mai-explain niya dito ang sitwasyon. She waited anxiously for night to come.

Nag-ayos siya at nagbihis. When the doorbell rang at about 7PM, nagmadali siyang buksan ang pinto, praying that it was Matt.

Nikki sighed in relief when she saw him standing outside the door. Magpapaliwanag sana siya nang matigilan. Hindi niya mapigilang mapasinghap. Maybe it was the three-piece suit, or maybe it was the moment, or maybe it was the lighting on the patio. Whatever the reason was, she could swear Matt looked really attractive.

Suot pa rin ni Matt ang glasses at braces, but his hair was freshly cut. Bumagay dito ang buhok nito. Bagay din dito ang suot nitong suit in light gray. Add that twinkle in his beautiful eyes, and Matt looked nothing like the guy who was called 'nerd' by everyone.

Hindi niya mapigilan ang ngiting sumilay sa mga labi niya. "You look gorgeous, Matt."

Matt grinned as his eyes surveyed her with approval. Nakasuot siya ng mini-dress in lilac. Her hair was adorned with flower gems in different colors. Her make-up carefully done.

"And you are as beautiful as ever," masuyo nitong sabi sa kaniya. Then he held out his hands. "Let's go."

Aabutin niya sana ang mga kamay nito nang may bumusina sa harap ng bahay niya. Maya-maya pa ay bumukas ang pinto ng van at lumabas si Ryan. Kasama nito ang mga kaibigan nito.

She frantically turned towards Matt. "I'm sorry Matt. I can't go with you. I—"

"Why don't you tell him, sweetie?" Ryan's voice was laced with sarcasm.

Matt turned to her, confusion written on his face.

"Tell me what?"

Si Ryan ang sumagot. "Oh, she can't come with you dahil girlfriend ko siya."

Magpapaliwanag sana si Nikki. Ngunit mahigpit na pinisil ni Ryan ang balikat niya. She cringed. Helpless, she looked at Matt, naghihintay sa kung ano mang sasabihin niya.

Pero ano ba ang dapat sabihin? She didn't want to lie to him. But she also wanted to protect him.

"Is this true?" Matt asked softly, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Why would I be lying?" sarkasatikong sabi ni Ryan.

"So all this time that you were by my side..."

"Ay para pagselosin ako," dugtong ni Ryan. "You couldn't have possibly thought na magugustuhan ni Nikki ang isang katulad mo. You are nothing, Matthew Francisco."

"Shut up!" Matt shouted dangerously. His face looked deadly serious.

Nagulat si Ryan sa reaction ni Matt. Si Nikki man ay nagulat din. Ngayon lang niya nakita si Matt na nagalit.

"Is this true, Nikki?" Matt asked again, searching her face.

Gusto nang maiyak ni Nikki sa nakikitang pait sa mga mata ni Matt. She was hurting just as he was. She wanted to run to his arms so bad, but she held her ground. She was doing this for him, after all. Pwede naman niyang ipaliwanag ang lahat pagkatapos.

"I'm sorry, Matt," was all she could say. Sinisikap pigilan ang panginginig ng tinig.

Narinig niyang nagsimula nang mang-asar ang mga kaibigan ni Ryan. They were all shouting 'loser' pertaining to Matt.

Hindi iyon pinansin ni Matt. May ilang sandaling nakatingin lang ito sa kanya. She couldn't read what was written on his face.

Then, in a cold and emotionless voice, "Goodbye, Miss Martinez."

That night, Nikki lost Matt.