His Last Chat Was Goodnight

CHAPTER 8: I LOVE HER

          Weeks passed and I didn't notice anything fishy about the family. Maayos naman ang pakikitungo nila sa'kin. Wala namang masamang nangyayari sa loob ng bahay. Itinuturing na nga ako ni Mr. Carlos na parang anak niya. I gained all their trust, kaya madali nalang akong pumasok sa kahit anumang business ni Mr. Carlos. It was a normal Sunday at naglalakad lang ako sa buong bahay nang napansin ko na nasa meeting room sina Mr. Carlos at yung mga anak niya. Tapos may kasama silang isang matandang lalake at isang mukhang ka-edad ni Sky. Sumilip ako hanggang sa napansin ako ni Mr. Carlos.
"Demi..." sabi niya at tumingin silang lahat sa'kin.
"Lo siento, tío. (I'm sorry, tito)" sumbat ko.
"It's fine. Come in." sabi niya.
"Who is this, Carlos?" tanong ng matandang lalake.
"This is Demeter." sagot ni Mr. Carlos. I introduced myself and they did the same to me. Mr. Carlos made me sit down as they explained to me what was happening. May bago silang drug transaction, pero may isang problema... Lahat ng route nila ay pinapalibutan na ng pulis.

"If we use this, we'll surely get caught." sabi ni Sky.
"But if we go around here..." I didn't let him finish. Kailangan ko silang i-lead sa trap na i-momonitor ng agency.
"You'll still get caught." dagdag ko sabay tayo papunta sa board na kinaroroonan ni Sky. I took the marker from his hand and drew a plan of my own.
"I know a route na walang pulis o sinuman na pwedeng umaresto sa inyo." sabi ko.
"You go around the coffee shop here..." I started to explain my plan to them and luckily, they listened.
"It may be longer than the other routes but it's safer." I ended. Pumalakpak si Mr. Qui, yung isang matandang lalake. Tumingin ako sa board and blinked twice to take a picture of the route.
"Paano namin masisiguro na okay ang route mo?" tanong niya sabay tawa. Ok kailangan ko ng magandang cover-up story para paniwaalaan ako nito. Well, I had an undercover case involving a gang before. I just have to pretend that I was an actual member of it.
"Mr. Carlos, I have a secret." sabi ko with a sad face.
"What is it?" tanong niya.
"I was a former gang member before. That's why your usual drill was more than usual for me. Lahat ng pinakita kong galing sa pakikipaglaban ay napag-aralan ko sa gang na iyon. They also had the same transaction as yours at may iisa rin kayong problema, wala kayong route na madaanan. I suggested this route kaso di nila ito sinunod. They wanted a shorter way so ayon, nahuli sila ng pulis." sabi ko habang nakababa ang ulo ko.
"You're a former gang member?" shocked na tanong ni Sky.
"Oo." sagot ko.
"We'll follow this route then." straight na sabi ni Mr. Carlos.
"She has a point, Qui." sabi niya sa matandang lalake.

            Habang nag-uusap sila, I noticed na wala si Max roon. So I decided to go look for him. Naglalakad ako nang nakita ko si Max na nakaupo sa field. Umupo ako sa tabi niya.
"Anong iniisip mo?" tanong ko sa kanya.
"Wala." sagot niya.
"Anong iniisip mo?" tanong ko ulit.
"Wala nga." sagot niya.
"Uulitin ko, anong iniisip mo?" tanong ko.
"Bakit ka ba tanong ng tanong?" tanong niya sa'kin.
"Because I'm waiting for an answer that I believe." sagot ko habang nakatitig sa mga mata ni Max. He sighed.
"Well, I miss this girl. But I have no idea to get her back." sabi ni Max habang nakatitig sa kalawakan.
"And who is this girl?" tanong ko.
"Baka kilala mo." sabi ni Max.
"I am from Spain, Max." sambit ko sa kanya.
"She's the love of my life, Persephone." sabi niya. Akooo?? Eh, di ka nga nagpaalam sa'kin na pupunta ka sa Spain.
"Anong nangyari?" tanong ko na nagmamaang-maangan.
"Well, she was 15 years old when I was 16. I heard her sing inside the auditorium as I was passing by. Mag-isa siya noon tapos sinusundan ako ng mga barkada ko." sabi niya.
"Anong kinakanta niya?" tanong ko.
"Have you watched Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?" tanong niya tapos tumango ako.
"It was Pure Imagination and it became our favorite song." sambit niya. It was... our favorite song, Max.
"Sinilip ko siya kaso biglang bumukas yung pintuan na sinandalan ko at nahulog ako sa loob ng auditorium. Nabigla siya kaya we were both frozen there. We were staring at each other nang bigla siyang lumapit para alalayan akong tumayo." sabi niya. Then, I asked if you were okay...
"Tapos tinanong niya ako kung ok lang ako, and I said oo. Pero noong lalakad na ako, biglang sumakit yung paa ko. Sa ganda ng boses niya, natalisod ako. She ended up helping me walk to the clinic." dagdag ni Max. Shit, alalang-alala niya.

"After that, hinanap ko siya sa facebook at nag-send ako ng friend request. Fortunately, she accepted it. Tinignan ko yung posts niya, tapos nakita ko na gustong-gusto niya ng mga libro lalo na yung Harry Potter." he excitingly said. Maiiyak na ako.
"The next week, I sent her a Hogwarts letter na yung laman ay ang sulat ko. Medyo nahirapan akong lapitan siya, kase dine-dedma niya ako. Hanggang sa muntik siyang masagasaan ng sasakyan. I pulled her right in time. Naawa ako sa kanya. She was covering her ears with closed eyes. We both fell on the ground as she clinged unto me out of fear. Tinulungan ako ng barkada kong dalhin siya sa clinic, and she was fine, just petrified by what had happened." sabi niya sa'kin. He remembered every exact detail of what happened that day.

"And that's how we met. After a few months, tinanong ko siya kung pwede ba akong manligaw and she said yes. Grabe, ang saya saya ko noon. Isang araw, pumunta ako sa bahay nila at doon ako nag-paalam sa papa niya kung pwede ko ba siyang ligawan. He asked me a few questions and said yes under one condition..."--Never break my heart...

"Ako na ata yung pinakamasayang lalake noon. At oo, gustong-gusto ko na sagutin na niya ako. She watched each and every one of my games, and I patiently waited for her to finish her singing sessions. I bought her books, food, and even a guitar. I was so happy I got to be with her." tapos tumigil si Max. At this moment, I just wanted to tell the truth. I wanted to hug him and tell him I love him.
"I loved her, I still do, and I always will. Nang nakarating kami dito sa Pilipinas, I swore to do everything for her to come back to me. I love her." sabi niya. Pagkasabi niya sa words na 'I LOVE HER' di ko kinaya. I ran to my room, crying... He called out to me but I didn't dare to face him.

         I locked myself in my room as I burst into eternal tears. Nahiya ako sa sarili ko. All this time ako pala yung mali. All that Max did was love me and here I am, blaming him for everything. I hated the man who just wanted me back. I despised the man who did nothing but love me. I wanted to hurt the man whose only intentions were to take care of me. I wanted him dead while he wanted me back to him. At this moment, di na ako makapag-isip. Di ko na alam kung anong gagawin ko. Masasaktan siya kapag babagsak at makukulong ang tatay niya. Gusto ko na talagang magback-out kase di ko na kaya. I and the man who loves me are living under the same roof, yet he is clueless. I just wanted to scream that I love him.

        Bumagsak ako sa sahig habang nakasandal sa pintuan nang narinig kong kumakatok si Max.
"Demi, are you okay?" tanong nito mula sa labas.
"Demi..." he kept repeating my name and I stayed there, crying my heart out.

Paano na? Paano????