PLEASE BE MINE...AGAIN (Completed/Editing)

Chapter 8.2

"I'm sorry, Mom," tanging sagot ng bata.

Hindi na siya nakapagbitiw ng sagot sa sinabi ng bata dahil simula noon ay naging okupado na ni Steven ang buong isip niya.

Lorabelle was already in front of Steven's office. Ang pag-uusap nila ni Jackie ang siyang naging dahilan kung bakit siya nakapagpasya nang 'di oras na "mag-evacuate" na sa SAM Publishing. She was there to personally tender her resignation and bid her officemates bye-bye.

Bahala na. Magpapatulong na lang siya sa pinsang si Colin na makapasok ng trabaho sa France. In that way ay mailalayo niya na rin si Jackie sa ama nito at makapamuhay sila ng tahimik. Hindi niya ipapaalam sa binata na may anak sila nito. What for? She knew that her relationship with Steven will never have a second chance. That everything was just purely coincidence. There's no such thing called "destiny," lalo na at nasaktan niya ito. Paghihiganti pa siguro ang meron at takot siya na mangyari iyon.

She felt a waterfall of sweats running under her corporate blouse as she was giving three knocks on the door.

"Come in!" narinig niyang sigaw mula sa loob.

She turned the doorknob and opened the door. Eksaktong pagbungad ng kanyang ulo ay nagkasalubong ang kanilang mga mata. Biglang nagrigodon ang kanyang dibdib. She felt her whole system shuddering. She entered the room and stood in front of the man.

"S-Steven," nauutal na sambit niya sa pangalan ng binata. Tila hirap siyang ilabas ang sariling boses.

Ngunit biglang nagbago ang ekspresiyon sa mukha nito. Mula sa pagiging pormal ay biglang gumuhit ang 'di maipapaliwanag na ekspresiyon sa gwapong mukha ng lalaki. She trembled at the thought of Steven's gaze darkened. His eyes slanted and his stare turned into something that was full of sarcasm.

"Yes? What can I do for you, Miss Yañez?" he asked casually. His cold treatment pierced deep down into her bones.

"Ah..I'm tendering my immediate resignation, Sir," taas-noo at patay-malisyang saad niya. Pinilit niyang patigasin ang anyo at salubungin ang titig nito.

Steven did not take the letter through his hands so she laid it on the table. Dinampot nito ang papel ngunit imbes na basahin ay pinunit nito iyon. Her whole being hardened while watching him tear the innocent paper into pieces. Bumuhay iyon ng inis sa kanyang dibdib. The nerve of this man! She stayed up all night just to scribble the perfect words for that letter, tapos ganun lang kung punitin nito? Bwisit!

"Wait! Why are you tearing that? Alam mo ba na pinaghirapan ko iyang gawin kagabi?" she couldn't help herself from yelling. Inis na inis talaga siya sa ginawa nito.

"This is bullshit, Lorabelle! Ano ba ang problema mo? Are you still affected by what I said when we were having that damn lunch?" His voice dominated the entire office as it clamored.

She had her eyes wide open. Biglang napalitan ng panginginig ang kanina'y inis na nararamdaman niya nang tumayo ang lalaki. She was like an elf looking up at a giant. Matangkad kasi ito at hanggang balikat lang siya nito kahit na naka-high heels siya.

"Hindi ako ganoon kababaw para dibdibin ang lahat nang sinabi mo sa mga oras na iyon, Steven. In fact, kinalimutan ko na iyon. Eh, sa gusto ko nang umalis dito. Ano ba ang pakialam mo? Pati ba naman sarili kong desisyon pakikialaman mo?"

"It's not that, Lorabelle. What about me?" diretsang tanong nito.

She heard some claps anywhere. Paano na raw ito kung aalis na siya? Ows? Baka trabaho na naman ang dahilan n'yan. Baka naman ang ibig sabihin nito ay paano na ito kung wala na siya bilang Editorial Assistant? She secretly shook her head to whisk those thoughts away.

"We can be friends," she mumbled, then bit her lower lip.

"Friends? You are impossible, Lora! How can we be friends kung sa bawat pagkakataong magkaharap tayo tulad nito ay para akong mababaliw dahil gusto kitang halikan? Gusto kitang maangking muli?" walang gatol na pahayag nito.

She wanted to melt because he was throwing a breathtaking stare at her. Parang isa-isa nitong hinuhubad ang kanyang mga suot. Tagos sa kanyang kalamnan ang matiim nitong titig.

"Steven!"

Ayaw niya sanang maramdaman iyon ngunit tila siya naeskandalo. Tila rolyo ng pelikulang bumalik sa kanyang alaala ang nakaraan lalo na ang matamis na sandaling pinagsaluhan nila sa kubol na iyon. Ang sandaling ibinigay niya ang sarili sa binata at siyang naging dahilan kung bakit may isang Jackie siya ngayon.

Her whole body froze in a couple of minutes. She just realized that a pool of hot tears was already making their own ways down to her cheeks. Ibinaba niya ang mga paningin dahil hindi niya na kayang salubungin ang mga titig nito. She heard the man release a sarcastic, short laugh. Mabilis niyang inangat muli ang paningin. This time, matalim na ang tinging inihagkis nito sa kanya.

"Bakit, Lora? Nagagalit ka ba sa sinabi ko? Are you going to slap my face and tell me that I'm disgusting? Huh?" muli itong ngumisi.

"How dare you! Anong karapatan mo na bastusin ako?" And she was already carried away by her emotions. She could no longer bring her poise and coolness back.

"Yes, how dare me!" he sarcastically uttered.

Biglang nagrigodon ang kanyang dibdib nang makita niyang humakbang ito palapit sa kanya. But she couldn't seem to move any part of her body, not even her feet.

"And how dare you too na saktan ako noon. Dahil pagkatapos kitang mahalin nang lubos ay pinili mo pa rin akong iwan sa ere at balewalain ang pagmamahalan natin." Nasa himig ng binata ang panunumbat. Tila puno ito ng hinanakit ukol sa kanya. Inilang hakbang na lang ang pagitan ng katawan nila nito. "Kaya wala kang karapatang magalit sa akin! O baka naman nagagalit-galitan ka lang dahil ang totoo pa ay mahal mo pa rin ako. You just can't admit it because you're still guilty with what you've done."

Napapitlag siya nang gigil nitong hinawakan ang magkabila niyang balikat.

"Steve, ano ba? Nasasaktan ako! Kapag hindi mo ako binitawan ay  sisigaw ako at idedemanda kita!"

The tone of her voice raised a notch higher as she was trying to pull herself out of his tight grip. Ilang beses siyang pumiksi ngunit sadyang napakahigpit ng pagkakahawak nito. Makakaya niya rin kayang ipakulong ito?

"Nasasaktan ka? Don't you realize how painful it was for me when you left? It almost ruined my life. I never had a serious relationship in Ireland dahil hindi ka nawala sa isipan ko. Yes, I've been with a lot of women, bedded with them pero hanggang doon lang iyon dahil ni minsan ay hindi ka naalis sa sistema ko."

Steven's eyes clouded as he was bringing those words out. She could perceive some liquids at the corners of his eyes.

"Hindi kita maintindihan—"

"Oo, dahil noon pa man ay hindi mo na pinahahalagahan ang nararamdaman ko."

"Hindi ko—"

"But damn! Hanggang ngayon ay mahal pa rin kita!"

Sukat sa narinig ay napaawang ang bibig ng dalaga. Hindi siya makapaniwala sa sinabi nito.

"But I guess I have to learn to forget you. It has been six years since you left. What could I expect? I'm sure marami nang pagbabagong naganap particular na sa damdamin. Siguro hanggang doon na lang tayo—"

But Steven never got the chance to continue his words because she suddenly pulled him and dominated his lips. She kissed her hard and with blazing passion, throwing all her hesitations away. She couldn't deny with herself that she was still deeply into him. Mahigpit din ang kapit niya sa leeg nito. Ilang sandali na hindi nakakilos ang binata hanggang sa naramdaman niya ang pagtugon nito.