More Than Just A Kick

Chapter 31

"Same course din kami. Architecture tapos he's so friendly with everyone. Very opposite of you, oops sorry. I didn't mean like that."

"I know."

"Yung personality niyo, I mean magkaiba. Same kasi kami ng personality ng cousin mo."

"Oh." Playgirl ka rin? So pinaglalaruan mo lang si Marsan? Asa ka pa, girl.

"But I like Marsan's personality. He's so quiet like you. Alam mo kahit kami na, ang tahimik niya pa rin. I thought nung nanliligaw siya kapag sinagot ko na siya ay dadaldal na siya, hindi pa pala. But you know, he's a perfect boyfriend that I ever have. He's so dreamy and he's so caring." Her words struck into my broken heart. "At alam mo bang ako pa pala ang first girlfriend niya?" I didn't know because there's a lot about Marsan that I don't know. He's so mysterious.

"Woah, Ate Chloe. Ang swerte niyo po pala kay Marsan." Stephanie says with glee.

"Yep." She says with a wide smile. "You're friends with him, di ba?"

"Yeah."

"Madaldal ba siya sayo?"

"Nope."

"Caring din ba siya sayo?"

I just respond her with a blank stare.

She laugh. "I'm just kidding, you know. I know he cares for you kasi he told me he cares for you like a SISTER. A little sister."

Sister. Sister  It echoed in my mind and deep inside my heart in pained me. I don't see him like a brother. For me, he's the one. The one that makes me truly happy.

My phone beeps, kinuha ko yon sa bulsa ko.

"Uh, nagtext sakin si Stephen. Usap lang kami."

"Oh boyfriend mo?" I did not answer her. Naiirita na sa kakulitan niya. "Sabi ni Marsan sakin dati parang magjowa na kayo, eh. Ang sweet niyo nga daw."

Tinitigan ko lang siya at saka tumayo. Lumabas na ako ng tent. I feel suffocated. Why didn't I knew Marsan already has a girlfriend? And he's serious with her. Kaya pala lately he was always on his phone. He sometimes neglect for his girlfriend.  Several tears stream down my face and I can't help it. Napaupo na lang ako sa damuhan.

"Française!" May pag-aalalang sigaw ni Stephen.

Inalalayan niya ako upang tumayo at inilahad niya sa aking ang violet na panyo na minsan na niyang pinahiram.

"Here. Take this."

But instead of taking his handkerchief. I grab him and hug him tightly.

I am lying on the shoulders of Stephen, endlessly crying. He caress my back. Mas lalo niya akong gustong patahanin, mas lalo akong napapaiyak. The true happiness that I want the most—have his own happiness and it's not me. 

I didn't expect it would hurt like this.

I didn't imagine one day, I have to move on. That I have to let go my feelings on him. I secretly like him. He doesn't even know that he hurt me. He has no idea how painful it is to see him happy with another woman.

I wish for him the happiness but I'm too sad to be happy for him. Dapat ba ipagpasalamat ko pa na hindi ako nagconfess sa kanya? Dapat ba pilitin kong maging masaya kahit hindi? I don't even know how to move forward without him by my side. Nasanay na akong lagi siyang nasa tabi ko.

Patuloy na tumutulo ang luha ko. Tahimik lang si Stephen at mahigpit na niyayakap ako na para ayaw niya akong pakawalan.

My eyes are blurry but I could still see his rosy red lips. I remember Marsan told me I shouldn't kiss the guy I don't like only the guy I like. I wanna do it. I wanna break his rule. I gonna break his rule because he break my heart, too.

Without hesitation, I cross the gap between our lips and when it met I felt his soft lips and intense feelings I couldn't describe. He deepened our kiss, I am melting at his kisses. His hand caress my back sensually and my hand grabs his nape.

My eyes are still watery, ayaw pa ring tumigil sa pagtulo. Inilayo ni Stephen ang labi niya pero agad ko yun na hinabol pero inilayo niya na ito. Sinandal niya ang noo niya sa noo ko.

"You're still crying," Pinunasan niya ang luha sa aking pisngi. Pero patuloy pa rin ito sa pagluha. Bwisit kasing mata 'to, hindi marunong makisama sakin. Kinuha niya ang violet na panyo at pinunasan ang luha ko nang marahan na para bang ayaw niya akong masaktan.

Kung sana siya na lang nung una yung nagustuhan ko.

I want to go back to the past and change it. Nung first time na nakita ko si Marsan, dapat hindi ko na lang siya pinansin noon. Dapat hindi na lang ako nacurious magtricycle. Sana nagkotse na lang ako noon, hindi sana ako nasasaktan ngayon. I regret that I met him.

"Don't cry," hindi ko namalayan patuloy pa rin ang pag-agos ng luha ko kung hindi niya lang sinabi. "I hate seeing you like this. I wish ako na lang yung taong nagustuhan mo para araw araw kitang papasayahin and I will never hurt you." Tama, kung sana siya na lang. Bwisit kasing puso 'to laging sa mga maling tao nagkakagusto.

"I really like you Française and I'll make sure you'll like me too. And we will be happy." He smile sweetly.

He continue our kiss and I felt the strange feeling again. He moves his lips and I just follow with the rhythm. He smile while his kissing me.

"Gago ka Stephen!" My cousin exclaims and the next thing I knew nakabulagta na si Stephen sa lupa. Agad ko siyang nilapitan at pinatayo.

Nasa paligid namin ay ang lahat ng teammates at ang mga pares ng mata ni Marsan. Nakatingin ito nang masama sa amin ni Stephen.

"Bakit mo hinalikan ang pinsan ko?" Rouge jaw tightened, flushed face and fist ready to punch.

"'Cause I like her." Simpleng sagot ni Stephen.

Susugod pa sana si Rouge pero agad kong dinepensahan si Stephen at sinipa siya sa tiyan.

"Nagtatago ka pa sa kanya, come on. Fight me. You have to pay for what you've done. Hindi ka sumunod sa rules ni Uncle. Magbabayad ka."

"Handa akong magbayad maging masaya lang si Française."

"Rouge, pwede naman natin pag-usapan ng maayos to. S'il te plait." Pakiusap ko at nilapitan siya oara pakalmahin.

"Bakit namamaga mata mo? Umiyak ka ba? Pinaiyak ka ba ng gagong to?" Umiling iling ako.

Pinapairal na naman ni Rouge yung init ng ulo niya, hinila niya ako palayo kay Stephen at binigay kay Marsan.

"Hawakan mo yang pinsan ko para di niya maprotektahan ang gagong 'to."

Wala akong magawa dahil nanghihina ako sa hawak ni Marsan. Mahigpit niya akong hinahawakan sa magkabilang braso ko na para bang ayaw niya akong pakawalan na kahit kailan hindi mangyayari.

Ilang suntok at sipa ang narinig ko. I can't look at them. Pinikit ko ang mga mata ko at nagpatuloy ang pagluha ng mata ko. Kung hindi dahil sakin, hindi mangyayari yun kay Stephen. I shouldn't have kiss him.

"Tama na!" Sigaw ko.

"Ayoko na ulit mangyari 'to kaya pwede bang layuan mo na ang pinsan ko?" Nanggagalaiting sambit ni Rouge habang hawak sa kwelyo si Stephen.

YongRine