Meghan, My Chaos

Epilogue

WARNING: There's a few spoilers for 'My First Sydney' in this chapter.

Adrien's POV

"Congrats, man!" Ross greeted me as we clinked our glasses together. Napangiti ako at sumandal sa bar counter.

"Congrats din," matipid at mahina kong sabi sa kaniya, dahilan para matawa siya. I glanced at all the people in the bar with us na ngayo'y nagtatawanan, nagbabatian, at nagsasayawan sa harap namin.

"Wala namang kacongrats-congrats sa'kin," sabi niya at natawa rin ako. "If there's anyone who should be congratulated, it's her."

Napatingin ako sa kaniya and saw how serious he looks. I smiled and asked, "Sydney?"

He looked back at me and let out a sad smile.

"Wala namang iba," he simply said and took a sip of the vodka. "Siya lang naman lagi."

"Hey! What are you two doing there?! Ang boring niyo, ha!" sigaw ni Katniss habang naglalakad papunta sa amin with a red wine on her left hand. She's wearing a silver fitted dress tonight that emphasizes her curves and how thin her body is. 

"I've always been boring, wala namang bago," natatawang sabi ko sa kaniya, making her smile. I felt a bit emotional nang maisip 'yong limang taon na magkakilala kami, and how she always gave me that smile of hers, kahit ilang beses ko na siyang nasaktan.

"I'm gonna go make this party wild, see you two," paalam ni Ross sa amin, emphasizing the world 'wild' at nakangiting naglakad palayo.

Dahan-dahang tumabi sa akin si Katniss as I took a sip from my drink.

"Congratulations, Adrien," bati niya sa akin. I could feel her staring at me, and I turned to face her to give her back her intent stare.

"Congratulations to you too," I said in a low voice, "Not only for graduating."

"For what more?" nagtatakang tanong niya as she moved closer to me at napangiti ako.

"For staying gorgeous in all those 5 years that I've had spent knowing you," I whispered, making her laugh.

"You really know your way into my heart, do you know that?"

"Of course I do," sagot ko sa kaniya at bumalik ang tingin ko sa harap namin kung saan nagsasayawan 'yong mga ka-batch namin, celebrating the last night we'll all be together.

"I'm gonna miss seeing you in class, you know," biglang bulong ni Katniss at dahan-dahan akong uminom sa baso ko. "Y-you don't know how much I love waiting for your classes to end para makita ka ulit sa uwian," she added at napatingin ako muli sa kaniya na ngayo'y naluluha na.

"Thank you," I muttered as I watched her wipe her tears away.

"No... you shouldn't be thanking me," aniya at umiwas ng tingin sa akin. "I actually wanted to apologize to you tonight."

"Apologize?" naguguluhang tanong ko at tumango siya.

"I've spent all these years stupidly chasing you, and messing with your life, expecting na may pag-asa ako na magustuhan mo rin ako," she said, and I can clearly see that she's holding back her tears. I stayed quiet, letting her tell me everything that's on her mind. "But I was wrong. I was so wrong all this time, dahil wala naman akong magagawa para magustuhan mo ako. We can't decide who we're gonna love. We can't control those kinds of emotion."

Napayuko ako sa sinabi niya. She's right. I know she is, because I've been through that too sa limang taon na lumipas. I tried to control my own feelings, just like I have controlled everything else in my life, but I couldn't. I, Adrien Hierro Luceno Rives, the guy who've always had everything planned and in control, can't control his own emotions.