Unbind the Strings

Thirty Four

"I'm going back to Manila." I feel like I lost another chance. I wanted to talk to him like what they said but now that he's going back parang ayoko nalang ituloy 'yung gusto kong sabihin. Never mind.

"But I can stay if you want me to." Napalingon ako sa aking narinig and saw him pressing the elevator  button para hindi ito tuluyang bumaba at magsara. He went out of the elevator and started stepping towards me. "I'm really sorry, Cali. Sorry for causing you and boyfriend too much pain. I was so aggressive and hindi ko na na-control sarili ko." he said, while slowly facing the floor.

"Tapos na 'yun. Gusto lang kitang kausapin kasi ayoko naman na uuwi tayong may sama ng loob sa isa't isa. Can we talk?" I told him.

"Aren't we talking already?" Hinampas ko siya sa braso at napatawa naman siya sa naging reaction ko. "Aray! Ganyan mo ba ako ka-miss? May halong hinanakit at sama ng loob 'yang hampas mo, ah!" he said, while slowly caressing his shoulder. 

"Ewan ko sa'yo, ang dami mong alam Keane." He smiled and looked at me straightly. 

"Saan ba tayo mag-uusap?" he asked, looking around the area.

"Sa may beachfront nalang gusto mo?" I suggested, he nodded and we went there together. 

"So how's Manila?" I said, breaking the silence between us. He sighed deeply and sat down the bench. "Ang lalim, ah. Kasing lalim ng dagat, anong meron?" I asked. 

"Fucking messed up lang. Lahat nawala sa'kin pagdating ko ng Manila. I lost everything, I lost you." He said, looking straight to the beach. "Akala ko pag nilayuan kita magiging okay na ang parents ko but they took everything away from me. They want to send me abroad, akala ko naman okay na kami sa issue na 'yun but they still keep on insisting..." patuloy lang akong nakikinig sa mga kinekwento niya.

"They took my cards, my car, my phone, lahat. I did commissions to earn money and pay the rent of the condo. Kakabili ko lang ng phone and I tried contacting you once but you didn't answer. Number mo lang kasi memorized ko, siguro kako nagpalit ka na ng number since hindi mo sinagot. Then I," he stopped for a bit and looked straight at me.

"Then you what?" I asked him seriously.

"I called you again and si Liam sumagot." he said while giving me a bittersweet smile. "I think he forgot to end the call so I overheard your conversation...Pero huwag kang mag-alala kasi ako na mismo nag-end nung call afterwards." he smiled again.

"What did you hear?" I asked. I was trying to remember when was that and what did he hear from our conversation. Could it be...

He laughed and said, "You don't have to know, Cal. Okay lang, and tama ka naman. Hindi na dapat binabalikan ang ex. I just thought na you were waiting for me pero I guess nalate na talaga ako." he smiled while looking at me. "Don't worry din kasi I ended the call right after I heard that."

"I also didn't expect that you'll bring someone with you here, I mean, your new girlfriend." I said back.

"Ah, 'yung sa'min ba ni Sophie?" He giggled. "Walang kami no'n. Buti nga pumayag siyang isama ko siya rito. She's just my classmate sa school, siya rin ang natulong sa'kin kapag absent ako due to rehearsals. Wala na akong oras para matulog but I still have time to stalk you and your boyfriend." he turned to look at me.