His Broken-hearted Girl

23. Blurred and Impossible

Binigyan ko si Jervis ng chance hindi dahil sa pagmamahal niyang nagtagal ng ilang taon, kundi dahil sa katapatan ng pagmamahal niya. It may be traditional but for me, love that came from the deepest core of your heart is the greatest love of all. I may not love Jervis now but I am making sure that I will try my very best to love him, not just as brother, but more than that.

Kagigising ko lang ay agad nang iyon ang nasa isip ko. I was still lying, staring at the white ceiling. I smiled at myself. If I will love Jervis, it feels like loving Paul the second time around. Ano kaya ang mangyayari kapag mahal ko na si Jervis? Will it be the same as his brother? Or more than that?  Katulad ng sinabi ni Paul sa huling sulat niya sa akin, I should open my heart for the one who is deserving, and I think Jervis is the right term for deserving. Isn’t it?

I looked at the bedside table when my phone rang. Inabot ko lang iyon dahil tinatamad pa akong bumangon. It’s 5:30 in the morning, anyway. Alas otso pa ng umaga ang punta ko sa flower farm mamaya. Early riser lang ako kaya maaga akong nagising.

“Are you with Willard fucking Almante?”

Kumunot ang noo ko at tinignan ang caller ID. Sinagot ko na lang kasi agad iyon at hindi na tinignan. My brows creased. It’s Kimberly Tuazon who called? Unregistered number ito pero base sa sopistikada at maawtoridad niyang boses ay alam kong si Kim ito.

“Kim?” Tanong ko, paos pa ang boses ko dahil sa paggising.

“Yes, it is! So, are you with Willard?” She asked impatiently.

 “Why don’t you call him instead of ruining my morning, Miss Tuazon?” I said in discomfiture. Umagang-umaga ay hinahanap sa akin ang lalaking iyon. Buti naman sana kung tinatanong niya ako in a nice way. O kung binati man lang niya ako. This girl is getting into my nerves!

“I did! But he’s not answering my damn calls!” She was seething. I can say that she was fuming mad based on her voice. “Ugh! That motherfucker knows how to push my buttons!”

“Yeah, nandito siya.” I heard her scowled over the phone. I bit my lower lip. “I mean, nasa ibang kwarto. Nandito kami sa Tagaytay. He invited himself to come with me here. Malay ko ba kung may naiwanan siyang trabaho?” I said, rising from the bed.

“I know that but... Ugh! Is he hitting on you, Athena Grace Quijano?” The way he mutter my complete name rings a bell of truth.

Kumunot ang noo ko sa itinanong niya. Napaisip din ako. Is Willard Almante really hitting on me? Of course not! Hindi ko lang alam kung ano ang trip sa buhay ni Willard Almante kung bakit nageexist siya ngayon sa buhay ko. I don’t really know. He just wanted me to know him, but beyond that? I have no idea.

“No. Why would he be?” Sabi ko at tumayo na sa kama.

Naglakad ako palapit sa glass window ng kwarto ko. Tinabing ko ang blue silky cloth na kurtina at pinagmasdan ang papasikat na araw. Napahinga ako ng malalim. Tanaw ko dito ang malawak na flower farm, ang Taal Lake at ilang establishments sa paligid. Such a nice view!