ZINC KIESER
"OY ZI!" I glanced at my room's door when it suddenly opened spitting Storm and Travis. What are these guys doing in here?
"Magbihis ka na! Championship ngayon ng Weston Knights! Arat na." Storm said. I just looked at them.
"Just go. Hindi ako pupunta." matabang kong sabi. Walang reason para pumunta ako do'n. Wala naman si Kelsey eh. Wala 'yong taong gusto kong pagbigyan ng lahat ng suporta ko.
"Tsk. Paano kaya kung biglang sumulpot si Kels do'n 'no? Trav?" sabi ni Storm at umakto na para bang nag-iisip.
"Hmm. Knowing Kels, hindi niya palalampasin ang championship game ng mga kaibigan niya. Baka nga ngayon, nasa airport na 'yon e. On the way sa Weston para manood." Travis said.
I groaned at mabilis na bumangon para maligo. I heard Storm and Travis laugh outside my bathroom. Alam talaga nila kung paano ako mapapasama. They are using Kelsey as a card, huh?
Though walang kasiguraduhan kung pupunta si Kelsey, I'm hoping. Hoping that she'll go. Hoping that I could see her again.
What I did to her caused her so much pain and I'll understand if until now, she's mad at me. I'll understand if she doesn't want to talk to me. But I will do everything to win her again.
I was furious at Keanna that time, she told me she did it because of insecurity and envy. She planned all of it. She did it on purpose. She wanted to hurt her sister. I don't know if I will be able to forgive for what she did.
I lost Kelsey. I fucking lost the woman I treasure the most.
After Keanna sent those photos to me, I was mad. How come Kelsey didn't tell me this? Maraming tanong sa isip ko na si Kelsey ang ang tanging makakasagot. Pinagpalit niya na ba ako? Narealize niya kayang hindi ako ang gusto niya?
Liam was the guy whom I got jealous of because Kelsey was so close to him but I trust Kelsey. I know she won't do things that can break us. That can hurt me.
I waited for her to tell me that he's with Liam the other day pero wala siyang sinabi. She stayed silent about it. Keanna was with me all the time. Lagi siyang nagpapasama sa mga lakad niya at hindi ko namamalayan na nawawalan na pala ako ng oras sa girlfriend ko.
I was cold towards her at hindi gaanong sinusundo at hinahatid sa bahay nila. She always asks me how was my day pero hindi ko siya gaanong sinasagot.
Hanggang sa lumipas ang ilang linggo, she wants us to have dates pero lagi kong sinasabing wala akong oras.
Fuck. I messed up.
I don't want to ask her what is those pictures all about. Gustong kong siya mismo ang magsabi sa akin.
Until Keanna invited me to have fun with her friends at a bar. Pumayag ako. Instead of talking to Kelsey that time, I went to a bar with Keanna. To have fun.
Fun.
Fuck that fun.
Nasa alanganin na nga ang relasyon namin ng girlfriend ko, nagawa ko pang magsaya. Ang galing. Isa akong malaking tanga.
I am suffering from a severe headache because of a hangover. I opened my phone at tadtad ito ng mga messages ni Kelsey. Her messages shout pain. Mas lalong sumakit ang ulo ko ng makita ang isang video na finorward niya. The video where I was drunk and dancing with her sister.
"Fuck!" I hissed. I tried calling her and she answered, telling me to meet her at the school's gymnasium in our school.
Lahat kami ay nasa gym, alas sais na ng hapon at inaantay namin sina Kelsey. After a few minutes, they arrived. Kelsey's eyes were red na halatang kagagaling niya lang sa iyak. I was about to hold her when she slapped me.
"I hate you!" she shouted at me.
"No, baby, please, let me—"
"Ano pa bang gusto mong ipaliwanag, Zinc? This?" she said showing the video in front of us. "Anong nangyari ng gabing 'to?" she said then laughed sarcastically.
"So that answers why you became cold. Why you ignore me. I should've known." mahinang sabi niya.
"Why?" she said crying.
"Y-you were with Liam, Kelsey! Someone took a photo of you two at the mall." sabi ko.
She chuckled, "Oh, that. Yeah, I was with him helping him buy gifts for Keila because she's courting her. I was there helping a friend to court his lady. Ba't ganoon? You concluded agad. You didn't ask me. Dahil lang doon, naghanap ka na ng iba? Sana sinabi mo ng mas maaga, sana nakipaghiwalay ka muna sa akin bago mo pinatulan ang ate ko. Tangina naman, Zinc eh." she said crying.
"I'm sorry..." mahinang sabi ko at kinulong siya sa bisig ko. She was still crying but she pushed me.
"No Zinc, I'm sorry. Ayoko nang maulit 'to. I don't want this kind of relationship. I'm sorry, I'm breaking—"
"No, please! Don't do this—" akmang lalapitan ko siya para yakapin pero humarang si Drake at sinalubong ako ng suntok sa mukha.
"Don't touch her, motherfucker. I've trusted you. Tangina mo Monteverde." and now my friend is mad at me. Kasama ni Kelsey umalis ang nga kaibigan niya pati na rin si Drake.
"Mabait pa si captain sa lagay na 'yon. Buti 'di ka binugbog. Alam mo, Zi. Kaibigan kita at kaibigan ko rin si Kels kaso gago ka eh. Ano bang pumasok sa utak mo? Akala ko ba matalino ka?" wika ni Storm. I stayed silent. I cried silently.
Ilang araw kong sinubukang suyuin at pilit na kausapin si Kelsey pero talagang magaling siyang umiwas. It's her talent. I went to their house pero suntok ang bumungad sa akin. I can't blame her dad. I hurt their daughter.
Her dad also told me to stay away from her.
Hanggang sa nalaman kong pinadala na siya sa ibang bansa para doon ipagpatuloy ang pag-aaral niya.
MAINGAY ANG BUONG gym ng makarating kami sa Weston. Maraming manonood ngayon. Weston students are wearing black shirts while their rival is wearing yellow ones.
We sat on Weston's side. Tahimik pa rin ako habang nililibot ang paningin ko sa buong gym hoping that I would see her. Hoping that she's here watching the game. But when I saw nothing, I lost hope.
I miss you, Kelsey.
Mas lalong umingay ang buong gym nga lumabas ang mga players ng kabilang school pero mas lalong umingay ng lumabas sina Kyrie kasama ang teammates niya.
Napaiwas ako ng tingin. Wala na talaga si Kels. Hindi ko na talaga siya makikita.
"What the fuck?! Is that Kels?!" agad na napunta ang tingin ko sa gawi nila Kyrie dahil sa sigaw ni Storm.
And there I saw my girl, wearing her black jersey, her hair braided into two with a sweatband around her head. She was smiling from ear to ear and waving her hands to some students.
It was surreal. I don't know if I am imagining things. I don't know if I'm just hallucinating. Is she real? Is my baby real?
I want to run towards her and hug her tightly and kiss her lips.
I missed her so much.
I missed her laugh.
Her smiles.
Her voice.
Her kisses.
I miss everything about her.
The game started and I stuck my gaze onto her. Hindi ko inalis ang tingin ko sa kanya. Kahit na nagpa-sub siya para magpahinga, I am still staring at her. Pawis na siya at namumula ang mukha niya pero ang ganda niya pa rin, gusto kong lumapit sa kanya at punasan ang pawis niya.
Pero gano'n nalang ang inis ko ng may lalaking lumapit sa kanya para bigyan siya ng Gatorade. Fuck. That should be me! It should be me who'll give Kelsey her drink.
"Kalmahan mo, pare." rinig kong sabi ni Travis sa gilid ko at tinapik ako sa balikat.
"Paano kakalma 'yan kung may ibang umaaligid sa binibini niya?" Storm said then laughed.
"Shut up."
The game's done and Knights won, again. Well, as expected.
"Tara na!" I was taken aback when Drake shouted. They ran towards the girls congratulating them while I was walking slowly towards them.
Fuck.
I'm nervous. I don't know what to say to her, I don't know what to do.
"Congrats," I said softly when I reached her. She's drinking the Gatorade the boy gave to her. She glanced at me and gave me a small smile.
"Thanks." tipid niyang sabi.
I was about to speak when a man suddenly wrapped her arms around Kelsey's waist.
"Who is he?" he asked.
"He's Zinc, Drake's teammate." sabi ni Kelsey. I got hurt by what she said. Tangina.
"I'm Zayn. Boyfriend." umawang ang labi ko sa narinig. Boyfriend? How come? Wala pang three-month mula ng nakipaghiwalay siya sa akin ah. It's only been weeks!
I looked at Kelsey and she only gave me a blank stare. I couldn't read what's going on in her head. I couldn't see any emotions in her eyes.
"Kelsey, siya ba?" Addieson asked.
Kelsey gave them a small smile, "Yeah."
"Pogi, ah," Hope said then laughed. The squad talked to him, they even teased them. I was just watching them laugh. Damn. Ganoon ba kadaling palitan ako?
Nag-aya silang kumain to celebrate, I agreed even though I am hurting.
Why does it seem that it was so easy for her to replace me? Does she move on that fast? Was her love for me too shallow to be faded that instantly?
"It wasn't her boyfriend. Zayn might be tripping on you. That's our cousin." Drake finally spoke. I looked onto him, shocked.
"Hindi naman pala jowa, natatawa nga ako kay Zinc kanina mukhang papaiyak na." Storm said then laughed.
After what I've heard from Drake, I felt relieved. I still have a chance on her. Damn. Iba ang saya ko ng malaman ko iyon. I never felt this kind of happiness and relief before.
WE WERE EATING and I kept on glancing at Kelsey but she never looked at me. Kahit anong pang-aasar ni Storm ay para bang wala lang iyon sa kanya. So when she went to the restroom, I grabbed the oppurtunity to talk to her.
Hinintay ko siya sa labas ng restroom hanggang sa lumabas siya. I saw how shocked she was when she saw me. Lalagpasan niya sana ako ng pigilan ko siya sa kamay.
"Kelsey, love, can we talk?"
"Don't call me that." she said, "What are we going to talk about?" she asked.
"About us. I want to fix us. I want you back. Please, hear me out?"
She stayed silent, then she shook her head. " I'm sorry but we're over. I don't want to talk about this anymore. Excuse me." iyon ang huling sabi niya sa akin bago siya umalis. And that was the last time I saw her.
[ END ]
'Yon na 'yon? Yes. Done na po. See you on Varsities 3: Points.