ELLE'S POV
AS HE LAID his eyes on me, i felt nervous at the same time happy.
Wtf? Who the hell is this guy? I really think i have seen him somewhere or is he someone that's so close to my heart kaya ito ganito mag react?
"Wait, do you know me? At saan mo nakalap ang pangalan ko gayong hindi naman ako sikat?"tanong ko.
Nalilito ako nitong tiningnan na para may kung ano akong nasabi
sa kanya.
"Rochelle it's me! I'm your hu—"
"Kuya—"
I saw how Gail's eyes widen in shocked when he saw me and that man looking at each other.
"What is the meaning of this Avegail?" Narinig kong sabi ng lalaki at masamang nakatingin kay Gail.
Instead of answering him, hinila ako palapit ni Gail sa kanya saka nag salita.
"Bakit ka ba kasi lumabas?" She asked.
"Kuya mo? Bat di mo sinabi?"takang tanong ko.
"Please go back to your room Elle! I'll explain everything to you later.."she said at pilit akong itinutulak papunta sa kwarto kung saan ko iniwan si Yania at Sean.
"Gail!" nahimigan ko ang galit sa boses nito.
"Kuya let me—" hindi na natapos ni gail ang sasabihin ng hilahin siya nung lalaki kung saan.
Nagkibit balikat na lamang ako at imbes na magtungo sa kwarto dumeretso ako sa baba para uminom ng tubig.
Nauuhaw na kasi ako.
Kumuha ako ng tubig ng may magsalita sa likod ko.
"Chin kuku—Elle?"
"Hi?" patanong na bati ko kahit naman hindi ko ito maalala.
"You're alive? Gail said you didn't survive the operation?"sabi nung lalaking may hawak nang tray ng cookies.
"Ahm, i thought too, but who are you?" i asked.
"I—i am Zeus, Gails older brother."sabi niya.
"Zeus? I haven't heard about you, pero pamilyar ang boses at mukha mo saakin."sabi ko. At pinilit na inisip kong saan ko siya nakita.
Blurred pictures flooded in my mind as i felt my head started to feel dizzy.
Sumasakit ang ulo ko kapag pinipilit ko ang sariling makaalala kaya hindi na ako nagulat ng dumugo ang ilong ko.
"You're bleeding!" sabi nito saka kumuha ng panyo at saka pinunasan ang ilong ko.
Pinaupo niya ako sa upuan katabi ng counter.
"It's okay if you don't remember me, at least you're alive."nakangiting sabi niya saka ibinalik ang panyo na kulay puti sa bulsa nito.
Tiningnan ako nito na parang hindi parin siya makapaniwala.
"You really are alive, i thought kuya was just hallucinating." sabi niya sa maliit na boses.
Huh? Bakit ba nila sinasabing buhay ako eh kita naman nilang buhay na buhay talaga ako tsk!
At saka bakit ang tagal nilang mag usap? i want to talked to that guy too.
**
KUEN'S POV
PAGKAGISING KO hindi ko makita ni katawan o anino ni Elle. Kaya naman itinanong ko yun kay mom pero ayaw nila akong sagutin.
Napansin ko ding wala si Gail kasama ang asawa niya.
After almost a month of recovery, i asked them again at nasagot yun makatanggap kami ng tawag mula kay Gail.
'Rochelle didn't survive the operation',
That's the first thing she said when mom answered the call.
Nanlumo ako sa kinatatayuan ko, she said that Elle didn't survive dahil nga sa pagkakaumpog ng ulo nito sa yatch ng dalawang beses.
Araw araw sinisisi ko ang sarili dahil sa nalaman.
Galit na galit ako sa sarili ko, the person i failed to protect was Elle. It's been five years, My position in Mafíoso, binitawan ko. I said to myself that i will never go back to being a jerk and asshole again.
I have learned my mistake already and I don't want to repeat that stupid mistake again.
After five years, i learned to accept that she's already gone, that she's already one of those stars in the constellation.
I would always remember how i annoy her and she would always rolled her eyes infront of me.
I missed her smile, her lips and of course, her.
If ever I could go back in time, siguro nung una ko siyang makilala sana ay naging mas mabuti ang pakikitungo ko sakanya.
Yes, i love Adrianna pero mas nangigibabaw si Elle sa puso ko.
The feelings i have for her was so strong.
One day, I planned to visit Gail secretly gusto ko siyang surpresahin kasama ko si Zeus, That very morningi decided to have coffee with him since we were exhausted with the flight, we decided to have coffee in the nearest cafe in their village.
As i turn my head around to search for a vacant seat, my eyes stop to the only woman who is sitting is left area playing with my nephew and niece.
Halo halo ang emosyong naramdaman ko nang magtagpo ang mga mata natin.
And taong inakala kong namatay ay nasa harapan ko, nakangiti at mukhang walang prinoproblema.
Nakaramdam ako ng pangungulila at galit.
So Avegail has been lying to me eversince? Why would she do that? For what? Revenge dahil iniwan ko siya noon? How stupid she could be!
To confirmed my suspicion, when they leave the cafe sinundan ko sila at saka bumisita sa bahay ni Gail nang makapasok ako, tumalon ang puso ko sa saya ng malaman kong siya nga 'yon.
But there is something wrong with her.
She don't know me, She asked me why the hell did i knew her.
"Explain the hell! Explain everything Gail!" sigaw ko.
"I-i am sorry kuya i just want to protect Elle fro-"
"From who? From me?! You lied para maprotektahan si Elle at the same time para masaktan ako?Why Gail? Do you think i can't protect Elle? Do you really think i would let anything happened to her? How could you..."sabi ko.
"You promise me kuya! Sabi mo poprotectahan mo si Elle at hindi hahayaang masaktan! Kuya alam mo naman napakahina ni Elle! Ni hindi niya nga magawang humawak ng baril!" sigaw din nito pabalik.
"It was a life and death situation Gail! My goodness how could you not understand even a bit of it!" Sigaw ko sa kanya
"Sinabi mo nalang sana sakin ang totoo! I love Elle so much and you know that Gail! You f-cking know about that! Pero sa ginawa mo ngayon? I don't think mapapatawad agad kita, inilayo mo si Elle sa akin para ano? Para magdusa ako?"
"Okay you're right nagdusa ako sa loob ng limang taon kasabay non ang pangungulila ko kay Elle na inakala kong patay na! I tried to change myself and yes i've change."
"Iniwan ko lahat ng masasamang gawain ko noon dahil sa isip ko gusto kong bumawi sa naging kasalanan ko sakanya hindi k—"napaluhod ako sa sahig.
"Even though I am the coldest and ruthless person in this world. I still have a heart."
Umiiyak na tiningnan ako ni Gail na nakaluhod sa harap niya.
My vision became blur because of my tears.
"I know you love her and I'm sorry for taking her away from you. It's just—ayoko ko siyang makitang nahihirapan. She already experience enough, ayoko nang madagdagan pa 'yon kuya." Gail said.
I understand her pero hindi ko lang talaga matanggap kong bakit siya nagsinungaling, bakit pinaniwala niya kami na wala na si Elle.
Niyakap ako ni Gail habang nakaluhod ako sa harapan niya.
"I love her so much, i can't live without her so please Gail, let me be with her. Let me have her back. I want her back Gail." I said.
Tinap lang ni Gail ang likod ko habang patuloy ako sa pag-iyak.
**
ELLE'S POV
NARINIG KO lahat, lahat nang sinabi nang lalaking yon.
Kaya ngayon pinilit ko ang sariling maalala lahat, pero mas sumakit lamang ang ulo ko dahil lang doon.
I want to go back to that country hoping if i could remember it all, the people i have forgotten because of the accident and my head trauma.
Nakaupo ako ngayon sa harap ng salamin tinignan ko ang sarili ko.
Who am i? Ano ba ang naging buhay ko sa pilipinas? Did i married that guy because i love him? And why the hell did that accident happen kaya ako nawalan ng ala-ala dahil don.
Gusto kong pilitin ang sariling alalahanin sila pero lalo lang nitong pinapasakit ang ulo ko.
Nakarinig ako ng pagkatok sa pinto ng kwarto ko.
"Pwedi ba tayong mag-usap?" tanong ni Gail.
"Sure."sagot ko.
"I'm sorry Elle, if i lied to you all this years...hinayaan kitang hindi ma alala si kuya and i am very sorry!" Sabi niya saka lumuhod sa harap ko.
"Hey what are you doing! Tumayo ka nga!" sabi ko habang niyuyug-yug ang balikat nito.
"I won't unless you forgive me."
"Ang alin ba?" tanong ko.
"Asawa mo si kuya, Elle."sabi niya.
"Eh? Diba dalawa ang kuya mo and both of them are married to me? The hell? So two timer ako?!" sabi ko.
"No! what i mean is yung lalaking nakita mo sa hagdan, Si Kuya Kuen, siya ang asawa mo. at kung hindi dahil sayo hindi ko sana sila ulit makakasama."sabi niya hinawakan niya ang kamay ko.
"Alam kong hindi ka pa talaga nakakaalala pero sana kahit kay kuya man lang, kahit maliit lang na alala may maalala ka sana."sabi niya.
"Asawa ko?" tanong ko.
May ipinakita siyang litrato. May kayakap akong lalaki sa beach iyon nakuha habang nililipad ang buhok ko.
Ipinikit ko ang mata dahil nahihilo ako.
Images flooded in my mind, blurred memories, i heard those laugh's, the beautiful smile.
'I love you...'
"You? Why?" Naiiyak na tanong ko.
"I'm sorry."
Is this why when he approach me earlier i felt something inside me, it's like he is part of something na ayaw na ayaw kong kalimutan.
"Kuen Carter." Wala sa sariling sabi ko.
**