A/N: Eto na po ang pangbawi ko. Another busy week for me! Pero pag my time nakakagawa pa din naman ng ud ^__^ Love love! ❤❤❤
Brianna-----------------
Jared's POV
Flashback 2
My jaw almost dropped open because of what Cline said. This could not be true. She started crying again. In a quick step I reached for her and hugged her tightly. Pakiramdam ko nanginginig ako. I kissed her hair and caressed her back. No words escaped from my mouth. Ang dami ko gustong itanong but I was still in shock. This could not be happening.
Iyon ang inabutang tagpo ng parents naming dalawa. Naglayo kami ni Cline sandali. Matapos ay lumapit sa akin ang mom ni Cline tsaka ako tiningnan ng matiim. From my facial expression, alam nya na alam ko na. Her face became soft and helpless at binigyan nya ako ng pagpapaunawang tingin. Kahit wala sya sabihin parang nakuha ko na ang gusto nya iparating. Inaya kami ng mom ko para sa office ni dad kami mag- usap usap. Napansin kasi namin na nag- uumpisa ng dumami ang bisita sa garden. Pagpasok namin ay naupo kami ng magkakatapat. Katabi ko ang mom ko tapos sila naman sa harapan namin. My dad left the room as soon as he opened the door to let us in. Mahinang tikhim ang nakapagpabalik sa akin sa wisyo.
"So. Jared iho, I suppose Caroline already told you.." Umpisa ni Tita Ellen- Cline's mom.
Marahang tango lang ang naisagot ko. Hangang ngayon umid pa din ang dila ko at di ko alam paano pa magrereact at magrerespond sa mga nangyayari.
"When we left the country, Caroline was devastated. Ayaw ka nya iwanan. She threatened me that she will commit suicide if I force her to marry Markus. But I never believed her. Masyado mahina ang loob ng anak ko sa ganun, ni sugat sa daliri ay di nya kaya." Tita Ellen paused and cleared her throat. She blinked before continuing,"I was wrong. She did commit suicide." She held Caroline's hand then kissed it. "My poor baby, this is all my fault." Tita was about to break down. My mom is sobbing from my left side. Nanginginig ako at malakas ang kabog ng dibdib ko. Halo halo ang emosyon na nararamdaman ko.
Cline tried to kill herself.. At di ko matanggap yun. There's so much ahead of her.
Matapos kumalma ay nagpatuloy si tita Ellen. "You see, ng malaman ni Caroline na di na matitinag ang desisyon ko. Nagsimula na syang di kumain. She couldn't commit suicide ng isang biglaan but nakita ko kung paano nya unti unting patayin ang sarili nya. Wag lang matuloy ang kasal. At first, I thought matatapos din. She was just testing me. Pero hindi nangyari. Until one night.." Tita started sobbing again. "I found her almost lifeless in her bathroom. T-there was blood in her mouth, on her dress.. Everywhere.. I immediately called for help. I didn't know what to do. I thought I will already lose my baby girl." Mugto na ang mata ni tita Ellen at naaawa na ako sa kanya.
"Son.." Napatingin ako sa mom ko ng hawakan nya ako sa braso. Nabigla pa ako ng makitang umiiyak pa din sya. Maawain ang mom ko at mahina ang loob sa mga ganitong klaseng balita sa kanya. Lalo pa at ako ang involved. "Caroline would rather die than to live without you.." Nanlamig ako. I know where this is going.
"The doctor gave her a few months to live. She was diagnosed with cancer. Stomach cancer. Nakuha nya for not eating and drinking a lot of medicines to help her depression so she could fall asleep."
"W-what do you want me to do.."
"Please.. Take her back iho. I believe in miracles. The doctor said that there could still be hope. K-kung tutulungan lang ni Caroline ang sarili nya. Kung gugustuhin lang nya mabuhay bakasakali may mabago.."
"And I would live if you're with me Jared.. I'd choose to live kung kasama kita.." Mahinang sabi ni Cline.
Sa wakas ay nagsalita din sya.
>>>>>>>>>>
Gym
I was trying so hard to focus myself on other things. Walang nakakaalam ng sitwasyon ni Cline. Nakiusap si Tita Ellen na wala akong pagsabihan. Di ko alam paano magpapaliwanag kay Brianna ng di ko pwede sabihin sa kanya anong nangyayari. I let out a deep sigh. I need to get over this. Dapat akong makalimot sa sitwasyong kinasusuungan ko kahit sa mga panahong nandito lang ako sa gym. I laughed when my team mate passed the ball to me. Kailangan ko tumawa to keep my sanity. I dribbled the ball and aimed to shoot when someone shouted my name.
Brianna was smiling and waving happily while walking towards me. I felt my jaw tightened. Sakto pang pumito ang referee at nag time out kami. Wala akong kawala. Ito ang iniiwasan kong mangyari kaya lagi ako babad sa gym at di nagpaparamdam sa kanya. Di ko alam paano mag- uumpisa magpaliwanag. "Jared!.."
Brianna tiptoed to kiss me ng makadating sya sa kinatatayuan ko, pero iniiwas ko ang ulo ko. It just felt wrong. Parang ang unfair sa kanya na paasahin pa sya habang nasa malabong sitwasyon ako kay Cline. Nakita kong napakunot ang noo nya sa pagtataka. Mahigpit ang hawak ko sa bola dahil gustong gusto ko sya yakapin. God knows how much I missed hugging and kissing her.
But I made a promise. It's Caroline's life that is at stake.
Brianna still managed to smile then held my face so that I can look at her. "Wag ka mag alala hindi ako galit, alam ko naman na may dahilan kung bakit di ka nakapunta sa paparty ko sayo. Nag- alala nga ako akala ko may sakit ka.." Hinipo pa nya ang leeg at noo ko, "..pero mukhang okay ka naman, tinetext kita di ka sumasagot, palagi pa naka- off ang phone mo.. Ano bang nangyari sa-----"
"Hi baby!..."
Sh*t!
Napalingon si Brianna sa pinanggalingan ng boses at nanlaki ang mata nya ng makita kung sino ang papalapit. That became my cue. Pasimpleng tinanggal ko ang kamay nya na nakahawak sakin tsaka nilapitan para salubungin si Caroline. Ang kabilin bilinan ni tita Ellen, bawal sumama ang loob nya. Kakatapos lang ng meds nya sa depression.
At gaya ng napagkasunduan. Cline wanted me to do the things we didn't do nung kami pa. And that includes kissing her in public. Pikit matang dinampian ko sya ng halik ng nakaharap si Brianna. Sobrang bilis na parang hangin lang, bakit parang napakalaking effort na para sa akin ng halik na yun. Ang bigat sa loob. Nakita ko na nagpasalit salit ang tingin ni Brianna sa aming dalawa. Magpapaalam na sana ako ng di na sya masaktan ng..
"Oh hi!" Nakangiting bati ni Cline sa kanya. Wala ako nagawa ng lumapit pa sya at bineso si Brianna. "Brianna right?.." Tanong pa nito.
"Uhm.. Y-yeah.." Yun lang ang narinig kong sagot ni Brianna.
"Jared has told me lots of things about you!.." Masayang kwento ni Cline. I saw the shock on Brianna's face when Cline hugged her.
What is she doing?? Alam nya ang nangyayari pero bakit pinagtatagal pa nya?
"And thank you! Sabi nya ikaw daw tumulong sa kanya para maka- graduate!.. Taga- gawa ka daw nya ng everything?.. And sayo daw sya nag- confide about us?.. Thanks Bri!.." Nag- uumpisa na magngalit ang ngipin ko. Brianna looked confused and hurt and she couldn't do anything about it. What the f*ck is Cline doing? Lalo lang nya pinapahirap ang sitwasyon!
"Well, I think you're still shocked to see me, parang si Jared lang! I surprised him on his birthday! Pero.... Mas lalo ka masha- shock because you know what?.." Pagpapatuloy ni Cline. "I'm staying here for good na! My engagement with Markus is off. Lahat ginawa namin para di makasal for the past year kaya naman na- realize ng parents namin na pabayaan na kami sa mga gusto namin." I wanted to grab Cline so she could stop talking pero baka magtaka lalo si Brianna kung bakit. I silently hoped na tumigil na lang sya magsalita. But she didn't.
"Kaya eto, binalikan ko na si baby ko. It was a risk kasi naisip ko baka may iba na sya but I'm so glad na all this time ako pa din pala.." I was watching Brianna's expression at kitang kita ko kung gaano sya nabigla at nasasaktan sa mga sinasabi ni Cline. I was fighting the urge to hug her and tell her everything's going to be okay and that this will be over soon. But.. Wala ako magawa. I just stood there like an asshole.
"Di ba baby?.." Nagulat pa ako ng nasa harap ko na ulit si Cline na pinaikot pa ang mga braso sa leeg ko. Iniumang nya ang lips nya sakin and I forced myself to smile and lean down para halikan sya. Sa magkadikit na ngipin bumulong ako kay Cline. "That's enough. Let's go." I'm secretly cursing myself and silently praying na iniiwas na ni Brianna ang paningin nya. I just have to do this para matapos na. Gusto ko ng ilayo silang dalawa sa isa't isa.
Pero lumapit ulit si Cline kay Brianna habang patuloy sa pagsasalita, "So ayun, and dito na din ako mag- school! I think we'll be good friends din Bri!" Tuwang sabi pa ni Cline sabay yakap na naman kay Brianna. "We'll go ahead na ha, Jared promised to take me out to the movies tonight. You know we still have lots of catching ups to do. Kahit na buong weekend kami magkasama, parang kulang pa din- if you know what I mean."
I saw how much Brianna is trying to hold her tears and I want to get Cline out of there as quickly as I can. Baka di ko mapigilan ang sarili ko. "See you around!" Pahabol pa ni Cline.
And me?
I just nod at her and left. Paglabas na paglabas ay tinanggal ko ang pagkakaakbay ko kay Cline. "That's too much. Di mo na dapat sinabi yung mga yun kay Brianna. I put my own happiness at stake here, Cline. So please. Don't make my happiness suffer. Don't make me die with you."
❤❤❤