Chapter 40
"This way, ma'am."
The gigantic guy lead me to a room. I'm wearing my robe and my hair is still wet as fuck. Taas noo akong pumasok roon at sinalubong ako ng nakasimangot na mukha ni Drexzel.
"What's your problem ba?" mataray kong bungad sakaniya.
I can sense the old Chloe in me.
"Are you really asking me that? You know what's my problem, it's you and that guy too close to each other. Halos maghalikan na kayo sa harapan ko." madilim niyang sambit.
"And so? I am single and there's nothing wrong that, kung maghalikan man kami o hindi walang problema."
I saw how his jaw clenched. His mad, well, he's always mad what's new?
"I'm your boyfriend, Chloe."
Halos matawa ako sa sinabi niya. Boyfriend?! After what happened? he still considered himself as my boyfriend?! Ang gago lang.
"As far as i remembered, i have none. Ilang linggo na rin akong single matapos akong iwan sa ere ng gago kong ex na may fiancé na pala." nilapit at pinagdiinan ko sa mukha niya ang mga katagang lumalabas sa bibig ko.
He signed violently.
"I've already explained it to you."
"What made you think that your explanation will make it okay?! Magdusa ka, if you want me beg for me..."
Tinalikuran ko na siya at iniwan siyang nakatunganga sa loob ng silid na 'yon. Nagdadalawang isip pa akong lapitan no'ng bodyguard niya nang makita ang paglabas ko. Hindi ko na siya pinansin at dumiretso na sa suite ko. Marie's probably waiting for me.
"Saan ka galing?" she asked.
"Swimming."
"Hmm akala ko nalunod ka na ang tagal mong bumalik." simangot niya.
Umiling na lang ako at pumasok sa room ko. Nagbanlaw ako saka nagbihis. I blow-dried my hair first before slamming my body on the bed. Tulala ako at muling inisip ang lahat ng pangyayari.
I don't know pero ang bagal ng oras, hindi ako makahinga. My mind won't stop thinking about him, about Samantha, about everything. Nang hindi na makayanan ay tumayo na ako at lumabas, i don't want to be alone kaya agad kong hinanap si Marie.
"Oh ang bilis mo naman atang magising?"
"I didn't sleep."
"Kumain ka na, nagpadeliver ako ng pizza dyan." she said while busy typing on her phone.
Morning came, i woke up when i felt someone's caressing my hair. I slowly opened my eyes and Drexzel's gentle eyes welcomed my sight. It felt so dreamy and couldn't believe that it was real, that he's real, he's here with me.
"Good morning."
Even the way he uttered those words feels like it's not real. I pinched myself to wake myself up, i even closed my eyes, but he's still there beside my bed.
"What are you doing here?" malumanay kong tanong.
"Nothing, i just wanted to see you."
"Again?" my lips flinched.
He chuckled.
"Yeah, again. And i don't mind going here every morning to wake you up again and again."
Umirap ako para maitago ang nagbabadyang ngiti ko. Bakit parang ang dali lang niya akong makuha? Bakit gano'n? Simpleng tawa, simpleng salita, simpleng hawak niya lang, wala na. The walls that i am trying to build is falling.
Bumangon na ako, hindi ko man lang naisip kung anong itsura ko ngayon. I just stood up and went to the bathroom to check my face. Thank God i was born with natural beauty!
Nang matapos ko ayusin ang sarili ko saka ako muling lumabas. Naabutan ko siyang may katawagan. I didn't call him, i waited for him until he's finished with his call.
"Samantha please, i am not doing anything..."
So it was Samantha.
My heart stung a bit. Pero nagpatuloy pa rin ako sa pakikinig not minding what i'm about to hear. Kung masaktan man ako sa marinig ko, wala na akong pakealam.
"We will see each other later, sa meeting so calm down."
Umiling siya saka binaba ang tawag. He sighed violently before he turn to my direction. Gulat siyang makita akong nakatayo roon, i just smiled at him bitterly.
"It's not what you think." he said defensively.
I shook my head.
"It's fine, i'm no longer your girlfriend so you don't have to explain yourself--"
"Fuck that! I'm your man, and you are mine. You have the rights to get mad at me for talking to other girls 'cause i'll be upset too if i saw you talking with other guys! Please baby, stop trying to build blocks between us 'cause i will always find a way to break it."
Umiwas ako ng tingin at pilit na pinipigilan ang luha ko. Not again, seriously? umaga talaga?
"You are the reason why i'm like this!"
"I know, that's why i'm making it up to you but i want you to trust me. Please, give me this chance. This will be the last i promise, and i won't break it anymore."
Is this all worth it?
Muli akong nanumbalik kung paano kami nagsimula noon. It's funny to go back at those times, we were immature back then. I hated him before, it was a different hate. A hate because i am falling for him, i was just simply crushing over him but it turns out something deeper, too deep to handle, too deep that i couldn't ascent. Lots of things happened, he even planned a revenge to me. He was mad, na halos hindi ko alam kung bakit.
It was a war that i hadn't prepare that's why there is lot of casualties. I hate him but at the same time too in love with him, is that even possible?
I was his slave, literally but i am also a slave of this love. To him, i can even give him my soul if possible. Hindi ko naisip na ganito ang magiging epekto niya saakin na kahit ilang taon man ang lumipas handa pa rin akong tanggapin siya.
Will this love be worth it?
"Please give me another chance."
I sighed and found myself slowly noddding.
There's no turning back!
Nagulat na lamang ako nang sobrang lapit niya na saakin. Our lips are almost touching each other. I am badly trembling, not because i am feeling cold or what but because of the feeling and emotion that he is giving me.
His lips were about to land on mine then suddenly Marie appeared.
"Oh my! Nakakaistorbo ba ako?!" nakapameywang siya sa harap namin na para bang sinasadya pa.
I glared at her.
"Nasa mesa ang breakfast, hindi ang labi." she chuckled and went out.
Napailing na lang ako. Nakatingin lang ako sa kung saan lumabas si Marie, iniiwasan ang mga mata ni Drexzel na alam kong nakatingin saakin. I almost jumped when i felt his hand on mine.
"Thank you."
Bumaling ako sakaniya at nakita ang mapupungay niyang mata. I just smiled and i don't know how to react anymore.
Gosh!
"Anyway, we will have a meeting today and i'll be with Samantha. Don't worry the meeting won't be that long i'll be back right away, i just want you to wait for me to comeback, okay?"
And just found myseld nodding like a puppy. It was his voice made me feel like that i should trust him and do what he wanted me to do, which is to wait for him to come back. And i trust his words, he will come back just like what he says.
But what if hindi na naman siya bumalik? What if this time piliin niya na talaga si Samantha?
I still have my doubts but i still choose to trust him. Whatever happens, still, i trusted him, wala na akong pagkukulang kung sakaling sirain niya man ulit ang tiwala ko.
The whole day i can't relax. Patuloy lumilipad ang isip ko kung saan man si Drexzel ngayon, kung ano na ang nangyayare, kung babalik pa ba talaga siya? Hindi ko alam.
Just wait for him...
Simple lang ang gagawin ko, maghintay.
"Kanina ka pa paikot-ikot d'yan, kumalma ka nga!" suway saakin ni Marie.
"I can't."
"Bakit ba? Babalik nga daw siya hindi ba, just calm your ass down!" she yelled as she opened the television on.
At sa pagbukas nito ay bumungad saamin ang mukha ni Samantha katabi ang isang ginang na satingin ko ay ina niya while the man infront them was her father with a handcuff around his wrist. Nanlaki ang aking mata nang makita rin si Drexzel sa TV.
It looks like Samantha's parents are involve into something illegal. They also took a huge money from the Acosta's company. Natagalan ang paghuli sakanila dahil hindi ganoon katibay ang ebidensya ang hawak ng mga Acosta. This is what Drexzel's trying to tell me days ago.
"15 billion! ang laking pera naman ang nawala sa kumpanya nila!" sigaw ni Marie na tutok sa telebisyon.
I suddenly want to call him.
Is he fine? Are they fine?
But i think he's too busy right now and i don't want to bother him.
Bigla akong napaisip. Weeks ago i was so frustrated by his sudden disappearance, i was being paranoid thinking that he finally chose her over me. Meanwhile he's much more frustrated than i am, he's facing a bigger problem compare to mine. And i felt so immature after realizing things.
Ang babaw ko ba?
"Are you okay?"
I went back to my senses when i heared Marie's voice.
"Yeah, i-i'm fine." nauutal kong sambit.
Pumasok ako sa kwarto at nag-isip. Lahat nanumbalik saakin simula noong magkakilala kami. Time flies so fast. We are now adults, hindi na simpleng subjects, schoolworks, night outs, shopping, ang pinoproblema namin ngayon. Now, we are facing and we will be facing more and bigger problems.
Just like what happened to Drexzel, hindi na lang banda ang inaatupag o pinoproblema niya, he is now facing into something serious. But i felt like i am still stressing into something petty, pakiramdam ko ang isip bata ko para problemahin ang love life lang. Accusing him so many things ayun naman pala ay sinosolba ang problema nila ng kaniyang pamilya.
I'm so petty...
Hindi ko namalayan na kakaisip ko ay dinalaw na ako ng aking antok. Nagising na lamang ako sa mumunting yabag ng paa na sa tingin ko ay alam ko na kung sino.
"Did i wake you up?" he asked when he saw me sat down.
Umiling lang ako.
"How's the case?"
He sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Quiet tiring..."
I stared at him. Mukha nga siyang pagod mapupungay na ang kaniyang mata. He gestured him to come near me. Umusog naman siya konti papalapit saakin. I tap my lap which is covered by my comforter.
"Have some rest..." malumanay kong banggit.
Namungay ang kaniyang mata nang mapatingin roon. Marahan niyang inihiga ang kaniya ulo sa hita ko. A huge sigh came out from his lungs.
I smiled and slowly caressed his hair. When i felt he's having a deep breathing, i kissed the top of his head and whispered.
"I love you, still."
Kahit ilang taon pa man ang lumipas, ilang metro man ang naging layo namin sa isa't-isa. Destiny will always find its way, it doesn't mean that both of you got separated for a long time means that's the end of it. It will be the ending if God says it's the end. But i know God's plan for us, maybe years ago wasn't the right time.
But now, the time has now come.
It was us until the end.
How do i know? I just knew, my heart knew that it was him all along.
Unti-unti na ring akong hinihila ng antok. But before i finally closed my eyes, he whispered:
"I'm inlove with you, Chloe. Please marry me..."
This is the last chapter! Next will be the epilogue, Drexzel's Pov.