Chapter 10
The Last Note
This will be the last chapter of this novel. Salamat sa lahat ng nagbasa
“Hi Lorraine” sabi ni William, making his first attempt to speak with Abby. She replied a small smile. “How have you been? You look so beautiful”
“Pretty good. Thanks” maikling tugon ng dalaga. She was clearly uncomfortable. William could sense it and he was trying to bridge the gap. Then who would not be in their situation?
“Drinks?” alok ni William. Abby nodded.
Abby portrayed the painful silence William never expected. It has been a year and she got used to live without him. He would say compliments about Abby and the girl just returned her thanks. Then silence. They would engage in such awkwardness until they finished having their meals. William could not take it any longer.
In desperation for Abby to speak, he decided to do his crazy antics.
“Ang yaman ko ulit ngayon”
“Bakit?” malamig na tugon ni Abby.
“Kasi kasama kita. Kapag wala ka, mahirap”
She responded with a faint smile but quickly changed her facial expression.
“Kinaya mo akong tiisin for a year Will” sabi ng dalaga. He could sense the stench of bitterness from her voice. “At ni minsan hindi ko nakita na may pakialam ka pa sa akin noon, kaya nagtataka ako ngayon kung bakit mo ako hinahanap”
“Abby” sabi ni William. Lorraine gave the talk to the hand sign to him.
“Ako si Lorraine, I am not Abby” sabi ng dalaga. “Continue”
“I am sorry” sabi ng binata. His voice cracked. He almost cried. “I am so sorry. Isang taon din akong nagdusa. Hindi lang ikaw –“
“Then why left me. Iniwan mo ako noong mahal na mahal pa kita” sabi ni Lorraine. She is now on the verge of crying. “Nagpakatanga ako sayo William, I gave everything to the extent of blindly following you. Tapos, tapos?”
William cannot speak. He is guilty.
“Other than that, I am much better now. Naiparating ko na sa iyo ang dapat kong sabihin. Ikaw, kumusta ka na. Kayo?”
He shook his head.
“May and I are just a thing of the past.”
“Talaga?” she said, in a bitter manner.
William nodded.
“And I made this para magkaayos na tayo. I want a new start.”
Masyadong malabo ang sinabi ng binata para maintindihan ni Abby. Hindi alam ng dalaga kung gusto bang makipagbalikan ng binata o baka gusto lang makipag ayos dahil na guilty ito sa ginawa sa dalaga.
“Hindi na ako galit sa iyo Will” panimula ni Abby.
“How come? After all I have done? It has been a year since I left you out of the blue Abby”
“Tapos na ako sa era na iyon. If that’s what you want I already forgave you.”
“Karla would always say na makipagbalikan na ako sa iyo noon. She said you did nothing wrong. I was a jerk”
Abby smiled. William could be a great actor she thought.
“Oo. Gago ka William” sabi ng dalaga. Natatawa sa kanyang nasabi. “Any girl would fall for you. Any girl.”
“And I fell in love with you Abby. Please let me use that name. Mahal pa rin kita”
Abby should be angry. She should be. She should’ve slapped him. He is now playing her emotions and he is going to succeed she thought. To avoid further imminent damage, she somber down and looked William in the eyes.
“Sabihin mo, bakit mo ako iniwan noon? Ang sabi mo sa akin mahal mo pa si May hindi ba?”
“Lito ako noon.” William answered. “Ayaw kong isipin mong ginawa kitang panakip butas. I never returned to her afterwards. Nag isip”
“Pero bakit hindi mo ako sinabihan man lang noon? I suffered too much. The reason why you see this Abby is because I am pressured to do well na wala ka. Sanay na akong mag isa. Dumating ka. Umalis ulit. Hindi naman puwedeng masanay kaagad mag isa William. Noong minahal kita, napagtanto kong hindi ko kayang mag isa. Lalo noong nawala ka na.”
“Nandito na muli ako Abby” sabi ni William.
“Takot na ako William” sagot ng dalaga. “Mahal pa rin kita, kaso kapag naging tayo ulit, baka…”
“I see” he bowed his head. He started to sob.
It was the first time Abby saw him cry. Maybe he was serious after all.
Inabot ng dalaga ang mukha ng binata saka niya hinalikan sa gawing noo.
“Mahal pa rin kita William. Natatakot lang ako” sabi ng dalaga. “Naniniwala ako sa dahilan mo, pero hindi ko pa kayang makipagrelasyon muli.”
“Tayo na ulit kasi” sabi ng binata. “Please? Ga graduate na ako next semester, baka hindi na tayo magkita.”
“Will, I am so sorry. Huwag kang mag alala. Ikaw ang una’t huli. Wala nang susunod. Time will come at magiging tayo muli. Mahal na mahal kita William” she whispered. She gave him a cue na dapat na siyang umalis. Nasa pinto na sina Jayson.
“Salamat Abby” sabi ng binata.
“William, read this letter. Please?” sabi ng dalaga. She handed him an envelope.
“Hanggang ngayon, mahilig ka pa rin sa letters?” sabi ni William. He hugged Abby. She was visibly shocked.
“I gotta go” sabi ni Abby. She left William with a glimmer of hope kahit dapat ay iiwan niya na ang binata. Planado na ang lahat. Nawasak noong nakita niyang umiyak si William.
“I will court you again Abby”
“Ate, kumusta” sabi ni Jayson.
Abby shook her head.
“Ate Abby, sila po ata ni Ate May.”
“They are not” sabi ni Lorraine. “It was a rumor. Eh kayong dalawa? Ano na score?”
Erika and Jayson blushed.
“So hindi lang kami ang nakipagdate. Double purpose? Panalo” sabi ng dalaga.
Jayson grinned.
William was smiling as he went home. It was a surprisingly hopeful and sweet situation. Ang akala ng binata, Abby would condemn him. She did exactly the opposite. He never expected that.
Inamoy amoy ng binata ang sobreng hawak. Amoy rosas, sabi ng binata sa kanyang sarili. Binasa niya na ito habang siya ay nasa biyahe pa lamang.
“William, habang binabasa mo ito dalawang bagay lang siguro lang ginagawa ko ngayon. Iniisip ka habang nakangiti o iniisip ka habang ako ay umiiyak. Sana yung una Will.
Sinubukan kong limutin ka. Hindi ko kaya. Mahal na mahal kita. Kahit ganoon ginawa mo sa akin. Hindi ko alam kumbakit mo ako iniwan. Naiwan ako sa ere. Kahit na, mahal naman kita.
Hintayin mo ako. Gusto ko munang matapos ang College bago ako makipagrelasyon muli. At sana ikaw iyong taong iyon. Gusto kong bawiin muna ang mga dapat kong nagawa na hindi ko pa nagagawa.
Masyado akong nalunod sa ala ala mo William. Ang ikli ng pinagsamahan natin pero grabe. Ikaw ang taong nagpasaya sa akin ng todo. Huwag mong isiping galit ako. Ang totoo, I would love to do those things with you muli. Sana.
After college, ligawan mo ako ulet. Pero hindi na ako aasang babalik ka pa after noon, kung bumalik ka. Malamang tayo na talaga. Kaya mo bang mag antay? Kinaya kong hindi magkaroon ni pagtingin sa iba, sana ikaw din.
This will be the last note I am going to write. After nito, magpapakatino na ako. Hindi na ako iiyak dahil sa iyo. Nasabi ko na ang dapat kong sabihin.”
William smiled as he placed the note Abby has made to his chest.