Naglakad ako papasok ng building at dumeretso sa opisina ni Klaus. I can sense all those stares from the people here. Alam kong kilala ako ng iba dito dahil nga kababata ako ni Klaus pero ngayon, alam ko kung bakit tumitingin sila sa akin.
I ignored them all, hindi sila ang pakay ko. Kung sa ibang pagkakataon siguro natarayan ko na ang mga to. Ayoko ng pinagtitinginan ako. Kung may problema sila, kung may gusto silang sabihin they should tell it to my face.
Habang naglalakad papunta ng opisina ni Klaus may nakasalubong akong bata na naghahabol ng bola. He was running and not looking to where he's going kaya naman sinubukan kong umiwas pero nabunggo parin siya sa akin at napaupo sa sahig.
"Sorry." He said as he tried to stand up pero mukhang nahilo siya kaya tinulungan ko siyang makatayo at pinagpag ang damit although carpeted floor naman dito, but still, baka katihin siya.
I was busy cleaning him up but was suddenly stunned when I looked at the boy's face. He looks like her...
"Gavin!" Agad akong napatayo nang marinig ang boses na yun. I can see that she was shocked to see me either. "Come here Gav." Sinundan ko ng tingin ang bata habang tumakbo ito palapit sa kanya. She glanced at me before she talked to Gavin. "Go inside daddy Klaus' room first okay? I'll follow you there." The boy nodded and obeyed.
Nang makapasok si Gavin sa kwarto lumingon sa akin si Calla at tumaas ang isang kilay. "What brings you here?"
"Wala akong panahon makipag away Calla. I just want to see Klaus." Her brown raised and then it furrowed. "Gusto ko lang malaman kung bakit niya pinaasa ang anak ko na sasama siya sa lakad namin."
"He's not here." I don't want to believer her because I know her. Ilalayo niya sa akin si Klaus hanggang maari but the look on her face tells me that she's telling the truth. "Wasn't he with you?" Umiling ako.
"He told Alex that he's in a meeting in your company with you?" Mas lalong kumunot ang noo niya na mas ipinagtaka ko. "Isn't he with you?"
"Of course not. He left right after the meeting and told me he'll see you and your kid." Nanatiling nakakunot ang noo niya na para bang may iniisip pagkatapos ay biglang napalitan ng galit. "That ass! Don't tell me he went with that woman!"
She started dialling on her phone per mukhang walang sinasagot dahil paulit-ulit siya sa pag tawag.
"Go away. You won't find him here, I think he's having a date with the board member's daughter."
"What?"
"Maybe he finally got tired with the both of us." Then she looked at me. "You know, I really tried so hard to keep you apart, I guess I really don't need to because you're the one who keeps on pushing him away." Then she pointed at me. "You know, you have to do your part."
"Anong sinasabi mo?" Ibinaba niya ang cellphone at tumingin ng deretso sa akin but this time her expression changed. It became soft but her eyes looked sad.
"Being with Klaus for five years... I thought I was making him happy. The three of us—we were like a family, but when you came back, I've never seen that kind of expression on his face... maybe it's time I let go of him."
"W-what?"
"I kept on chasing Klaus that in the process I lost myself." Tumalikod siya sa akin at humarap sa malaking salamin na tanaw ang papalubog na araw. "I even tried to kill my own son... God knows how I regret that day until now."
"When I saw my son the moment I gave birth to him, my life changed, Gavin is all that matters to me now. Not Klaus." Hindi ako nagsalita dahil alam ko ang ibig niyang sabihin. It's the same way I felt when I had Riona. "I think it's time that I give the two of you the happy ending that you both wanted, right?"
"H-ha?" Hindi ako makapaniwala. Ito na yata ang pinakamatino naming pag uusap ni Calla kahit siya lang ang salita ng salita.
"I think he's at..." She told me the places were Klaus can be and I immediately ran as if my life depends on it. I don't know if I can trust Calla, but I'll take it. As long as Klaus is involved, I'll take it.
"Alex, ikaw na muna ang bahala kay Riona. I need to find Klaus." I told him through the phone as I wave at him from outside the entrance of the building. Ibinaba niya ang bintana. Hindi na ako lalapit dahil baka magising pa si Riona.
"Teka san ka pupunta?"
"Enough running away, I will find Klaus and tell him how much I love him." Hindi ako papayag na
"Go girl." He said with a thumbs up. I gave him a big smile and ended the call before I started to go the the place where Calla told me Klaus would be.
I've been to two restaurants and three bars but I can't find him. Pagod na din ako. Hindi kaya pinag ti-tripan lang ako ni Calla? I took a deep breath to control my anger. Mukhang na-uto ako.
I looked at my phone. Ito na ang last na pupuntahan ko, nandito nalang din naman ako sa sitwasyon na to sulitin na ang pagiging tanga. I hailed a cab and went to the last bar were Klaus may be.
The place reeks of cigarettes and alcohol, ang sakit sa ilong. Siguro nung kapanahunan ko nag ako sa mga ganitong klaseng lugar. Now I just wonder why I even liked to go to a place like this.
I roamed around the place until I landed on the VIP area. Sinilip ko ang bawat kwarto mula sa maliit na salamin sa pinto until I stopped when I saw Klaus. He's with the usual gang. Demitri, Keith, Enrique, and Trei.
"Aren't you going?" I heard Demitri asked. Medyo bukas kasi ng kaunti yung pinto at nasa may pinto silang dalawa ni Klaus habang yung tatlo busy din sa kwentuhan. Kakatok na sana ako nang magsalita pa siya. "Isn't today Kayla's birthday?"
I stopped midair as I heard my name. Isa talaga to sa minahal ko kay Demitri noon eh, di niya nakakalimutan birthday ko.
"I know." Walang ganang sabi ni Klaus. "I just... don't feel like it."
"Don't feel like what?" Klaus didn't talk for a while and drank on his glass.
Demitri, being Demitri, did not push the conversation. I don't even know why I stood here outside like as if I'm waiting for something.
But I sure did not wait long, "I don't feel like seeing her right now."
"May I know why?"
"I don't feel the same way anymore." Klaus said and gulped from his glass again. Napayuko ako dahil sa sinabi niya.
Alam ko naman. Ramdam ko naman yun simula nung nalaman niya ang tungkol kay Riona. Kaya hindi siya makatingin sa aking deretso ay dahil hindi na niya ako mahal. Alam ko naman. Alam ko.
"I don't know what to feel about her anymore." He said. "I'm so confused."
"Then why did you propose?"
"Because we have a daughter." Klaus said without even blinking.
"Asshole." I heard Demitri mutter.
"Yeah." Klaus replied.
Napahawak ako sa dibdib ko. I need to take some time to breathe because I feel like I'm suffocating... so I ran away.
Takbo lang ako ng takbo palayo. Paalis. I need to get away. I wiped the tears all over my face.
Ngayong gabi lang... kahit ngayon na lang, tatakbo muna ulit ako palayo sa kanya. Sa susunod... bukas, gagawin ko na ang mga paraan para mahalin niya ako ulit. Sa ngayon, I need some time for myself because hearing the man I love say that he doesn't feel the same way anymore did broke me. Pero ano nga bang magagawa ko?
Kasalanan ko naman.
I ran away as fast as I could, until I can't. Hanggang sa napagod ako at napaupo kung saan habang umiiyak. Ramdam ko ang tingin ng nga tao sa paligid ko, but I could care less. When I was done crying—amost done crying because it seems like my tears are endless—I started to walk slowly.
Lakad lang ako ng lakad ng wala sa sarili hanggang sa makarinig ako ng malakas na busina at sa ilaw mula sa sasakyan na papalapit sa akin. Sa sobrang gulat, hindi ako nakagalaw.
I just stood there until someone pulled me away. Parehas kaming natumba sa sobrang bilis ng pangyayari.
"Are you alright?" Hindi ako nakasagot kaagad at nanatili akong nakapikit sa sobrang takot. "Kaylareen, okay ka lang ba?"
I slowly opened my eyes upon realizing that the voice was familiar and the man who just saved my life knows my name. My eyes widen as I saw my boss, Gerard, looking at me.