End Game 50
"But nobody knows you now"
Sheliah Santibañez
The day finally arrived, the day that I feared the most to come. The day when I can witness my man waiting for his bride to walk down the isle.
But I've waited this sh*t for too long.
At ngayon, this is something like a sequel of my show on Monica's birthday way back when we were in college. God how I miss how terrified she is on that day. Makikita ko na ulit 'yon ngayon.
"Liah my girl, here's your dress." inabot sa akin ni Stacey ang damit na napili niya para sa akin. She came back from France a year ago at lately ko lang nalaman. My girls from Paris is now complete!
"Thank you Stacey, this one's classy." it's a black fitted dress na above the knee high. Long sleeves ito na turtle neck. P'wedeng p'wede ko naman 'to isuot sa kasal nila mamaya. It will be held in a beach resort, g
Good thing it's not in Church. Baka masunog si Monica habang naglalakad.
"Anything for you, na-miss na kita eh. At least ngayon, mapapanood ko na kung paano mo dudurugin 'yang Monica na 'yan." napangiti ako sa sinabi niya.
"Yeah. I can't wait, paalis na kami ng mga kuya ko at ng mga kaibigan ko. Sigurado kang hindi ka pupunta?"
"Yes, as much as I wanted to. I'll be on my office, tyaka makikita ko pa rin naman 'yon eh." she raised her phone and we both laughed.
Bigla kaming napatingin sa pintuan. Si Kuya Axel. Gulat na gulat ito ng makita kung sino ang kasama ko, teka... Magkakilala sila?
"What are you doing here?" sabay na tanong ni Stacey at Kuya sa isa't-isa. Something is fishy.
Nagpabalik-balik ako ng tingin sa kanilang dalawa. "You both knew each other?" tanong ko.
Lumapit si Kuya Axel sa amin at tumingin sa akin. "Ito yung nang-ghost sa'kin sa Twitter eh." napa-awang ang labi ko sa nadinig. Whattt? Si Stacey 'yon?
"Ang kapal ng mukha mo boy. Anong ghinost? Eh sino kaya ang nag-deactivate ng account ng walang pasabi tapos bigla na lang babalik na parang walang nangyari? Ha? Sumagot ka!" Oh God...
"I need to take things slow nga diba? I am having a conversation with myself kung saan ba tayo patungo, tapos nawala lang ako dahil sa'yo tapos nung bumalik ako wala na akong babalikan? You're unfair woman."
"Unfair?! Wow Axel, wowww! And by the way. Liah... Bakit nandito 'tong kumag na 'to?"
"Anong kumag?!"
"He's my brother." I bit my lips. Damn, now masasabi ko ng lahat ng kaibigan ko ay naka-tadhana na sa mga Kuya ko.
Nagsagutan pa silang dalawa at pareho ko silang hinawakan sa balikat. I looked at them. "You are both immature in the name of love. Get a life people, mag-usap kayo. Hindi yung ganiyang hindi kayo nagkakaintindhan dahil nasasaktan niyo lang yung isa't-isa eh."
They both turned their face at me. "Wow love expert." they said in chorus, again. They faced each other and Stacey rolled her eyes.
"Kasama ka ba sa mga trolls dun sa Frozen?" tanong ni Kuya Axel. Napabuntong hininga na lang ako. Corny amp. Bahala silang dalawa diyan, I'm out.
Hinayaan ko silang magtalo sa office ko. I bet they will be labeled as Boyfriend and Girlfriend soon.
Sana lahat may label.
Pumasok ako sa loob ng kwarto ko para maghanda. I am about to wear this black dress and dark shade make up. Am I really attending a wedding... Or a funeral?
Well, both. Their marriage will be buried six feet underground and people will forget its existence. I am so prepared for my finale speech. Prepare your thick face Monica Luzarli, you'd be needing it while running to your mother again.
Art Antonio
"Bro..." I looked up into Dylan's face, my bandmate. "You sure about this?"
"You can still change your mind. May oras pa." dagdag pa ni Sean.
Bumuntong-hininga ako. I will never be sure of this. But I had to. For her.
Pinagdikit ko ang dalawa kong mga palad at dahan-dahan akong tumango. "I have no other choice."
Aiden suddenly showed up inside my room. "You have dude. 1 hour na lang bago yung kasal niyo ni Monica, p'wede ka pa tumakbo para itakas si Liah palayo dito."
Wow, what a concept. I always thought of that. But I know that it won't work, I don't want to be with my love hiding like criminals. I want to be with her freely where I can hold her and kiss her on the street and people would not give a f*ck because we are married. I want to break free with Sheliah. But not for now.
"We are Hunters, hindi ko alam kung ba't ayan pangalan ng banda natin pero we are Hunters." Luke said and the rest of the boys clapped their hands slowly.
"Wow, what a word of wisdom." umiiling-iling pa si Aiden.
"I get your point lad." I looked at Luke and I gave him a nod and he saluted.
"Oh, buti pa si Art gets ako. Stressed na 'yan kakaisip ah?" I chuckled at what he said.
"Kidding aside mga pare, I think you should talk with your best man before you go into that shitty situation later waiting for that delusional monster." sambit ni Sean. Nagtawanan kaming lahat. Laugh at it and cry later Antonio.
"Sige, labas na nga muna tayo. Papasukin na 'yan." Dylan accompanied the lads out of my room. Pagkalabas nila ay siyang naging pagpasok ni Lucas.
"Hey brotha." he clucks. Tf?
I gave him a bored look. "Stop acting like we're close."
Sinamaan ako nito ng tingin. "Ouch." humawak siya sa dibdib niya at umarteng nasasaktan. "Grabe ka naman. 3 years na tayong ayos ah?"
"Have you forgotten your sin to me?"
"What sin? For being more gorgeous than you since I was born? I am so sorry bro, I didn't mean to exist." I shut my eyes from what I heard. This man is grossed.
"Seloso mo naman. Poket kausap ko lang si Sheliah nung nakaraan sa kanto ng France, galit ka na. Tandaan mo wala kayong label at ikakasal ka na, so I have a chance to be with her ble!" my blood is starting to boil. This motherf*cker.
"Isa pa, itatali kita sa barko at ipapahagis kita sa gitna ng Bermuda Triangle." pagbabanta ko.
"I am so scared!"
Tumayo na ako sa inis. "P'wede ba Lucas, kung puro katarantaduhan lang yung sasabihin mo, get the f*ck out of here."
Bigla naman akong yinakap nito na siyang ikinagulat ko. "Hush bro, don't cry. Hindi ko aagawin Sheliah mo. I've move on, I am having fun with my single life."
"G*go ka."
"I love your accent, say it again. G*goh kha. Hangin niyan pare ah?" I just realized that we are still hugging so I pushed him.
"Are you gay Lucas?!"
He hugged himself. "Dude if I am a gay, I would not dare to date you. Incest ka."
Why the hell is my brother acting like childish right now? Ang co-corny ng mga pinagsasabi niya.
"Just get out."
"Art." seryoso niyang sambit. Wow finally, he knows how to act like Lucas again.
"What?"
"If I were you, I would pursue Sheliah in this time." I didn't replied. "I mean, I get you man. You are protecting her againts Lio and Monica. But, why do the both of you chose to stay on the same pathway as them? You both can choose your own. Under your own wills."
I shaked my head. "We've been pacing back and forth since the day we met Lucas. The faith is not right for that matter now."
"Then make it right. Alam mo bang inis na inis ako at bobong bobo ako sa'yo ha? Mahal ko 'yang si Sheliah noon, until now naman but not like before to the point na I want to marry her, let's be clear. I've witnessed how she built her own name just to end you and Monica. I've witnessed how she changed her mind and have decided to stop her vengeance againts you two. She chose to stay classy despite of being torn apart. She bear to live inside her room crying almost everytime I check on her. Because of you. Then she came back strong again because of you. Kinaya ni Sheliah 'yon pare, kahit wala ka sa tabi niya. Kinaya niyang umiyak palagi habang sinasampal yung mga taong nanakit sa kaniya. She is a strong independent woman. Ano na lang kung kasama ka niya? Imagine how powerful she can be if she's with you. Imagine the things that she can do if she knows that you have faith in her, that she knows that she have you. IMAGINE that Art."
Napaupo na lang ako habang pumapasok sa isipan ko ang mga sinasabi ni Lucas. I know all of it, I know her. That's why I love her.
"Eh ikaw Art? Ano na ba nagawa mo para sa kaniya? Naging ano ka ba simula ng mawala siya sa buhay mo? Did you even changed? Did you improved? Maybe yes, but not as amazing as Sheliah did. Eto? Protektahan siya sa pamamagitan ng pagpapakasal kay Monica? What a baby. I am siding Sheliah because I was with her during those times, so don't think that I'm insulting or making you feel insecure. Although I am... Because you never did open your point of view to others, to me... To Sheliah. Your struggles seems to be not valuable because we never heard it. That's your weakness. YOU DON'T SPEAK FOR YOURSELF."
"What do you want me to do Lucas?" I am still avoiding his eye contact.
"Gumawa ka naman ng paraan para maramdaman ni Sheliah na naghihirap ka din kagaya niya. Para makuha niyong pareho yung gusto niyo. Just do it. Don't hide behind the f*cking curtains brother. Never again. And please... Tell me your side, kahit ngayon lang. Before you get married with your own enemy. I need to see the other side of Art Antonio.
I shook my head and chuckled. "My side?" nag-angat ako ng tingin sa kaniya. "Is her side."
"What?" he asked with confusion painted over his tone.
"I was hurted when she was hurted. I was crying when she was crying. I changed when she changed. I loved her when she hated me." yumuko ako.
"I am still wondering how in one sight of her on that school's gate did we come so far. I was the campus player. When I loved Monica, I already liked Sheliah. I agreed on her to make her fall in love with me, so that I can have her. At least have her. But jokes on me, I fell in love in such a short period of time until the day came to break down the tower that I built for her. When she was gone, I was stucked with Monica while I am falling deeper in each and everyday with Sheliah, even though she's not with me."
"Art..." I motioned my hand to let me continue talking.
"I never played any of those women's heart anymore since I hurted her. I sticked with Luzarli. Everyday, I would check on her friends if where she is and if how is she doing. And I would cry whenever a memory of us hits me. I cried like a lost child searching for his sweet candy. No one knew about that behavior of mine. I loved her for 5 years and I will love her for a thousand more. When I saw her on France with other guys, that hurts. I made her become the person she really isn't. I can't blame her, she is hurted. When I decided to give up on trying to say hello to her. I built my band, Hunters. I wrote songs about her that I hoped to sing in front of her."
"I was dying everyday thinking the same thoughts when she left. Will she ever forgive me? Does she still love me? But there's a thousand more of unspoken thoughts that I've decided to not tell. I have no one, except for you, and my band. But I can rarely talk to any of you because I know that you all knew our story... But not my side. But Sheliah, my love, my future, my everything, my world. I am so happy that she have people to talk to when she is hurted. I am so happy that you guys are loving her when she doesn't love herself."
"Masaya na ako dun. Sobra. Kaya ayos lang kahit sa tingin mo o ninyo na duwag ako. Oo, duwag na kung duwag. But this is the only thing that I can do, to risk my own happiness, our happiness. To save a hundred, thousand or million more. Please understand me, and if anything changes. Please bear with me."
"I hope Sheliah can hear you saying these because she will fight for you like what you both did when the other one doesn't know about it."