KAGAN..." Bumalik sa realidad ang isip ko nang isang pamilyar na boses ang tumawag mula sa aking likuran. At nang lumingon ako sa kung sino ang dumating, sinserong ngiti at yakap ni Euart ang bumungad sa akin. "I'm thankful you're finally awake... How's your wound?"
Nang kumalas siya sa pagkakayakap ay tipid na ngumiti ako. I didn't want to act cold because of the way he treated me now. Pero kusang nanlalamig ang pakikitungo ko sa kanya dahil sa nalaman kong pagloloko niya mula kay Shanta.
"Nandito ka..." Si Clavis, na kinilatis siya mula ulo hanggang paa at balik sa mata. "Saan ka galing? Hindi kita nakita kahapon."
"I... umm... I attended Macine's last night," he told him and grinned forcibly. Out of my control, bigla na lang akong nangiwi sa puwesto ko. "Tita Antonia left for America last night."
"Mabuti 'yan..." Tumango-tango ang kausap niya. "Kailangan niya 'yon. Sobrang hirap ng pinagdadaanan n
"D-DUMATING KA..." I watched Shanta cry in joy as she caressed Euart's cheeks. "H-hindi mo... ako... pinabayaan. Ikaw ang... nagligtas... sa akin..." Hindi ko alam kung ano ang mararamdaman ko. Nanlulumo ang buong katawan ko. Habang pinapanood ko sila, tila nadudurog ang aking puso. There must be something wrong here. No. There was really something wrong because it should have been me. Ako ang nagligtas kay Shanta. Sinalo ko ang saksak na para dapat sa kanya. I risked my precious life to save hers because that's how she saved me from drowning, too. Pero bakit... Why is she saying Euart sacrificed for her when it was me who did it? "Yes, yes..." Gulat akong lumingon kay Euart dahil sa isinagot niya. No, he did not. Ilang ulit siyang tumango para akuin ang ginawa ko habang hinahaplos ang pisngi ni Shanta. "Yes, Dal... You're alive... because I saved you..." "A-Akala ko... ayaw mo na 'kong
TWO WEEKS HAS PASSED and everything went back to normal. Maraming kaso ang naurong. First, the school has decided not to punish Shanta, but instead, let her do community service. With that good news, medyo nakahinga ako nang maluwag. Dagdag pa ng punong guro ay iniurong na ng pamilya Herrera ang reklamo laban sa kanya. Samantala, nakikipagsapilitan pa rin si Miss Heichel sa kanyang anak na ituloy ang kaso laban sa mga dumakip dito. Dalawang araw nang nakakalipas simula noong lumabas ng ospital si Shanta, sa bahay muna siya ng kanyang ina namamalagi. At paminsan-minsan, bumibisita kaming anim para tingnan ang kanyang kondisyon. However, today was kind of odd. Tila masama ang ihip ng hangin dahil nang makarating kami sa kanilang bahay ay nagtatalo silang dalawa. Miss Heichel and her daughter. "Huwag niyo nang ipilit, 'Ma! Ako na ang bahala roon! Huwag na kayong mangialam sa gulo ko.
KUMUSTA KA NA, DALMI?" Clavis asked the minute Shanta and I walked outside the garden. "Kumikirot pa ba 'yang ulo mo?" After the intense and agitating confrontation between her and Miss Heichel, tila naapektuhan ang pakikipagtungo ng pinsan niya sa mga kaibigan ko. She turned a bit silent and reserved as she gazed at them... when in the past, siya parati ang nag-uudyok ng paksa sa inuman. However, we're not drinking now. Bawal iyon sa kanya dahil kagagaling niya lang sa ospital. But the way she walked towards the gazebo located at the far end of the garden, she seemed drunk and not in her right mind to interact with other people. I bit my lip dahil sa pag-aalala sa kanya. She's a meter away from me habang nasa likod niya ako, that's why I could see how her body slightly swayed against the wind. Gusto kong kabahan ngunit napagtanto kong dulot lang iyon ng pagdadabog niya. I could almost get st
A MOMENT WHERE you stare into space and ponder about the difficult times that had transpired. Subsequently, every time you blink, there will come this certain point that realization will just seize and eat you alive. Till you sit by idly, you discern time to be the best treasure that you have, but sometimes, the most cruel curse. Time holds us. Like humans, it bears two hands that strangle people. It gives us breath to chill, but also takes away the switch that ends our lives. Time, the most powerful motivator. With it, we become patient. But most of the time, we rush due to the perception that we're running out of it. In time, we create decisions. We are given time to contemplate on our options. We list down every strength and weakness that there is to have. However, aside from external force, emotions take control of us. Eventually, we end up making the bad ones. At g
MY HEART BROKE a thousand pieces for a thousand reasons. This was more painful than my first love, giving me false hopes. Shanta's pain was too much to bear. Parang pasan ko ang lahat ng poot, galit, at hinanakit sa kanyang puso. "I'm sorry..." I sincerely apologize as I stared down at her. She doesn't deserve all of this. She doesn't deserve to be cheated on. And she doesn't deserve to beg for the love that has left her. Love should be chasing after her because she's worthy of it, and not love chasing after a sinful man who defies it. "Seymour..." Naluluhang sambit ni Shanta habang nakapikit pa rin ang mga mata. Ngunit kahit ganoon, bakas pa rin sa katamtamang dilim ang pagtagpo ng mga kilay niya. "Come back to me... B-bumalik ka na..." Napatungo ako. I clenched my fist tighter than I clenched my jaw. Her cry is my wailing. Her pain is my suffering. Her death is my cremation. It
SHANTA WAS DROVE HOME safely last night. After the kiss that should have not happened, I carried her inside their mansion. Isang kasambahay ang nagturo sa akin sa kanyang kwarto. At nang makarating kami ro'n, siya na rin ang naghilamos at nagbihis sa kanya matapos itong magsuka. Then, I left their home after she was taken care of."Kasama mo ba kagabi si Dalmi, pare?" bungad na tanong ni Clavis nang pumasok ako sa silid-aralan namin. "Hinahanap ko siya pero 'di ko matawagan. Pati ikaw, hindi rin ma-reach. Pati si Eu, wala ring sagot."I furrowed my brows as I walked towards my seat. Sinundan niya ako sa likod. And while I was fixing my things on my desk, tanong pa rin siya nang tanong. Then, he went in front of me and asked me over and over and over again."Tumawag 'yong maid nila sa akin," he told me while I was busy doing some stuff. "May lalaki raw na nagdala sa kanya ro'n. Tinanong ko si Eu kung nasaan siya kagabi. A
IT'S GETTING LATE. Are you sure you still want to wait for him?" I worriedly asked Shanta beside me in the driver's seat of her car. "He's taking so much time. Kanina pa tayo dito. Should you call him?" It was already minutes past six when I checked my watch. It's been an hour since we started waiting for her ex boyfriend whom I have angered extremely. Perhaps, this was also the reason why he's still not showing up. Or not still, but will never. Plus, I can't call him. Surely, he'll not answer. Masama pa ang loob niya sa akin matapos ang mainit na bangayan namin. It could be he already blocked my number from his contacts. Okay, I don't care, but I won't do the same. Hindi ko siya masisisi kung ganoon ang nararamdaman niya. It's his own feelings anyway.
HUMINGI NG TAWAD?" Clavis echoed Shanta’s explanation and slowly faced her with a befuddled look. "Hihingi ka ng tawad sa kanila?" Unti-unting bumaba ang tingin ko kay Shanta. Litong-lito ako sa mga ipinapakita niyang kilos. Her words were out of the planet. It's like a language that she only knew about. Alam ko kung nagsisinungaling siya o hindi. While I observed her facial expressions, she didn’t seem to be kidding at all. Her brows were relaxed and her eyes told her cousin that this wasn’t for a show. Totoong nangyayari ito. She actually swallowed her pride and bravely confronted the consequences of her actions. This was her, praying for peace. And asking for forgiveness was her first grand step in achieving that.