章 16: Chapter 15
Ruben's Point of View
Four years later...
"...Rubeeeeen! Let's play dress up pleeeeaaase!"
"No way! Never!!"
"Sige na Rubeeeen!"
"AYAAAAW!!"
Nakatakbo na ko palayo sa halimaw na 'yon. All she ever do is ask me to play girly things with her. And i'm so freaking annoyed about it since i'm a growing 10 year old boy!
Pagkatago ko sa isang sulok, Allan found me hiding. "Sir!? Ba't ka po nandyan?"
"S-SHHHH!!" I told him.
Napatakip naman sya ng kaniyang maingay na bibig at bigla ko nanamang narinig ang napakatinis nyang boses. "RUBEEEEEN!!!"
"UGH! I HATE YOU ALLAN!" At tumakbo ulit ako paalis para makatakas sa babae na 'yon.
It's been always like this. Bumibisita sina tito Felix sa amin para iwanan nya dito ang anak nya. Ang problema lang, ayaw kong makipaglaro sa babae na 'yon! Masyado syang maingay, lagi nya akong kinukulit, at hindi ko magawa ang mga gusto ko!
Everyday is literally a torture!
Nang makita ko si mom, natakbo ako sa kaniya at sinumbong si Jade. "Moooom! Mom! Si Jade! Mom!!"
"Ano ba yan Ruben! Wag mo namang iniiwan kalaro mo, don't be rude!"
"But mom! She wants me to play dress up!"
"Edi maglaro kayo! Is that a problem?"
"YES, BECAUSE I'M A BOY MOM! I'M A BOY! I'M SUPPOSED TO PLAY WITH TOY CARS AND GUNS, NOT DOLLS AND DRESS UPS!"
"RUBEEEN!" Langya! Andyan na sya!
"Oh Jade! Andito si Ruben." Takte, taksil naman 'tong nanay na 'to!
Napatakbo na lang ako ulit para makatakas.
Three years later...
First year highschool na kami ni Jade. Medyo hindi sya mapakali dahil kinakabahan sya sa first day. I sighed and told her to calm down. "It's just the first day of school Jade. It's no different when we were in elementary."
"No way! I've read a lot of articles about other peoples highschool debut, and i gotta make a good impression para magkaroon kagad ako ng iba pang kaibigan!"
"Just be yourself, and don't be stupid." Napanguso lang sya at napatingin sa kaniyang sarili gamit ang compact mirror nya.
"Bagay ba sa'kin 'yung lipstick na 'to? Tanggalin ko ba?" Aniya.
Napabuntong hininga na lang ako ulit. "Whatever. Bahala ka na dyan." At iniwan ko na sya.
Nang makapasok na kami sa bago naming school, everything started out smooth for me. Parang walang bago sa social life ko noong elementary ako. Struggle naman kay Jade ang pakikipagkaibigan and it seems that no matter how much she try, she ends up failing.
We're both not good with socializing after all, so we can't be a good social butterfly.
"Argh! Nakaka-stress Ruben! Paano na 'ko neto? Sino na kaibigan ko!?" Aniya. Kumakain kami ngayon sa cafeteria dahil lunch break namin ngayon.
"Eh anong tawag mo sa'kin?"
"You're like a brother to me, you know? So hindi ka counted."
"Tch, you're unbelievable."
"I'm just gonna try again and again! Hanggang sa magkaroon na 'ko ng iba pang kaibigan!"
But in the end, she just failed like how I imagined. She also gave up eventually and just sticked with me so she won't feel alone. I didn't really mind it either because i'm already used to her presence all the time.
And with her, things don't get too much boring.
Two years later...
Habang nagkakape at nagbabasa ng isang novel na nagustuhan ko, I decided to get some cookies to further enjoy my moment. At pagkababa ko ay naabutan kong nag-uusap sina mom and dad.
Di nila namalayan ang presensya ko at nagpatuloy lang sila sa pag-uusap.
"...we thought of this idea a long time ago, so can't we just do it?"
"Hmm... I like it! I've always wanted a daughter, so why not?"
"Then it's decided then! Our son will marry Felix's daughter!"
"What the fuck..." nagulat silang parehas ng marinig nila ako. Pagkatingin nila sa'kin para silang nakakita ng multo. "R-Ruben!" Sambit ni dad.
Napasimangot naman si mom. "Ruben, what did I say about eavesdropping!?"
"I know it's wrong, but accidentally hearing isn't. So you guys are planning to make me marry Jade!? Are you really making me marry that idiot!?"
Pinagtanggol naman ni mom si Jade. "What's so wrong with marrying Jade!? She's a good girl that you can depend on, and she's way more nicer than you."
"Tch, if you guys like her that much then why not trade me for her? Puro si Jade lang naman ang gusto nyo!" Even when I tried to rebel about the fixed marriage, hindi pa rin mababago ni mom ang isip nya dahil mas gusto nya talaga si Jade kaysa sa'kin.
But I just grew tired of that shit and just lived life like I did before.
I wanted to hate Jade because it really feels like she stole my parents from me, but whenever I see her... parang gumagaan loob ko.
Pagkapasok namin ni Jade sa classroom ay may nakita si Jade sa upuan ko. "Ruben! May letter ka oh!" Sabi ni Jade at iniabot ang letter na nakalagay sa upuan ko.
"What the hell is this?" Pagkabukas ko ng letter, sabi nito gusto nyang makipagkita sa'kin sa quadrangle after classes.
"Oh my gosh! Ruben, may secret admirer ka! Yiiiieeee!" It kind of bothered me thinking that Jade's happy that i'm getting admirers. Di ba sya nagagalit?
"Okay, don't be so excited. Baka mawalan ako ng interes dito." I told her.
Napangiti lang sya at napa-thumbs up sa'kin. "Sure, but goodluck mamaya! Hehe."
And as the classes ended, parang tinatamad na 'kong makipagkita sa tao na 'to. Pero pinilit naman ako ni Jade kaya i had no choice about it.
Nang magkita na kami nung admirer na 'yun, nag-confess sya kaagad. "I-I like you! I really do." Aniya.
I looked at her with disinterest and napatanaw ako sa ibang lugar. Then I saw Jade peeping at us like a stalker. Napangisi ako at sinagot kagad ang admirer na 'to. "I'm sorry about that, I already have my eyes on somebody else."
end of flashback
Natawa ako ng maalala ko ang plano ko noon. I originally planned to piss off Jade until she gets sick of me, at para na rin di na matuloy ang plano nina mom. But in the end, I realized that I couldn't let her go.
I actually realized this just now...
I love her.
But I was too hurt knowing she liked and gone out with someone else. Right now I just wish that I can turn back time so I can be with her again.
Jade's Point of View
I expected for this to happen. Pagkabukas ko ng locker ko, puro threats ito at mga basura. I heard this from Bella that this happens to the girls that Leroi dated. Galit na galit talaga sa akin ang mga fangirls nya.
Napabuntong hininga na lang ako at kinuha lahat ng basura na 'to para itapon.
Then after that, I head to my class and did the usual. I'm glad that I actually made a friend in class, which is Bella. Nahihirapan na talaga ako ngayon dahil wala akong nakakasama at madami akong nakikita na may galit sa'kin.
Pagdating ng lunch break, I saw a glimpse of Leroi from afar. Napakapit ako kay Bella from the uneasiness that I suddenly felt. "Is there something wrong Jade?"
"A-Ah? Wala..." Napa-iling na lang ako, shrugging off all the bad memory that tried to come back.
It was stressful trying to ignore what I keep on remembering. At nang hindi ko na kinaya, I excused myself para pumunta sa cr. That's where I cried pathetically.
I feel so damn weak. Gusto ko sanang umabsent, but I know that it wouldn't do any good. I don't want to disappoint dad either.
When I finally calmed myself a little, lumabas na 'ko ng cubicle para ayusin sarili ko. Suddenly, some of the girls that i'm with in here recognized me. They started whispering as if I couldn't hear them.
"Isn't she the girl who Leroi dated?"
"It is her! Oh my gosh, is she crying?"
"Probably. Baka hiniwalayan na sya ni Leroi?"
"Right, as if naman na sineryoso sya nung lalake na 'yon. Napagtripan lang talaga sya ni Leroi."
"She must be stupid enough to believe na seseryosohin sya ni Leroi."
Fine. Ako na tanga. Ako na ang tangang nagpaloko at naniwala sa gago na 'yon. But what's so bad about thinking that he'll really take me seriously?
Umasa lang ako, tas ako pa niloko. And damn it, ako pa 'yung nasisiraan at pinagtatawanan.
I walked out of that place so I can get back to classes again. Siguro nga dapat umabsent na lang ako. I couldn't focus on my studies, and some people kept bothering me about Leroi.
Now I wished I never gave him the chance to date me.
Right now, if that would've happen, siguro kasama ko pa rin hanggang ngayon si Ruben. I might've been supporting him with his theatre club, and also support him with the girl he talks to.
Sayang.
Ruben is right in so many ways. I'm so stupid that I chose someone so worthless over someone who's been with me ever since.
Now my thoughts are just killing me with regret. At mas lalo itong lumalala sa tuwing nakikita ko si Ruben, we're still in the same classroom after all. Hindi nga lang kami masyadong nag-iinteract dahil tinapos na nya ang pagkakaibigan namin...
And that was all my fault. And I hate myself for that.
Matapos ng klase ay dumiretcho na 'ko pauwi since I got nothing else to do anyway. But a bunch of girls stopped me.
"Ikaw si Jade Garcia, right?" The feirce girl asked.
Napatango naman ako, nagulat na lang ako ng bigla akong hatakin ng mga kasama nya at dinala ako sa likod ng gymnasium. "...a-anong... anong gagawin nyo sa'kin!?"
Napangisi sa akin 'yung babae na mala-leader ng grupo na 'to. "Do you know who I am?"
Napakunot noo ko. "No... never heard of you."
"What a loser! So never mo pa pala ako nakikilala."
"Sino ka ba kasi!?"
"Ako lang naman si Madison Buenavilla, i'm Leroi's ex-girlfriend you bitch." Aniya.
Nagtaka naman ako. "So what? I've got nothing to do with Leroi anymore! So let me go already."
"That's what you thought. Akala mo ganon lang 'yon? Hahayaan na kita dahil wala nang kayo?"
This girl is crazy as hell! Mukhang sasaktan nya talaga ako with the way she looks at me. "Ex ka rin naman diba!? So why give a fuck about Leroi!? Can't you just move on?"
Mas lalong sumama ang pagtingin nya sa'kin.
"I'm not just any ex-girlfriend of his. Ako ang fiancė nya! And i'll make sure that any girl who dares to date him will suffer." Bigla nya naman akong sinampal.
I wanted to get back at her, pero nakakabwisit talaga 'yung mga pumipigil sa'kin. They keep letting this damn crazy bitch slap me. Bukod sa pananampal ay pinagsasabunutan nya din ako. Wala naman akong magawa para ipagtanggol ang sarili ko.
All I did was cry until they got satisfied of beating me up.
Nagpasundo na lang ako sa personal driver namin dahil ayoko nang sumabay sa bus. I don't want anyone to see me in my state right now, specially Ruben. Ayoko nang makita nya 'ko na kaawa-awa.
I can handle this on my own.
Pagka-uwi ko ay nagulat si manang ng makita ako. "Anong!? Jade ano nangyari sa mukha mo!?" Di ko napigilan sarili ko at napaiyak akong muli.
I was thankful enough because she comforted me. And again, i'm thankful that my dad isn't here. Ayokong malaman nya na ginaganito ako. I don't want him worrying about me because of my own damn problems.
I promised myself today that i'll cry it all out 'til i'm done. Gusto kong nang ayusin sarili ko at kalimutan ang mga problemang nagawa ko sa sarili ko.
Mas mabuting mag-umpisa ulit kaysa maging ganito ako habang buhay. Ayoko pa naman sa lahat ang di maka-move on sa mga bagay na dapat kinakalimutan na.
But I still can't deny that i'm still hurting. Pero ayos lang 'yon. Wounds hurt because they're still fresh, but as the time passes it will heal by itself.
to be continued
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット