Fate

Aracama

"Kief, enough. I can no longer help you. Mika had decided already. And as a mother, I have nothing but moral support for whatever decision she makes in her life. Masakit iyong ginawa mo. Masakit iyong mga sinabi mo. Why? Why did you do that to her?"

"Tita, I won't give excuses this time. I was wrong. And I am sorry for that. You're the only chance that I have Tita. I'm begging you. Please make your daughter fall in love with me again. This sounds pathetic, but I'm desperate."

"Kief, Mika loves you, that's why she's terribly hurt. But Mika's not letting her heart dictate the phase this time. Wala ng kayang ibigay ang anak ko. You 're such a good guy, I know. And you have more good memories together than the bad ones. But you can't blame her. Mas tumatak sa kanya yung sakit na ginawa mo this time. So please, just stop. Move on. You can always start a new life, this time, without my daughter."

Flashback

"Babe, don't forget ah, Aracama tomorrow night for Von's birthday. He reminded me earlier, huwag daw tayo mawawala", Kiefer said while he's driving me home.

"Huh? Tomorrow na pala iyon?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Babe, I can't. We have a team dinner with the alumni. It's actually a team bonding. Staycation sa hotel."

"What? Why didn't you tell me?"

"It skipped my mind. And I thought that Von' party is next week pa"

"No, I told you. I was very specific. Sabi ko tomorrow. Now how is it going to be?"

"Babe, you can go there naman without me. Von's party is going to be a blast for sure."

"That's not my point. The thing is, we've already planned this. It's not everyday that we get to experience parties like that.

"Babe, how about my commitment to the team? It's still volleyball season, remember?"

"Ibabalik ko sayo iyong sinabi mo. Hindi ba matutuloy yung team bonding na iyan without you?"

"Now that's very unreasonable. You should know. You're an athlete as well. I never tried to get in the way when it was still your season. Inintindi kita ah? Your one month stay in the US? Your 1 week stay in Korea? Your countless out of town games? Where was I during those times? I was here, patiently waiting for you. And if kaya ko at malapit lang iyong game mo, sumasama ako."

"Sumbatan ba gusto mo? Are we talking about effort here? Baka mapahiya ka."

"Stop the car."

"What?"

"I said stop the car Kiefer. I don't know what got you for you talk to me this way, when all I'm asking for is a compromise from you. And your efforts? Bakit? Taking the risk to love someone like you na kung magpalit ng girlfriend before eh parang nagpapalit lang ng brief, hindi ba effort sa part ko iyon?"

"Are you sure you want to go that issue? Bakit? Ikaw? Taena Mika. You may be a virgin when I met you, but you've got so many ex boyfriends as well whom you were not even proud to be with. So don't you bring up the number of ex girlfriends that I've had, coz it might boomerang on you."

Painful words just came out from Kiefer's mouth. I wanted to slap him, but I refused to. But my anger and the instantaneous pain that he had brought me? Sobra. I went off the car and slammed the door. It's dark and the place is still a little distant from my dorm. I thought Kiefer's gonna make a way for me to get in the car, but he readily drove away from me. He left me.

I took the cab and my crying was terribly heavy. I didn't care about what the driver has to say. I just wanted to cry 'til crying makes me fall asleep. I understand that I was wrong when I brought up the issue about his past relationships. Pero ang sakit din pala pag bumalik na sayo yung mga sinabi mo. I didn't expect that from Kiefer. I wasn't ready for that. Hearing it is a lot painful knowing that it came from someone whom I least expect to hurt me with words.