✔ Through Alternate Realities

Capitulum 20

MEL KNEW what she needed to do.     

At kung magpapakatotoo lang siya, may maliit na tinig sa kanyang isipan na nagsasabing matagal na niya itong dapat ginawa. Without second thoughts, she dashed out of the ECU library. Her pale face bathed in the sunlight. Everyone stared at her, as if she were crazy. Hindi na niya naririnig ang ingay sa kanyang paligid.

Hindi na niya iniinda ang panghihina ng katawan niya. Iisang tanong ang nangibabaw sa kaguluhang ito.

'Bakit?'

She blinked back the tears...

Soon, she found herself tracing a familiar path. A place she can almost consider her second home.

Kailan nga ba siya huling nakabisita rito? Ah, yes. She can remember it clearly now. Noon nga palang hindi nakapasok si Evan sa kanyang mga klase dahil kinailangan niyang alagaan ang nanay niyang may sakit. Mel lend him her notes and helped cook soup for Tita Ethel.

Hindi na niya matandaan kung ilang buwan na ba ang lumipas.

That memory feels like an eternity away, and it only added to her pain.

"Mel?"

Nang pinagbuksan siya ng pinto ni Tita Ethel, halatang hindi nito inaasahan ang kanyang pagdating. Mel suddenly realized how bad she looks right now. Sweat formed on her forehead, dark circles under her eyes, and a trail of dried tears on her cheeks. Yes, looked like a mess. Pero sa kabila nito, agad rin siyang pinapasok ng nanay ni Evan.

Makalipas ang ilang sandali, inabot na nito ang isang cellphone. Albeit the few cracks on the screen, she can easily recognize it. It was Evan's phone. Isang malungkot na ngiti sa mga labi ni Tita Ethel. Nakatitig lang ito sa kanya, pinapakiramdam ang kanyang magiging reaksyon.

That made her even more nervous.

"Nakuha nila 'yan n-noong...noong naaksidente si Evan. It was in his pocket. Itatago ko na sana 'yan, p-pero..." Nag-iwas ito ng tingin.

Mel nodded in understanding and unlocked it. Of course, they would know what his password is. Evan always uses the same password in all his social media accounts dahil madali nitong nakakalimutan. Iyon rin siguro ang dahilan kung bakit nabuksan ito ni Tita Ethel.

Kabadong tiningnan ni Mel ang cellphone. Picture pa nila ang wallpaper nito.

She sighed.

Hindi niya talaga ugaling pakialaman ang mga gamit at accounts ni Evan, since they vowed to respect each other's privacy, but she needs to break that vow...

Like how he broke her heart.

Nakatulala na lang si Mel sa screen.

Puro mga babae ang ka-chat at ka-text niya. Nanginginig ang mga kamay ni Mel habang iniisa-isa ang mga conversations nila. Naiiyak niyang binasa ang mga ito. She could barely recognize him...

No.

No, this wasn't her Evan.

This can't be.

Because how the fuck can this Evan say he was faithful to her when he was sending his "I love you's" to a dozen other girls?

At nang dumako ang mga mata ni Mel sa huli nitong tinext noong gabi ng aksidente, lalo siyang nanlata nang makita roon ang pangalan ni Pia.

Pia: hahaha gago baka diba anniv nyo ni mel? Baka hanapin ka nun

Evan: bahala na. Mas importante ka naman baby ;)

Betrayal cut deeper than a knife.