Sad Story's

39

THEY SAID A SUCCESSFUL MAN COMES FROM A GREAT WOMAN

"I promise to stay with you no matter what happens." He smiled at me even though it didn't reach his eyes. Sanay na ako, sanay na akong makitang hindi purong saya ang ngiti sa mga mata niya. Still, I love him. I love his weakest state and even the strongest. Ang kasiyahan niya ang uunahin ko sa lahat.

"I-I miss my mom."Nanginig ang balikat ni Elmo habang yakap yakap ko siya ng mahigpit. I could feel his pain, I could almost touch it. With that, I promised to myself to make him feel happy or at least better.

"Tita will b-be happy now." Sinubukan kong wag maiyak dahil hindi ako puwedeng maging mahina sa kalagayan niya. Elmo's Mother died from breast cancer, his father died a year ago too from a car accident. And it was never good for him because he rebelled for many years after learning he's an adopted child. Kung ako yan, panu ko kaya makakaya. I'm the only one he has now kaya ang maging mahina ay hindi kasama sa pagpipilian. Mas hinigpitan ko ang yakap sa kanya. Since then mas madalas na kaming magkasama. Gusto kong hindi siya nalilingat sa paningin ko. I want to always be with him while he's hurting and fighting with life.

"Lyra, I have this girl I like. Her name is, Jeya." Parang nabingi ako sa narinig ko sa kanya. He never know it, no one ever know but I love my bestfriend. I'm secretly, deeply in-love with him. Napangiti ako habang nagpipigil ng iyak sa sinabi n'ya. I told him the most ironic thing a girl could tell to the man she loves who's unfortunately in-love with someone.

"I-I'm happy for you." Ni hindi niya napansin ang panginginig ng boses ko. Niyakap niya ako mahigpit sa sobrang sayang nararamdaman niya, habang ako, pasimpleng pinunasan ang luhang tuluyang nagbagsakan. I have no choice but to be happy for him. I watch him court that girl. He was so persistent of making her say the words "yes" and "I love you." While I cry silently specially when they became official. I was also with him when he build promises with Jeya, making surprises for Jeya, when his world became Jeya, and I was also there when his girlfriend cheated on their relationship. Napahikbi ako habang nakatingin sa kanyang umiiyak habang natutulog sa sofa. Paulit-ulit niyang binanggit ang pangalan ng ex-girlfriend niya. "Ako nalang... k-kayang kaya kitang mahalin at hindi kita sasaktan." Hinaplos ko buhok n'ya. "Matagal na akong naghihintay.. kelan mo kaya a-ako makikita?" Patuloy ko siyang minahal ng tahimik sa loob pa ng ilang taon. Nanatili kaming magkasama, I never told him I love him, so when he started showing he likes me too, it was my happiest memory of all.

"Can I court you?" Ang paghihintay ng ilang taon ay nagbunga. Pinaramdam niya sa'kin ang pagmamahal na matagal ko ng pinapangarap mula sa kanya. I tried harder to make him happy with everything I have. I can't lose him, I was still there when people rejected him. When he strived to be the best.

"Hindi ako natanggap mahal e." I felt suffocated watching him sad when he didn't get to the company he'd been dreaming to work to. But I cheered him up, told him everything's gonna be okay. Hanggang makuha niya lahat.. He got his dream job in his dream company. Ang dating simpleng tao lamang ay naging paborito ng boss at mga katrabaho niya. He have everything now. Even without his parents, after all the heartbreaks and bad memories he had, I was able to make him happy... but not to keep him. Because when he finally had everything that he wanted. He abandoned me. He forgot about me.

"S-she came back Lyra." Napayuko ako sa sinabi niya. Sinabi niya saking magkita kami sa isang mamahaling restaurant dahil may pag-uusapan kami. Sunod-sunod na bumagsak ang mga luha ko. "Jeya, wants me back.." parang dumudugo sa loob ng dibdib ko. Gusto ko nalang mabingi sa lahat.

"P-panu ako?" Tuluyang nabasag ang boses ko. "Pano.. ako?" Ulit ko ng hindi siya makasagot.

"She needs me.." humagulgol ako ng iyak sa sakit. Kelangan din kita! Gusto kong isigaw pero huminga ako malalim pero nabigo din.

"I need you too!" Nakatingin lang siya sa'kin.

"Hindi niya kaya Lyka, habang ikaw, matapang ka. Kayang-kaya mo lahat." Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya. Ano? "You stayed at my worst, Lyka.. kaya alam kong makakaya mong mag-isa. Matatag kang babae. She's not like you." Tuluyan akong nabasag sa sinabi niya. Just because of that he'll chose her? Dahil tingin niya malakas ako? Nanginig ang labi ko.

"I was just strong because of you! Because I have you... Ilang taon kitang sinamahan hanggang sa dulo pero bakit ako? Bakit iiwan mo ako dahil lang b-bumalik yung ex mo?!" Sumbat ko.

"I still love her! She loves me too!"

"I love you t-too! I loved you more! More than she ever did! She cheated on you!" Humagulgol ako ng iyak. "G-ginawa ko lahat para sayo! Nanatili ako sa tabi mo nung nasasaktan ka? Hindi kita iniwan kaya bakit mo ako iiwan?! Bakit pipiliin mo parin siya?"

"Kung alam ko lang na isusumbat mo sakin lahat ya—" pinutol ko siya.

"May karapatan akong sumbatan ka! Wala ka diyan sa kinatatayuan mo kung wala ako! You're nothing without me Elmo! You're no one—" Napatigil ako ng isang malakas na sampal ang bumagsak sa pisngi ko. Nabingi ako sa sakit, pinaghalong awa sa sarili at pagod ang naramdaman ko. Pero walang makakapantay sa paulit-ulit na kirot na nagpamanhid din kalaunan sa puso ko. Ito ba yung lalaking inalagaan at minahal ko ng sobra?

Natawa siya ng mahina sa'kin. Mocking me. "You're nothing but just an obsessed girl who loves me so much kaya wala kang karapatang sumbatan ako. Everything I have now was because of my hard works." Malamig na sabi niya. Tumawa ako ng mahina kahit walang tigil ang pagbagsak ng mga luha ko. I stood up and gathered myself to leave the place. Ang sakit... sakit.

"L-lyka.." napatigil ako at humarap sakanya. Nanginig ako ng makitang gulat siyang nakatingin sa gitnang hita ko. I felt a hot liquid flowed down there. He even glanced at my visible baby bump now.

"Y-you're pregnant?" Gulat na tanong niya. Tumango habang umiiyak. "But w-we.. never.."

"W-we never h-had sex ng walang proteksyon k-kaya hindi mo ako mabubuntis." Tuloy ko sa sinabi niya. Humikbi ako habang nakatingin sakanya. "This child... is my rapists child.." nanginig ang boses ko. "your boss, Elmo. Binababoy niya ako kapalit ng pagtaas mo ng posisyon sa kumpanya niya... I can't even tell you because I can't ruin y-your happiness.." I smiled bitterly at his shock expression.
"I told you. I have all the rights to say you're nothing without me.. from the start I've been saving you." Tumalikod ako.

"You're wrong Elmo, I'm not s-strong anymore, ibinuhos ko lahat lahat ng meron ako sa'yo sa loob ng maraming taon... kaya wala na akong lakas ngayon." Ang sakit. The physical and emotional pain attacked me. The man I promised to keep happy forever ruined me. I needed him... But he wants someone else.. his ex girlfriend. I build a man for someone else.