Unforgotten [Baguio Series #5]

46

46:

Takot na takot akong lumapit kay Tyrone na malalim ang titig sa akin. Hindi ko nga alam kung kumurap na ba siya. I couldn't look straight in his eyes because I know I did something wrong. I'm guilty.

I stopped and sat on the bench in front of him, avoiding his gaze. Ilang beses na akong napabuntonghininga sa sobrang kaba at takot na . . . baka masaktan ko siya.

O baka nga nasaktan na siya kasi niloko ko siya sa parteng ito . . . na sa Cabanatuan ako uuwi kahit na hindi naman talaga.

"K-Kanina ka pa rito?" I asked nervously.

"Almost two hours earlier than you."

Napaangat ako ng tingin sa kan'ya kasabay ng pag-init ng sulok ng mga mata ko.

"I-I went to . . . to Baguio."

He smiled a little as his eyes became red. "Alam ko."

Mabilis na pumatak ang mga luha ko sa sinabi niyang 'yon, kasabay ng pag-awang ng bibig ko. Anong . . . paano niya nalaman?

"W-What?"

He gulped. "I know what's between your phone and case. I saw that when I asked you to marry me." He looked away. "I know that you're lying when you told me that you're going home because I can see through your eyes that you're lying. Inabangan kitang umalis kanina at sinundan." He laughed as he looked at me with eyes of a betrayed man. "You met him in Baguio. Hindi man lang siya nahirapan para pumayag kang . . . pumunta ro'n."

He pursed his lips as he gulped repeatedly. His eyes are redder now than a while ago. Napayuko na lang ako dahil alam ko 'yung mga tingin na 'yon.

His eyes looked at me like I betrayed him big time.

"I'm sorry." I cried. "Ginawa ko 'yon kasi gusto kong--"

"Katrina, why is everything so hard for me to achieve? Why is it so easy when it comes to him?"

I looked at him and shook my head repeatedly. "Tyrone, hindi gano'n 'yun. Nagpunta ako ro'n para tapusin na lahat--"

"Matagal na kayong tapos."

I watched him look away from me, making my mouth part. "Oo nga. You told me . . . to face my fears, right? So that I can overcome it."

"You shouldn't have lie."

He gulped repeatedly and I looked down because I know that he's hurting and he's only stopping himself from crying in front of me.

"Did you lie because you still love him?"

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niyang 'yon. "What? No!"

"'Yun lang kasi ang naiisip kong dahilan kung bakit nagsinungaling ka."

Umiling ako nang umiling bago kinuha ang kamay niyang nakapatong sa lamesa. "No, Tyrone. Hindi ko sinabi kasi . . . kasi gusto kong tapusin na lang lahat ang nakaraan namin on my own. Just this time, gusto kong . . . gusto kong maging matapang para sa 'yo . . . para sa ating dalawa."

He sighed before looking at me. "But I still don't get the point . . . why did you fool me like that? Why did you keep his business card? Why didn't you tell me anything?"

I cried more because I don't have any explanation for that. I, myself, don't understand why I kept his business card. I don't know what made me keep that.

"Tyrone, I'm sorry but it's not true that I still love him. It's been almost a decade, of course I don't love him anymore."

He sighed as he stared at me more seriously. "'Yun na nga, KC."