장-20

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    Chapter 20
   
   
"Lalin, let's break up." A words slipped through his tough. And that makes Lalin cut her words.
   
   
She thought there's something he would say that can make her happy. Like the times she's in devastation. Like the times she needed someone to understand her. The times that he will be there to cheer her up. But instead of those. The unexpected word she just heard.
   
   
Pigil ang kanyang paghinga ng marinig ang mga salitang yun. Kasabay nun ang pagbilis ng kanyang tibok ng puso. "Why? Why are you saying that?"Lalin asked with curiosity. "That's not funny."
   
   
"Lalin, let's just break up. We know that this relationship won't last. So, let's end it."He repeated.
   
   
Napayukong napaisip si Lalin sa kanyang naririnig mula sa binata habang pigil mata niyang wag ilabas ang luha doon. Her breath is an easy as she want to scold Michael.
   
   
Why? Why he wants to break up with me?
   
   
Dahan dahan niyang itinaas ang kanyang ulo. As the tears flow down her cheeks. "Why? Did you just realized that I'm not enough? Did you realized that I'm useless that's why she's not giving her attention to me?"nanginginig niyang tanong.
   
   
"It's not like that...."
   
   
Mas lalong napahigpit ang pagkuyom ng kanyang kamay habang sinasambit ang bawat salita. Dahil katumbas niyon ay kalahati ng pagkatao niya.
   
   
"THEN WHY? Tell me, why?"she shouted. Hindi na niya napigilan ang sarili at sumabog nalang sa galit at katanungan. She hold Michael's collar while facing it's face. "Tell me, Michael. Why do you want to break up with me? Why do you have to do this? WHY! WHY! WHY! WHY!"
   
   
Napaiwas na lamang ng tingin si Michael at naawang humingi ng tawad. "I'm sorry, Lalin. But they are right. I can't just stay here. I need to support the company."he said.
   
   
Malumanay na bumagsak ang kamay ni Lalin mula sa collar ni Michael at tila nababaliw na natawa. At umatras ng pa-unti-unti.
   
   
'I need to leave. I need to save our company.' a few words go through her ears.
   
   
Tumalikod si Lalin kay Michael at hinayaan na lamang na magsitulo ang mga luha sa kanyang mata. "Your just like him. Your all the same." She muttered then run as fast as she can.
   
   
End of flashback.
   
   
Lalin sighed while eating her omelet in the plate. She can't focus in her food.
   
   
What should she do? Gusto niya talagang maglabas ng sama ng loob. Alam niyang matagal na silang wala at alam niyang gumagawa lang ng paraan si Michael na maging maayos sila. Dahil na rin sa magkapatid sila sa papel at ampon ito ng kanyang pamilya. Makakahalata ang ina niya kung sakaling hindi niya ito pansinin.
   
   
But does he deserve Lalin's forgiveness? He just did what others do to her. Hindi naman siya bato para hindi maalala at maramdaman ang sakit ngunit sa tuwing naalala niyang hindi siya sapat. Na may kulang sa kanya at hindi niya yun mapunan. Tila ba unti-unting nasisira ang pagkatao niyang pilit na pinagdidikit.
   
   
She sighed and bite a meat. She loves meat because of how it save her taste. She loves it but she doesn't taste it's sour. Alam niyang dapat siyang kumain ng marami dahil minsan lang nagluluto si Akiro ng karne.
   
   
What should she do?  She asked her self.
   
   
Lalin look at Akiro. "Akiro."tawag niya dito at napatingin naman ito agad sa kanya.
   
   
"Can I ask?"she calmly asked.
   
   
Naningkit naman ang mata ni Akiro dahil hindi normal ang pagtatanong ni Lalin sa kanya. "Should I say No? Should I say Yes? Your being weird again." Akiro said.
   
   
Natatawang napasinghal naman si Lalin. "Am I? Huh!"she hissed.
   
   
Binaba niya ang kobyertos at pinaglandas ang dalawang braso sa dibdib. Then she looked at Akiro like he's just a ant. "Then why people go crazy?"she asked blankly
   
   
Akiro hummed. "Because they are too stress and they can't make a one decision for their self. They are frustrated with something that they can't get or understand. But some cases is assult or got molested. Until they loss their sanity and get numb to the end that they will do something dangerous. Why did you ask?"
   
   
"Your partly correct but don't you know that those crazy are more smarter than us. Who have a good mind set and well educated? We maybe educated but we can't change our surrounding. We can be what we want but we are just puppets of it. We move, we work and we obey as what the higher ups say. We don't have freedom. We got discriminated. Yes, crazy people got discriminated too that's because we don't understand them. But you know what. If I'll become a crazy bitch or I am. That's because I want to protect myself not to be hurted, not to be moved by others and the hell I care what they say."mahaba niyang paliwanag.
   
   
Tila nawalan naman ng salita si Akiro sa tinuran ng dalaga sa kanya. May parte sa kanyang gustong sumang-ayon ngunit may parte din na huwag nalamang sumagot at hayaan na lang siyang magsalita. Akiro felt Lalin's down emotion. She didn't eat properly her food that obviously not her.
   
"Yes, they want to protect their self. But can everyone understand them? Can everyone think like them?"
   
    Biglang naging malamlam ang mata ni Lalin at napagtanto ang kanyang sinabi. "That's why theirs always have two person is this world. Even though it is. Why they still can't just on. Just one, can't understand?"her tear fell down slowly while gripping her palm.

Napapitlag naman si Akiro at hindi iyon inaasahan. Akiro lost his words and just nodded.

"But you can share it. There still someone who can listen, you know that. They maybe don't understand why are you feeling like that. But there's always a person whose willing to listen."Akiro said.

Lalin started to sniffed while trying to chum her own food. Tila nawalan naman ng gana si Akiro na kumain dahil sa kinikilos ng dalaga. But instead to make everything more awkward. He just started to eat also.

   
  °°°°

NASA harap na sila ng gate ng tiningnan ni Akiro si Lalin na mukhang nasa malayo ang isip. He wants to asked. He wanted to know. Kung anong problema nito. He maybe saw her cry in past days but this one is her true pain. Should he just stay himself with it?

"Lalin, nandito na tayo."He said.

Lalin nodded. "Akiro, can you do me a favor again?"she asked without looking at him.

"Are you willing to bargain? I'm still a businessman, afterall."

She smirked. "Die you asshole."she said before she leave. At padabog na sinara ang pintuan.

Ngunit bago pa mapaandar ni Akiro ang kotse upang umalis. Nakita niya si Lalin na napahinto sa harap ng bintana ng kotse.

"What is she doing?"

LALIN stop and got stiffed from where she is. Hindi niya mabuka ang kanyang bibig ngunit nanginginig na kumuyom ang palad nito. Like she's ready to punch someone.

Because of all places. Of all days. There's Michael waving while plastering his smile. She smirked with a bitter taste.

"Nagpakita ka pa talaga."she hissed under her breath.

-end

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