He Broke Me First

Chapter 33

"Did you cry?"

I pointed at Coleen's face after she went inside my car. I picked her up from her school today because we planned to shop for gifts together.

Wedding anniversary kasi nila Mama at Papa ngayon kaya maaga din akong umuwi. Coleen wiped her eye using the back of her index finger.

"No," she denied.

Saglit ko siyang nilingon habang nagmamaneho ako. She was obviously lying. Namumula pa ang ilong at mukha niya kaya halatang umiyak. She was also crossing his arms with her frowning face.

Niliko ko ang sasakyan. "Don't tell me it's about your 'M.U' again, Coleen." Ilang araw na kasi niyang pinoproblema yon. Sinabi na ngang hindi pa pwede ang ganon dahil ang bata pa niya.

She's still a teen. Dapat sarili niya muna ang pagtuonan niya ng pansin sa ngayon. She should create memories with our family and friends. She should try new things, get to know herself more at that stage and enjoy her youth without stressing herself in love because she's too young for that.

"It's actually about my boyfriend," she whispered, biting her lip.

Mabilis ko siyang nilingon. "Boyfriend?!" Nagsalubong ang kilay ko. Ang akala ko ba M.U lang?! "Bakit biglang naging boyfriend?!" Ni hindi ko man lang alam ang pangalan ng lalaki!

"Was my boyfriend," she clarified.

Tumingin muna ako sa daan bago siya ulit balingan para tignan ang reaksyon niya.

"I ended it already. I'm broken, don't talk to me," she told me.
"And yes, I cried... A little." She pouted.

"If you really ended it, then that's good. You understand our reason, right?" I looked at her for seconds. "Do you feel that sad? As in like, really really broken?"

Coleen shook her head. "No." She tilted her head to the side. "Okay lang."

"Masaya ka?"

"Are you seriously asking that?"

"What? I'm just curious?" I sounded uncertain.

Umirap siya. "Well, I can say yes. Duh, I don't need to be in a relationship for me to be happy. Remember that one."

"Kaya ka pala umiiyak kanina. Okay, I get it," I mocked.

"Shut up, please," she said frustratedly.

I laughed watching how she was holding her head. Parang gusto niyang iumpog ang sarili sa bintana ng kotse ko. Natawa ako at tumigil na.

Hindi ko pa alam kung ano bang bibilhin ko kaya nag-ikot ikot muna kami sa mall para tumingin ng pwedeng iregalo. I was thinking to buy a hand bag for my mother but I cut that out. My last gift for her was also a bag.

"Shoes na lang ang bibilhin ko for Papa," Coleen said.

"I'll buy him a watch," I told her. Sapatos din ang naiisip kong ibigay kay Papa pero dahil naunahan na niya ako, relo na lang ang akin.

Binili muna namin ang regalo ni Coleen para kay Papa bago ulit tumingin ng para kay Mama. Kanina pa ko nag-iisip pero hindi talaga ako makapag-decide dahil sa dami ng choices.

In the end, I bought a pair of gold earrings for my mother after buying Papa's watch. Coleen, on the other hand, bought a perfume as her gift for Mama. Madilim na nang maka-uwi kami sa bahay. Naunang bumaba si Coleen dahil may inayos pa ko sa loob ng sasakyan ko.

Pagkababa, dire-diretso akong pumasok sa loob ng bahay. I chucked when I saw balloons in the floor. Sinadyang ikalat ang mga yon. Napailing ako.

"Hi, anak." Hinalikan ako ni Papa sa pisngi pagkalabas niya sa kusina. I smiled before kissing his cheek, too.
Natawa ako dahil may hawak pa siyang pang-decorate.