Firm Tenacity (The Athletes #3) COMPLETED

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Letting Go

Grandma is in charge of me now, I guess. Nailabas n'ya ako sa mansion para maka-usap si Mooze. At nasabi n'ya rin na siya na ang bahala sa pag-alis ko papuntang Japan. I will no longer use the plane ticket from Senyor since I'll be riding a private plane all the way there.

I don't know how she managed to take responsibility of me. Iniisip ko na baka nagkasagutan na naman sila ni Senyor, o 'di kaya'y may kondisyon na dapat n'yang sundin. But then grandma told me to not fret about it anymore.

"Don't make things complicated, Enesi. You will leave tomorrow..." She reminded me again. She couldn't look into my eyes, but it was vivid that she's hurt. I could see empathy.

We talked a lot earlier. Aniya'y 'di 'to ang panahon para umamin kay Mooze. Na 'wag kong gamitin ang pagkakataon na 'to para sabihin na mahal ko siya. The conversation is absolutely for farewell.

She has a point, though. Kung aamin ako, baka mas mahirapan akong maka-alis. Everything will get more complicated than it already is. Knowing Mooze? He's such a hard headed person. He pushes what he really wants.

Nasa itim na SUV si grandma kung saan din ako sumakay papunta rito sa building kung saan kami magkikita ni Mooze. Gabi na, at nauna ako sa pwesto.

I'm already on the floor where all the walls are glass. I could see the city lights from here, and some lights from offices from the buildings. There's not enough lighting here, probably for security. Dahil kung may ilaw, panigurado na makikita kami.

It's cold because the whole place was air conditioned. Nakapantalon ako, suot ko rin ang isa sa mga bigay ni Mooze na hoodie noong galing s'ya sa ibang bansa. Buti na lang ay 'di tinapon ang mga gamit ko sa aking kwarto dahil nandoon lahat ng mga regalo niya.

I started playing with my fingers. I didn't practice what I'm going to say. Paano ko sasabihin na kailangan munang bumitiw? How can I say that I'll leave tomorrow at dawn? Iiwan ko s'ya? At 'di alam kung kailan muli babalik

My heart was rapidly beating when I felt soft footsteps beside me. Mooze's familiar scent dominated.

I was expecting him to hug me, and ask me a lot of questions because I disappeared without telling him, that's why my heart shrunk when Mooze just stood a meter away from me silently. No emotions at all. He looked so tired.

I was dumbfounded for a few minutes. I didn't know what's wrong. Bakit ganito? Bakit ang lamig n'ya? It's like... he's not the man who have loved me intensely. He's completely different right now...

Napatungo ako habang naninikip ang dibdib. Nakapamulsa lang s'ya, tahimik, at diretso ang tingin sa mga naglalakihang gusali sa aming harapan. I could hear crickets.

"Aalis ka mamaya ng madaling araw, hindi ba?" he said with his cold, and hoarse voice.

Matagal bago ako nakabawi. Alam n'ya na? Sinabi ba ni grandma? I think it's better that he already knew. Para 'di na ako mahirapan na sabihin pa. Kaya ba siya malamig dahil biglaan? At wala na s'yang magagawa?

Tumango ako. "Yes..."

Silence embraced us again. I couldn't read what's running through his head. His expressive eyes turned emotionless. I wanted to know his opinion, I wanted to feel his emotions. Kahit magalit s'ya sa akin, ayos lang. Ang lamig-lamig niya. Naninibago ako...

"Maybe I really should've believed you..." he whispered and I caught his adams apple flexed. "We can't be together, and we're not meant to love each other..."