BITTER SWEET EQUATION

장-35

LALIN keeps on running until she gets numb. And she's now drenching with different emotions as her tears flooded on her cheeks. Luha na kahit anong pigil niya ay kusang aagos.
   
   
She didn't care at all kahit kaawa-awa pa siyang tingnan sa mata ng mga nakakasalubong niyang kapwa estudyante. She's drowned in agony. Pakiramdam niya ay pinagkaisahan siya ng lahat.
   
   
Lalin thought and almost believed that Akiro maybe like her. Or her hope was bigger, and she hopelessly dreamed that it might have been love.
   
   
Ngunit nagkamali ang dalagita. Hanggang pangarap na lamang ang pag-ibig na nais niyang makamit. Pag-ibig na hiling niya ay sa kanya na ilalaan ni Akiro.
   
   
Natigil siya nang may humawak sa braso niya. Batay sa init na nagmumula sa mga palad nito, at ang pagpintig ng puso niya na tila kilala kung sino ang nasa likuran nito. Sa gitna ng maraming tao sa maaliwalas na parke, nais niyang bumunghalit ng sigaw. Ipagtabuyan ang lalaking kaniyang sinisinta. Hindi niya magawa ang nasa isip, bagkus ay marahan niyang pinahid at tinuyo ang pisngi.
   
   
"Hindi pa ba sapat ang pagpapahiya mo sa akin Akiro?"  Lalin said bitterly. She didn't even exert an effort to turn and face him. Hindi niya kayang gawin ito sa kaniya.
   
   
"I-im sorry!"
   
   
"Sorry for using me? Or sorry dahil narealize mong si Angel talaga ang mahal mo? O sorry dahil pinagtripan mo ko, alin doon Akiro ha?" sunod-sunod na tanong ni Lalin. Her voice almost broke down. And she started to hate herself for being vulnerable.
   
   
"Listen," ani ni Akiro. "Hindi 'yon ang intensyon ko. Totoo lahat ng mga pinapakita ko sayo. Paano mo nasasabing pinaglalaruan kita?" madamdaming saad sa kanya ng binata.
   
   
Hinawakan nito ang magkabilang balikat niya paharap. Mga matang nangungusap ng binata ang nakasalubong sa titig niya. His eyes seems convincing her.

"Believe me, mahal kita!"
   
   
Lumulutang sa alapaap ang pakiramdam ni Lalin nang marinig iyon mula sa mismong bibig ng binata. Kaunti na lang at mapapaniwala na siya ni Akiro. But it's hard to believe. It's too good, to be true.
   
   
She shook her head.
"You wouldn't expect me to believe you, after what you did earlier!? Do you even think I'm that stupid? "

   
Akiro sigh. At tila ba humahanap ito ng tamang paliwanag sa kanya. Gusto niyang tumawa ng mapakla. Hahanap pa ba ito ng pwedeng palusot?
 
   
"Di mo kasi naiintindihan" naging defensive ang tono boses ni Akiro. Matamang tinitigan ng binata ang dalaga, habang si Lalin ay mukhang gulat sa tono ng boses ni Akiro. Hindi niya mawari, kung nagsusumamo o naiinis.
 
         
"Ang alin?" ani ni Lalin.
   
"Gusto ko lang matapos yung pag-aaway niyo."Pangangatuwiran ni Akiro.
   
   
A flash of heat seared her face.

"Bakit ako? Bakit ako ang dapat mag-sorry? I didn't do it first."pasinghal na wika ni Lalin.
   
   
Akiro sigh. At tila hirap ipaunawa sa dalaga ang ipinupunto nito.
   
   
"Please, don't be childish again!"
   

"Childish!?" Lalin scowled and pointed herself, as she took one step to stepped back.
  
    
Paklang natawa sa inis si Lalin. Kasama na doon ang tila karayom na tumutusok sa puso niya ng mga sandaling iyon. It is very obvious, that Akiro defending Angel.
   
   
"Lalin!"  
   
   
Umatras si Lalin at itinaas nang bahagya ang dalawang kamay, nang subukang hawakan muli ni Akiro ang kanyang braso.

 
"What you said was enough for me, not to trust my heart in you Akiro."mapakla niyang nginitian ang binata.
   
   
"Goodbye!"
   
   
Lalin strode back and marched up the front walk.
   
   
°°°°°
              
When Lalin brought her stuff at Akiro's condo, she immediately called Michael on her phone. At nagpasundo siya sa lobby mismo ng gusaling iyon.
   
   
Michael stepped from his car and marched up the front walk, and it opened the car door for her. Naninibago siya sa pagiging gentleman nito, pero ngumiti pa rin siya binata at nagpaunlak na pumasok sa loob ng sasakyan.
   
    
Saka pa lang nito sinara ang pinto, pinagmasdan niya ang binata na naglalakad at umikot papunta sa kabila hanggang sa makapasok si Michael. It even smiled at her before he drove the car. Nakatanaw lang sa bintana ang dalaga at pinagmamasdan ang bawat madadaanan nila. Billboards, buildings and restaurants.
   
   
"Mike can you find a place, we're I can moved in?"
   
   
Panaka-naka ang sulyap sa kanya ni Michael, "Bakit nagbago ang isip mo?"
   
   
"Well it's kinda urgent, at kailangan na kailangan ko na ngayon."ani ng dalaga at tamad na sinulyapan si Michael. "Are you gonna help me or not?"she ask in bored tone.
   

Kahit nakatagilid si Michael ay pansin ng dalaga ang pag-angat ng labi ng binata. Remarkably, she is no longer affected by its charisma. She admitted that Akiro is very handsome, from his sharp nose, eyelashes that were furrowed and thick. Dagdag pa ang kanyang mga labi, na manipis at kulay-rosas

         
Kahit sino ay maaakit at mabihag, sa titig lamang ng binata, ang sinumang babae ay kikiligin. Ngunit lahat ng iyon ay walang epekto sa kanya.

   
Michael chuckled."Syempre!" Then he smoothly wink and smile at her."But I'm gonna bring you first, to a specific place that you will love."
   
   
"Saan?"she asked.  
   
    
Akiro didn't answered, nor speaked, he just smiled and drived quietly. By that time Lalin noticed outside the window, they were far away from Edsa. And they seemed far from the highway. Eventually, Michael turned the steering wheel to the left, and they passed a small pole, with a white signaged. The font is jotted down in bold and black color, it says ‘This way to Villa Selene Grande’. And she is confused now.
   
   
"Where are we?"hindi niya mapigil sa tanong.
   
   
"Uhm, In my own Villa."Michael answered cooly. At nasa manibela pa rin ang atensyon ng binata. Bagamat pansin niya ang magaan nitong ngiti.
   
   
"Villa!?" shocked and astonished Lalin exclaimed. She did not know that the young man had a Villa, she thought he was just abroad and studying. But how can Michael buy a Villa. Did her Dad inherit or give it to him?
   

Michael peeked furtively at Lalin, apparently smiling, so the girl couldn't foresee how he felt about his reaction. In the tone of Lalin's voice, it seems unimaginable for him to have his own villa.
   

"You probably don't know yet, I'm a working student abroad, while studying."Michael replied

A flash of conscience flared in Lalin's mind.
   
She sighed."I didn't mean to imply anything Micheal, sorry!"
   
   
Michael chuckled."Its fine Lene,"

   
"So paano mo napagsasabay ang pag-aaral at trabaho?"Magaan na tanong ni Lalin. May paghanga sa boses ng dalaga. Malinaw na interesado siyang malaman ang buhay ng binata sa ibang bansa.
   
 
"Well, simple lang," Michael answered straightly."Nagtatrabaho ako sa umaga. At sa gabi ay nag-aaral ako, ganyan ang buhay ko sa ibang bansa."

           
"Ang hirap naman non, buti nakaya mo?" Lalin commented admiringly, glimpsing at him driving.
   
   
Lalin greatly adores the people, who are tough and courageous to face the trials they will face in other countries.
   
   
At ngayong narinig ni Lalin ang kwento ng pakikipagsapalaran ni Michael sa ibang bansa, ang kanyang respeto sa mga OFW sa iba't ibang bahagi ng mundo ay lumaki. Sumasaludo siya sa kanilang sakripisyo.


"Oo kinakaya ko, kahit mahirap alam kong kaya ko. Dahil hindi naman ako pinanganak na mayaman tulad mo."Michael retorted. "Yes your parents adopted me, at nagpapasalamat ako dun."
   
   
"It came right out of your mouth, that my parents adopted you."ani ni Lalin."Nangangahulugan iyon na ikaw ay legal na bahagi ng pamilya, at may karapatan ka sa lahat ng yaman na mayroon ang Leimbergs."

   
"Independency is a choice, at pinili ko na hindi humingi ng pera kay mommy."Michael clarified. And it glances at her from time to time.
   

"But you're the one who's having a hard time, aren't you? Why are you tormenting yourself, our family has money."
   
   
"Paano ako matututo sa buhay kung lagi akong umaasa sa mga taong nag-aalaga at nagpalaki sa akin?"pagpapa-intindi ni Michael sa kanya.
 
     
"Okay, I get it." Sagot ni Lalin. "At ang Villa na pupuntahan natin ngayon, ang bunga ng pagsisikap mo, am I right?"
   
   
Ngumiti si Michael sa kanyang sagot. "Tama, at narito na tayo!"
   
   
Because of what Michael said Lalin peeked outside. Only then did she notice the whole place. In front of them is an enormous gate, which opens automatically, and their car passes through long mono-blocks that serve as a path. Prior to halting the car in an open garage.
   
   
Lalin's eyes surveyed the entire place as she stepped from Michael's car.
   
   
Namangha siya sa ganda ng lugar. The villa consists of bold and sleek lines with every element is polished to shine. An authentic representation of tropical luxury.
   
   
"Wow!" Lalin murmured. Nakangiti at puno ng paghanga ang mga mata nito sa buong lugar.
   
   
"Nagustuhan mo ba?" Michael asked.
   
   
"Very much," Lalin replied. Her eyes were on the two-storey split-level swimming pool. There looked like mini-waterfalls in front of her. Nonetheless, the green plant on both sides of it is bestowing a lively ambience.
   
   
"Binili ko ang Villa na ito para sayo," Michael said.

   
Her heart thumped at what Michael had said. Not because she still has feelings for him, but because she's scared about what he might say next. She glanced at it for a moment, to know how serious he was.

      
"M-Michael !?" Lalin murmured startling.
   
   
“I bought this Villa because I want us to live here and build a happy family.” Michael wholly admits.
 
     
"I still love you Lene!"