Wants And Needs ✔︎ [unedited]

Chapter 35

WHAT IF

ADRIAN

I went to Liana's house so I could fetch her even though we haven't plan to go out. Gusto ko siyang makausap, makamusta, mayakap, at makita kaya pumunta ako sa kanilang bahay.

Nang kumatok ako sa pinto nila, ang kaniyang kapatid na si Kimberly ang sumalubong sa akin. I remembered what she has said on Liana's party-the one that made me so uncomfortable and awkward.

She got mad the exact time she saw my face in front of their house. Alam kong hindi niya ako gusto para sa kapatid niya pero wala akong magagawa kung ayaw ng puso ko na tumigil. Pinaglaban ko ang relasyon namin ni Calia nang walang takot. Itinatak ko sa isip ko na wala kaming masamang ginagawa kaya bakit ako titigil?

Binanggit niya na umiiyak si Calia gabi-gabi nang dahil sa akin. Iyon ang ipinagtaka ko. Ang alam ko, sa tuwing magkasama kami ni Calia ay masaya kami. Kapag naiiyak siya o may problema sa akin, sasabihin naman niya sa akin. Pero kailan lang... Hindi niya sinabi ang nagpapabigat sa damdamin niya.

Sa oras ng argumentong naganap sa pagitan ko at ng kapatid niya, pareho kaming nagulat ni Kimberly nang makita siya sa hagdanan. Narinig niya kaya ang pinag-usapan namin?

"I heard everything." she said while looking to the both of us. Kimberly and I both looked shocked.

"Saan ka pupunta, Frances?!" frustratingly, Kim asked.

She walked away from their house. I followed her to where she was heading to without saying a single word.

"Liana, wait." I said as I pulled her hand so I could stop her from moving.

She throwed my hand and faced me madly, "What?!"

Sobrang ikinagulat ko ang galit na inilabas niya. Sa gulat ko, hindi ko alam kung saan magsisimula sa pagpapaliwanag. Yumuko ako nang mapagtanto kong magsalita na, "I'm sorry, I yelled at your sister. I admit that was rude... I'm sorry."

Her knees started shaking for an unknown reason. "Is that all?" she asked. Habang pinapakinggan ko siya, parang wala siyang tiwala, parang may pagdududa.

"Calia, what do you mean?" confused, I looked into her eyes. She looked at me with disappointment.

"Don't make me feel that you did nothing wrong except being rude to my sister. Don't you dare to make fool of me. Don't you even dare to act as an innocent man." she glared at me as tears formed slowly in her eyes. "Do you think I wouldn't know that Calvin and Crystal broke up?"

"It's all on me. I'm so sorry if that affected you—" she cut me off.

"No... Adrian, she wanted you to be friends again! Iyon lang yung gusto niya, bakit hindi mo maibigay?" she insisted and that's when I notice the tears in her cheeks. "Sa sobrang gusto niyang magka-ayos kayo, si Calvin na mismo ang bumitaw para mangyari ang gusto ni Crystal. 'Yan kasi ang hirap sayo—ang taas taas ng pride mo, Adrian!"

"Liana, you know I love her, right?" I told her.

"Darwin, dapat ba akong ma-offend sa sinabi mo o nago-overthink lang ako? Kasi parang pinapamukha mo sa akin na hindi ako yung mahal mo—well, hindi naman talaga ako." pinunasan niya ang kaniyang pisngi pati ang matang basang basa dahil sa daming luhang nailabas. "Noong una pa lang naman hindi na ako ang pipiliin mo. I am well aware of that, Darwin."

Pero sa puntong 'to ng buhay ko ikaw na ang araw-araw kong pipiliin at uunahin...

I shook my head as a sign of denial. "No, that's not what I meant..." I said.