FDA 3: SPELL LOVE - COMPLETE

Kabanata 43

INILAPAG ni Niña ang baso ng iced coffee sa mesa. May malapit namang café sa school na walking distance lang. Mukhang seryoso rin naman ang sasabihin ni Pam. She was already expecting that she'll talk about Maha. Matagal na rin naman siyang nakakaramdam. Maha asked her to avoid Pamela because she knew Pam knew something.

At kilala niya si Maha. She tends to lie when her decisions are at stake. Lalo na kapag hindi ito sigurado sa mga gagawin nito.

She had her assumptions before pero mas pinili niyang pagkatiwalaan si Maha. She only wanted to know her real reason. Hindi naman talaga siya magagalit. Masakit pero alam niyang hirap din si Maha i-overcome ang mga weaknesses nito.

"I don't want to call it last," basag nito. "I'm sure, we will meet on different occasions. But I just want to clear things out... and confess everything." Buong tapang niyang sinalubong ang mga mata nito. "I actually did a very unforgivable mistake to the both of you."

"What do you mean?"

Pam paused for a while. "Sinadya ko talaga na magalit sa'yo si Maha." Nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya. Doon pa lang nainis na siya. Anong rason nito para gawin 'yon sa kanila ni Maha? "Me and Dylan planned everything."

"Dylan?" Pati si Dylan? "He knew?!"

"Balti also knew."

Napalunok siya. "I'm sorry." Lalo lang kumunot ang noo niya. "I'm kind of lost. Alam ni Balti ang plano n'yo?"

Pam nodded. "He found out the truth. But it doesn't matter. Mukhang okay naman na kayo. I figured out siya rin ang tumulong sa inyo na magkaayos –"

"He didn't tell me."

Namilog ang mga mata sa pagkagulat. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"Ano bang pumasok sa isipin n'yo para gawin 'yon?" Hindi niya mapigilan ang iritasyon dito. "Did I do something to you? Oo, minsan, may ginagawa si Maha. Pero enough ba 'yon, Pam? Alam ni Balti na pinagsasabihan ko na si Maha sa tuwing iniinis ka niya. And you knew it as well. And Dylan?" Grabe, hindi siya makapaniwala. "Pati ba pag-hire sa'king i-tutor ang kapatid niyang babae e plano pa rin n'yo?"

"Yes, I did it because Maha was getting in my nerves and Balti broke up with me."

"At kasalanan ko 'yon?"

"Because I thought Balti was in love with you."

She scoffed. "In love with me?"

"You're getting married, right?"

"And so?"

Pamela sighed. "I did not meet you to pick up a fight. Just hear me out first."

Kinalma niya muna ang sarili. "Go on." Pero iritang-irita pa siya.

"We all knew Maha had a big crush on Dylan," she paused. "So I asked him to pretend that he likes you. In that way, may maipakita akong video and photos kay Maha na may secret relationship kayo. And that you're secretly meeting in his house. The reason why Dylan was able to convince his parents that you tutor his sister for her upcoming CNU college exam. Plus, the fact that you have to hide that from her was enough to convince her na may itinatago ka talaga sa kanya. And that you and Dylan had an affair on her back."

Napamaang siya.

She was utterly speechless. All along! Ginawa siyang bait ni Pam. At ang akala niya e mabait si Dylan e isa lang din pala itong huwad na kaibigan. 

"Dylan asked me to keep it a secret!" sa wakas ay sagot niya.

And she needed that money that time kaya pumayag siya.