Beneath the Two | Academy Series #1

Epilogue

"Maryelah!"

Isang malakas na sigaw ang pinakawalan ko nang makita ko ang pinsan na hawak ang buhok ng kaibigan. She is screaming loudly while pulling her hair, ngunit isang sigaw ko lang ay kusang bumitaw ang kamay niya sa girlfriend ko.

Lumapit ako para alamin ang nangyayari. "What did you do?" I asked her.

"What did I do? Girlfriend mo ang tanungin mo, Kuya. She's cheating on you. Look at them!" Banayad ang galit sa mata niya.

I've already seen them from afar. Idris and Leigh being too close to each other. I didn't like how Yelah worded it out.

"Maryelah, stop accusing them," naginginig ang boses kong sabi.

She frowned. "I'm not accusing them. Your girlfriend is fooling you, Kuya! Bulag ka ba? Nasa harapan mo na sila."

Gusto kong ipabawi sa kaniya ang sinabi. I wanted her to take her words back. I didn't want to believe it despite seeing Idris' hand around my girlfriend's waist. My eyes locked on Leigh.

Inalis ko ang kamay ni Idris sa bewang niya at matalim na tinignan ang lalaki. "Bro, I think you're holding the wrong girl. This is my girlfriend right here."

Suminghal si Leigh dahilan para malipat ang tingin ko sa kaniya. "We already broke up yesterday, Zachary. Wala na tayo kahapon pa."

It didn't make sense to me. What happened and what she said yesterday didn't even make up to my head. Hindi ko na sinubukan isipin magdamag dahil alam kong hindi siya maayos kahapon.

"We didn't break up. Hindi ako pumayag. Ang sabi ko a magpahinga ka lang at pag-uusapan natin 'to ngayon."

She threw her hands in the air. "Fine, let's talk. What do you want to hear from me?"

"Our problem. Anong problema natin? Bakit bigla ka na lang nagbago ng pakikitungo sa akin? May nagawa ba ako? May kasalanan ba ako sa 'yo? Did I do something that hurt you? Tell me."

I wished for her to say that I did something wrong. Dahil gagawin ko ang lahat para ayusin kung ano man ang nagawa kong mali. I would beg her for forgiveness, kahit araw-araw kung gusto niya, pero paulit-ulit lang siya ng sinasabi.

She didn't want me anymore, she got sated. She didn't love me anymore. She didn't love me in the first place. Hindi ko 'yon magawang paniwalaan.

She was wrong when she said we've only known each other for two years. But she was right that we don't know each other that well. I only know one certain thing, I love her and she loves me too.

Naramdaman ko 'yon. Sa bawat ngiti, sa bawat hawak ng kamay, sa bawat halik sa noo, sa bawat yakap. All the small and innocent corners of love that we've explored. I felt it, she loves me, kaya hindi ako maniniwala hangga't hindi siya nagbibigay ng rason.

"You're cheap, Zach. You're poor, too low for me. Ang tanga ko lang, ang tanga ko para sagutin kita at pagtiisan. Maybe, I just like the attention you're giving. And I love seeing people envy me because you're crazy about me. But to be honest, you don't fit in my life. You don't suit me."

Kahit gaano kasakit ang mga salitang binitawan niya, pinilit ko pa rin. I am used to hurting, but it doesn't mean I don't feel any pain anymore.

She's really Leigh. Her words are always painful, parang patak ng luha sa isang sariwang sugat.

I'm cheap, I'm poor, I'm too low for her. I'm ambitious, I don't deserve her. Someone is just much more than me. He has a lot of things that I don't have.

I never felt this insecure until now.

Pero tama naman siya, ambisyoso ako. Kaya pinili kong mangarap nang mataas, nangakong magsisikap para maabot siya ulit. I never loved anyone else and I don't think I can love someone else.