To Sir, With Love

ALTERNATIVE ENDING

Para po 'to sa lahat ng hindi nagustuhan ang ending.

Lawrenz

"Sam, can we talk?"

Ito na yung araw na hinihintay namin ni Steph, hinihintay ko, we're getting married! And I could not have been any happier, but I'm not.

"What up bro?" Sam

Naglakad kami hanggang sa mapadpad kami sa dalampasigan, we're having a beach wedding. And if our predictions are right, during the sunset is when we'll have our first kiss as husband and wife.

"Suntukin mo ko." sabi ko

"Gago ka ba? Gusto mo bang gulpihin ako ni Steph?!" natatawang sabi niya

"Kung sinabi ko sayong gusto kong tumakbo, takbuhan siya, susuntukin mo na ba---umfff"

Hindi ko na natapos yung sinabi, dahil sinikmuraan na niya ako.

"Tangina. Anong kalokohan sinasabi mo? Takbuhan? Gago ka nga." Sam

"Mahal mo pa rin siya diba?"

"This is bullshit." Sam

"At mahal ka pa rin ni Steph."

"And what makes you think that she still loves me? She said yes to you."

"Just because she said yes to me, doesn't mean she actually means it."

"Mahal ka ni Steph, don't doubt her love for you. Nandito kayo bro, araw na ng kasal niyo, nerbyos lang yan." Sam

"Alam mo, kaya ko namang maging second dad nung kambal eh, kaya ko. Mahal na mahal ko na sila, bilang mga anak ko. Alam ko rin na mahal ako ni Stephanie, pero tuwing nakikita ko kayong magkasama, kayong magpamilya, nawawalan ako ng loob eh. You have a hold in Stephanie that can never be broken, even by me. Yung pagmamahal niya sayo, it never left. She concealed it, but it's still there. At alam ko na ganun rin yung sayo. Mahal niyo pa rin ang isa't isa.

"Hindi ako tanga pare, gago, oo, pero hindi tanga. Alam ko kung ano yung tama sa mali. At eto? Mali 'to eh. Ayokong maging hadlang sa pagmamahalan niyo ni Stephanie. Mahal ko siya, mahal ko yung kambal. And I want nothing more but for them to be happy, and they will not be happy with me."

Kilala ko si Stephanie, she thinks I don't notice it pero I do. She still looks at him like the way she did before, when Sam doesn't notice it, she looks at him. Ni minsan, hindi niya ako tinignan ng ganun.

"I'm going to Singapore, for good..." nilabas ko yung marriage contract sa bulsa ko, "... this is an original, she's been waiting for this perfect day ever since, but I'm not the perfect man for this perfect day, you are and you've always been. Yung pagmamahal na tinatago mo para kay Stephanie, ilabas mo, iparamdam mo na, she deserves it."

"She's waiting for you, not me." Sam

"Trust bro." I patted his shoulder, "kapag nalaman ko na umiiyak nanaman siya ng dahil sayo, lagot ka sa akin. I'm giving you a second chance, don't screw it up this time."

Tumalikod ako at naglakad na palayo. Palayo sa lugar na 'to, palayo sa babaeng pinakamamahal ko, sa mga batang napamahal na sa akin, sa best friend ko, sa buhay ko.

Umupo lang ako sa sasakyan ko, 4:00 PM na, it's the time of our, their wedding. I dialed her phone, gusto kong marinig boses niya, for one last time.

"Lawrenz? Asan ka?"

"I'm okay."

"It's our wedding day..."

"Your wedding day. Don't cry Steph, sige ka, masisira make up mo. Mahal mo siya diba? Siya pakasalan mo, kung hindi siya gago katulad ko, naghihintay siya sa altar para sayo."