Just A Promise

Twenty- Seven

Chapter 27.

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"Let me talk to her, Crossley--"

"No! You are not going to talk with Niah alone, Karlisle! How many times do I have to tell you that?!" hindi na napansin ni Evan ang pag-iyak ko dahil abala siya sa pagpigil ni Karlisle sa paglapit sa'kin.

Karlisle looked now very frustrated while looking at me and Evan. Nagpalipat-lipat ang tinginan niya sa aming dalawa. And when she noticed that I am already crying silently, napaawang nang bahagya ang bibig niya at hindi makapaniwala akong tiningnan.

Sinusubokan kong bawiin ang kamay kong hawak ni Evan but he is too persistent to hold me very tight reasoned why I can't let myself let go to his hold. Gusto kong malaman ang nangyari sa kaniya.

"Evan..."

That is where I caught his attention, his hold loosened a bit when he saw me crying. Umayos ako ng tayo at pilit muling binawi ang kamay sa kaniya. Now, he already let me go while intently staring at me in my eyes. Nakita ko ang pamumungay sa mga mata niya kaya ang kirot sa nagdaang taon na 'di ko siya nakita ay bumalik.

"I don't want you to talk to her--"

"But I want to know what really happened to you, Evan..." pinutol ko siya sa pagsasalita dahilan para bitawan niya na nga ako.

Malungkot siyang yumuko at umiwas ng tingin sa'kin. "Fine... but I will wait outside of her car." 'yon lang at iniwan na ako.

I suddenly felt Karlisle's presence at my back. Tinapik niya ang balikat ko dahilan para mapalingon ako sa kaniya. Her actions and attitude is very slow yet it will make you fall. She gently pulled me towards to her car at nang makasakay kami ay malungkot niya akong nginitian. 'Di ko alam kung ano ang ireresponde dahil may kahulugan ang pagkakangiti niya.

"We sometimes see each other in the company but how rude I was when I did not bother to introduce myself to you personally," she chuckled softly, nanatili naman akong tahimik.

"I am Karlisle Sadelma, alam kong nakilala mo na ang Kuya ko na si Kuya Rius. I am a licensed psychologist and five years ago, Crossley is my practice patience," panimula niya na may malungkot na ngiti.

My jaw dropped a bit. "Bakit? Anong nangyari kay Evan noon?"

She stared at me. "What do you think happened to him after breaking his heart while knowing his father is also dying?" I gasped.

"A-ano?" parang inasahan niya ata ang naging reaksyon ko.

"Yeah... Crossley suffered depression when he was 22 years old, Arrie. Mas  lalo iyong nadagdagan noong nalaman niyang may sakit si Tito Tenzin. You broke up with him but he let you end your relationship. That was the main cause why his self-esteem became more low," a tear fell in my cheek. "He was forced to go back in Canada after you broke up with him because of what happened to his father. Inatake sa puso si Tito at dahil do'n, his hopes in his self immediately lost."

I covered my trembling mouth while listening to her. Napahagulhol na ako sa mga naririnig.

"Did you know that he stopped studying because of depression? Na trauma siya dahil sa ginawa mo, Arrie-- yes. You have your reasons why you ended your relationship with him but you were his first love, Arrie... ikaw ang unang pag-ibig niya. He kept saying your name and wanted to go back here in Philippines to beg on your knees but Tita Mera didn't let him."

Mas lalo akong naiyak.

"For almost 2 years, Arrie... hindi nag-aral si Crossley at nagmukmok lang sa kwarto niya. Ending your relationship shattered him into tiny pieces, nahirapan siyang ibalik sa ayos ang lahat dahil ikaw... it was you who build him but he didn't expect that it will be you who will shatter and broke him."