Tears of I Love You (Serendipity series #2)

37

"I'm sorry, Gio. I'm really sorry."

Nag-iwas siya ng tingin at pinunasan ang mga luha niya. Ang sakit makitang ganito siya dahil hindi ako sanay na umiiyak siya. Na nasasaktan siya.

It was like seeing a part of him for the first time.

"I'm sorry because I forgot that you've been hurting too." A tear fell from my eye again. "I'm sorry—"

"Stop it." Tumingin siya sa akin, wala ng luha sa mga mata niya. "I don't want you to feel sorry for me. I was hurt but I understand why you left. Lahat naman tayo nakakagawa ng bagay na nakakasakit kasi nasasaktan din tayo."

Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili kong mas lumapit sa kaniya at yakapin siya. It was like I was back home. Especially when he wrapped his arms around me. I felt peace and safe.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ba ang ginagawa namin. In just an instant, we were holding hands again while walking towards the exit. Hanggang sa makasakay kami ng sasakyan na binook niya, hindi na niya binitawan ang kamay ko. I let him do that. Para bang matagal ko na rin gustong mangyari ito.

"Kumusta ka nung wala ako?" tanong ko nang maupo kami sa isang ice cream store.

"Nothing new." He took a spoon of an ice cream he ordered. "Trabaho. Bahay. Have fun with friends. That's it."

"You never tried to date again?" I asked unconsciously. A smile plastered on his face.

"No. Hindi ko naman kailangan."

"Why? It's been 5 years. Kinaya mo 'yon?" I was, again, asking him like I had been waiting for the answer I wanted.

"I was waiting for you." Natigilan ako sa sinabi niya. "Okay na?" Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay at napailing.

Napaubo ako bigla kaya uminom ako ng tubig. Tinatawanan na niya ako. Nakakagulat naman kasi! Pero baka 'yun naman talaga ang gusto kong marinig? Ang harot ko naman kung ganoon!

"Kumusta mga kaibigan mo?" Pag-iiba ko ng usapan dahil hindi ko na kinakaya ang awkwardness! "Si River? Sina Ryle, Archer, at Callum naman ay updated ako dahil kay Tallie."

"He's still in Canada." Sambit niya.

Tumango ako at napabuntong-hininga. "Si Zari naman ayun, nagpapaka-busy sa internship."

"They're both distracting themselves." Napailing si Gio. "Sila rin naman ang magkakatuluyan."

"Paano ka naman nakakasiguro? It's been years."

Tumingin siya sa akin at bahagyang ngumiti. "Because River and I are the same." He scoop one on his ice cream. "We never give up." He ate the ice cream he scooped and smiled at me.

Napalunok ako at nag-iwas ng tingin. Kumakain ako ng ice cream pero parang ang init-init na ng mukha ko.

"How about you?" tanong niya bigla kaya napatingin ulit ako sa kaniya. "Did you date?"

"No." Agad kong sagot. "I don't have time for that."

"Really? How about your boss?" Natigilan ako sa sinabi niya.

Biglang pumasok sa isip ko ulit si Ethan. Ang sabi ko ay babalik ako. Alam kong mayroon pa kaming dapat pag-usapan. I want to clarify things with him because I don't want to confuse him or anything.

"He likes you." Sambit ni Gio. Napaiwas ako ng tingin sa kaniya. I know Ethan likes me because he just told me a while ago. Pero hindi ko alam ang ire-react ko roon.