Boss Lady #3: Gold's Impurity

XXVI. Say You Love Me

GOLD ran away.

The moment Vaughn left her place the next day, Gold packed a bag and bolted out the door. Hindi niya alam saan siya tutungo habang nagmamaneho basta nagpatuloy lang siya sa daan. Kung saan na lang siya abutan ng gutom ay saka lang siya dumadaan sa drive-thru. It took her several hours of driving on the road until she reached her destination.

Gold was lucky to secure a cabin by the beach in the resort she arrived at in Pangasinan. Tutuloy sana ang dalaga hanggang La Union ngunit hindi na kinaya ng pagod niya pati na rin ang bigat ng kanyang damdamin.

Nanatili siya sa kama at nahiga roon saka huminga nang malalim habang nakatingin sa kisame, hawak hawak ang kanyang cellphone.

She received text messages from Vaughn which she blatantly ignored. Kailangan niyang malayo muna sa binata. Kailangan niya ng oras para mag-isip. Lahat ng nangyayari ay bago para kay Gold, kaya matinding takot at kaba ang nararamdaman niya.

Paano ba ina-address 'yung feelings na ganito? Paano ba magmahal? Dapat ba niyang aminin kay Vaughn? Sigurado bang mahal talaga siya nito? Ano na ang mangyayari sa kanila?

Sa dami ng tanong na umiikot sa isip niya, ang tanging kasiguraduhan lang ni Gold ay mahal niya si Vaughn.

Yes, she loves him. She loves him so. This is the first time she felt this way and it felt so surreal. It was so new, yet it felt so familiar.

"But I'm so afraid," she whispered to herself, tears suddenly running down the corner of her eyes.

Gold unlocked her phone and started dialing the number of Patch who immediately answered.

"Hello, mars! Kumusta?" masiglang bati ng kaibigan na walang kaalam alam sa pinagdaraanan niya.

"Patching..." bulong niya.

"Huy, okay ka lang? You don't sound okay."

Doon na siya humikbi nang malakas. "Mahal ko na, Patching."

"Putangina," tanging wika ni Patch. "Seryoso ka? Tangina, Gold. 'Wag mo akong lokohin ha."

"Mahal ko na nga. Iiyak ba ako kung hindi?!" Gold said.

"Oh, my goodness..." her best friend trailed off. "Teka, did you tell Vaughn? Where are you? Why are you crying anyway?"

"I didn't tell him yet, I'm in Pangasinan, and I'm crying because I'm so afraid and overwhelmed about these feelings," sagot niya habang humikhikbi.

"Gold... dios mio, 'di ko pa alam ano sasabihin ko dahil sa revelation mo," sabi ni Patch. "Teka, paano ka napunta dyan?"

Gold then told her everything that happened since yesterday at Vaughn's mother's residence up to her running away.

"Okay, sige. Game plan. I will call Erika, hopefully she is in the Philippines. Pag andito siya, we'll go to you. Pag wala, ako na lang pupunta, okay?"

Gold sniffed then answered yes and thanks to her best friend.

"Basta Gold, 'wag ka gagawa ng ikasasama ng lagay mo ha. Wait for me!"

For the first time, Gold laughed because of Patch's reminder. "Hayup ka, na-in love lang ako. 'Di naman ako magpapakamatay!"

"Eh kahit na! First time mong ma-in love, malay ko ba kung ano magiging reaksyon mo aside sa umiyak!" Patch countered. "Just text me your location and I'll update you, Gold."

Nagpaalam na sila ng kaibigan sa isa't isa saka muling bumalik ang katahimikan sa kwarto. Gold wiped the tears that almost dried on her face. She looked at her phone when a text came in, and it was sent by Vaughn. He was asking what she is doing and if she might be busy because he has not heard anything from her that morning. As much as she wanted to reply, she chose not to.