When it was already evening, they all sat around the camp fire. As usual, Risa and Jomari are seated next to each other with Leni seated on Risa's right and Jorge beside her.
"Wala ba tayong pa-kanta riyan?" Risa asked
"Tamang-tama, may dalang gitara si Jill. Kunin mo nga, anak." Leni said and Jill went to their cottage to get her guitar
"Ito na po." Jillian said when she arrived and she sat down beside Jorge
"Ano po ba ang kakantahin natin? Ano po ba ang gusto niyo?" Jillian asked them
"Yung alam sana nang lahat." Risa answered
"I know just the right song!" Jill exclaimed and started strumming
"Ayy forda cry naman ang ferson nito." Jorge commented when she heard the first notes
"Ate Jill, ako na." Jorge said and she sang the first verse
Huwag kang mabahala
Ikaw ay mahalaga
Hindi kita pababayaan
Jorge paused and Jill sang the second verse
Hindi ka naiiba
At sana'y paniwalaan
Na pipiliin ka araw-araw
Jorge looked at Jill and they sang the pre-chorus together
At alam ko ang aking kaya, alam ko ang hindi
Alam ko ang kailangan upang makapagsilbi
Hangga't may kabutihan, hangga't may pag-ibig
Liwanag ang mananaig
"Sabay-sabay po tayo." Jill said and everyone joined them in singing the chorus
At hindi ko maipapangako ang kulay rosas
Na mundo para sa 'yo
At hindi ko maiilawan ang lahat ng anino
Pero sisikapin ko at hindi ako magpapahinga
Hangga't hindi mo pa magawang muling ipagmalaki
Na ika'y isang Pilipino
"Thank you po." Jill said
She looked at her younger sister and she gave her a high-five.
"Galing mo talaga, bunso." she told Jorge
"Syempre ate para hindi sayang ang voice lessons ko." Jorge replied and laughed
They were eating and drinking at the beach and a few moments later, Leni excused herself.
She was lying on the hammock when Risa sat beside her.
"Anong ginagawa mo rito?" she asked her
"Hindi ba obvious, Lens? Gusto kitang makasama." Risa replied
"Ris, hindi tama to. Nandoon yung fiancé mo sa camp fire." Leni told her
"Pero hindi rin mali na gusto kitang makasama." Risa replied
"Ris, please tama na. Huwag na nating pahirapan ang sarili natin." Leni told Risa and she got up from the hammock
She turned her back from Risa and was about to go away from her but she suddenly felt Risa hug her from the back.
"Leonor, please. Please stay." Risa told her while sobbing
"Risa, kailangan kong bumitaw at mas lalong kailangan mo ring bumitaw dahil ikakasal ka na." she replied still not turning around
"Leonor, mahal kita." Risa told her
"Theresia, alam ko pero hindi tama itong ginagawa natin. Hindi deserve ni Jomari na pagtaksilan mo siya. Napaka-buti niyang tao and he deserve all the best." Leni replied
"Leonor, please." Risa begged
"I'm sorry, Theresia. Please, let me go." Leni said and she removed Risa's arms from her waist
"Don't worry, dadalo pa rin ako sa kasal mo." she added and then walked away
When Leni walked away from Risa, she sat on the hammock and cried.
"Mahal mo ba talaga siya?" a man asked in front of her
Risa lifted her head up and saw her fiancé, Jomari.
"Jo-Jomari." she called his name stuttering
He sat down beside her.
"Risa, sagutin mo'ko." Jomari said raising his voice
"Huwag mo 'kong sisigawan!" she shouted back at him
"Risa, nakita ko at narinig ko ang lahat. Mahal mo ba si Leni?!" he asked
Risa cried in front of him.
"I'm sorry, Jomari." she said
"Risa, ano ba ang kulang sa'kin? Ginawa ko ang lahat para pasayahin ka. Ginawa ko ang lahat para suportahan ka. Lahat binigay ko sa'yo tapos ipagpapalit mo'ko sa isang babae?!" Jomari said
"Risa, sabihin mo sa'kin kung gusto mo nang makipaghiwalay. Maghiwalay na lang tayo. Huwag na nating ituloy ang kasal." Jomari added
"Risa kaya kong tawagan lahat nang bisita ngayong gabi at sabihin sa kanilang hindi na tuloy ang kasal." he continued
"Please Jomari, huwag." Risa told him
"Bakit huwag? Matapos mong sabihan si Leni nang please stay, ngayon gusto mo ako naman ang mag-stay? Risa hindi pwedeng dalawa kami ang mahal mo, iisa lang ang dapat mong piliin." Jomari told her
"Lumayo na sa'kin si Leni. She already let me go. Ano ba ang gusto mong gawin ko?" Risa asked him
"Mamili ka Risa." he said
"What?!" she asked
"Mamili ka. Ako o si Leni?" Jomari asked her
"Jomari please. Huwag mo akong papiliin." Risa replied
"Risa, kailangan mong mamili. Para sa ikatatahimik nang lahat at para sa kapanatagan nang iyong puso. Ako o si Leni?" Jomari asked her again
"Jomari please." she replied
"Hindi ka makapili dahil si Leni ang mahal mo? Sige Risa, mas maigi pa ngang huwag na nating ituloy ang kasal and stop giving me mixed signals. Let's end this relationship right here, right now." Jomari said and was about to walk away but Risa grabbed his arms
"Jomari please. I'm choosing you. Pinipili kita, pakakasalan kita. Please don't cancel the wedding." she begged
"Risa, you're giving me mixed signals. Hindi ko alam kung talaga bang mahal mo ako kaya ako ang pinipili mo o kaya mo ako pinipili ngayon dahil bumitaw na si Leni." Jomari told her
"Risa alam mo ba na simula noong naging tayo, kailangan ko laging makihati sa oras mo kay Leni? Imbes na yung oras na para sana sa ating dalawa lalo na kapag luluwas ako nang Manila, hindi ko nakukuha dahil lagi mong sinasabi na you already have a schedule with Leni na hindi pwedeng ma-cancel." Jomari added
"Putanginang schedule yan! For the past 3 years ba si Leni ang pumupuno nang mga pagkukulang ko sa'yo bilang boyfriend mo? Siya ba yung nagiging substitute ko kapag wala ako? Kasi kung ganoon, Risa para palang siya yung partner mo at hindi ako dahil mas marami kayong oras na magkasama kumpara sa ating dalawa. Akala ko, ngayong malapit na ang kasal natin, magiging akin ka na nang buong-buo pero nagkamali pala ako. Magiging kahati ko pa rin pala ang babaeng sinasabi mo sa akin dati na bestfriend mo lang." he continued
"Pinili na kita, Jomari. Ano pa ba ang gusto mo?" she asked in almost a whisper
"Ano ang gusto ko? Risa gusto kong buong puso mo yung ibibigay mo sa'kin, hindi yung kapiraso akin, kapiraso kay Leni. Choosing me is not enough, you also need to show me that you'll choose me everyday no matter the circumstances at kahit hindi pareho yung intensity nang pagmamahal mo sa'kin." Jomari replied
"If you cannot choose me everyday despite the struggles and the challenges, better not to choose me now. You still have a few days to back out and if you do, I will make sure that I will show you na karapat-dapat ako para sa'yo and I am going to win you back." Jomari added and walked away from her
YOU ARE READING
I CHOOSE YOU (sequel of The Fourth Robredo Daughter)
Fanfiction"May it be here or in another lifetime, I will always choose you." Published: July 2, 2022 ~~~~~~~~ DISCLAIMER: This story was written out of the writer's wide imagination. Names of people dead or alive were used for this story but it does not refle...
