My Crush Is My Best Friend's Boyfriend

52

"Magandang umaga ijo." I smiled at Aling Pita, Joy's grandmother. "Salamat sa pagpunta mo. Kanina ka pa hinahanap ng apo ako."

"Where is she? And why is she looking for me?" I asked.

"Hindi ko alam.." I sighed and nodded at her. Pinapasok nya ako and gave me a shy smile. "Nasa itaas sya, puntahan mo na lang."

Mabilis na umakyat ako sa itaas. I opened the door of Joy's room and found her staring at nothing.

Again.

I walked towards her and sat beside her. "I know you're not okay. Can you tell me what you are thinking?"

"Wala naman. Iniisip ko lang na kung kailan kaya ako dadalawin ng tatay ko? Kapag ba patay nako?" She said painfully, loosing hope on everything.

"Don't say that." I said calmly.

"Sabagay," tumawa ito ng sarkastiko. "Kahit yata mawala ako ay hindi yun pupunta. Tangina, hindi nya nga ata naaalala na may anak sya. Nakita ko post nya sa FB. Ang saya  ng gago kasama ang pamilya nya."

"Joy, stop." I said and held her shoulders. She was starting to remember her painful life again. She was coming back to the girl who lost herself when her mother died. I stared directly at her eyes. "Stop remembering it. Stop trying to look back on yesterday. Past is past. Start moving on today. Just forgive and forget."

As she stared back, she lost it. She rested her head on my shoulders and let her tears fall like waterfalls.

When Joy's mother died, she lost herself. The jolly and happy Joy was gone. Her name was not her anymore. She started asking the world why it was being unfair on her. She started looking back on her past and asking what she did to deserve everything. She was.. lost. So lost. Through the years, I've taken care of her. I led her to the path she should be taking. I helped her take special classes to finish her studies. I helped her come to a psychiatrist for check ups every month. I tried to make her happy, I tried to make her smile, I tried to make her feel she had someone to lean on. Because I know, if Hera's here, she would do the same.

One morning, I was surprised with an unpleasant welcome from Joy. Damn! Tumawag sya sa akin and she said she needs someone kaya pumunta ako. But I didn't know it was her trap.

My eyes widened when I saw her nake body the moment I entered her room. "Joy! W-what's.."

She locked the door and pushed me towards her bed. I was still shocked that I did not stop her. She was so fast that I just saw her sitting on my lap! Her nake body was presented in front of me. She seems so.. desperate.

"Take me.. Kaya kong ibigay lahat basta mahalin mo lang ako."

"N-no.." I closed my eyes tightly. My whole body became cold. I wanted to scold her so bad but I stopped myself. I know she was not in her right mind. "Get dressed."

She tried to unbuckle my belt but I was fast and pushed her away. Tumayo ako at umiwas ng tingin, pinipigilan ang galit. "Stop this."

"Jhon.. I think I'm falling in love with you again."

I took a step backwards and shook my head. "No, no, you are just confused. You are not in love with me, Joy."

"Wag mo sabihin na pati magmahal ay tinanggalan nako ng karapatan ng mundo?"

I shook my head again. "No. You have the right to love someone. Wag lang ako."

Because I'm off limits. My whole body, my heart, and my soul, only belongs to one girl and that is Hera.

"Why can't I love you?"

"It's because I can't love you back."

"Why can't you love me back?"

"It's because you are not Hera." Mariin akong napapikit. "Please don't force me to tell you the truth that will surely break your heart."

"Ang swerte naman ni Hera. Lahat nasa kanyan na ah." Napayuko ito. "May tatay na mapagmahal, may nanay na napaka sweet, may kapatid na maalaga, may mga kaibigan na tapat, at higit sa lahat.. meron syang ikaw."

"You're lucky too. You have Aling Pita, you were given a chance to live with your mom even in the last minute of her life, you have me as a friend."

"Sakit naman nung isa." Parang baliw na tumawa ito. "Pag ba nawala si Hera, mamahalin mo ako?"

No, dahil kapag nawala sya parang gusto ko na rin mawala.

"Joy, let's not talk about this okay.." Wika ko at iniayos ang buhok nya. "Let's go, magbihis kana at may check up ka pa."

I was waiting for Joy outside the clinic when my phone rang. My brows furrowed when I saw it was Hera. Akala ko ba bibisitahin nya ang mommy nya?

I answered it. "Hello? Can we talk later? I told you I'll go with Joy today-"

"Jinja?" (Really?) And I heard the serious voice of his brother -- Kevin. "You chose to be with your kabit? Is that more important than my sister?"

"No, it's not. Where's Hera?-"

"Where's Hera? Where's Hera?!" He laughed sarcastically after mocking my question. "You seriously had the guts to ask that, huh? Well.. Hera's in the ICU right now."

And the call ended.

Nasa tainga ko pa rin ang aking cellphone. I was beyond shock and I felt like my whole body stopped from functioning. Ibinaba ko ang phone at nakitang napakaraming missed call sa akin ni Hera kanina. My heart was beating fast and I did not think twice and ran to go to the hospital Hera was admitted in.

I don't care about Joy anymore.

"Where is she?"

The people waiting outside the operating room looked in my direction. In a blink, I received a punch from Kevin. He was fuming mad. "She was calling you! She was hoping that you would answer and save her! She trusts you more than she trusts me! How can.. How can you disappoint my sister like this?" She punched me again and I did not fight back. "Fucking asshole!"

I deserve this.

I was staring at Hera's unconscious body. I was holding her hand and kissing it from time to time.

"Where were you, huh?!" Just then, Darren  was already holding the collar of my shirt. "You assured me that you will protect her! Then where were you?! Sa babae mo?! Putangina, Rafael Jhon! Kailan mo ba sya pipiliin?! Her own mother almost killed her and she was hoping you would save her but you were busy helping another woman  without knowing your woman needed your help too! "

"I know my mistake-"

"No! Hindi mo alam! Dahil kung alam mo, edi sana hindi mo na inulit! Gago kang tanginamo! Sino ba talagang mahal mo, ha?!"

"Hera, of-"

"Sure ka d'yan? Kase kung hindi mo sya kayang ingatan at mahalin, handa akong gawin yon para sa kanya." He stared at me with a warning look. "Wag ka magpakampante. I'm always here to take your place and I might take it permanently."