Meeting You Along the Way [Short Story]

“Sweetie, tulala ka na naman. May problema ba?”

“Wala naman may iniisip lang ako.”

“Si Lance ba ito?”

“Lance? What do you mean?”

“Sweetie, kahit hindi mo naman sabihin alam kong mahal mo pa rin siya.”

“Hindi naman sa ganun pero may times lang talaga na naaalala ko pa rin siya. Galit ka ba, Sweetie?”

“Bakit naman ako magagalit? Wala naman tayong magagawa kung ganyan ang nararamdaman mo.”

“Sorry, Sweetie. Alam kong matagal na pero ewan ko ba dito sa akin, feel ko ang laki laki na ng kasalanan ko sa iyo. Nagpromise na ako na kakalimutan ko siya eh.”

“Eh bakit ba kasi hindi mo siya binigyan siya ng second chance noon? Eh 'di sana hindi ka nagkakaganito ngayon.”

“Kalimutan na lang natin itong usapan na ito. Pagod na ako, matutulog na ako. Good night, Sweetie. Say good night for me to baby Darlene and Rhum, okay?”

Kilalang kilala na ako ni Danny kaya kahit itanggi ko kung anong iniisip ko, alam niya pa rin. Hayy. Bakit nga ba hindi ko binigyan ng second chance noon si Lance? Naaalala ko na namanyung nangyari before ng graduation nung college.

Lumapit ako kay Lance before mag-start ang graduation para i-congratulate siya pero excuse ko lang yun, gusto ko lang siya makita and makausap. I miss him so much.

"Hi Lance! How are you?" I said na pa-cool kunyari.

"Gillian, hi. I'm good. Ito. gagraduate na. Ikaw?" 

Can I say I'm not good? That I still love you? No! Magpigil ka Gillian! Tawang pilit na lang.

"Nice one! Malamang ito gagraduate na rin. I just came here to tell you congratulations... and I'm sorry." 

"I'm sorry? I should be the one saying sorry for everything." 

"No. *chuckled* Can we start over again?" 

"Oo naman. You're giving me my second chance already?"

"No! As friends I mean. Lance, I'm sorry for blaming you sa failed relationship natin. It was also my fault kasi alam ko naman na hindi mo talaga ako mamahalin pero umasa ako."

Pero deep inside gustung gusto ko na pumayag. Hayyy. 

"But I love you, Gillian. I'm serious." 

"Think of it this way maybe you're not in love with me, maybe you're just in love with that idea that you are in love with me. We need to have a proper closure para na rin sa ikakatahimik ng buhay natin."

Niyakap ko na lang siya para hindi niya makita na nahihirapan din ako sa gusto kong mangyari.

"I don't think I can end this. I don't think I can move on."

"Ano ka ba! Akala mo lang mahirap pero you can do it! I'm also in the process of moving on and yes the first few days were the hardest but I know you can do it. Lance, we have to move on, not because we want it but because we need it. We won't be able to grow and mature if we keep looking at our past. Still, I want to thank you for the four wonderful years that we shared together. You also taught me that I have to love myself first before loving another. So, I guess it's time. Thank you Lance... and goodbye. You'll always be my first love."

*sigh* "Thank you also for everything but I won't say goodbye. You'll also be my first love. Stay safe always." 

Bumanat pa sa huli si Lance. Hanobayan! After that bumalik na ako kay Danny, nginitian ko lang siya.