Chase Me

Chapter 53

Dinala siya ni Nicolo sa isang overlooking. The same place he brought her 3 years ago.

Pareho silang nakatayo at nakatanaw sa city lights ng syudad. Malalim na ang gabi at kay gandang tanawin ng syudad mula sa kinaroroonan nila. This scene and view feels nostalgic.

Ilang minuto na naghahari ang katahimikan sa kanilang dalawa. Kasama pa rin nila ang tatlong lalaki ngunit nanatili ang mga ito sa loob ng van na nakapark malayo sa kanila. Hindi niya alam kung bakit siya dinala dito ni Nicolo. Hindi niya rin alam kung bakit sumama siya, kung bakit nandito ang lalaki sa harap niya. She wanted to ask but can't find any strength to voice it out.

Sa totoo lang halo halo ang nararamdaman niya, to the point na hindi niya na mawari kung ano ang tunay na nararamdaman. Mabilis ang tibok ng kan'yang puso pero blangko ang kan'yang utak. After all that happened, how is she supposed to act and feel towards him?

"Hi."

Bahagyang napakislot sa kinatatayuan si Avria nang biglang magsalita ang katabi. Natataranta niya itong nilingon.

"H-Huh? Uhm., hello?" She meet his gaze tentatively. Lihim siyang nagulat nang makitang nakaharap na si Nicolo sa kan'yang direksyon at diretso ang titig sa kanya.

"Mas gumanda ka.." anas nito na nagpamaang sa kan'ya. Hindi alam ang sasabihin.

Muling namayani ang katahimikan. Naiwan silang nakatitig sa isa't isa. Ngayon na kaharap niya ito ay malinaw na niyang napagmamasdan ang kabuuan ni Nicolo. He changed so much. Wala na ang dating chin- length hair nito na madalas na nakatali noon. He got a mid fade with slick back hairstyle now that defines more his strong and hard features. His face was freshly shaved and he looked really fine in his black sweatshirt and denim pants. Although, may mga visible itong sugat at pasa.

Avria tried to utter a word but didn't succeed. Ilang sandali siyang hindi nakaimik habang hindi mapirmi ang mata sa lalaki.

"..kumusta ka?" Instead of responding, she drop the question she's been asking herself every time she thinks of him. Basta na lang iyon lumabas sa bibig niya.

Natigilan si Nicolo. Hindi nakasagot agad. "I'm.. I've been fine." Seryosong sagot nito.

Sa naging tugon nito ay nahabag siya. She knew that answer has a lot of meaning behind. His eyes were telling a lot had happened. The bruises and wounds he got were not enough to show how much he suffered. And he faced all that alone.

Silence enveloped them once again. Hindi niya magawang umimik muli. Bumibigat ang dibdib niya dahil sa mga mata nito na tila napako sa kan'yang mukha. He was staring at her so deep it reaches her soul.

"I'm sorry." He uttered after a moment of silence.

Avria found herself speechless. Nanatili siyang nakatingin kay Nicolo na mataman ring nakatitig sa kan'ya. Batid niya sa likod ng dalawang salitang iyon ay marami itong gustong sabihin at ipaliwanag. Marami ang dahilan at rason. But couldn't find the right words to say.

Nicolo was the first one to cut his gaze off of her. Muli itong bumaling sa tanawin na nasa kanilang harapan.

"I've spent my entire life living with the memory of my mother dying in my eyes. It became my nightmares, it created demons that haunted me every single day. They thought I was mad, that's true," he flashed a weak smile that didn't reach his eyes, "but no one thought that maybe I was scared, too."

"Then I met you. I brought you here in this place to be your comfort from your sufferings yet the table got turned. What you told me that day became a game changer in my life."

"We don't always need to look at the burden of having a cruel life. Sometimes, we just have to appreciate life."

Nicolo turned to look at her again. "After that day, I started to see. I see the people that have been trying to reach me out but I was unable to notice. I see my family that I left behind. I see the chances I wasted everyday because I was too drown to my past. I see my life.. I see a life. With you."