lilies.

89

Kabanata 89

"Are you serious?"

I can't hardly ignore his reaction right now, I find it too cute to ignore.

I bit my lower lip to stop myself from smiling and answered, "Yes."

"You won't even question why I ask you to?"

I nodded, "You probably had your reasons. Do you want to tell me?"

He froze. It was as if he was hesitating to say me what he wanted to tell me.

Before he even finds the courage to tell me what it is, an SUV stopped in front of us. The driver rolled down his windows. When Rai saw the driver, he immediately walked to the car's door to open it widely.

He gestured his hand to the door, asking me to get in first.

I smiled, "Thanks."

He followed shortly after. We sit next to each other. The first minutes of our ride to the airport was quiet. I often noticed him stealing glances. Nang ilang ulit na niyang ginawa iyon ay nagsalita na ako.

"What is it?"

Yumuko siya at pabulong na sinabi, "He cheated on you."

"I know," sumandal ako sa backrest.

"I overheard their conversation. You forgave him?"

"I did."

"Why?" He sounded so disappointed in me.

I lightly scratched my forehead, finding answers to his question. I never really talk about this part of my life to anyone that my initial response is to immediately lie. That is why I am contemplating.

"I thought as long as I'm in love with him and we love each other, we could conquer all. I was wrong though," I smiled faintly, "For so long, I thought that love should be enough to maintain a relationship but there should be respect, understanding, and compromise too. That the other person should reciprocate it too. Hindi iyong ako lang ang nagbibigay non. So I left him."

I sighed, "I talked too much."

"Why did you still accept his proposal?"

"I don't want to humiliate him. I respect him as someone I used to love. And I am partly at fault. I left him two years ago without a proper goodbye. Next thing he knew, I was in Portugal. He thought we didn't break up."

"Why can't you hate him? Why are you still okay to be with him after what he did?" May puot na nanunuot sa bawat salitang namutawi sa kanyang labi.

If I'm going to be honest, I blamed myself for it. I can't hate someone for something that I allowed to happen. I allowed him to disrespect me.

I glanced up to the driver who busied his eyes on the road. Nagkibit balikat lang ako bilang sagot sa tanong niya.

Because I didn't answer, I think he felt that he was intruding. He didn't talk after that.

Hanggang sa matanaw ko na sa hindi kalayuan ang airport ay tahimik pa rin kami. When our driver parked the car that's his cue to start talking and gave me instructions.

"Wear this jacket first," He put the jacket on my lap and tilted his body to get something at the back. It's a paperbag, "Your change of clothes. Change inside."

"Okay, thank you."

I busied myself in wearing the jacket properly.

He nodded and immediately got out of the car to turn and open the door for me. Familiar staff guided us inside.