Straight as Guitar Strings

chapter 32 [tag/fil]

MARAMING nakakita sa nangyari, at habang tumatagal ay dumarami lalo ang nakikiusyoso. Naging atensyon ako ng lahat, may mga nagvi-video, nagpi-picture at pinagbubulungan pa ako. They seemed to notice me now and mukhang nakilala rin nang ilan si Colleen, or maybe alam din nila 'yong issue, those trending tweets last time sa X account ng Libertad Freedom Wall. Nakakahiya sobra. Gusto ko nang umalis dito.

Halos mabingi ako sa ingay nang paligid pero luminaw ang pandinig ko nang marinig ko ang boses ni Leo. Sinita niya agad si Colleen, "Hey, babe! Why did you do that?"

"What do you mean?" Pinagtaasan kaagad siya ng boses ni Colleen. "I didn't do anything! It was just an accident!"

"You should have been more careful," Leo said, remaining calm but his concern for me was evident.

"Why do I seem like the villain here?" Colleen asked, looking at my outfit she had splashed with her trenta-sized Starbucks iced coffee.

"Liam, I'm so sorry. Do you have an extra shirt?" Leo's voice held concern as he looked at me. Hinaplos niya pa ang magkabilang balikat ko at hinawakan ako ro'n, pilit binabasa ang emosyon sa mga mata kong iniiwasang tumitig sa kanya.

"I don't. It's okay, don't mind me. Be with Colleen, she needs you. She came here for you," I reassured him, trying to downplay the situation. Hindi ako tumingin sa kanya, tiningnan ko lang ang damit kong malagkit dahil sa kape.

"Hey, I'm so sorry, Liam... bawi ako next time, okay?"

Hindi ako sumagot, pinagpag ko lang at pilit pinupunasan ang namantsahang damit ko.

"Ugh, fuck... wait," he groaned, shaking his head in a great amount of disbelief. I looked up at him and his tone was filled with frustration as he hastily removed his denim jacket.

"I'm fine, Leo." I insisted, watching him doing that made me feel Colleen would be more triggered so I tried to stop him but I could see the discomfort in his eyes when I did refuse his offer for me to take his jacket.

"Please?" Leo's worry was palpable as he offered his jacket again, waiting patiently for me to accept it. "Take it."

"Babe! Come here! Let's take some photos," Colleen's voice interrupted our moment.

"I'll be right back, okay?" he glanced at me, his expression filled with concern.

"Babe!" Colleen's call grew more insistent.

"Yes, babe? One second," Leo replied, torn between staying with me and attending to Colleen's demands.

Pero sa huli... obviously, siya pa rin ang pinili niya at hindi ako.

That was the moment I realized... there are battles in life you don't need to start or try to know if you'll win or lose. Some battles, at first glance, you already know you've lost... you're powerless, you have no chance to win at all.

Kipkip at bitbit ang denim jacket na binigay niya sa'kin, nilisan ko ang fashion show event nang sobrang bigat nang nararamdaman ko sa dibdib, hindi ko na hinintay pa 'yong sinabi ni Leo na he'll be right back.

Dire-diretso akong lumakad palabas sa exit, pinipigilan bumuhos ang luha sa mga mata ko ngunit hindi ko na iyon napigilan pa nang nasa labas na ako't nasa loob nang Grab taxi na binook ko. I just cried to the song na pinapatugtog ni kuyang Grab driver, 'Cornelia Street' at ginawa kong pamunas ang denim jacket ni Leo, hinahayaang matuluan lang ng mga luha ko 'yon.

Tumunog ang phone ko at nag-chat siya. Hindi ko lang pinansin. Pinatay ko na lang ang phone ko nang magsunod-sunod ang notification nito dahil tinadtad niya ako nang text 'asking where am I' and his repetitive 'sorry' for what happened.