Broken Promises (Epitome Series #2)

Kabanata 38

By simply hearing those words from him, some pain within me slowly vanish. In a blink of an eye, I felt relief.

We looked at each other straight in the eye. All I see in his eyes are nothing but regret and remorse. Mabilis ko siyang dinaluhan. I gently caress his face. Tinitignan ko siya nang maayos. Umiling sa kanya.

"You don't have to feel anything. Everything in the past it may be good or bad were all lessons for us. Maybe, we really needed a break to find ourselves. To find meaning to live and to find something we really want for ourselves"mahinahong untag ko sa kanya kaya napatango siya.

Hindi ko tuloy napigilan ang sariling maluha nang makitang may lumandas na luha mula sa kanyang mga mata. Mabilis ko siyang niyakap nang mahigpit na kaagad din naman niyang ginawa pabalik. Sandali pa kaming ganoon hanggang sa dahan-dahan akong kumalas but his hand remain on my small waist. May luha na namang lumandas sa kanyang pisnge. Dahan-dahan ko iyong pinalis.

"If that thing didn't happen, I wouldn't have walked away. I wouldn't let go"napatango lang ako sa sinabi niya.

I know. Alam ko. I know you wouldn't do that too but it did happen. You let go and you walked away yet here you are, in front of me. I don't want to make it big anymore. Tama na ang lahat ng iyon. We can start anew.

"We can start anew, you know. If you would love to"he smiled sweetly while sniffing.

"What if I don't want to?"pinagtaasan ko siya nang kilay habang inaayos ang buhok niya pagkatapos kong himasin ang pisnge niya. Halos nagulat ako nang hinila niya ako papalapit sa kanya kaya napahawak ako sa balikat niya.

"I will keep on pursuing you. I will be by your side even though you don't want me. I won't stop until you get back with me"he said before pointing my small nose.

"Paano kung ayaw ko parin? Iba na pala ang gusto ko?"

"Sino? That Paris boy?"nagulat ako dahil sa patutsada niya. Kumalas ako mula sa kanya kaya nakitaan ko siya nang selos.

"I didn't mention a name!"apela ko.

"But why do you sound so defensive? I was just guessing"giit naman niya kaya napairap lang ako.

"We definitely know who you are talking about"

Umiling siya. Tinatanggi ang puna ko.

"Akala mo I wouldn't know that you intentionally closed the seaside resto because he wanted to have breakfast there?"

"I only did that because he's obviously leering on you while you're on your morning swim. Two-piece ka pa!"bumaba ang boses niya sa huling sinabi at halos pabulong na iyon kaya hindi ko na narinig. Umiwas pa ito ng tingin kaya nagkarugtong ang mga kilay ko.

"And you don't? I caught you a few times!"paratang ko habang pinagtataasan siya ng kilay sabay hampas sa dibdib niya kaya nag-inarte siyang nasaktan siya sa ginawa ko pero malapad naman ang ngisi.

"I was just trying to keep you safe"he said trying to make a point but he's obviously not even making any sense.

"Keep me safe, my ass. Routine mo na yatang panoorin ako habang naliligo sa dagat"

"Of course, you're my sunshine. You always make my day extra special"pambobola niya pa kaya hindi ko na iyon pinagtuonan ng pansin at baka kung ano na naman ang sasabihin. Baka maniwala pa ako.

He just keep on playing around. Hindi ko nga alam kung saan na naman niya nakukuha ang energy niyang ito para magkaroon pa ng panahon sa pang-aasar at pangungulit. After that, he cooked our lunch. Kumain lang kami at nagligpit pagkatapos.

"Where's Engineer Sophia?"hindi kaagad siya nakasagot. Abala lang ito sa paglilinis ng old hammock. Pasado alas dos na rin ng hapon. Napasarap ang kain namin dahil marami kaming napag-usapan. I told him to rest, he told me we can rest outside. It was a good idea because I saw this old hammock kaninang umaga lang din. Ang kaso, sa sobrang tagal na hindi siguro nagamit medyo nadumihan.