For Years, I Love You

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Lie

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I felt my heart drop as my world stopped. Gino stood still. Gino looked like a statue as tears started to pour out from my eyes. I looked into his eyes, and all I could see was guilt.

Gino lied me. Kian made fool out of me. Jericho betrayed me. All of them betrayed me.

I didn't know what to feel nor what to say. I was blinking in surprise as tears started to pour. Rika saw my reaction. She tried comforting me, but Gino approached us. When he tried approaching me, I stepped back.

I don't want to be near him. I don't even know if I can be near him.

I don't know what to believe. Rika's not a person to lie about something like that. I know her. However, those three aren't people to do something like that. I know them. I was with them.

But then again, do I really know them?

"T-Tali," Gino tried calling my name. "H-Hindi 'yon ano— Hindi namin tinago— I mean, hindi—"

"Gago! Manahimik ka!" Rika pushed Gino away. "Sinungaling! I read it! I read everything! Alam mo! Kian told you about it! Alam niyong dalawa na nag-uusap na ulit sina Jia at Jericho! You're aware that Tali's being fooled and yet you didn't do anything about it! Wala kayong ginawa!"

Hindi ako makahinga ng maayos. It felt like the world was spinning. I heard a beeping noise. I blinked and blinked as I tried seeing properly again. Hindi kasi ako makakita ng maayos dahil sa luha ko. All I can see was Gino's guilty face as he tried approaching me.

"You tolerate Jericho! Sana pinatigil niyo na lang! Sana pinatapos niyo na lang!" Rika sounded mad. May halong gigil ang bawat salitang binibitawan niya. "Sabihin mo r'yan sa tang ina mong kaibigan na sana masaya na siya! All Tali did was to like him! Love him! Tapos gan'yan?! May Jia na pala ulit, bakit hindi na lang sinabi kay Tali?! Gago ba kayo?! Mga bobo!"

Akala ko kaibigan ko sila. Akala ko ayos kami. Akala ko maayos ang lahat. Akala ko... kaibigan ko sila, hindi pala.

Is that even true? Totoong magkausap na ulit sina Jia at Jericho? If yes, kailan pa? Narito lang no'ng nakaraan si Jericho. He seemed fine. Wala namang problema. He even recorded my performance.

Kian was here, too. We even took photos from his cellphone. He even cheered for me. Gino, too. I was with him this whole week since we were classmates. If what Rika said is true, then how come nobody told me about it? Kasama ko palagi si Gino. Nandito no'ng nakaraan si Kian. Kausap ko palagi si Jericho.

Kausap ko lang si Jericho kanina sa cellphone. He sounded okay. I even asked how his life is. He said everything's normal. Wala naman daw bago.

Kung wala palang bago, ano 'to? Bakit nasa harapan ko ngayon si Rika na galit na galit kay Gino na hindi makatingin sa akin? Bakit may sinasabi si Rika sa 'kin na hindi ko maintindihan? Na ayokong maintindihan?

Kung walang bago, ibig sabihin ba nito, hindi naman nawala si Jia? Na all this time, Jia is here all along?

I closed my eyes as I started sobbing. Rika heard me. Gino heard me, too. Rika immediately approached me as she tried comforting me. Lalapit na rin sana si Gino nang mabilis siyang itulak papalayo ni Rika.

"Tell your friend that Tali already knows. Sabihin mo rin d'yan kay Kian na wala na kami! I don't want to keep a man who hurt my friend!" Rika shouted as she pushed Gino away. "All the three of you, go to fucking hell! Magsama-sama kayong magkakaibigan! Mga gago!"