"So tell us pano kayo nag break ten years ago?" Pam asked as she sliced her cake. "Apparently, his parents didn't really like me and they liked Morgan more, napilitan lang syang makipag break sakin because he has no choice kasi dependent pa sya sa mga magulang nya that time, well ako naman syempre nasaktan ako because I never expected that he will break up with me all of the sudden kasi binigla nya ko, but I moved on now." Sagot ko.
"Oh so his parents didn't like you? Why?" Aby asked. "Well what can I say, dati pa nila gusto si Morgan for him, siguro dahil sa pakikitungo ko sakanila, sometimes I forgot na nandyan sila kasi nas-snob ko minsan, they were so nice to me back then, maybe ganun lang talaga ako before coz I'm just 20, now that I'm 30 nagbago na rin naman ako." Sagot ko.
"Kasalanan mo naman pala eh!" Sisi ni Pam.
"Manahimik ka nga, and way back before may pagka snob talaga ako, pero it was 10 years ago, things really do happen out of our control." Sagot ko.
"Bat kasi ang snob mo noon literal na walang pamilya ang magugustuhan ka kapag ganyan ang pakikitungo mo, by the way may balak ka pa bang maghanap ng boyfriend? 30 ka na single ka parin napapaghulihan ka na." Wika ni Pam.
"Life is not about race, there is some people there that is still single until there, there is some people that is not yet married at the age of 40, I don't want to be affected of peer pressure, my life is not totally stable." I answered.
Natahimik si Pam, at mukhang medyo napaisip siya sa sinabi ko. Alam kong nag-aalala lang siya para sa akin, pero hindi ibig sabihin na kailangan kong sundin ang takbo ng buhay na inaasahan ng iba. Mas pipiliin kong hintayin ang tamang oras kaysa pilitin ang sarili na magmadali sa pag-ibig.
"Kahit anong sabihin mo, Gigi, alam kong deep down gusto mo rin magka-love life ulit," pang-aasar ni Aby, pero may halong pag-unawa na sa tono niya. Napangiti ako ng bahagya.
"Maybe. But for now, I'm good with just focusing on my career and enjoying life as it is," sagot ko, umaasang matapos na ang usapang ito. Napagod na rin akong ipaliwanag kung bakit ayoko pang pumasok sa seryosong relasyon, lalo na't hindi pa ako handa.
"Sigurado ka bang kuntento ka sa kung anong meron ka ngayon? Kasi kung ako I cannot last a second if I were to live your life." Pam said.
"Well it's you kasi you cannot live without a boyfriend but I can, we're different Pam, way different, masyado na kong pagod sa buhay para lang tanungin kung anong favorite color ko, favorite food, favorite piece of cloth, diba nakakapagod makakilala ng tao and my energy is way reserved for the things that is about to come in my life, so what kung wala akong boyfriend? Kung wala akong boyfriend mas lalo akong walang balak mag anak." Singhal ko.
"Ang boring naman ng buhay mo Gi, ano yon you're just living everyday just to go to work?" Aby asked.
"It's not about that Abrielle, I find fulfilment in the the things that I love to do, kung kayong dalawa hindi nyo kayang mabuhay ng walang thrill sa buhay, ibahin nyo ko." Sagot ko.
"Okay, okay, gets ko na," sabi ni Pam, nagtaas ng kamay na parang sumusuko. "Pero sana lang, Gi, you find happiness in whatever you choose to do."
"Oo nga, Gi," dagdag ni Aby, mas seryoso na ngayon. "Hindi naman sa nang-aasar kami, pero alam mo na, gusto lang namin na maging masaya ka rin."
"Masaya naman ako, guys," sagot ko nang may bahagyang ngiti. "Hindi lahat ng kaligayahan ay nakasalalay sa pagkakaroon ng relationship o thrill sa buhay. Minsan, simple and quiet kind of life and the important things to me gives the real happiness.
"Alam mo buti ka pa kahit ang boring na ng buhay mo you still find joy in simple things, mind to share your secret?" Pam asked.
"Contentment is the answer guys, kaya masaya ako ngayon kasi wala akong sakit sa ulo pagdating sa lalake pero sa trabaho hindi ko naman maiiwasan yon, okay lang ma stress sa trabaho wag lang sa lalake, yan ang sikreto ko kaya napaka guarded ng heart ko ngayon." Sagot ko.
"Wala ka lang mahanap na lalake eh, palibhasa kasi yung ex mo may fiance na naunahan ka pa." Wika ni Pam. "Can we stop talking about him for god's sake Pamelina and Abrielle? Ang kukulit nyo eh!!" Singhal ko at napasapo sa dibdib ang dalawa.
"Hoy don't call me Pamelina!" Asik ni Pam. "Don't call be Abrielle!" Si Aby. "Can you guys act like an adult? For god's sake terenta na tayong lahat!" Hindi ko sinasadyang mapalakas ang boses ko kaya napatingin samin yung ibang tao na nasa cafe.
"Sorry, sorry." Pabulong kong sabi habang winawagayway ang dalawa kong kamay. "Teh wag ka naman kasing magwala, as your friends concern lang din naman kasi sayo, para kang mananapak eh." Wika ni Aby.
"I get it okay? Di nyo naman kailangang maging concern sakin but I appreciate it thank you!" Sarkastikong sabi ko.
"Welcome." Sabi ng dalawa. We went back to our office to continue some work kasi busy kaming lahat at nag lunch lang kami, when we get back in our office I saw Sandro na nakaupo na sa desk nya.
"Nakapag lunch ka na ba?" He asked. "Yup, nag lunch kaming sabay nila Aby at Pam, how about you kanina ka pa nag t-type sa computer mo ha?" Tanong ko.
"Wala akong gana mag lunch." Ikling sagot nya. "Why? Baka malipasan ka ng gutom nyan?" I asked. "Thanks for your concern Gigi and I appreciate it, pero wala talaga akong gana kumain." Sagot nya at napatango tango nalang ako.
"Nag away ba kayo ni Morgan?" I asked at nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa tinanong, palagi ko nalang talagang hindi nacocontrol ang bunganga ko. "How did you know?" He asked, so I was right na nag away sila ni Morgan kaya wala syang ganang kumain?
"Oh, I'm sorry about that Sandro, I hope na magkaayos kayo." Sabi ko at nagtipa na ko sa keyboard para tumapos ng trabaho. "Thanks for your concern Gigi, if ever na i-invite kita sa wedding namin, would you come?" He asked and I was caught off guard, well kung iimbitahan naman nya ko papayag naman talaga ako kasi hindi naman ako bitter and things happened 10 years ago.
"Of course pupunta ako, kailan ang kasal?" Nakangiti kong tanong. "Wala pa kaming plano and I don't know if I can marry her." He answered and my jaw dropped with what he said, hindi nya kayang pakasalan si Morgan? What does he mean about it?
"But you've been together for so long, bakit mo naisip na hindi mo sya kayang pakasalan?" Tanong ko.
"Things are complicated, Gigi," sagot ni Sandro, at biglang nagbago ang tono ng boses niya, tila nagkaroon ng lungkot. "We have our differences, and sometimes, kahit gaano ka katagal magkakasama, hindi ibig sabihin na kayo talaga ang para sa isa't isa."
Napatingin ako sa kanya, may halong pagtataka at awa. Alam kong may mga relasyon talagang hindi nagwo-work out, pero hindi ko inaasahan na maririnig ko yun mula kay Sandro tungkol kay Morgan.
"Ganun ba..." Nawala ako sa mga sasabihin, kaya't bumalik na lang ako sa pagtipa sa keyboard, pilit iniintindi ang sinasabi niya habang sinusubukan na ring labanan ang halo-halong damdaming bumabalik.
"Yeah," Sandro sighed, giving me a small, almost sad smile. "Life is just full of surprises, isn't it?"
"It is, you've been together for like ten years and what could go wrong between the two of you? Hindi naman sa nangingialam ako, pero nasasayo na yon on how are you gonna interpret it." I said and continued typing on my keyboard. "You're just concern Gigi and it's okay, wala namang masamang pumapasok sa isip ko eh, and thank you for that." He answered as he also continued typing on his computer.
"I hope we get to catch up soon, how about let's go have lunch tomorrow?" I asked, I hope I don't sound like a desperate person trying to get back with him. Sandro paused for a moment, then turned to look at me with a small smile. "Sure, Gigi. I'd love that," sagot niya. "Maybe it's time we talk more about everything—yung mga hindi natin napag-usapan noon."
Napangiti na lang ako, pero sa loob-loob ko, halo-halong emosyon ang nararamdaman ko. Hindi ko alam kung tama ba itong ginagawa ko o kung ito ba ay isang paraan para makapag-move on ako ng tuluyan. Pero isang bagay ang sigurado: gusto kong malaman kung saan patungo ang muling paglapit na ito.
"Okay, tomorrow it is," sagot ko.
YOU ARE READING
Second Chance At Love
ФанфикIn the bustling streets of Manila, amidst the chaos of corporate life, Sandro Marcos and Gigi Salcedo's paths cross once again after a decade of heartache and longing. Their reunion sparks a whirlwind of emotions, igniting old flames and awakening b...
