Boy Next Door (LeAga)

Epilogue

"Ate?" Jazzle muttered as she approached Lea who is walking away from her brother's condo unit while trying to wipe the tears that are continuously flowing from her eyes. "I told you not to go." She whispered as she hugged Lea and rubbed her back. Lea laughed bitterly and repeated what she said.

"If I listened to you, hindi ako masasaktan ng ganito." Another bitter laugh escaped Lea's lips. "Pero kung nakinig ako, hindi ko malalaman na niloloko na ako ng kuya mo. Kung nakinig ako at hindi ko s'ya pinuntahan, baka nagmukha na akong tanga." She remained silent for a while but still hugging Ja. And then she spoke again. "Tanga nga pala ako. Tanga ako para umasang makukuha ko ulit ang tiwala ng kuya mo."

Naguguluhan man, nakinig lang si Jazzle at hinigpitan ang yakap kay Lea.

"Ganun ba kasama ang tingin n'ya sa akin, Ja? Nakuha n'yang paniwalaan yung mga gawa-gawang kwento nila. Bakit hindi n'ya ako kayang pakinggan? Bakit hindi n'ya ako pinagkatiwalaan? Mahal ko ang kuya mo Jazzle pero nasasaktan ako. Nasasaktan ako." With those words, Lea sobbed harder. Lalong bumagsak ang mga luhang pinipigilan n'ya. Nasasaktan s'ya hindi lang dahil sa nakita n'ya pero lalong lalo na sa katotohanang hindi s'ya kayang pagtiwalaan ni Aga. Ganun ba s'ya kasamang babae para maniwala si Aga na niloloko n'ya ito? Na may iba kahit meron pang Aga?

Halos humagulgol sa balikat ni Jazzle si Lea. Basa na ang damit ni Ja pero wala s'yang pakialam. Kung ito lang ang pwede n'yang gawin para maibsan ni Lea ang lahat ng sakit na dulot ni Aga, gagawin n'ya. Sa isip n'ya kasalanan n'ya din naman lahat. If she didn't grant her brother's wish for that photo shoot, baka hindi sila nagkakilala, baka hindi nasasaktan ng ganito si Lea.

Hindi ba talaga sila magkakilala?

Lea freed herself from the hug, wiped her tears and acted as if nothing just happened. She stood still and even with those visible tears, swollen eyes and almost inaudible sobs she faced Jazzle. "I'm sorry. Nabasa ko yung damit mo. Tell -" natigilan na naman s'ya as she felt her tears close to welling up again. "Tell Aga, I love -"She felt a tear as Jazzle pulled her for another hug. "I'll tell him you love him and all he heard are lies and made up stories. You don't deserve --."

"No." She said firmly. "Hindi na kailangan Ja. Salamat sa malasakit mo pero aanhin ko yun kung ang tanging taong gusto kong magbigay sa akin n'yan, ang taong mahal ko, walang ng pakialam sa nararamdaman ko? I appreciate what you want to do but maybe, it is best this way. We are best this way. Masaya na naman s'ya ng wala ako. He won't cheat kung masaya s'ya at mahal pa rin n'ya ako di ba?" Lea asked with a forced smile and tears in her eyes. Siguro nga hanggang doon na lang sila. Hanggang doon na lang talaga.

"I'll go ahead." She said trying to stop sobbing. "Ate .." She turned her back on her and walked away. "I'll be fine Jazzle."

Will she be?

---

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?" Aga asked Jazzle who still has her shirt wet of Lea's tears. She doesn't mind. She needs to talk to Aga to clear things out. Masyadong nasasaktan si Lea. She doesn't deserve this.

"Hindi mo man lang s'ya hahabulin?" She asked him standing still in front of him. The girl he was with him a while ago is gone now. "Bakit ko hahabulin ang taong nanloko -"

"Hindi ka n'ya niloko kuya! Ikaw ang nanloko sa kanya! Ikaw ang nanakit sa kanya!" She can't help it, she shouted at him. "Mahal ka n'ya ng sobra kuya." She said in her almost inaudible voice with tears welling up. "Hindi s'ya nagmahal ng ganito sa'yo para pagdudahan at lokohin mo! Those pictures, hindi mo ba naisip na gawa-gawa lang ng haters n'ya yun?" She leaned her back on the wall near her and looked at him who is just there listening.