One Shots Collection

P.S

"Ms. Dennise?

"Hm?"

"May naghihintay po sa inyo sa labas."

"Sino daw po sya?"

"Ahm.. hindi nya sinabi e."

Iniwan ni Dennise ang binabasang libro at lumabas sya ng bahay. Pagdating nya sa may garden ay nakita nya ang isang lalaking nakikipaglaro kay Midnight, ang alaga nyang golden retriever. Napatigil sya at pinagmasdan ang mga ito.

At nang maamoy sya ni Midnight ay bigla itong tumakbo palapit sa kanya. Doon sila nagtama ng mata ng bisita nya. Nagkatitigan sila nang ilang Segundo at pagdaka'y ngumiti ito sa kanya. Hindi ito umalis sa kinatatayuang pwesto habang naglakad naman sya palapit dito.

"Naligaw ka ba o talagang pumunta ka rito?"

"Parehas." sagot ng binata.

Marahang natawa si Dennise. "The last time I saw you, you said things that would make me hate you for the rest of my existence. Tapos ngayon, nandito ka, at nakangiti pa."

"Gusto ko kasing ipakita sa iyo na..hindi na ako bitter."

"Bitter saan?"

"You know what I mean."

"Bakit ka nandito?"

"Uhm...to say goodbye?" Hindi kumibo si Dennise at tinitigan lang ang binata. "The last time I tried to, it wasn't that good. Sorry nga pala dun ah. Galit kasi ako noon, and I didn't mean everything I said, iyong iba lang." Napailing si Dennise. "Pero ngayon, okay na ako. I, honestly, didn't want to do this. Ang plano ko talaga, huwag nang magpakita sa iyo at kalimutan ka habambuhay. Pero na-realize ko, hindi ko iyon magagawa kung hindi ako magpapaalam sa iyo nang mabuti. Hindi ako makaka-move on knowing that you hate me."

"Why? Iyong sasabihin mo ba ngayon sa 'kin, would it change a thing?"

"I guess. I think it should, kahit slight lang."

Dennise took a deep sigh and sat folded her arms. "Fine." He smiled at her again. "Seriously? Dapat talaga ngingiti muna?"

"Last na 'to huwag mo na akong sungitan." Saka ito naglabas ng isang papel at ini-unfold nya iyon sa harap ni Dennise.

"At may kodigo ka pa talaga."

"It's a letter for you, actually. I was supposed to give it to you the last time kaya lang...alam mo na, I was too proud to do it. I was...too coward." Then he snorted. "Kung binigay ko na lang sana 'to sa iyo noon, 'no? G*go kasi ako e."

"Buti na lang alam mo."

"O, huwag ka nang mang-ano dyan. Eto na nga e."

Doon napangiti si Dennise. Saka nya pinanood ang binata habang huminga ito nang malalim nang tatlong beses habang inaayos ang nalukot na papel. He took a glance at her and then he smiled and he started reading the letter.

"You know I'm not good at this so don't you dare laugh at me, and you surely know that I suck at almost everything so you don't have to act nice, pero alam ko na alam mo na kahit ganito lang ako...I loved you with every piece of my being and I never regret that. I'm sorry. Sorry for being the worst boyfriend, for being the worst driver, cook and hairstylist. Sorry kung madalas slow ako at hindi ko agad nage-gets na nagkaka-tantrums ka na pala, na napipikon ka na pala, na nauubos na ang pasensya mo..but seriously, you're ridiculously sensitive, so you can't really blame me. Pero sorry pa rin, my dad always say, girls always win so just better say sorry..so you won't lose her. But I guess, it's already too late. If I could've said sorry before, siguro...nagbago pa, 'no? Don't get me wrong, 'di ko 'to sinasabi para baguhin ang isip mo, ang puso mo. I didn't write this letter to make you come back to me, for you to give us another chance. You've given me, us, so many second chances but I was stupid and childish and I didn't understand, kaya ayun...wala rin. I'm sorry for everything that I didn't do for you, that I should've done. I was a fool but I love you and thank you for loving me. For being patient with me, for forgiving me, for waiting for me, for accepting me so many times, for refusing to let me go, for holding on to me. Thank you kasi kahit lagi kitang pinapaiyak, pinapangiti mo pa rin ako. Kahit lagi kitang ginagalit, pinapasaya mo pa rin ako. Kahit lagi kitang iniiwan, naghihintay ka pa rin. I've hurt you numerous times but that didn't make you love me less, you even loved me more and I will never forget that. I don't think na may magmamahal pa sakin tulad ng pagmamahal mo, sayang 'no? Kung mas inalagaan lang sana kita, kung naging mas matino lang sana ako, siguro hindi ka nawala sa buhay ko. I loved you but I didn't show it the way you showed how much you loved me. I've done so many stupid things, but the worst part of everything is when I let you walk away from me. Hinayaan lang kita. And now, I've never felt so broken, so damaged, so hurt. Naisip ko, if I didn't let you go that day, if I was just brave enough to fight for you, if I just did every possible way to make you stay...magkasama pa rin siguro tayo. tayo pa rin siguro. Ako pa rin siguro iyong mahal mo. Dahil sa puso ko, kahit pagkatapos ng lahat ng nangyari..." Then he looked up and stared straight at Den's sad eyes. "...ikaw pa rin."

Dennise kept her tears from falling and stared at the guy standing in front of her. The last time they saw each other was almost 2 years already but since then, she didn't stop thinking about him kahit na hindi naging maganda ang paghihiwalay nila. Perhaps, she still loves him. But that love isn't enough anymore.

He continued reading. "I loved you and I still do, and I think it will take me another lifetime to have that kind of love for someone else. I don't want you to hate me, ayokong kapag naalala mo 'ko, sisimangot ka at magagalit sa mundo dahil naging parte ako ng buhay mo. I'm not asking you to love me again and give us a part two, kapal naman ng mukha ko. I only want three things. First, sana, kapag naalala mo 'ko, maalala mo iyong mga araw na masaya tayo, na okay tayo, iyong mga araw na nagawa nating ipaglaban ang isa't isa. Hayaan mo nang ako na iyong magtago nung mga bad memories, ikaw na dun sa mga happy moments. Pangalawa, kung magmamahal ka ulit, sana iyong hindi tulad ko. Masyado na kitang nasaktan at kung masasaktan ka ulit, pakiramdam ko ako pa rin iyong dahilan. So please, iyong mas okay sa 'kin iyong piliin mo next time. At panghuli..." Matagal na nanahimik ang binata at pagdaka'y muli syang tumingin kay Dennise at ngumiti. "...huwag mong kakalimutan na minsan sa buhay mo may isang sira-ulo, makulit, pasaway at guwapong Myco na dumating at nagmahal sa iyo. Tingin ko, lagi ka nyang mamahalin, magbabago man iyong paraan pero, mamahalin ka pa rin nya. And.,pasensya ka na kung ginulo nya ang mundo mo nang ilang taon. At thank you, sa pagaayos mo sa mundo nya."

Saka ini-fold ni Myco ang papel at iniabot nya iyon kay Dennise. At nang kunin ito ng dalaga'y hinawakan nya ang kamay nito't hindi muna binitawan. Kapwa sila tumingin sa isa't isa.

"Puwede pa humingi nang isang pabor?"

"Ano iyon?"

Then Myco smiled at her for the last time. "Ngumiti ka naman."

And Dennise smiled at him. It was a genuine, sincere smile. Pakiramdam nya'y lahat ng galit at tampo nya sa binata'y bigla na lang nawala. She missed him and after everything that happened between them, he will always be the guy she loved the most. And it hurts her as she realized that this time, it's really goodbye.

Myco let go of her hand that broke his heart all over again. "So.., ito na iyon."

"Take care of yourself."

"Ikaw din." At saka natawa si Myco sabay buntong-hininga at iling. "Paano ba ako tatalikod sa iyo? Paano ako lalakad palayo?" And Dennise saw how his tears fell from his eyes as he forced a smile. "Nung ikaw, ang dali mong nagawa. Ba't sakin ang hirap?"

Dennise looked down and shut her eyes for moment, letting some of the tears fall to the ground. Pagtingin nya ulit kay Myco'y wala na ang mga ngiti nito She was looking at her just like the first time they met. And that moment, she knew, she was sure of it, that this guy would always have a special place in her heart, for the rest of her existence.

"Good night." Sambit ni Myco.

And then he turned around, and walked away. Dennise was standing there, watching him as he slowly disappear from her eyes...from her life.

When he's no longer in sight, binuklat ni Dennise ang papel. She read it and felt like hearing Myco telling each and every word to her.

But at the end of the letter, may bahagi doon na hindi binasa ni Myco sa kanya.. A small part that he wanted her to see and read once he's gone.

"P.S. I never said goodbye. Malay mo, sa huli, tayo pala talaga. Be happy, Den. I'll be okay. :)"