Man in the Rain

Chapter 36.1

Chapter 36.1

The End Of The Past: Stormy Cold Night

Luke's eyes were still trained on the screen kahit pa tapos na ang video.

Natatakot ako. Nanghihina ako. Nanginginig ako. Pakiramdam ko sasabog ang dibdib ko at ang ulo ko.

My mind was reeling. Paano nagkaroon ng ganoong video at sino ang kumuha at ang nagpalabas noon. But that was the least of my concerns now. Ang kailangan kong gawin ngayon ay kausapin siya. Kailangan kong sabihin na it's not what it sounded like. I need to tell him na totoong mahal ko siya.

"L-luke, listen to me first. L-look at me," I begged but he did not look at me. Sa halip ay binitawan niya ang kamay ko.

He let go of my hand and he started walking away.

"L-luke, wait! Makinig ka muna sa akin!" I know that he heard what O said dahil naging sobrang tahimik ng hall pero hindi niya ako pinakinggan. Nagpatuloy lang siya sa paglakad.

I tried to go after him pero mabilis akong napigilan ni Gio. Mahigpit niyang hinawakan ang braso ko.

"Gio, please let go of me. I need to talk to him. L-luke wait up!" I shouted with an hoarse voice. Hindi ko alam kung kailan pumatak ang unang luha ko. Basta ang alam ko na lang umiiyak na ako habang tinatawag ko ang pangalan niya. "L-luke! L-luke! L-luke teka lang pakinggan mo muna ako. L-luke!" Sinubukan kong kumawala mula kay Gio pero sobrang higpit ng hawak niya sa akin. "Ano ba, bitawan mo nga ako!"

After a lot of struggles, nagawa ko ring bawiin ang braso ko mula kay Gio. Akma akong tatakbo pero mas mabilis siya sa akin. He pulled me without any care and that took me by surprise. I lost my balance and I fell on the floor.

Mas lalo akong napaiyak, hindi dahil nasaktan ako kung hindi dahil hindi ko na makita si Luke.

"F*ck you, Blaire! I love you! I love you but all this time accessory lang pala ang turing mo sa akin? I did everything that you wanted me to do! I did everything to please you tapos ganito lang lang pala? All this time ganito lang pala?"

He was about to pounce on me pero mabuti na lang at may mga pumigil sa kanya. Hindi ako sigurado pero parang mga guards yata ang mga iyon. May tumulong din sa akin para makatayo.

"B-blaire are you okay?" Celine asked. Inaalalayan niya ako sa isang braso habang si Laura naman ang sa kabila.

"N-no. I'm not. Let go of me... I-i need to find L-luke."

"Nakaalis na siya. Wala na siya, Blaire. C'mon, ihahatid ka na namin." Celine said.

"N-no. Just let me go, okay?!" I hissed.

"Blaire!" Laura raised her voice. "Just stop it okay. We don't know who did this pero the game is over. So just stop it!"

"Y-you don't understand, eh! Lau, I love him! I l-love Luke and I c-can't lose him. No, I can't!" I began sobbing.

Both Laura and Celine looked at me with disbelief in their eyes. Pati si Gio ay natigil sa pagpiglas mula sa mga security guards.

"W-what did you just say?" Laura stammered.

"Y-you heard me, Lau. I love him. For the first time in my d*mn life, I fell in love."

"B-but you said.... t-that video..."

"H-hindi totoo lahat ng iyon!"

Their grip on my arms loosen at ginamit ko iyong pagkakataon para kumawala. And I succeeded. Bago pa nila ako mahawakan ulit o mapigilan, I ran toward the direction where Luke went.

Paglabas ko ng hall ay agad akong sinalubong ng malakas na hangin at ulan. Hindi ko namalayan na umuulan na pala. Pero binalewala ko iyon. Walang pag-aalinlangan akong sumugod. I walked toward nowhere.

Mabilis akong nabasa. My hair, my body and my dress were already soaking wet. The raindrops were needles on my skin and the water makes my vision blurry.

"L-luke! Luke!" I called him kahit na pati boses ko ay nalulunod sa ulan. "L-luke, please!"

Kahit madilim ay hinanap ko ang daan papunta sa parking lot. His car was still there pero wala siya. I walked again. I tried to look again. Hindi lang ako iisang beses na muntikan madapa, in the end, I kicked my shoes of and I walked barefooted.

"L-luke!!!"

And I saw him finally. Nakatayo siya sa ilalim ng ulan. He was looking at the dark sky katulad noong una ko siyang makita. Mabilis akong tumakbo papunta sa kanya at niyakap ko siya ng mahigpit.

He didn't move, he didn't hugged me back but at least, he didn't pushed me away. Isiniksik ko ang sarili ko sa kanya at umiyak ako sa dibdib niya.

"Luke, that video, it's not what you think it is. Kaya kong magpaliwanag. Kung pakikinggan mo lang ako."

He didn't say a word kaya lumayo ako ng bahagya sa kanya at tinignan ko siya sa mukha. His eyes were closed and his jaws were clenched.

Inabot ko ang mukha niya. "That video, hindi ko itatanggi iyon. Pero noon pa iyon! I may have started all because I wanted to retaliate but along, the way I had a change of heart. You know, it's not that hard to love you. I really did fell for you. When I told you that I love you, I really meant it. Mahal na mahal kita, Luke."

He opened his eyes at kahit madilim, kitang-kita ko ang pagkislap ng galit sa mga mata niya. "I don't believe you. You are nothing but a liar. You are just like her."

"N-no," I choked. "Mahal kita Luke. Mahal na mahal. I will do everything para lang maniwala ka."

"Everything?" He asked using his cold voice. Mas malamig pa sa ulan na pumapatak sa katawan ko.

Bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. May sumilay na konting pag-asa sa loob ko. "Everything."

He didn't say anything anymore. Basta na lanf niya kinuha ang kamay ko. Humakbang siya at halos kaladkarin niya ako.

AN: to my beloved readers, forgive me. Busy lang po ako. Hinati ko sa dalawa ang chapter na to. PRIVATE ang Chapter 36.2.