If Kalyeserye Was A Drama

Magusap Tayo

Two more hours.

He glanced at his reflection in the mirror and he fixed his tie.

Someone was calling out his name. It was muted, muffled by thoughts and images that played in his mind, but it was definitely his name. He could see her clearly - how she looked at him with those big brown eyes that always made his heart flutter, how she laughed whenever she'd tell him a joke. He could even see how her face fell when she told him that she couldn't go on anymore, how the big brown eyes that once twinkled when it locked with his suddenly turned red as tears streamed down her face.

He heard his name again, and it was louder now.  He thought about answering, but he was dazed. It took a long time for him to come to the conclusion that he should answer, but by then, the voice stopped.

"Sino ba yan?" he asked as he turned on his heel to see who it was by his door, his eyes going wide as his heart suddenly started to beat wildly against his chest.

"Hi, Alden."

He said nothing, and for a second Divina wondered if it was the right decision to come to the mansion in the first place.

"Pinapunta ako ni lola Babah," It felt like hours had passed but she stood there, holding her breath as she watched him closely. Her fingers tapped anxiously against her leg, the butterflies in her stomach flapping their wings so fast that, for a minute, she felt like she was going to throw up.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?"

She turned away and took a deep breath. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears now. She thought about what she could say, and when she finally started, her voice was quiet. "Gusto ko mag-sorry. Kasi ng dahil sakin, nasasaktan ka."

He kept quiet and she went on: "Ginawa ko lang naman yun kasi akala ko na yun yung dapat kong gawin eh. Akala ko tama. Akala ko na kakayanin ko yung sakit na nararamdaman ko ngayon pero hindi pala." Divina said, her eyes glazed over with tears as she tried, desperately, to keep as much of herself together. "Ang sakit, Alden. Masakit isipin na ipapakasal ka sa iba dahil hinayaan kita. Dapat hindi ko ginawa. Dapat nung tinanong mo ako kung ano yung dapat mong ipaglaban, sinabi ko na 'tayo'."

"I'm sorry," she said, almost like a whimper as she looked away from him and bowed her head, her shoulders shaking from the quiet sobs that wracked her.  "I'm so sorry." 

"Divina," Alden said after a moment. He closed the space between them and turned her gently towards him, taking her hands in his as he willed her to look at him. "Uy." He squeezed her hands tighter while his thumbs made small circles on the back of her hand. "Wag ka na umiyak," he said as he bent on his knees to meet her eyes. 

"Eh, ang hirap kaya," she whined. 

"Tama na. Tama na," he shushed as he pulled her in for a hug. "Alam mo naman na nasasaktan ako pagnakikita kitang umiiyak."

"Ikaw kasi," she said as the tears began again. She cried into his chest as she held on, her arms wrapped around him so tight she was afraid she'd hurt him. She didn't want to let go of him. Not now. Not when she felt like she needed him to hold her up. "Alam kong huli na an - ."

"Wait. Wag ka muna magsalita," Alden stammered as he buried his head on the crook of Divina's neck. "Wag muna. Dito ka lang. Kahit two minutes, please."

They stayed in each other's arms for the longest time until Divina finally calmed down and pulled back to look up at him. 

"Gusto mo yung totoo?"

She let out a sigh. "Oo."

"Nasaktan talaga ako. At one point akala ko din na masmadali na lang na magalit sayo kasi it doesn't hurt as much." Letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding, he cupped her face gently, his eyes warm as he allowed himself another more minute to take her in. "Pero ngayon na hawak kita. Ngayon na naririnig kita at nakikita. Sarili ko lang niloloko ko kapag sinabi kong ayaw ko to. " His voice caught as he saw what her eyes were asking. "Oo, ikaw lang. Ngayon pa na alam kong kasama kita? Hindi talaga ako susuko!"

"Panindigan mo yan."

"Uy! Wag ako." He felt the corners of his lips tug into a smile as he leaned forward to press his lips on her forehead. "Ikaw at ako. Palagi. Yan ang promise ko sayo. "