The One That Got Away

TWELVE

Nagkaroon ng program sa university hall kaya naman nandito kaming lahat at kasama ko ang apat dahil wala rin silang mga klase at minsan lang kami nagkakasama since irregular student ako. Nagaaway sila tungkol sa mga gusto nilang poging dancers. Kakaturo nila may nakita akong di ko kaylangan sa mga panahon na to dahil sobrang dami ng iniisip ko. They are dancing cramping and hip-hop which is also my genre. He's in the middle of the crew and he just caught my eye there. A part from being so handsome he's such a great dancer which took a big point from turning me on. I bet they know him so if I ask them about his name they'd tell me and I would be more curious about him so I better shut up.

Duke's birthday is close and I don't really know what to give him. Every time I come to think of him I always remember my scene with Maverick on the pool and I can't help but feel guilty. Duke, I will be a good girlfriend after I say yes on your birthday, I promise. I'm not ready to let you go just yet.

I asked the three about a best gift to give a man and they all have various suggestions since I got here at Chealsy's house. So I prefer to surprise him at the exact night of his party.

The party was about to start. He decided to celebrate it on his house. Sinabay niya yung birthday party niya at acquaintance party kaya halos lahat ng istudyante nasa kanila. Nakakahiya mang gawin pero kaylangan kasi ako yung pinakaunang tao na iniexpect niyang gumawa sakanya nito since soon-to-be-girlfriend niya ko at simula nung nagaway kami hindi pa kami nagkakausap at kaylangan ko na talagang magsorry sa kanya bago pa kami tuluyang masira.

Sobrang ingay sa loob na kahit sarili ko di ko na marinig. Hinanap ko na yung apat na bising-busy kasama yung kanya kanya nilang dates. Zoe kaya mo to! Since my degree is Multimedia Arts I prepared a fifteen minutes video that says how sorry I am and how much I love him and that I don't want to lose him again and the best part is me finally giving him a chance in our relationship. The last part is the collection of our photos together matched with a heart touching music. Sinenyasan ko na si Mawi na i-play na yung video sa projector kahit wala pa si Duke para pag narinig niya yung pangalan niya bababa siya at masosurprise. Yehey! I'm so excited!

Mawi played the video and everyone turned their gaze at it and watches the first chapter and poof-someone turns it off. I get to look for the socket and Duke did it. "Babe? Seriously?", tanong ko pa nang pagalit. Kung di nga naman siya bastos oh.

"Zoe, not now ok? Maraming makakanood, in fact the whole campus is here." He explained. "Why? Are you ashamed of me? Takot ka bang malaman ng "fans club" mo na kinababaliwan mo ang isang katulad ko?" Siya na nga lang tong sinosurprise umaattitude pa siya! "Babe, it's not that-"

Then a girl from behind him showed up. "Bethany?" I said confused, looking at Duke's eyes. "If you're here to greet him you can go now." I said right in front of him and the bitch. "Greet him? No way! He's my fiancée now Zoe, right Christian?" Bumaliktad yung mundo ko nung marinig ko yung sinabi niya at sinampal si Duke ng napakalakas na narinig ng halos lahat ng tao sa dance floor at tumingin samin, pati yung music ay nawala. At Christian? Ako lang ang tumatawag sa kanya sa pangalang yon! "That's right, she's my fiancée now, and you're JUST my girlfriend!" Sabi niya ng may galit na tono pati muka niya ay naging expressionless dahil narin siguro sa malakas na pagkakasampal ko. "Ha, san nga ba nilalagay ang basura? Diba sa plastik!" Sinabi ko pa nang nagbabadya nang pumatak ang luha at tumakbo na ako palabas ng mansion. Sobrang lakas ng iyak ko at sa sobrang dami ng luha ko ay nabasa yung fitted red dress na suot ko. Kulay pula pa naman ang sinuot ko para partner ako ng birthday boy. Kasama akong nagorganize ng party at kasama rin ako sa food tasting at pati sa bar tending si Jerome ang pinili ko. Siguro napanood niya din lahat nang nangyari, kung gaano katanga yung kaibigan niya. Shit! Di ko na alam kung ano pang kaya kong ibigay sa kanya, siguro nga sobrang tanga ko kung bakit binigyan ko pa siya ng chance. Kung bakit kaylangang dalawang beses pa akong magpakagaga. Humahagulgol ako ng pag-iyak, wala na akong paki kung sino mang makarinig sa akin. Basta ang alam ko lang sobrang walang hiya siyang hayop siya sana kunin na siya ni satanas.

Maverick! I really need you right now! Asan ka na ba? Maya maya pa may umakbay sakin at inalalayan yung ulo kong isandal sa balikat niya. Hindi ko na siya tinapunan ng tingin at yumakap na ng mahigpit. "Bakit ba ang tagal mo?! Kanina pa kita kaylangan eh!" Sabi ko habang nagiiyak at siya naman ay hinihimas ang ulo ko. Parang iba yung built ng katawan niya ngayon at pati pabango niya iba. Pagtingala ko bigla ko siyang natulak. Goodness gracious!

"You?" Kilala ko siya pero hindi siya si Maverick. Siya yung crush kong dancer sa school. Pagkakataon nga naman oh! "Sorry to scare you lady, anyway my name is Dylan." He stretched his arm to reach my hand and shake it without my permission. "You have a really smooth skin by the way." He said then grins. This guy's a perv? "Oh yeah? Thanks! Im Zoe." I said then wipes my tears. This is so not the time for us to meet. Sorry handsome but you entered my life in a wrong timing. "I have to go now. Thanks for the comfort anyway, see you around!" Bigla ko tuloy nakalimutan yung problema ko, gosh! I really need a drink and I need to get wasted!

I head to the bar counter and looked for Jerome. "Zoe, I'm really sorry about-" I cut off his sentence. "Come on! Give me a break and just give me something to drink. Hard," then he kept silent. "Duke's such a dick!" He said in a minute after he gave me the drink. "I know right!" At binigyan niya ko ng tissue dahil siguro kanina niya pa napapansin yung sipon ko. Sunod sunod niyang nilagay yung order ko sa harap ko. "So be wasted. I'll be right back!" Pagkatapos ay umalis na siya. So I'm left alone again. One glass down. Just as I was about to pick and drink the second glass someone took it from me. "Hi there partner." It's Maverick who just misbehaved. "Partner?" Tanong ko sabay tinaasan siya ng kilay. "Yeah! Glass partner." He answered and tossed his glass with mine. "Where have you been?" I asked and remembered the last time I thought it was him I am with. "I just checked on something. Looks like someone's missing me!" He teased and I just rolled my eyes over him. "Hindi ko nakikita sa muka mong nageenjoy ka. Come!" After we finished the sixth glass he pulled me to the dance floor. I'm so tipsy the moment we dances. Sobrang wasted namin tignan habang sumasayaw, nagtatalon lang kami habang nakataas ang kamay. One dance music before the other which I think I'm familiar with, it's I guess entitled "Leave Your Lover" by Sam Smith. God! I can feel the tears coming on strong like there's a thunderstorm inside my eyes. Dj! Why now? Feel ko tuloy para sakin talaga yung tugtog. Napakapit nalang ako bigla kay Dwight ng mahigpit, niyakap ko siya ng mahigpit para hindi niya makita yung mata ko which is my weakness right now. I've been fighting big-time tears! Isiniksik ko yung ulo ko sa dibdib niya dahil hanggang doon niya lang naman ako dahil nga sa matangkad siya. Hinawakan niya yung ulo ko, sinandal yung baba niya dito at nagsalita, "You don't have to fight for it, just let it flow or you'll explode," Then there I obeyed him and cried all my anger and regrets on his chest. I wouldn't let myself into others arm if it wasn't him, because when it's him I am with, I always feel safe. I hugged him even tighter and he does the same thing that made me feel more safe. His heat combined with mine. I hate myself from choosing Duke over him, I shouldn't have trusted the guy who already have made mistakes. His sweat shirt is now a little wet with my tears. "Dwight?", "hmm?" He answered without ruining the hug. "Am I ugly?", "oh you don't want me to answer that," he said so I guess maybe I'm not. He raised my face to look at him then he kisses my forehead. God! Dwight why are you doing these! You don't know how you lift my spirit when you kisses me there. Hindi ganto yung nararamdaman ko kapag si Duke ang gumagawa noon sakin, it feels more sincere with Dwight.

Kahit papano nakalimutan ko yung problema ko nung dumating si Dwight para magcomfort, sinamahan niya kong magpakawasted hanggang sa hindi ko na alam kung ano ginagawa ko.