Among The Stars

Chapter 31

Chapter 31
Approved

"What happened to Kate?" tanong ko kay Mel na ngayo'y nakatitig lang kay Kate.

I saw Kate silently crying while holding a glass of whiskey at nakatingin lang sa kawalan.

"Spacing out and drinking..." napakawalang kwentang sagot sa akin ni Mel. "She just asked me out to chill at ito na siya ngayon... umiinom."

Napailing nalang ako sa binibigay na sagot sa akin ni Mel at saka pinausod siya sa kabila upang makatabi ko si Kate.

"Kate.." I called her attention.

"I failed again." simpleng sabi niya nang hindi ako binibigyan ng tingin.

"What do you mean?" naguguluhan kong tanong. "Ano bang nangyari sa'yo?"

She smiled and a tear fell from her eyes. "I failed again." ulit niya. "My heart failed again."

Hindi ko alam kung sino ang tinutukoy niya. Kung kanino siya nagkamaling magmahal ulit. Is it from the same person o doon sa bago?

"I rejected Drake." she stated.

"You rejected Drake?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Mel. "I thought you're sort of falling for him tapos ngayon ni-reject mo pala siya."

"He cheated." sunod niyang sabi.

"He what?!" tumaas na ang boses ni Mel.

"Mel, please..." pakiusap ko. "Can you please keep your mouth shut even just for a minute para makapagsalita si Kate?"

Napabuntong hininga naman siya. "Okay... proceed."

Muli kong ibinaling ang tingin ko kay Kate at ngayo'y patuloy na't sunod-sunod ang pagtulo ng kaniyang luha.

"He cheated while he's courting me." mas malinaw niyang sabi. "I don't know if that's called cheating dahil hindi naman kami but it felt like that. I felt cheated and betrayed. It's like I'm believing a lie all along. Lahat ng pinakita niya sa akin, kasinungalingan lang."

"What exactly happened?" I asked her.

"Remember when I told you two that he's not replying to my text nor answering my calls?... I went to his yesterday because I can't take his ignorance anymore. I don't want to feel being ignored again. I want to know if he still wants to pursue me or not dahil... dahil umaasa din ako. I'm in the midst of falling for him... pero sa unti-unti kong pagkahulog, bumagsak na ako agad at lumagapak." she said, crying softly. "I saw him half-naked when he opened the door of his unit. He thought I was a housekeeper who's going to clean his flat. But the half-naked part didn't bother me. What bothered me was that a girl flashed behind him and hugged his back. Diring-diri ako nang makita kong hinahalikan ng babae sa mismong harapan ko ang balikat niya. I just can't take that scene."

Sa kwento palang ni Kate ay nasasaktan na ako para sa kaniya at napupuno na ng galit ang utak ko tungkol kay Drake. Para bang gusto ko siyang ipahanap kay Martin at iharap siya sa akin para masapak ko siya sa ginawa niya sa kaibigan ko.

Paahon palang si Kate mula sa maling pagkakahulog kay Martin noon tapos ay ilalaglag niya lang ulit at sasaktan nang ganoon? Parang gusto ko siyang patayin.

"I didn't speak. I just stared at him and his girl. Then I smiled and left quietly..." sabi niya't ngumiti rin.

"You smiled? Gaga! Sabog ka ba?" Mel gritted her teeth in frustration. "Kung ako yun baka mapatay ko siya o putulan ng ari niya sa mismong harap ng babae."