Bulag, Pipi at Bingi

Bulag, Pipi at Bingi (The Ending)

I couldn’t believe my very eyes. Nakaupo siya sa sofa ko! In flesh and blood. At malayong-malayo sa panaginip ko. Malayo sa pag-iimagine ko. Pumikit ako. Malalim na nag-inhale. Hinilot-hilot niya yung sintido niya. Halatang stressed.

Then he opened his chinky eyes! Napalunok ako. He saw me staring at him. Whatever. Napakunot-noo ako at inabot sa kanya yung umuusok na kape.

He smiled at me. Napahawak ako sa dibdib ko. Be still, my heart.

I rolled my eyes ceilingward. Bakit kasi kailangang maging ganito ang reaction ko sa kanya? “Kapag okay ka na Sir. Pwede ka ng umuwi.”

“Umuulan pa.”

Pinanlakihan ko siya ng mata sabay silip sa bintana. Oo nga, umuulan? Nakakainis. I couldn’t breathe while he was here. It was like he was invading my private space. Tumalikod ako. Siguro… siguro kung pipikit ako at imumulat ko yung mga mata ko makikita kong nandun pa rin ako sa hospital room. Habang siya? Commatose pa rin.

Pero pagmulat ko nandun pa rin siya. He raised one brow at me.

So, he did kiss me earlier huh?

“Sir I don’t wanna be rude to you. Pero please, gabi na. Lasing ka. At kaibigan ko ang girlfriend mo.”

And. You. Kissed. Me.

Gusto kong isigaw yun. Pero ayokong mag-assume. Baka lang kako, lasing lang talaga siya.

He moved a step toward me. He didn’t speak a word. Napalunok ako at napaatras. Another step. At ang lakas ng tibok ng puso ko. “Mika and I broke up.”

Feeling ko tumigil yung mundo.

Everything stopped entirely on its own. And literally I couldn’t breathe.

Daefff.

My eyes watered. “S-So?” my voice croaked.

His chinky eyes turned into slits. At ang mga kamay niya nilagay niya sa magkabilang pader sa ulo ko. I felt my back hit the wall. Ito yung mga napapanood ko sa mga movies. The guy cornering the woman. Soooo… cliché.

His hand reached out and cupped my cheek. Tapos bumaba iyon…

Sa kamay ko.

Itinaas niya yung kamay ko. He kissed the palm of my hand. And electricity burned me! My whole body screamed with something akin to want. To… to… Ay, hindi ko alam. We never broke eye contact. Ayoko kasing maniwala. Ayoko din namang maputol yung moment.

This may never happen again, you know.

Niyakap niya ako. “Siguro hindi ka maniniwala.” Naramdaman kong may inihawak siya sa kamay ko. Napatingin ako doon, our hands were intertwined. Nanlaki yung mga mata ko, yung rosary ko. Nasa gitna niyon.

My eyes watered anew.

“May hinahanap ako nung nagising ako. It was empty here.” He touched his heart. “Mika… I love Mika.”

I flinched. Pero itinaas niya yung mukha ko. He cupped both my cheeks.

 “But before the accident? We… were on the verge of breaking up. It was like we were trying to stay because it was the best thing to do. Because we thought love would grow back.”

“Pero ikaw Mitch, I heard you speak to me everyday. You… Hindi ako magaling sa ganito. Basta ang alam ko lang, I literally woke up looking for you. Finding you. Searching for you. At kapag hindi kita nakikita?”

Nananaginip siguro ako. Kasi yung mga naririnig ko? Parang hindi totoo. Too good to be true.

“Kapag hindi kita nakikita mababaliw ata ako.”

I started crying then. He cupped my face and snuggled it onto his neck. Naramdaman kong niyakap niya ako ng mahigpit. I felt his body shook. I never thought a guy would cry for me. “Mika and I… we’re trying… to be friends just like before. But it will take some time.” Bulong niya.

Ang tagal kong hindi nagsalita. Kaya ba sila naaksidente noon? Because they were breaking up? Was it possible for him to fall in love with me when he was sleep?

“Tulog lang ako Mitch. Pero kung ano yung nararamdaman ko dito.” Tinuro niya yung tapat ng puso niya. “Totoo to. Kung dati hindi ako sigurado ngayon… ngayon… Will you give me a chance Mitch?”

Yung mga chinito niyang mata nagsusumamo. Gusto kong kurutin yung sarili ko.

“Ayoko na kasing masaktan.”

“Ayoko na rin naman kitang saktan.”

Nang matagal akong hindi nagsalita nakita ko yung worry sa mga mata niya. And panic. “Please Mitch. I’ll court you. I’ll… do whatever it takes to…”

Hindi ako naniniwala sa long courtship. Pero naniniwala ako sa fairy tale. At kay God. Niyakap ko siya. “Liligawan mo ako?” Mahina kong bulong.

He chuckled and started kissing the sides of my jaws. Tumango ito. “Hindi ako mangangakong hindi ka masasaktan Mitch. Pero kasi… mahal kita.”

And when you love, you give them power to hurt you. Pain is inevitable. But love? It’s the sweetest gift of all. Wala namang nakakasiguro sa future diba? Lahat tayo takot mag-risk kaya hanggang daydream na lang tayo. Hindi ko naman sinabing manligaw tayo. Hindi ko rin naman sinabing hindi totoo si Prince Charming. Minsan si God lang naman talaga ang nakakaalam kung ibibigay niya talaga si The One. But all I’m certain is that, life is too short to waste time pondering on the what-ifs. Ayokong magsisi isang araw at hindi ko binigyan ng chance ang sarili ko. I’ll never know if he’ll still be in love with me for the next five years or so. Pero sa ngayon? Gusto kong maniwala. Gusto kong maniwalang kaya siya ginising ni God, para bigyan ng second chance. Kasi… ayokong tumandang dalaga.

And as the saying goes, everything happens for a reason.

He bent his head and kissed me. On my nose.

And happy endings are real.

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Kisses guys!