Man in the Rain

Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Imposible.

Ito ang tanging salitang umuulit-ulit sa isip ko habang ang mga mata ako ay nakatutok pa rin sa mga litratong hawak ko. My hand was trembling but I could bring myself to let go and throw the pictures on the bin.

No. Hindi talaga pwede. Sobrang naguguluhan lang ako sa mga nangyayari kaya kung ano-ano na ang naiisip ko.

Napaka-imposible talaga.

Si Celine? Si Laura? They could never do this to me. No. They wouldn't betray me. Not five years ago and not today. I know. They were my friends. Hindi isa sa kanila ang naglabas ng video na iyon at hindi din isa sa kanila ang may pakana ng mga litratong ito.

Pero kung hindi sila, sino? Nagsinungaling ba si Luke kaninang tinanong ko siya kung pinasusundan ba niya ako. But if Luke lied and he really had me followed, by now, dapat ay alam na rin niya ang tungkol sa sa anak namin. He should've confronted me but he didn't. 

He was telling the truth. Hindi siya ang may gawa ng mga ito.

The taxi  slowed down as we were nearing the entrance of the exclusive village where Luke house is located. Hindi ako sigurado kung bakit sa halip na sa terminal ng bus ay dito ang sinabi kong lugar kaninang tinanong ako ng taxi driver kung saan niya ako ihahatid.

Maybe because I wanted to find the truth. Not from Luke. I already bid my goodbye to him. We were done. Ang gusto kong makausap ay si Celine at si Laura. I just couldn't shake off the awful thought that my friends were the ones who are bwhind the video and and the pictures no matter how hard I try.

I just want to hear it from them, na sabihin nilang hindi sila ang may gawa. That way, I could move forward with my life without being bothered by the thought that my friends might have betrayed me.

"M-manong, teka lang po," saad ko sa taxi driver nang mapansin ko ang isang puting kotse na papalabas the village. The car's window was no heavily tinted. Naaninag ko kung sino ang nagmamaneho and it was none other the Celine. "Iliko niyo po. Sundan po natin yang kulay puti na kotse na 'yan."

****

After almost half an hour, Celine parked her car on the side of the road, in front of a well-know coffee shop.

Nang makita ko na lumabas siya mula sa kotse niya at nagtuloy sa loob ng coffeeshop ay nagmadali akong magbayad sa taxi driver at lumabas din para sundan siya.

She was on her way toward the counter when I finally got to her.

"Celine," tawag ko sa kanya.

She whirled around. Shocked immediately registered on her face the moment her gaze landed to me. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

"B-b-blaire!" She stammered. Para bang hirap na hirap niyang sabihin ang pangalan ko. "W-what are you d-doing here?"

"I want to talk to you. May mag gusto mga gusto akong itanong at malaman."

I saw her swallowed. T-tungkol saan?"

Hindi ko siya sinagot. Sa halip ay inikot ko ang tingin ko para maghanap ng bakanteng lamesa. When I saw one in the far corner of the restaurant, I turned my eyes back to her and said, "Can we sit down, first?"

"O-of course! Of course we need to seat down. How about  you find us a table while I make some orders?" She asked but didn't wait for my answer. She turned her back on me and headed toward the counter.

****

Wala pang sampung minuto ang lumipas ay inilapag ni Celine sa lamesa ang dalawang tasa ng kape at dalawang slice ng cheese cake. I couldn't help but notice that her hands were shaking.