The Real Love Story

TRLS 15

[Scarlette's POV]

"You are not going with us, palangga." Napatigil ako sa pag-iimpake nung marinig kong nagsalita ang Lola ko. She followed me. Hindi ko man lang namalayan.

I look at her, "Why not? This isn't my home, Lola." Sagot ko at umiling naman siya pagkatapos ay lumapit sa akin at hinawakan ang dalawa kong pisngi. She smiled. 

"You need to realized that home is not a place but a feeling, amore." Mahinahon niyang sambit ngunit hindi ko iyon maintindihan. 

"I don't get it. Right, let's say it's a feeling, Lola. But can't you see? Wala dito yung pakiramdam na iyon. This place brings nothing but bittersweet memories and I can't deal with them, Lola--"

"Can't is different from don't, Scarlette Marie. And you don't want to deal with those memories. You can, but you don't want to. Do you get me?" Pagsusumamo niya habang hawak-hawak pa rin ang mukha ko. Umiling ako at marahang tinaggal ang mga kamay niya sa akin.

"Bakit ba hinahayaan mo ako dito? Ayaw niyo na ba ni Lolo sa akin? Masyado ba akong pasaway noong mga nakaraang buwan kaya ibinalik niyo ako dito? Lola, promise, hindi na ako gigimik, wala ng brew, wala ng night out. Just please, please, take me back. Ayoko dito, Lola..." Pagmamaka-awa ko sa kanya at nangilid naman ang mga luha ko nung makita kong umiiyak na rin siya.

Here I am again. Begging for someone to never leave me, to never get tired of me and to take me back over and over again...

"Hey, hush, palangga. Hush." She whispered as she gently wipe my tears away. Her touch was nostalgic. I've always longed for that touch ever since I was separated from home. 

"God knows how much I want to take you home right now, Scarlette Marie because I know you're hurting. But you need to understand that there are things that you need to face alone. And as much as I want to be with you, I can't. " Umiling-iling pa rin ako at napabuntong hininga siya. 

"Your mom, you dad, your sister and even Spencer, you need to hear them out." Pagpapatuloy niya. Napangisi ako at umiling.

"N-No. Ayoko. Kung ayaw niyo akong dalhin pabalik ng Davao then I suggest you to leave now, Lola. Tutal ay malapit na rin naman akong magpa-expand ng coffee shop ko then I will buy my own house. Thank you for flying all the way here, by the way." Yun lang ang sinabi ko at sinarado ang maleta ko. 

My decision is final. If they won't take me back to Davao with them, then I will stay at Shannon's or Sabrina or any of my cousin's. I can even live in my coffee shop's office, as long as hindi dito, as long as wala akong makikita ni isa sa kanila. 

"Are you going to run away? Again? Come on, Scarlette Marie. You're better than this. Binalik ka namin dito because you need closure. Kailangan mo silang patawarin dahil hindi ka magiging masaya kapag andyan pa din ang galit sa puso mo." Napahinto ako nung humagulgol siya ng iyak. 

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko at dali dali siyang nilapitan.

Ngumiti siya. "Noong bigla kang dumating sa mansyon noong 15 years old ka, you're strong. Hindi ka umiyak sa harapan namin, you just asked us kung pwede bang doon ka nalang sa bahay tumira. I can't say no to you, Scarlette Marie. At isa pa, it's my way of saying sorry for what my son did to your family. I saw you grow into a beautiful princess, broken but still beautiful." 

Pagku-kwento niya at kita ko kung paanong kuminang ang mga mata niya. The look she'll always gave me every time she talks about their love story of Lolo. 

And then her face went gloomy and I know why, "But when I saw how unhappy you are when you graduated college, with all the flying colors, with all the people congratulating you, and with our presence, it will never be enough. Because I realized that no matter how beautiful your soul is, we can't deny the fact that you're still broken. And you needed repair. That's why you're here, you need to heal, my love."