My T.O.T.G.A. (The One That Got Away)

Chapter 7

The time between meeting, and finally leaving is sometimes called falling in love.

- Lisa Loeb

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So, that's the new guy.

Turan ni Wade sa sarili habang nakatingin sa nag-uusap na sina Veron at Andrei.

Balot na balot siya ng selos habang pinagmamasdan ang dalawa lalo na ng hawakan ni Veron ang kamay nito.

I'll get you back, I promise.

Hindi siya ang klase ng taong madaling sumuko sa kompetisyon. Lalong lalo na kapag puso ang pinag-uusapan. Mahal na mahal niya si Veronica at hindi siya titigil hanggang mahalin din siya nitong muli.

Gaya nga ng sinabi ni Sun Tzu sa aklat na Art of War, "Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster".

'Fine. Let's see whom she will choose in the end.' ani Wade sa sarili.

Napatingin siya sa hawak na organizer.

Hindi namalayan ni Veronica na nalaglag ito kaninang magkausap sila. Binuklat niya ang enclosure nito.

Alam niyang may pagka- obsessive compulsive si Veron at ayaw nito ng nale-late sa schedule. Kaya madalas itong nagpi- print ng maliit na class schedule slip na karaniwang iniipit niya sa photo pouch ng kaniyang wallet or in this case, naka-dikit sa unang pahina ng kaniyang organizer.

Slave of the clock nga ang tukso niya dito noon. Sa dami kasi ng ginagawa nito, hindi niya na alam kung paano pa nito napagkakasya ang buong maghapon to accomplish everything.

Gayunpaman, ni minsan ay hindi ito nawalan ng oras para sa kaniya . Kaya naman lalong nahulog ang loob niya because of her commitment to their relationship despite of her own struggles in life.

He felt so guilty for letting her go without an explanation. Sabagay, she was too mad at him to even listen to what he had to say. He couldn't blame her at all.

Ang hindi lang siya sigurado, ay kung naging sapat ba ang apat na taon upang hanapin nila ang kanilang mga sarili habang magkalayo or was it too late to catch up with one another already.

He greatly fears for the latter.

He did not actually have a choice but to move to Davao City back then. His grandfather was dying and they have but so much to do. His mom was in a whole lot of pressure. Needing to leave her job and all, mag-take over sa negosyo ng kaniyang lolo at mag-renew ng mga business permits and create a full makeshift ng buong plantation upang isalba ito sa pagkalugi.

She almost did not even have time to mourn for the death of her own father.

Bukod doon ay may isa pang malalim na dahilan kung bakit nito gustong magpakalayo.

Nakipaghiwalay na ang Daddy niya dito at sumama na sa kerida nito. Napagod na lang siguro ang Mommy niyang panghawakan ang pride at pinirmahan na ang annulment papers na matagal nang pinapipirmahan ng Daddy niya rito.

His mother was broken and was in too much depression. She needed to heal. She needed something to escape with. Something that could bring back her wit and self preservation. She needed some push to become the Sandra Oliveros that she used to be--- fierce and confident.

Kaya naman kahit nalulungkot silang magkapatid, pinili nilang damayan at kanilang Mommy at tuluyan nang iwan ang dati nilang tahanan upang makapagsimulang muli.

Well, for Wade, that meant leaving the varsity team, leaving his close friends, and the hardest of all, leaving Veronica behind.

Hindi naging madali noong una. Inaamin niya na sinubukan niya rin sanang kalimutan si Veron gayong napakalayo na nila sa isa't isa. Pero sa dami nang pinagdaanan nilang dalawa, malungkot man o masaya, hindi niya talaga magawang tumingin sa iba. Si Veronica lang ang nag-iisang babaeng mamahalin ng puso niya, iyon ang isang bagay na sigurado siya.