He Never Knew (COMPLETED)

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

After a few days, naisipan na naman ng girl friends kong maggala. This time, si Kristine na ang nagyaya sa amin. Pumayag naman kami, as long as 'di na niya kami bibilhan ng kung anu-ano dahil hindi na kakayanin ng konsensya namin. Pumayag naman siya, and after a few hours, sumisipsip na kami ng Iced Americano sa Starbucks. KKB naman this time.

Habang dumadaldal si Clea tungkol sa paborito niyang K-Pop group called Monsta X (na wala naman talaga akong pake), saka ko napansin 'yung aura ni Kristine. Tumatawa naman siya at nakikipagbiruan sa amin, pero kahit ganu'n, nakita ko 'yung lungkot at pagod sa expressions niya. Para ring may gusto siyang sabihin pero hindi niya alam kung paano.

Kaya pinatigil ko si Clea sa pananalita at sabay naming pinagmasdan si Kristine. 'Yung mga mata niya katulad na ng kay Kyle, pagod, namamaga. "Okay ka lang?" Nag-aalala kong tanong sa kaniya.

Inangat niya ang ulo niya at saka bumuhos lahat ng emosyon niya. Natataranta siya, at nagmamadali, parang may hinahabol. "Kuya, he... he's in a tough situation right now and I don't know how I can help! I keep asking him, but he just smiles at me and tells me he's got everything in control. But I know he doesn't, it's infuriating!" Nanginginig na ang mga kamay niya, at pakiramdam ko, iiyak na siya maya-maya.

"Anong meron sa kuya mo, Kristine?" I asked, frowning. Bumuntong hininga muna siya bago sumagot.

"Czarina's company is going bankrupt. And they're dragging ours down with them."

"Ha? Pwede 'yun? E, hindi naman kayo pumayag na makipagpartner sa kanila 'di ba?" Asked Clea.

Kristine rubbed the heel of her hand against her right eye and silently replied, "They're spreading rumors. That's all I know. Kuya just won't let me in on their problems. They treat me as a child!" And with the tears streaming down her face, I understand why they do.

"Shh, I'm sure magiging okay rin ang lahat," bulong ni Clea habang hinihimas-himas niya sa likod si Kristine.

Kristine shook her head hysterically. "No. Everything's only going to be okay if Kuya agrees to marry her." Nang marinig kong sabihin niya 'yun, nawalan ako ng pake sa mga nakatitig sa mesa namin, sa mga nagtataka kung anong ginawa namin kay Kristine para umiyak siya ng ganiyan. Nawalan ako ng pake sa mga taong aksidenteng nasasagi 'yung upuan ko kapag dumadaan sila. Nawalan ako ng pake sa ingay na naririnig ko mula sa iba't ibang mesa.

Only one thought was running on my mind: hindi pwede. Hindi pwedeng magpakasal si Kyle kay Czarina. Hindi dahil nagpapaka-selfish at possessive ako, kundi dahil ayokong tumanda siya sa piling ng isang taong hindi naman talaga niya mahal. The Gonzales siblings made that very clear, didn't they? Hindi niya mahal si Czarina.

"Kung magpanggap kaya si Clea na girlfriend ni Kyle? Baka lubayan na kayo ng pamilya ni Czarina nu'n," out of the blue kong suggestion na naging sanhi para panlakihan ako ng butas ng ilong ni Clea.

"Sira ka ba? Bakit ako, ba't di ikaw?! Tsaka, nakita mo naman anong kayang gawin ni Czarina, du'n pa lang sa ospital, wala na siyang respeto sa'yo at sa pamilya mo, ako pa kaya? Baka 'di lang ako sabunutan nu'n," she stated, which earned a nod from Kristine.

"Clea's right. We need something stronger than that."

"Stronger? E kung iblackmail niyo kaya sila? Or, spread rumors about them too!" I was getting excited with every possible solution I could think of to help them.

"And what? Have Czarina's family to counterattack? Beh, pwede ring gamitin ng pamilya nila 'yung pambablackmail and rumors against the Gonzales. To make them look like the bad guys."

Tumango ulit si Kristine. "Which is why we've been quiet for the past few weeks. Silence is our only weapon as of now."

I started biting my nails. "Wala na bang ibang paraan?"

Kristine shook her head and stood up with her Americano in one hand. "I have to go. Take care of yourselves, and thank you. So much."

Pagka-alis niya, nagtitigan na lang kami ni Clea. I thought she was going to say something ridiculous again, pero nagulat ako nang seryoso siyang nagsalita, "Ella, stop. Team Kyle ako, pero let's face it. Ibang-iba 'yung mundo mo sa mundo niya. I just can't see the possibility na magiging kayo someday. So just let it go, please."

I recoiled. "Clea, this isn't about my personal issues. I'm not trying to help para magkaroon kami ng pag-asa ni Kyle. I'm trying to help because I don't want him to live in misery for the rest of his life."

"Sigurado ka bang 'yun lang 'yun? I see it in your eyes, beh. Umaasa ka pa rin."

I shook my head in annoyance. "Please, Clea, I already have Gian."

"Are you saying that to convince me, or to convince yourself? Meron ka na ngang Gian, pero tuwing gabi, sinong kausap mo? Siya ba? Tuwing kausap mo 'ko, sinong topic natin? Siya ba? This is called cheating, Ella," she was shooting daggers at me when she said these words.

Natameme ako. "Cheating? No, no, how can you say that? Wala akong hinahawakang kamay maliban sa kaniya. Wala akong niyayakap na lalaki maliban sa kaniya."

"Pero iba 'yang nasa loob ng puso't isip mo. Isn't that the same thing as cheating?"

——

Pagka-uwi ko sa bahay, chineck ko muna ang kalagayan ng parents ko, and seeing them peacefully sleeping brought a smile to my face. Nahiga na lang muna ako sa kwarto ko. Clea's words kept ringing in my mind. It was true, tuwing gabi ay si Kyle ang kausap ko sa telepono, hindi si Gian. Tuwing nag-uusap kami ni Clea, ang topic namin ay tungkol sa Monsta X niya, at kay Kyle. Hindi tungkol kay Gian. Was this really cheating?

But then again, my mind went back to what Kristine has shared with us. Kyle and I have been talking on the phone a lot of times the past few days, at ni isang beses ay wala siyang binanggit tungkol sa mga problema niya. I didn't know na habang nagbibiruan kami ay may seryosong bagay palang bumabagabag sa dibdib niya.

I suddenly feel useless. Sobrang busy na pala niya, pero anong ginagawa ko? Kinakausap siya in the middle of the night na dapat oras na ng pagtulog at pagpapahinga niya. I should've asked. Palagi niya akong tinatanong kung ayos lang ba ako, o kung may problema ba. Sagot lang ako nang sagot, without bothering to ask him back.

So this time, I decided to be the one to ask. I snatched my phone from my bag and dialed Kyle's number. After a few rings, sinagot na niya ang tawag ko. "Hello?"

But it wasn't his voice. It was Czarina's.