CHAPTER 12
LEXI POV
Speaking of the devil, nandito nga si Kris. Relax Lex, just observe. See if there’s still a chance for these two. Malay mo diba, you were right all along. Tama. My intuition has never let me down before. Feeling ko talaga si Kris and Joyce ang para sa isa't isa eh. Sige, i'll just observe things for now.
Derrick: Hi Lex.
Lexi: What’s he doing here?!
Derrick: Chill! He asked for my help. Gusto niya talaga kausapin si Joyce. He’s really sorry for what he did. Tapos sabi niya…wait…bakit ba ako ang nage-explain? Kris, ikaw nga dito!
Kris approached me warily.
Kris: Hi Lexi. Look, I just really want to talk to her.
Lexi: Why? Di mo ba alam na nasaktan si Joyce sa ginawa mo?
Kris: I know. That’s why I’m here. I want to say sorry and explain things.
Hmmm, mukha naman siyang apologetic. He really looked sorry for what he did. Pero kailangan pahirapan muna itong lalaking to.
Lexi: Joyce is not ready to talk to you.
Kris: Ha? Sorry ha pero can I at least hear that from her? Mas mabuti siguro kung siya ang magsasabi sa akin niyan.
Lexi: Suit yourself. Hintayin mo siya kung gusto mo.
KRIS POV
Nagulat ako when it was Lexi who returned to the counter. Somehow I’m not surprised with what she told me. Expected ko naman yun eh. At alam ko din na mahihirapan ako bumawi kay Joyce. Where did she go? Di bale, sabi ko I’ll wait for her and that’s what exactly I’ll do.
It’s been two hours. Hindi pa din lumalabas si Joyce sa stockroom. Where is she?
Kris: Pare, tignan mo naman kung free na siya please? Baka pwede ko na makausap.
Derrick: Paano ko naman gagawin yun? Off limits nga yung stockroom eh.
Kris: Tanungin mo na lang si Lexi, please? Sige na naman?
Derrick: Haay! Kung di lang talaga kita kaibigan. Sandali.
Lumapit si Rick kay Lexi. I saw Lexi look at me then she went inside the stockroom. Paglabas niya, she went straight to me.
Lexi: Kris, looks like you waited for nothing. Wala na si Joyce sa stockroom. Nag-early out na daw.
Kris: Ha?! Where did she go? Sige na Lexi, tulungan mo naman ako.
Lexi: Alam mo Kris, she’s not ready to talk to you. Don’t force on her what you want. Hindi naman ganun ka-simple yun na porke gusto mo, magkakaayos na kayo agad agad. Isipin mo din kung ano ang nararamdaman niya. If you want my advice, give her time.
I didn't say anything back. Tama naman si Lexi. Hindi ko pwede madaliin ang pagso--sorry ko.
Derrick: Don’t worry Lex, kausapin ko na lang itong kaibigan ko. Una na kami. Text na lang kita. Tara Kris.
On the way home,
Kris: Rick, what did I do? Ang stupid ko kasi eh!
Derrick: Ok lang yan. Don’t give up. Magkakaayos din kayo. Now, I’ll ask you again. What do you plan to do with your feelings for Joyce? Pipigilan mo pa din ba?
Kris: Hindi na pare. I’m definitelly not on the rebound. Totoo ang nararamdaman ko kay Joyce. Mas devastated pa nga ako ngayon sa nangyayari sa amin compared nung break-up namin ni Anne. Mas nahihirapan ako ngayon. This time I’m sure of my feelings for her. Sana bigyan niya ulit ako ng chance and I’ll prove to her that she deserves to be loved.
It felt good to finally realize where things stand. Alam ko na kung ano ang totoong nararamdaman ko kay Joyce. Everything is now falling into place.
