The (not so) Sweet Serendipity

23.1

So I called them both, Kenneth and Valeen. It was Val who arrived first. I told her everything right away.

"Ano, masama pa rin pakiramdam mo?"

"Lumala nga ata eh."

"So let me get this straight. Si Louise dumating dito to tell you na engaged na sila. Si Richard naman the next day said nag break sila and he wants you back." Nag pause siya para mag isip. "Parang ang labo naman nun. Ano ba talaga?!"

"I don't know but. I saw the ring Val." Sakto dumating na si Kenneth. Kinabahan ako ng slight kasi kala ko si Richard yung dumating. "O, yan, tanong mo si Kenneth. Nakita niya rin eh."

"Ang alin?" Nalilito pa si Kenneth. I can't blame him, he just arrived.

So kinwento ko nanaman lahat from the start. When I finished, hindi nakapagpigil si Val. "Ang gago diba? Baka gusto niya lang malaman kung babalikan ba siya ni Maine or what?"

Tumungo si Kenneth, nag iisip. Ako naman tahimik lang pero sige pa rin si Valeen. "Ano yun, bago siya magpatali, gusto niya siguraduhin na wala na talaga? Bakit ngayon pa? Kailangan mag propose muna siya bago ka niya maisip?"

Napaisip tuloy ako, pano kung naging desperate lang talaga si Louise. "Guys, what if he's telling the truth? Hindi naman ganung tao si Richard eh."

"Bakit, close kayo? Kilalang kilala mo ba siya? Baka yung high school Richard, oo. Pero itong ngayon hindi. People change, Maine. Lalandiin kang konte, fall ka nanaman?" Wow, Val. Wala nanamang preno?

"I'm just saying, okay. Relax. Walang magkakabalikan. Matagal nang tapos ang topic na yan." I love Val and I understand she's just looking out for me, she saw what that relationship did to me. "Trust me. Hindi na rin ako yung high school Maine na gaga sakanya, sabi mo nga diba, people change."

Naconvince naman si Val at medyo nag lighten yung mood. "Okay. Mabuti yung malinaw."

Pero itong si Kenneth na dakilang maichard shipper talaga. "Pero sa totoo lang. Ako honestly, medyo off ako kay Louise eh. Nakita ko rin yung singsing at narinig ko yung sinabi niya, pero considering the circumstances, curious talaga ako kung pano at bakit nag propose nang biglaan si Richard. Lalo na nagmoment pa kayo nung may sakit ka."

"Anong moment?" Biglang singit ni Val. Shit, Kenneth. Tangina, minsan talaga.

Nagulat si Val at nafifeel ko na mga titig niya sakin. Hindi ako makatingin sakanya. "People change pala ah. At anong moment 'tong sinasabi ni Kenneth na nakalimutan mong ishare sakin?"

Syempre kinwento ko na, andun na lang rin naman thanks to Kenneth. So kinwento ko lahat ulit, wala nakong tinago kasi para san pa. Nung natapos na, tahimik lang si Val. Nagiisip siguro. Sana naman may pass ako kasi may sakit naman ako eh!

"Baka nag break nga sila tapos after nun narealise niya na si Louise talaga kaya nag propose siya after?" Tuloy tuloy lang si Val. Actually, naisip ko na rin 'to.

"Pero hindi eh, hindi ko pa rin talaga maisip kung paano at kailan siya nag propose.." May pinaglalaban talaga 'to si Kenneth eh.

"So, ano yun? Hindi ko naman maisip kung bakit pupunta dito si Louise. Feeling ko pumunta siya dito para ipamukha kay Maine na siya yung pinili at huwag na siyang umasa."

Sumasakit nanaman ulo ko. May point silang dalawa. Sa totoo lang. Hindi ko na alam. Bakit ba namin 'to pinoproblema. Labas naman kami sa relasyon ni Richard at Louise.

"You know what guys, it doesn't even matter. Listening to you two, I realised, there's no point in arguing. Kasi that's between them naman eh."

"Pero Maine, ikaw ang nalalagay sa alanganin eh. We just want to make sure na ---" Hindi natuloy ni Val sinasabi niya kasi biglang napamura si Kenneth sa phone niya. Nagulat kami pareho ni Val at tumingin lang sakanya waiting for his explanation.

He just showed us what he saw on his phone.

Ay puta, nag post si Louise ng picture showing off the ring on her finger. Yung caption pa niya, "What's bound to happen will always find its way". Aba teka, parang ginamit na namin yan dati ni Richard ah.

Natahimik lang ako.

Tapos ang usapan.

Hindi ko alam ano irereact. Syempre si Val meron, "Sabi na eh. Pucha naman talaga o. Ano guys, hindi pa rin totoo? May doubt pa kayo sa proposal na yan?"

Hindi ko namalayan na I was getting teary eyed. Not for anything but because I can't believe Richard would do that to me. I mean okay lang naman sakin yung proposal eh, I really am happy for them, pero everything he said earlier. All his lies. What were those for? Why would he come here and say all those things to me?

Naiiyak ako not because I'm having my hopes up again, no way, been there done that. Naiiyak ako sa inis. Bakit pa siya pumunta dito? Sobrang waste of time and energy, for what? Was he experimenting on me? Or was he really asking the what ifs? I felt used and stupid for trusting him. I never did lose my trust in him.

Valeen was right. Hindi ko na kilala si Richard. Nag space out ako. Hindi ko na naprocess pinag uusapan nila Val at Kenneth. Parang hindi pa rin makapaniwala si Kenneth pero kitang kita naman nang lahat. Public post pa.

Natigilan na lang kaming tatlo nang may kumatok. Pucha, huwag naman please.

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Thank you so much guys! 

I'm back. 

1K reads, gosh! Ang dami kong namiss. But first of all, here's the update I promised!