The Psycho's Daughter (TagLish Novel)

Chapter 34

"University Prime Beauty's top 1... Jan Meryl Danes. I can't believe this." Karen sighed. Katabi niya lang si Zayne na abala sa paggawa ng kanyang assignment gamit ang kanyang laptop. "And look bes, Meryl and Vince are even featured as the hottest couple. Wala ba'ng magawa 'yung mga taong 'to at masyado nilang binibigyang pansin ang mga bagay na wala namang katuturan?"

"Karen, it's an organization. Of course it's their job to write what others want to read." Sagot ni Zayne at halatang walang ganang makipagkwentuhan.

"Ayun lang?"

"Anong ayun lang? Do I need to explain further?"

Ibinaba ni Zayne ang table na hawak at tinitigan ang kaibigan. Why hasn't she observed that her friend seems to be changing a lot. Gumagamit na din ito ng salamin instead of contact lenses. "Wala ka man lang bang comment about Meryl and Vince?"

Alam ni Karen na hindi pa tuluyang nakakapag-move on si Zayne kay Vince, at dahil sa tumigil na ito sa pag-iyak at pag-rant sa kanya ay mas nababahala tuloy ito tungkol sa kalagayan ng kaibigan. What if deep inside, may suicidal thoughts na pala siya?

"I don't care, anymore, Karen. I told my Dad."

"You told your Dad?!" Napatayo si Karen sa gulat. Pareho nilang alam na masyadong strikto ang kanilang mga magulang kaya nga tuwing may lovelife, todo tago sila. Except for Karen na mas pinipiling i-friendzone na lang ang mga manliligaw sa takot na mapatay siya ng kanyang tatay.

But to think na sinabi pala ni Zayne ang tungkol kay Vince, it was one heck of a courage. O baka ito ang dahilan kung bakit tumigil na siya sa paghahabol kay Vince at mas nag-focus na lang sa pag-aaral.

"I was about to jump from my window, but then he saw me."

"W-what?! Bakit hindi ko man lang alam... ZAYNE SERIOUSLY, YOU ATTEMPTED TO SUICIDE?!" 

Buti na lang at nasa open area sila ng cafeteria, at kakatapos lang ng lunch kaya walang masyadong tao. Kung may mga nakarinig man, panandalian lang napatingin at bumalik na sa kani-kanilang business.

"Ano ba Karen, 'wag ka naman sumigaw. Kanina ka pa ha." Iritable nitong sagot. 

"Well, it's just that..." umupo ulit si Karen. "Hindi ko alam na grabeng emotional breakdown na pala ang nangyari sa'yo. I thought we're best friends, you could've told me, you know."

"Eto na nga, 'di ba. Magkukwento na. Syempre nu'ng mga oras na 'yun gulong-gulo pa utak ko." 

"Alam mo, mukha man akong anghel, but I seriously can kill a person. I can kill that Vince for doing this to you."

Napatawa at napailing na lang si Zayne. "Pakukuwentuhin mo ba 'ko, o hindi?"

"Okay, sorry, will listen na."

"So, when Vince broke up with me, we still meet in secret. Sorry siya ng sorry sa'kin. I know his conscience bothers him a lot, and he misses me. Hanggang dun lang, he said he misses me, but can't admit that he loves me. At eto naman akong si tanga, kept telling him to come back to me and that I love him still...

Paulit-ulit ko din siyang tinatanong kung anong nakita niya kay Meryl? Bakit bigla na lang niya 'kong iniwan." Bago pa tumulo ang luhang namumuo sa mata ni Zayne, gamit ang kanyang panyo ay pinunasan niya agad ang kanyang mata.

"Wala siyang maisagot. For one whole week, or more, we still meet privately. Until one day, sinabi niya na itigil na namin 'to. Na kailangan siya ni Meryl. Sinubukan ko pa ring ipaglaban 'yung feelings ko, 'yung kami. I told him that I also need him, but he told me, she needs him more."

"Sinabi din ba niyang love na niya 'yung bruhang 'yun?" 

"Wala siyang sinabi. That's one thing I love Vince anyway. He won't tell what he really feels directly. You see it through his eyes. I could sense his pain leaving me, but I can't do anything to stop him. Nu'ng gabing 'yun, I thought I lost myself. My Dad might have seen me crying. Maybe I looked like someone who lost every bit of hope inside her. Well, I did lose hope kaya naisipan kong gawin 'yun."

"Hindi nagalit si tito?"

"No, he hugged me. Console me. Nagalit na lang siya nung kumalma na 'ko, but not in a way that will hurt me more. Pinagsabihan niya lang ako, he gave advices about love. Hindi ko sinabi 'yung lalaking nanakit sa'kin dahil baka sumugod pa siya kay Vince. We just made a promise that this time, it's books over boys till I graduated from college."

"I'm so happy for you bes." Halos paiyak na sabi ni Karen. "Siguro naman ngayon, you learned your lesson na ha. Tama na muna sa boys. Pero sana binanggit mo na si Vince para ma-sampolan ng Daddy mo."

Napangiti si Zayne. "Baliw ka talaga. Gusto ko na nga manahimik e."

"Kaya pala blooming ka, kinareer mo na pala talaga ang pagm-move on."

"Tss, isn't that every girl's greatest revenge? Ang mas magpaganda pa?" 

"Indeed! Ay wait, magre-refill lang ako ng water." Sagot ni Karen. Patayo na sana ito nang pigilan siya ni Zayne.

"Ako na, mag-oorder pa kasi ako ng waffles." Kinuha nito ang kanyang purse at saka tumayo.

"Pasabay na lang din pala ako, sour cream-flavored fries." Nakangiting sabi ni Karen at nag-abot ng pera. "Ang takaw natin, bes."

"Ikaw lang, 'no. Coffee pa lang inoorder ko." 

Speaking of university prime beauty's hottest couple, pag dating ni Zayne sa counter, hindi niya inaasahang makakasabay si Vince at Meryl na nag-oorder din. 

Nagkatinginan si Zayne at Vince. Vince's lips parted, as if may gusto itong sabihin ngunit pinigilan na lamang ang sarili. Zayne knew he'd choose not to say whatever it is inside his mind, and now she's choosing not to invade. 

"Sir, ready na po ang order niyo. Sa kabilang side na lang po." Pag-ulit ng cashier. 

Hinawakan ni Meryl sa braso si Vince upang makuha ang kanyang atensyon. "Vince, let's go?" 

Sinundan pa din ng tingin ni Zayne ang dalawa. Meryl does not call him babe, like she used to. Like they used to call each other. 

"Waffles and fries please. Ah, sour cream 'yung fries." Pagkatapos banggitin ni Zayne ang kanyang order ay muli niyang hinanap ang table ng dalawa. 

Vince sits opposite to Meryl, facing the counter. Kaya nang mapatingin si Zayne ay agad niyang napansin na nakatingin na pala ang lalaki sa kanya. 

So, he's already looking at me just before I caught him, huh?

Sabay namang nag-iwas ng tingin ang dalawa. But from time to time, Vince takes glimpses of her ex-girlfriend. 

"Vince?" 

"H-huh?"

Ngumiti si Meryl nang muling makuha ang atensyon ng binata. Kanina pa siya nagsasalita, ngunit tila hindi naman siya pinapakinggan ni Vince, o sa dyang na-distract lang talaga ito nang makitang muli si Zayne.

"S-sorry Meryl... what were you saying?"

"Ang sabi ko, I've read a book," pagtuloy nito kahit na tungkol sa pagkain naman ang sinasabi niya kanina.

"Uh, what book?" Vince isn't interested to fictional books as much as Japs is. 

"You may never stop loving your first love, but you can always love another as much as you love the first. Nakalimutan ko 'yung title e, pero 'yung line lang na 'yun ang pinaka-natatandaan ko."

"Meryl..." Umayos ng upo si Vince. Pakiramdam niya ay nahalata siya nitong paulit-ulit na nagnanakaw ng tingin kay Zayne. "I didn't mean to offend you with Zayne, I just... You know I love you, right?"

Tumango ang babae. "And I know you can't leave me." 

Because somehow, now, you think you're responsible for my death.