TULOY PA RIN

Chapter 20

JEREMY'S POV

Hindi ko alam kung kailan matatapos ang pagbubulabog sa akin ng alaala ko kay Kuya. I received his message sa gabing nabangga siya ng truck. Nagulat ako sa tinext niya so I called him but his out of reach and then hours later someone called me using his number saying na nasa hospital siya. Ginising ko sila Mommy and Daddy at agad naman kaming dumeretso sa MMH. Buti na lang gising pa ako ng mga oras na yon kundi hindi ko maaabutan si Kuya na buhay pa.

He's in a coma but 2 days later, namatay din siya nung nandon girlfriend niya, yung araw na nalaman ng girlfriend niya na na-coma si kuya. I want to blame her for everything. The reason why Kuya is dead but now, I want to blame myself also. Ngayong alam ko na na ang girlfriend ni Kuya ay ang greatest love ko, si Ace. He saw me crying because of her. Ngayon alam ko na why he sent me that message. Binibigay na niya sa akin si Ace ulit nung nalaman na niya na si Audrey ay si Ace. Ngayon, alam ko na why he asked me that question about Ace. Ngayon, alam ko na why he died. It is because of me.

I cannot blame Ace kase she's been with Kuya for almost four years as he said to me and ako? wala! All I did was to share him stories about me and Ace and how we ended and how desperate I am to find her. Gusto niya talagang mapasaya ako and what he did was a literal sacrifice. I don't know bakit ganon pa kung pwede namang dumaan sa maayos na usapan 'cause I know I am ready to let go of Ace.

But then, sa funeral, while I was having my quiet time under the tree. Remembering all the things I have done with Kuya, a young boy just hugged me. Napatingin ako and saw the young boy I saw in Rosewood Kiddie Academy. He called me Daddy which made me startled.

I heard his Mom's voice calling his name pero hindi ko naintindihan. Napaharap naman ako sa mother niya. I heard her again talking to her child and then after non, kinausap ako. She's not looking at me while she's talking but all I know is eto siguro ang girlfriend ni Kuya kase sabi niya may anak na, so I was ready to meet her naman despite my anger sa kanya kase Christian died. And in the middle of her talking, she finally looked at me. Napatingin naman ako sa kanya and nagulat ako. As in, nagulat ako. Si Ace ang kaharap ko. And that's where I knew na si Ace at Audrey ay iisa. Naging speechless ako in front of her. I want to hug her, I want to kiss her, I want to talk to her pero naparalyze ako. She was completely different. From nerd looking lady to a still-nerd looking but even more beautiful lady. My anger was gone nung nagkita na kami muli. My feelings for her came back na para bang si flash. Sobrang gumana loob ko nung nakita ko siya but then she walked away. I grabbed her hand and called her. She stopped for a while but then she let go of my hand and walked away.

Hindi ko na siya hinabol kase I know this is not the right time for us to talk about everything. Alam kong apektado pa siya kay Kuya at ayaw na niyang madagdagan ang sakit kapag kinausap ko pa siya and then her son waved at me, saying Goodbye to me plus the Daddy word. I still don't get it. Bakit Daddy ang Tawag niya sa akin? Kamukha ko ba si Christian? Ano bang meron? May hindi ba ako alam?

I called my bodyguard to follow Ace wherever she's going kase kung ako yung aalis, mahahalata niya, so I stayed under the tree where she last saw me and let my bodyguard do the stalking. After ilang minuto, I went home and waited for his call. Agad naman din siyang tumawag. "Boss.. pumunta po siya sa isang bakery, bakery po yata nila 'to." sabi naman niya.

Oh, naalala kong nagbabake nga pala si Ace and now, alam ko na kung saan. "Sige, sundan mo lang. If she went inside a bar, tell me right away. Thank you." I ended the call.

Nakaupo lang ako sa kama ko while thinking about what to do next. Hindi ako mapakali sa gagawin ko. Nakita ko na si Ace ulit and my heart is palpitating, big time!

"Je, yang maleta mo, ayusin mo na! Ilang linggo na yang nakatambak!" sigaw sigaw naman sa akin ni Mama, akala mo naman galit. Nageemote lang din naman pala kay Kuya pero syempre, sinunod ko naman utos niya. Inayos ko na gamit ko and then in the middle of my pag-aayos, may nahulog na letter. Letter from Liza.