Burning ROSES (ON-GOING)

Simula

Simula

*FLASHBACK*

Lois' POV

"Ito na ba yung pinalit mo sakin? Ito ba, ha? Sean? A desperate slut who only knows how to bitch around so she can steal everything from me?! Sana'y sinabi mo na ganyan kababang klase pala ng babae ang tipo mo!" Puno ng hinanakit at poot ang tono ni Elliana. I can't blame her. I admit it's my fault. It's our fault.



I fell inlove with her boyfriend, Sean. Despite of that, I accepted the fact that we cannot be together. He's definitely taken and I respect his relationship with her. And I'll never play the role of being the side chic. Who would ever dream of that, anyway?



But unfortunately, I did. Mistress, side chic, second option...name it. Yes, naging kabit ako. Kumabit ako. And I have no regrets. Sean's choosing me. He loves me. And I'm holding on his love. I trust him.


"Lahat na lang ba, Lois? Ever since inagaw mo na lahat! I can't believe this. Pati ba naman ang boyfriend ko? Wala ka manlang bang ititira? Walang-wala na ako, Lois. This is all because of you!" Napapikit ako nang isigaw niya ang huling pangungusap.

"Elli, you stop it," Si Sean. Andito kami sa isang abandoned room ng Tourism Department. Kanina pa tapos ang enrollment at nakauwi na rin karamihan ng mga estudyante. Except for us. The three of us were stucked in this room to face the real problem. Ever since we were child, magkaaway na kami ni Elliana or "Elli" but I never called her by that name.




Though, hindi ko naman siya inaaway. It's just that, there's an invisible barrier between the two of us. A competition started to rise between us. Our families were good friends. Kami lang talaga ang hindi. She always think that I'm stealing everything from her. Honors... awards... medals... titles... championship... Akala niya inaagaw ko lahat. But no. I'm just doing my best. I want to be a good daughter for my parents. I don't want to disappoint them. And I'm preparing myself for the future. As the next successor of our company, I must prepare for being the CEO after two years. Or not... I want to start from scratch. I want to learn everything about the company. From the smallest details... I want to learn it. Kung kailangan kong magsimula sa pagtatrabaho sa construction site, gagawin ko. My parents always say that before you achieve the real success, you need to work hard for it. And I will do that. I want to maintain and preserve the league that my family gave to construction industry. I want the business to be more successful. I want to show to everyone that I can also be successful without a single penny from my family. I will work hard for everything.


That's the only reason why I'm doing all of these. Wala akong inaagaw. Hindi ko sinasadya na ganon ang maging kalabasan 'non sa kanya.

But this one....

Hindi ko 'to sinasadya. Falling inlove with her boyfriend is the least priority for me. Pero nangyari na. Sana ay mapatawad niya pa ako.











Hindi naging maganda ang takbo ng usapan. We left the place with a heavy heart. I feel bad for her. Worth it ba talaga ang lahat ng ito? I just hope it's really worth it.

*END OF FLASHBACK*



A tear immediately rolled down the moment they saw me. Hindi ako makapaniwala. I never thought I will feel the same way with the girl I once hurted before... I'm begging.. This is just a dream... a bad dream... please...


Hirap man ngunit pinilit ko pa ring ihakbang ang mga paa kong tila sementado na ata sa sahig. Same place, same time but different feeling. And worse? This is the same situation one year ago. Pero iba na ngayon. Ako na ang nasasaktan. Ako na ngayon ang kawawa..








"I-ito ba yung dahilan kung ba't mo ako pinapunta dito? Dahil ba dito, Sean? This is unbelievable!" Nagpupuyos ako sa galit. This damn tears aren't helpful at all. Useless.


Hindi ko na alam pero sa tingin ko'y sobrang talim ng tingin na iginagawad ko sa kanilang dalawa. I've never been this angry before. I never thought I will feel this.


So ito pala 'yon. The feeling of betrayal. The feeling of being cheated. Ganito pala 'yon kasakit. Sobra-sobra. Lahat ng nararamdaman ko ngayon ay sobra pa sa inakala kong nararamdaman ni Elliana noon. And I want this to stop, right now. I don't think I can take this pain. This too much pain.

I kept my eye on the girl beside him.

"At ikaw naman..."




"Bitch! You're a whore! A slut! Relationship wrecker! Boyfriend stealer! Filthy snake! Dirty leech! Desparate, pathetic witch! Aahhh!" Naibato ko ang monoblock chair sa tabi ko dahil sa sobrang frustration. Ang huling salita na aking sinigaw ay umalingawngaw sa bawat sulok ng abandonadong silid. Wala na akong pakialam!








"Lois, you stop it," saglit akong natigilan sa sinabi ni Sean. Maya-maya lang ay ang tawa ko na ang naririnig sa buong silid. Malakas na tawa. Tawa na puno ng pait. Hindi ko na kaya...





"Same words one year ago. But different name. Yan lang ba ang kaya mong sabihin lagi, Sean? 'Elli, you stop it,'?! 'Lois, you stop it,'?! Let me guess what's next," binalingan ko ang higad sa tabi niya. I gave her a head to foot look. Namimilog ang mata niya sa sinabi ko. Hindi rin nakatakas sa paningin ko ang mabilisan niyang paglunok. Putlang putla na ang maputi niyang mukha. I smirked.





"Kim, you stop it," another laugh bursted from my lips. Lalo siyang namutla sa mga sinabi ko. Binalik ko ang tingin kay Sean. Tiim baga niya akong tinignan pabalik. Wala pang sampung segundo ay hindi na siya makatingin pang muli. Weak. Guilty.







"Ilan na ba kaming pinaglaban mo gamit ang mga salitang iyan? At pagkatapos, ano? Samin mo din yan sasabihin kapag may iba ka nang ipinagtatanggol?!" Tuluyan na siyang hindi makatingin sa akin. Pinagtuonan ko na lamang ng pansin yung higad. I look at her with fierce while she look at me like a little phony. Tss. Oo, bukod sa kulang siya sa height ay mukha pa siyang kabayo. I smiled sweetly.




"Kimberly, dear, wag makampante masyado, ha? Malay mo, may kasunod na agad. Kaya dapat, magready ka na ngayon. Kasi hindi mo alam, yang boyfriend mo..." saglit kong tinignan si Sean at binalik ulit ang tingin kay Kimberly. "May bago na palang ipaglalaban mula sayo. Kung pakiramdam mo prinsesa ka na dahil ipinaglaban ka niya ngayon, hindi. Dahil baka sa mga susunod na araw ikaw na ang kawawa. Ikaw na ang kalaban. Dahil may bago nang prinsesa sa kwento na siya mismo ang gumawa at ang bida,"






Matapos kong sabihin iyon ay lumabas na ako sa silid na iyon. Curse that abandoned room. Curse this tourism building. Curse all of them. I will make sure that this will never happen again. I swear...