Hello From The Other Side

Kabanata 2

Impossible

"Piper..."

Napatigil ako sa paghagulhol nang may narinig akong tumawag sa pangalan ko. Nilingon ko ito at mas napaluha nang makitang si Riguel ito. Kakababa lang niya mula sa tricycle. Who could have thought na pupunta rin si Riguel sa bahay ng mga Altamirano para hanapin si Lilienne?

"W-wala silang lahat dito, R-riguel. Hindi ko na alam ang–" hindi ko na napigil ang aking sarili at naiyak nanaman.

Nang kinabig ako ni Riguel upang yakapin ay mas lalo lamang na bumuhos ang aking mga luha.

He left me! We were fine days ago! How come he didn't tell me?! Ngayon pa siya aalis kung kelan– dammit!

I should have known! What we did on their plantation was his farewell to me! How come I didn't noticed?! Is it because of his sweet talking that swayed me and my beliefs? How he promised me forever and now I am all alone?

Mas hinigpitan ko nalang ang yakap ko kay Riguel. I needed all the support that I can get.

"Tahan na, Piper. Magtanong nalang tayo sa loob." At giniya niya ako papasok sa loob ng mansiyon ng mga Altamirano.

Naabutan namin si Nana Sela na nagwawalis sa may sala. Natigilan siya nang makita akong akay ni Riguel.

"Piper, hija! Riguel!" Aniya at mabilis kaming dinaluhan.

Inilibot ko ang tingin sa tirahan ng mga Altamirano. Kung tutuusin ay tila may mga nakatira pa rin dito. Ayon sa kwento ng isa sa mga tauhan nila sa plantation ay halos mga damit lamang ang dala ng pamilya bago lumuwas ng bansa.

Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na kayang-kaya itong gawin sa akin ni Yeshua. All along I thought he was a man of principles, that's why I agreed. But then, he left. So much for hoping that he was different. Just like any other guy, he has no balls. Duwag. How I despise him.

But then again, can you love someone and hate him at the same time? Because that is what I am feeling right now.

Napatigil ako sa pagmumuni-muni nang may inilapag na juice sa harap ko. Nginitian ako ni Nana Sela na para bang alam niya ang pinagdadaanan ko. Talaga bang wala siyang alam? O ayaw niya lang magsalita? Why so?

"Uuwi na 'ko." Ani ko. "Wala naman akong mapapala dito. Iniwan na ako nang taong akala kong mahal ako. Pwede ba, Nana Sela? Sa oras na tumawag o bumalik si Yeshua, pakisabi na kanya na lang 'yang pagmamahal na sinasabi niya. Hindi ko kailangan ng isang taong sinungaling. I hope he rot in hell." Then I walked out.

"Piper!" Sigaw ni Nana Sela.

Tears are clouding my eyes and I can barely see. But still, I managed to get out of their house. Hinding hindi na 'ko babalik ulit dito, Yeshua. At sisiguraduhin kong wala ka nang babalikan pa.

"Piper, are you listening?"

I snapped back to reality as Riguel appeared in front of me.

"Ha?" I asked, still disoriented.

He sighed. "I said I needed the proofread version of the files that our client, Mr. Mercadejas, sent. I need it in my office now."

"Oh, okay. I will just send it to your email, Riguel. Give me a minute." I smiled sweetly to him.

"Alright, then." He politely nodded then excused himself out.

Now that's a man of principles. I never thought that after all these years that passed, 8 years to be exact, that I will look at Riguel in a romantic way. He is too ideal and very kind. Add humble, too. My ideal man...

8 years ago, the Altamiranos left without a trace. Without a reason at all. Riguel and I were the most affected for we are romantically involved with the twins. Kaming dalawa ang nakakaalam kung anong sakit ang nararamdaman ng bawat isa. We have this mutual understanding and that, I am proud of.

During the last 8 years, I graduated high school. Though it was 2 years late, I still managed to. I took Accountancy in ACC and graduated with flying honors. I took a year break after college because of personal reasons.

And here I am today, working at Riguel's self established firm based in Manila. He was the one who offered a respectable position in his firm and I gladly accepted it. Maybe he hired me because he wanted us to be close again and continue what we started years ago.

If someone will ask me if I already moved on from Yeshua, I will gladly say yes. I moved on from the fact the he left and left me hanging. But if you ask me kung nakalimutan ko na siya, the answer will be different. How can I forget someone who gave me so much to remember? And by that.....

"Hi anak." I smiled sweetly at the reason why  forgetting him will be impossible.