Unfinished Yesterday

Revisiting the Past

(Paula's P.O.V.)

"What is this Vince?" Galit na galit na sabi ko.

Tiningnan ko kung nasaan ako . Napasinghap ako nang makita ko ang pamilyar na lugar.

The color of the curtains, the bedsheet, the arrangements of the furniture and everything inside the VIP room of the resort is just like 7 years ago.

Pinaupo ako ni Vince sa kama. He dragged me all the way here pagkatapos naming magdinner.

"I am tired avoiding the topic of our past Pao. I really want to be part of your future but you won't believe me because of our undisclosed past. Kahit ano pa ang gawin ko para maipakita ko sa iyo na mahal kita,you'll never take it seriously, won't you?" Parang napapagod na sabi niya.

Two words - 'mahal kita', at dumoble ang tibok ng puso ko. Ang tagal kong hinintay yun.

"Mahal mo na ako? Kasi may anak na tayo? You've always wanted to do the right thing. To marry me will be the right thing to do now para kay Pauline at sa political career mo." Pambibintang ko sa kanya.

He drags a wooden chair and sat there facing me. "Ganun ba kababa ang tingin mo sa akin? Na magagawa kitang gamitin para sa anak natin at sa career ko?" Nasasaktang sabi niya.

I looked at him with accusing eyes "Mahigit dalawang linggo pa lang ako bumalik Vince pero mahal mo na ako agad-agad. Dati, limang taon kitang minahal at hinabol habol pero di mo ako makuhang mahalin. " Sabi ko.

He looks at me desperately. " Yeah you started telling me you liked me  when you were 13. It was Valentines Day right? Hinintay mo pa ako mula sa school para ibigay ang binili mong cake na may nakalagay na I love You. I was speechless. I didn't knew how a 20-year-old should react  on that situation. So I just walked​ away and left you. " Pagbabalik-tanaw niya.

"And hindi lang yun ang ginawa mo, the next day, ipinakilala mo si Jasmine bilang girlfriend mo sa dinner kung saan nandoon ako. It was my first heartache. You avoided me after that." Mapait kong dugtong.

Parang kahapon lang nangyari ang lahat. I remembered how I cried so hard in Divine's room.

"I watched you grew up Pao. Halos araw-araw nasa bahay ka dahil kay Divine. Kung tutuusin pwede na nga kitang ituring na kapatid pero hindi ko nagawa. I always distant myself from you for some reason that I didn't knew.When your parents died, I was there watching you mourning by not eating, sleeping and talking. Pwede naman kitang hayaan lang pero hindi ko nagawa. I remember telling you that your mom and dad were probably not happy leaving you like that. That everything happens for a reason at iba pang word of encouragement na alam kong narinig mo na rin sa iba. You hugged me and you cried on my shoulder. That was my most terrifying moment because I felt that abnormal heartbeat. I asked myself then 'I couldn't possibly had a crush on a 10 year old girl?'. Mas ginalingan ko pa ang pag-iwas sa iyo pagkatapos nun."

"That was the first time na una mo akong kinausap ng matagal kaya siguro nagulat ako. Yun yata ang hudyat para lahat ng emosyon ko ay nagbukas. You made me cried so hard that night and you never stop making me cry until then." Naiiyak kong sabi.

"Ilang beses kong sinabi sa iyo na tigilan mo na ako kasi may girlfriend na ako at mahal ko si Jasmine. Pero hindi ka tumigil. You always found way to show me that you loved me. Kahit noong naging Mayor na ako na halos hindi na tayo nagkikita pero lagi kang bumibisita sa munisipyo. Nagdadala ng pagkain, flowers, stuff toys and cards. You always provoked Jas and made her jealous para mag-away kami pero napagpasensyahan ka niya but not me. Ipinapakain ko sa iba ang pagkain, ibinigay ko sa sekretarya ko ang bulaklak,ipinamigay ko sa mga bata ang stuff toys at itinatapon ko sa basurahan ang cards mo. Ang alam ko lang na dahilan kaya mo ginagawa yun dahil isa akong malaking challenge. Ang daming lalaki na nagkakandarapa sa iyo pero hindi mo sila pinapansin kasi they were easy to get unlike me." He said while looking at me with an apologetic eyes.