Darted Hearts

51

Pain shoot my heart as I watch him cry in front of me.

Napatayo ako.

"Frau." Paanas na wika ko.

Fate played with us so well. Kung paano ako napunta dito is beyond me.

Napaatras ako nang bigla siyang tumayo.

"Fuck. I can't take it anymore." He muttered under his breath and on a swift move, he stood in front of me.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang bigla niya akong niyakap.

I felt his hot breath on my neck and my heart raced like a mad ape when I felt something on my shoulder. He's crying! Fuck, my Frau's crying!

"I'm sorry, Scarlet. I'm sorry for not finding you soon enough. I'm sorry if I'm a bit too late. I'm sorry for letting you embrace those pain alone. I'm sorr--"

"Sshh. It's alright, Frau." I said as I embraced him back.

Really, Riya? Are you really alright?

"No. Fuck, no. It's not alright at hinding-hindi ko mapapatawad ang sarili ko kung hanggang ngayon ay 'di pa kita nakita."

Kumalas ako sa yakap niya.

"How come that you can't find me when I was only in Mexico the whole damn time?" Inis na tanong ko.

Pinahid niya ang luha sa pisngi niya bago tiningnan sa mata.

"I've been receiving a lot of news that you were in different places. I went to Australia when I received a picture of you being there, I went to India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and all those shitty places where your photos were taken!"

Sa inis ay binatukan ko siya. Bwiset!

"What was that for!?"

"Tanga ka kasi! Who's in their right mind would believe na every month akong palipat lipat ng tinitirhan? Ano ako? Wanted?"

"I hired a private investigator. He kept on giving me those kind of news. All along, alam ko namang may mali talaga, e. Pero isinintabi ko iyon dahil sa pagbabasakaling nandoon ka talaga."

My heart twisted as I hear him say that.

"I was desperate alright! Kahit gaano pa kaliit ang posibilidad na iyon papatulan ko makita ka lang ulit!"

"Oh, e ba't galit ka? Kasalanan ko ba iyon, ha?"

"Hindi ako galit, naiinis lang ako sa Papa mo!"

"Oh, e ba-- teka, are you saying that's this is all my Papa's doing?"

Ito pala ang tinutukoy ni Mamay? That my Papa used his influence to cover everything up just for Frau not to know anything on my whereabouts?

Kailangan pa ba niya talagang umabot sa ganyang punto?

"Paano mo nalamang nandito lang ako?" Tanong ko sa kanya.

Kahit alam ko na ang sagot ay gusto ko pa rin marinig na sa kanya galing mismo.

"Your painting." He simply said.

I knew it. Mamay was right, my masterpiece will be our bridge.

"So my Father was not able to block that news to reach you, huh? Looks like Lhui did a good job." Ngisi ko.

It's funny to think na ganito ang pakikitungo namin ngayon sa isa't-isa. Parang hindi dumanas ng sakit ng ilang taon.

All the pain I've been though all this years, they now all seems surreal, now that I have Frau in front of me.