What Comes After

II

She looked back just to see whose voice was that. Oh, damn shit.

She thank God she was sitting kaya't hindi nila nakikitang nanghihina ang tuhod nito.

"I see. May kausap ka palang chic." Ani ng isa pa nilang kasama. She wanted to slap herself for not looking away from that guy. No. He was not just a guy, Thalia. It was your ex. Klaus Damien Montenegro.

"Fuck you dude. You've been hunting chics for years." ani Klaus as if he could not recognize the 'chic' that he was referring to.

"K-Klaus" Mahinang tawag ni Thalia. But it was enough para marinig ni Mikael na nakatuon pa rin ang atensyon sa kanya.

"Uh-oh. Si Klaus ang type niya, Kael. Give it up." Ani ng isa sa mga kaibigan ni Mikael.

"Hey, I'm Greg." Pakilala nito. She just smiled at him.

"Kilala talaga si Klaus ng halos lahat ng babae dito sa El Nido. Iilang taon palang siyang nakatira dito but he is really damn famous with girls." It's not just Klaus was famous. It just happened that he was Thalia's ex boyfriend.

Tinapunan lang siya ng tingin ni Klaus as if he did not know her. O baka hindi nga talaga. She could read from his eyes na mukhang hindi nga talaga siya kilala nito.

"I'm Thalia" Ani nito sa lalaking nasa harap na niya ngayon. She was facing him. Malaki ang kasalanan niya kay Klaus but she could not believe na hindi ito maalala ni Klaus.

"Nice to meet you, miss. Sorry but we gotta go." Mikael waved her a goodbye and was telling her that they would see each other some time.

Hindi na siya muling nilingon ni Klaus. How did it happ- Oh no. No.

Nagmamadali itong bumalik sa kanyang hotel room. She did not know how it happened na nakarating siya sa kanyang kwarto gayong nanginginig pa rin ang kanyang mga tuhod.

She never heard anything from him simula noong umalis siya ng Pilipinas. Kung may kung anong nangyari man dito ay hindi niya iyon nabalitaan. None of them tried to mention his name to her.

Flashback

Thalia was new to her school kaya't wala itong masyadong kasundo. She was pretty sure that she would have friends before the day ends. Knowing that her family name's Alleva. Everybody wants to befriend an Alleva.

Bawat paglipas ng mga araw ay nadadagdagan at nadadagdagan ang kanyang mga kaibigan. She was happy to have a lot of friends. She believed that they will all last pero unti unti rin silang nawala. She was a spoiled brat who wanted anything.

Iniiwasan siya ng lahat dahil sa "magaspang" na ugali nito. She lost them but she earned someone who made her believe that she was still worth it despite of her "magaspang" na ugali.

He was Klaus Damien Montenegro. Everyone hated her even more noong kumalat na naging magkaibigan silang dalawa.

"And you... Why are you still here?" Takang tanong nito kay Klaus. She'd done terrible things pero nasa tabi pa rin niya si Klaus.

"I believe that there's goodness inside you, Lia. You don't show it but it's still there." She did not think that he was right. People told her that she would die as bitch as she was. Nabuhay siyang bitchesa, mamamatay siyang bitchesa.

She trusted him hanggang sa naging dependent na ito kay Klaus. Lumipas ang ilang mga taon at hindi ito umalis sa tabi niya.

She knew that she loved him ngunit natatakot itong umamin sa binata because he could leave her anytime. Natatakot siyang matalo.