Photos And Canvases

24

9:09pm

'Arabella, I was so stupid. I was so stupid to even asked you to marry me,kahit na hindi pa ako ready--'

Arabella bits in her lip.

'So? Bilang hindi mo naman pala talaga ako gustong pakasalan? Bakit mo pa ako inaya?'

'Ewan! Pressure!! Everyone want's too. Everyone wants us to get married. Everyone's talking about it--' he stutters ashames of himself.

'You asked me to marry you dahil na-pressure ka? That's it!! Wow.' she breathes in annoyed. Unti-unting nawala ang calm at compose self ni Ali.

'Arabella--'

'Ghad Kaizer. Hahahaha. Parang mas gusto ko pang marinig na may iba ka or hindi mo na ako mahal. Pero yung hindi ka ready?? After all-' she bit in her lip.

'Arabella. Ready na ko!! I now know what I want. At ikaw yun! Ikaw lang.'

She peers at him half annoyed and half relieved at the same time.

'Kaizer,ganun lang kadali sayo yan?'

'No. What do you want me to do? Liligawan ulit kita if you want too. Anything you want!!' he pleadingly asked.

'Wala kang gagawin Kaizer!' she shook her head no.

'Arabella, I want you back. I'll do everything--'

'You don't need to do anything nga. Stop it! It's over Kaizer. Were over.'

'Please! Arabella-'

'Alam mo,all this time akala ko hindi ko kakayaning harapin ka ng ganito. Akala ko kahit kelan hinding-hindi ko na kakayaning tingnan ka ng ganito sa mga mata mo. Just few days ago I was crying over you. I was still hurting Kaizer. But you know what? I never want to go back to that Arabella before. I let her go. I let you go. I want to let you go.'

Unti-unti lumilinaw kay Ali ang lahat. Kaizer will always have a special spot in her heart. Nasasaktan pa rin sya kasi she dreamed of her future with him. Ang dami nilang pangarap. Ang daming nabura. Ang daming nasira. She still doesn't know what the future holds. Pero siting with him. She makes everything clear now with herself. She's okay. She doesn't want him back. She's happy with everything happenning in her life now. And it's not Kaizer whom she's seeing holding her for the rest of her life. It's not him na nakikita nyang bubuo ulit sakanya. It's Zach!

'Arabella,I love you--'

'I loved you too Kaizer.'

'Loved??'

'Kaizer, I wish you well. Thank you for everything!

He slams on his seat defeated as he watched him stand and walks out.

He wiped away the tears that he didn't even noticed he still has over crying too much.

***

Ali breathes out a deep sigh. She felt better. She felt free.

She smiles.

All this time ito lang pala kailangan ko. Closure!! Kailangan ko lang para syang marinig. Kailangan ko lang pala mailabas lahat. Now I'm feelin' better! I can now walk back to Zach without any hesitations.

'Arabella!!'

Kaizer grabbed Arabella from behind. His finger digging on her arm.

'Aray! Kaizer!!'

'Come with me!!' she pulled her to the road to his car.

'Noooo!! Bitiwan mo nga ako. Nasasaktan ako Kaizer.' nagpumiglas sya sa hawak nito.

Pero sa halip sa pakawalan sya. He held her tighter. Forcing her to his car.

'Kaizer!! Ano ba? Let go of me!!'

'Arabella,hindi pa ako tapos. I can still make you love me again.' his words full of pain and regrets.

'O my God Kaizer!! Stop this!!'

'Love me again please!??'

'No! I can't! Hindi ko na kaya.'

'Dahil sa bago mo? Dahil sakanya?' his grip tightens. His voice shaking.

'Shit! Let go of me. Nasasaktan ako. Nasasaktan mo ako Kaizer.' she shouts her lung out.

Natigilan si Kaizer at unti-unti syang bumitaw sa pagkaka-hawak kay Ali.

Ali steps back,making sure she has enough distance from him. He watched Kaizer as he kicks in his car frustrated. She never sees this side of Kaizer. Never pa sya nakita ni Ali na nagalit o nawalan ng kontrol.

'I'm sorry!! Im so sorry.' he whispers.

'Kaizer,I care for you. I don't want to see you like this. Pero I can't give you what you want.'

He lets out a deep sigh facing her.

'I know. I'm sorry. Sakay ka na. Ihahatid na kita.' he steps toward her but she steps back.

'I'm ok. Kaya ko na umuwi. Sige na,mauna ka na. Ingat ka.'

'Did I scare you?'

'Uh no! No Kaizer,nagulat lang ako.'

'I'm so sorry!'

'I'm ok Kaizer. I need to go,may naghihintay saken.'

And before he can response. She was on the street. Just wanting to go distant  from Kaizer. And run back to the one where her heart truly belongs. She was too preoccupied of idea's of Zach. She was hearing his voice though his not around.

She was not minding that she's stepping out of the street as the shriek of the motorcycle rushed in to her.

'ARABELLA!!!'