Just Because You Are

Chapter 19 (Part 2) - #Unselfie

You have to let go when you feel you're hurting too much.
You have to give up when love is not enough.
You have to move on when things aren't like before.
Because there's someone out there who'll love you even more.
- Silver Quotes

“You know what? I can’t believe you’re both acting as if you’re fighting over a toy!” Raffie exclaimed as she stood up and got her bag. “Kung ano man yang issue nyong dalawa please lang pag-usapan nyo nang mahinahon. Grow up and please give me a favor…spare me from hearing awful words. I’ve had enough of those this week. I think it would be better if kayo na lang ang mag-dinner together. Excuse me, I’ll just go ahead.”

Then she left the two men and closed the door behind her. She walked out of the school building and drove off immediately. She went straight to the Ramirez’ house and there she saw Louie and Harvey holding hands while talking intimately in the veranda.

As the couple saw her, they stood up and met her at the gate. “Tamang-tama, Chum…dito na tayo mag-dinner. Nagdala si Harvey ng food, tapos si Marmee nag-prepare ng kinilaw na tanggigue. Diba favorite mo rin yun?” Louie said.

Raffie smiled apologetically. “Sorry ha, I didn’t mean to intrude...”

Louie pinched Raffie’s side. “Ang OA mo, ha. Kelan ka ba naging intruder?” she said, laughing.

“Perfect timing talaga na andito ka, Raffie,” Harvey said as he placed his arms around Louie.

“Hoy, ano ba?” Louie giggled as she tried to free herself from Harvey’s enclosed arms.

“Bakit? Di pa ba natin sasabihin, kitang-kita namang kilig na kilig ka?” Harvey asked with a smile that reached from ear to ear.

“Alam nyo guys, hindi nyo na dapat sabihin – ang obvious lang ng mga ngiti nyo, o…congrats! I’m so happy for you! Basta, maid of honor ako, ha…”

Both Louie and Harvey laughed with gusto. “Grabe, wala pa ngang nagaganap na proposal, eh…malayo pa yun,” Louie said.

“Eh pano kung bukas mag-propose na ako sa’yo?” Harvey asked Louie in a playful manner.

“Pwede ba, umayos ka dyan, huh. Ang harot mo!” Louie shot back good-humoredly.

Raffie just looked at them as they kept on teasing each other. ‘Ang cute nila…ang sarap panoorin…masarap talaga yung feeling pag in-love…’ she thought wistfully.

“Dinner’s ready!” Chona announced from the living room window.

They all entered the house and proceeded to the dining room for the dinner. Raffie learned that Harvey already talked to Louie’s parents about his intentions.

Now that she knew Louie was already in good hands Raffie felt quite relieved. At 25, Harvey proved to be mature and responsible enough. Most of all, his bubbly personality suited her best friend’s outgoing characteristic.

Talking about personalities, she remembered what happened after their meeting in Forte. She never thought she’d witness Robert and Quino’s stubbornness and hostility towards each other. It seemed they were both full of pride, and it was somehow a turn-off for her.

So what were they quarrelling about?

She didn’t want to be presumptuous; on the other hand, she wasn’t naïve, too. ‘I need to keep distance from both of them…pero pano ko gagawin yun ngayong magkakasama kami sa paghahanda para sa recital?’

*************************

“So you really want to take this battle seriously, huh? All right, do your thing. Tingnan natin kung sinong susuko sa huli!” Robert ranted as he got inside his car.

That was all he could do, rant out by himself. He wanted to say those very words to Quino, but he controlled himself.

After Raffie left, he and Quino actually stopped arguing. They were both embarrassed with the way they acted in front of Raffie.

It was indeed an immature manner, and it was so upsetting that they became very insensitive towards Raffie. She was right. She didn’t deserve to be caught in the middle of such crossfire.

But Quino’s pride was too much to handle. He wouldn’t give way. In fact, he merely stared at him and left him inside the conference room without saying anything.

He was still as stubborn and as egotistic as he had been twelve years ago.

Robert wanted to go after him and utter those very words just to make him understand how offended he had been. But he knew it was useless to keep on chattering. What he needed to do was to focus on proving himself to Raffie…he must prove to her that he is the one worthy of her love.

Not Quino. Not even her boyfriend.

With that in mind, he immediately got his phone to call Raffie so he could apologize to her at once. As he was about to contact her, his phone rang. It was his brother.

“Kuya, nasaan ka ngayon? Can you tune in to Hope Radio later pag shift ko? May big announcement ako maya-maya…I’m just on my way to the station,” Harvey immediately told him as soon as Robert answered the phone call.

“Why? Anong meron?”

“Basta…you’ll know.”

“Pero Harvey…”

“Kuya, ano nanaman ba kase problema mo? Ipakita mo namang masaya ka para sa’kin, o….”

“Of course, I am.”

“But you sound as if you’re not okay…is it about Raffie again?”

“Yeah, well…Quino and I argued a while ago. I asked Raffie to go with me for dinner, tapos itong si Quino nag-insist na sasama. Natural nainsulto ako. Nagkasagutan kami.”

“Sa harap ni Raffie?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“Grabe naman kayo! Di nyo man lang naisip irespeto yung tao. Nung Lunes nagsuntukan kayo. Ngayon sagutan naman. For goodness’ sake, Kuya, itigil nyo na yan! Lalo nyo lang pinapahirapan yung kalooban ni Raffie dahil ni isa sa inyo ayaw mag-give way. Alam mo bang kanina nagpunta sya dun kina Louie, dun nag-dinner with us? And for your information, katatapos lang ma-heartbreak nung tao…intindihin nyo naman!”

Robert was surprised upon hearing that news from Harvey. He didn’t know about the break-up and although he felt bad for Raffie, he just couldn’t help but feel relieved. Still, he was speechless.

“Kilala kita, Kuya…you’re not selfish. So just give way, please…”

‘Now that the British guy is out of the way, si Quino na lang ang problema ko. Sya na lang,’ he thought, not paying attention to Harvey’s advice.

“Kuya? Hello? Andyan ka pa ba?”

“Yes, Harvey…yes…salamat sa mga sinabi mo…”

“Kuya, matagal na kayong magkaibigan ni Kuya Quino…please huwag mong sayangin yun.”

“Harvey, minsan mahirap yung ikaw lagi ang nagbibigay. May mga bagay na dapat ipinaglalaban mo rin.”

“Pero Kuya…”

“Don’t worry about me…I know what I’m doing.”

“Sana nga, Kuya. Sana nga…”