My Perfect Stranger

-The One Who Have Got Away-

Hindi ko pa man na-aabsorb ang lahat ng mga nalaman ko na-windang na naman ako sa sinabi niya. Let go. Hindi pa man din siya nag-uumpisa, sumusuko na siya kaagad. Hindi ko talaga maintindihan ang takbo ng utak ni Ethan.

"Hindi pala. Matagal na pala kitang pinakawalan, Anna. Matagal na akong sumuko sa'yo. I had let go of my chance simula pa noong niligawan ka ni Bricks. I thought I don't deserve you then up until now I still think of that kaya nga ayokong makilala mo ako eh." His voice interrupted my thoughts. I saw him smiled bitterly again.

Naguluhan ako sa sinabi niya. "Kung yan talaga ang gusto mong mangyari bakit sabi mo sa huling regalo mo gusto mong makilala kita?"

He paused for a while and it seems that he's pondering deeply what to say. "Alam mo ba kung bakit Psychology ang kinuhang course ni kuya?" he glances at me again. I don't know what he is trying to convey with his question so I waited for the answer.

It took him another short while to speak. "It's because of me. Hindi man niya sabihin alam kong dahil sa akin yun. H-he wanted to help me or maybe they wanted to help me and hell I don't need it. I don't need anything from them." Hindi ko alam kung bakit yan ang sinagot niya sa tanong ko. I didn't react or respond. I just let him release his anger again.

"Noong bumalik ako dito alam ko na ang lahat. Naintindihan ko na kaya iniwasan ko sila. Ayoko na silang makasama ni ayoko silang makita. I wanted to forget their existence. I loathed them down to my core and I wanted them to feel the same with me. Gusto ko yun din ang maramdaman nila para naman ma-justify kung bakit nila ako binigay. Yun lang kasi ang naiisip kong rason nila eh. Yun yung gusto kong isipin at yun ang kaya kong tanggapin. That's the only sane reason for me why would any parents give away their own child pero tangina lang alam kong hindi ganun eh. Hindi nila ako tinantanan. They wanted me to accept them after what they did to me. Did they really think that it was all damn easy!? Ganun lang yun?? Ipamimigay nila ako tapos gusto nilang bumalik sa buhay ko. Nakakagago di ba!?" I cringed with his tone and his emotions.

"Si kuya Aidan lang yung medyo kinakausap ko noon. Isang tanong isang sagot, pag gusto ko lang sumagot pero pag tinopak ako hindi ako nagsasalita. Hindi ko alam kung bakit sa lahat siya lang yung kaya kong makita. Maybe because someone is connecting us both. Someone is neutralizing the hate I feel towards him." He looked at me and I know he is referring to me. I don't know if it's a good news or bad news for me.

"Ikaw kasi yung ginagawa niyang way para kausapin ko siya. Ikaw yung lagi niyang topic. He knows a lot about you kasi kaibigan niya si kuya Keith. He's doing everything for me para mapalapit siya sa akin. Until once upon a time, he fell in love with you and it sucks. Hindi ko kasing makuhang magalit sa kanya. Dapat lang na magalit ako sa kanya di ba? Pero hindi ko kayang magalit eh. It is because I know deep inside how much he tried to get rid of what he's feeling towards you. I saw him tried so hard. I know how much he restrained himself. He could have been selfish before because he got the advantage but he didn't even try. He sacrificed a lot for me. Alam mo bang nung nalaman niyang nililigawan ka ni Bricks akala ko susuntukin niya ako. Galit na galit siya sa akin. That moment, I realized how much he loves you and how much he cares for me. Buti nga hindi niya pa alam yung incident sa jeep noon kasi baka natuluyan na yung suntok niya." He smirked at the thought.

That led me to my next question. "Paano niya nalaman na ikaw yung lalaki sa jeep?" Kasi kami ni Gonzales it took us this far just to figure out who it was. Actually, not figure out kasi hindi naman namin naisip talaga yun.

He shrugged his shoulder. "He just figured it out alone. He sew up all the stories you told him and he just did what he do best. Observe."

Halos malalag ang panga ko sa sinabi niya. Ganun lang yun? Paano yun?? Wow ah! "Buti pa si Aidan nalaman niyang ikaw yun samantalang si Gonzales naturingang kaibigan mo hindi ka nakilala." We both chuckled. Dapat naman talagang nakilala niya si Ethan noon. Bakit kaya hindi niya nakilala si Ethan??