Maybe Love

VIII

CHAPTER EIGHT:

THE REVELATION

***

YO'S
POINT OF VIEW

HINDI ako makagalaw habang nakikinig kay Pring. Pha, on the other hand, kept on pacing back and forth na parang hindi mapakali.

   "We met through a common friend. Kuya siya ng isa sa mga close friends ko sa school. We went to their house for our group project. No, it was not love at first sight. In fact, I used to hate his guts. Bad boys were never my type, alam n'yo 'yan. Kaya dini-deadma ko lang siya everytime nasa bahay nila ako. I told myself na I'm just here to do my thing as a responsible student. I don't have to deal with him kasi hindi naman kami magkaklase. Until one night, nagkita kami sa isang bar."

   "Bar?!" Biglang nag-explode si Pha. Tumaas ang boses niya at sinabunutan ang sariling buhok. "What the heck were you doing there nang hindi ko nalalaman?"

   "I'm sorry, Pha. Hindi ko sinabi sa'yo ang tungkol do'n. I was so emotional that night. My parents talked to me about my future. Na ako raw ang magha-handle ng business namin, magpapakasal tayo at makikipag-merge kami sa company ng pamilya ninyo, and a lot of other business shits were tackled while we were having dinner. I felt suffocated. Pakiramdam ko, sinasakal nila ako. Kinukontrol nila ang buhay ko. Parang wala akong say kung ano'ng gusto kong gawin sa sarili kong buhay. Para kasing naka-program na lahat ng mangyayari sa'kin. Wala na akong nararamdamang excitement."

   "Are you saying na hindi ka masaya sa idea na ako ang makakasama mo sa future?"

   "No, it's not like that! Mali ka ng pagkakaintindi. Of course, I'm happy. You're the kind of man every girl would wish to have. I'm fully aware na maraming naiinggit sa akin because I have you. You're perfect. Ang kaso lang, you're too perfect. Too perfect for me."

   "What do you mean?"

   "Ang Pring na nakikita mo 'pag magkasama tayo at nasa harap tayo ng pamilya ko, hindi 'yon ang totoong ako. I'm not an ideal daughter kagaya ng akala ninyo. I'm wild, reckless and impulsive! Ang totoo, I feel like I'm not tailored to become the heiress of my family's legacy. Hindi ito ang dream ko. This is not the kind of life that I want to live forever. I don't want this so-called perfect life. I want something else."

   "Do you mean a life with someone else and not me?"

   "Maybe," diretsong sagot niya. I saw how Pha got devastated nang marinig ang sagot na iyon. "I went to a bar without asking for anyone's permission kasi iyon ako, ang totoong ako. Free-spirited, gagawin kung ano'ng gusto at walang pakialam sa sasabihin ng iba. Then I met him there... si Forth. I was too drunk at may lalaking bumabastos sa'kin. He saved me that night. He offered to take me home pero ayoko pang umuwi. So, ayu'n, sinamahan niya ako sa kung saan-saan. We ended up ranting, talking about all the shits in our life. It turned out na pareho pala kami. Ang kaibahan lang namin, he's not afraid to show the real him in front of people. Wala siyang pakialam kahit i-judge siya ng mga tao. Ayaw niyang maging businessman kasi gusto niyang maging painter. Ako, ayokong maging heiress ng kompanya namin kasi gusto kong maging fashion designer."

   "So, naka-relate kayo sa isa't-isa and you decided to cheat on me? Gano'n ba 'yon, Pring?"

   "Naramdaman ko na lang 'yon bigla. Hindi 'yon basta desisyon lang."