Exchange Lovers - Completed

Twenty Five: Riddles

“If you truly love someone there should be no buts and what ifs.” – Gjake

Alexey’s POV

Hurt, devastation, disappointment and hate for Riu crawled up through me. I wanted to go back and hurt him too, just like the way he’s hurting me now but I couldn’t bring myself to do that. Natatakot akong gawin iyon. I don’t want to know the reason why he’s kissing Priele. In our own house, for Pete’s sake! Wala na ba talaga siyang natitirang respeto para sa’kin at iyon ang ginawa niya?

And of all people, why should it be her? Why my boss’ wife?

So, tama ang hinala ko noong nakita ko si Priele sa loob ng bahay, sa kusina in particular— happily talking and spending time with my husband. Kahit sobrang aga pa nun, ngayon thinking about it baka the night I wasn’t home ay may nangyaring hindi ko magugustuhan sa loob ng kuwarto namin. The bitch and my damn husband!

How could they do this to me?

All the while, Riu’s betraying me. Pero, may karapatan ba akong magalit?

Merely thinking of it now, we’re fair and square since, Vince had kissed me twice and I enjoyed it.

I stopped from running and looked around, nasa harap ako ng isang malaking bahay pero, hindi ko naman kilala kung sino ang may-ari. But, that’s not my concern now. Feeling tired, I slowly walked my way to the path walk and slumped myself on the grass.

What the hell’s happening?

I flexed my leg and hug it by the knees, leaning down and laying my head on top of my arm.

Ang gulo-gulo na ng sitwasyon. I’m not cheating with my husband, yet when Vince kissed me and I allowed it to happen that could pass as cheating. And now, I saw Riu kissing Vince’s wife.

We’re like four tangled strings and hard to be loosen.

 Dapat siguro yata kausapin ko si Riu tungkol dito. I don’t want to complicate things further at baka hindi na talaga maayos ang kung ano mang problema ang meron kami ngayon.

Ang tanong ko lang sa sarili ko, kaya ko bang marinig ang kung ano mang magiging sagot ni Riu? Handa ba akong malaman na, he’s cheating on me?

I tilted my head up and to stop my tears from falling.

Hindi ko yata kakayanin ‘yon. I so love him that I could kill someone if he’d betray me.

Instead of facing him and confronting him, here I am, in this dark sidewalk, slumped and wary, drawing conclusions I shouldn’t be doing.

I sucked at conclusions, and in some instances in the past do prove it.

Gusto ko na talagang sabunutan ang sarili ko, go back, I thought, but I don’t want to face him now. Not tonight, when the memory of him and Priele kissing still lingers on my mind, fresh.

I don’t want to do something stupid I might regret. Kailangan kapag kinausap ko si Riu iyong malamig na ang ulo ko at hindi ko iniisip na sakalin siya. May kasalanan din ako sa kanya kaya dapat fair ako.

 Ayoko naman maging isa sa mga asawa na mapagduda at basta-basta na lang magjjump into conclusion di ba? Kahit iyon naman ang ginagawa ko. At least, hindi ko pa inaaway si Riu.

Fixing myself, I brought myself up and started heading to the guard house. Malapit na lang naman ako kaya maglalakad na lang ako.

 I’m just thankful na dito ako na way tumakbo at hindi papasok pa sa pinakalooban ng village at baka napalayo pa ako. When I reached the guard house, inutusan ko iyong guard na itawag ako ng taxi, which he kindly obeyed.