"Dei... "
"Come in, Richard"
Richard released a sigh to calm his nerves. He entered Dei's unit and saw her sitting on the couch.
"Wala kang work?", she asked the moment she saw him.
"W..a..wal..wala", he stuttered.
"Oy? Ok ka lang?"
"O..oo. Ang galing mo pala kanina nalaman mo ako agad 'yong kumatok"
"Kayo lang naman ni kuya nakakakilala sa akin dito, and kuya has a duplicate of my key so he can get here antyime"
"Ah.."
"Hmmm... You're not ok Richard"
He take a deep breath.
"Look at me, Dei"
"Hmmm.. Joke ba yan?", she answered chuckling looking on his eyes.
"Hindi..."
"Ano 'yon? May problema ka ba?"
"Wala... Dei, kasi"
"Dei, I like you", he blurted looking straight on her eyes.
"Gusto kita..", he repeated.
"Gusto kitang ligawan"
Dei froze on her seat. This is what she's been avoiding. No. She saw him smile, and felt his hands caressed hers. She saw hope in his eyes. Then, a tear escaped from hers as she remembered all those sleepless nights. Pain. Doubts. Confusion. Self pity. Embarrassment. Guilt. How her heart broke gazillion times. All of her pain. All the things she's been through. Until this guy came. Until Richard happened. And the ghost of the past came back, the reason why she locked herself in her unit, the reason why she shut all her doors to everyone. EVERYONE — Is no other than love. She may have opened her door for him but is she willing to open her heart again? Is she willing to take the risk? Yes. But...
"No. No. No", she said breathing heavily as tears started rolling down her face.
"Dei, hey..calm down.. Sorry nabigla ba kita?"
"No, Richard. Just... Umalis ka na"
"Hindi, hindi Dei.. Pag-usapan natin 'to please.. "
"Hindi, Richard makinig ka.. Ganito ang dapat mangyari.. Umalis ka na.. Kalimutan mo na ako.."
"Wai... What? O sige ganito. Sorry kung nabigla kita.. I'll give you time to think, if that's what you want, wag naman 'yong kalimutan"
"No, Richard. You don't understand"
"Edi ipaintindi mo sa akin!", his voice louder. He closed his eyes when he saw worry on hers.
"Sorry, sorry Dei.. I like you.. Gusto kita, gustong gusto. Dei, king ina mahal na kita. Tapos sasabihin mo, kalimutan kita? Hindi naman pwede 'yong ganon"
"Pero 'yon ang dapat", she said wiping her tears.
"Ganito na lang Dei, kung ayaw mo sa akin. Sabihin mo na lang ng direstso"
Ofcourse she can't.
She shook her head.
"Give me a chance, Dei. Don't be unfair"
"Unfair?! You don't know what unfair looks like"
"I do now. You're showing it to me"
"I'm doing this for you!"
"For me? Dei, Paano? You. You are for me"
She swallowed the invisible lump on her throat.
"No..", she whispered.
"Dei, isa lang.. Isang chance lang. Hindi ako tulad niya- o kung sinomang nanakit sa'yo dati"
"You don't know my pain", she whispered.
"Tell me, so i can cry with you", he said tilting her head making her look on his eyes.
"I will cry with you Dei. Until we ran out of tears"
****
A/n: ready for Dei's back story? Will you cry with her too?
