BLOOMING STREET [GxG] - Completed

Chapter 74 - Risk and Gamble

*Allie's POV*

"Where are the others?" tanong niya pagkabalik niya from the CR.

"They want to play daw eh." sagot ko while pointing sa makulay na casino area.

Nagyaya kasi sila kanina na maglaro. I want to play too considering na, I don't know, pure luck maybe na halos lagi akong umuuwing panalo. Pero, naisip ko na walang maiiwan to inform Aya of our whereabouts. Kaya hinintay ko munang makabalik siya galing sa CR.

Don't get me wrong, hindi naman ako sobrang hilig sa casino or gambling as a whole, minsan lang - kapag may calling, mararamdaman mo 'yan eh 'pag tinatawag kang maglaro. 'Yong mafifeel mong mananalo ka sa araw na 'yon. And, I'm feeling it tonight. Nararamdaman kong mananalo ako kaya I want to play.

"Tara? Let's join them." yaya ko sa kanya.

"Go. I'll be fine here. Baka mauna na rin akong umuwi."

Patayo na dapat ako sa kinauupuan ko but decided to sit back down when I heard her reply. Panira ng lucky vibe 'di ba? Pero I realize na nabanggit nga pala niya kanina that she's not feeling well kaya I begin to worry.

"Are you ok? Masama pa rin ba pakiramdam mo?" worried kong tanong.

"No. I'm fine. Really. Go play." sabi naman niya.

I'm relieved to hear she's fine pero I don't feel like playing anymore. I believe in jinx so baka 'di rin ako manalo nito. Kaya I decided to stay.

"I changed my mind. I'll stay with you." sabi ko which caused her to look up at me. May kinakalikot kasi siya sa phone niya kanina and me deciding to stay probably surprised her.

Gusto niya bang mapag-isa? I don't know. Pero, hindi na siya nagsalita. She's still busy checking God-knows-what on her phone. We stayed silent for more or less 5 minutes. Then, she talked.

"You know what Allie, you'll just get bored here, with me. Go play." pagtataboy niya na naman ulit sa akin.

"I'll only play if you'll join me." yaya ko naman ulit while looking at her with my arms crossed.

"I don't do gambling Allie. That's too risky. Sayang lang ang perang mapupunta sa wala." sagot niya and finally paid attention. She put her phone down and waited for my response na halatang ayaw magpatalo.

I did not expect na the invitation to play will end up in a heated discussion.

"You haven't even tried it yet but you're already thinking of losing. Who knows, manalo ka tonight." sagot ko naman.

"Still, masyadong mababa ang probability to win in gambling."

"Life is a gamble in itself Aya. There's no guarantees in this life."

"Oo nga. Pero, you -"

"So, nag-a-agree ka nga?"

"Yeah. Pero Allie, this is a different situation." habol pa niya.

"How can this be different? It's all the same. You risk your money in gambling, life with your decisions, and your heart in love."

"Bakit dinadamay mo pa ang love sa pagsusugal Allie?"

"Because it is Aya. When you first love someone wala namang assurance na ibibigay sa'yo ang taong 'yon to let you know na mamahalin ka rin niya. Na 'di ka niya sasaktan. Na 'di ka niya iiwan. Na kayong dalawa lang hanggang sa huli. You simply break your walls and put your heart in the open hanging on to a hope na sana nga. Sana mamahalin ka rin niya. Hindi ka niya sasaktan. Hindi ka niya iiwan at kayo lang hanggang sa huli..."

Nakatingin lang siya sa'kin. Tahimik. I don't know if I see it right. But, I see fear in her eyes. So, I continued...

"...and this is me Aya, putting my heart in the open and risking it because, I love you."

Hindi ko alam saan galing 'yon. I finally said what I kept for so long. Yes, I love her. It's been a while since the last time. In this life na walang sigurado, sigurado at seryoso ako sa sinabi ko. I love Aya.

Ang hindi ko lang sigurado is kung ano ang mararamdaman niya.

"You know what. I'm leaving."