Chasing Reality #B4

49 Hallway

Halos wala na akong marinig maliban sa hagulgol at pagkabog ng puso ko.

Ilang beses akong kumukurap dahil gustung-gusto kong makita ang mukha lalo na ang singkit na mata ni Aris habang nakaluhodsa harap ko at inaalayan ako ng engagement ring.

Only to find out na parang nahihirapan na rin syang magsalita.

"Tart..." ulit nya pero nanginig ang boses nya kahit tumikhim sya.

"...shit..." narinig ko pang bulong nya. "Sorry, Tart, di ko alam kung paano ko sisimulan."

Natawa yung mga guests.

Ako rin, kahit umiiyak.

Tumikhim uli sya, "Madel... I just don't know how to describe how I feel about you ... and how I feel right now kneeling infront of you with this ring between us."

"Ang torpe talaga!" parinig ni Ate Andie since tapos na yung kanta nila.

Humugong ang tawanan lalo't sinegundahan yun ng mga kabanda.

"Bilisan mo! Tumatakbo ang metro namin, e libre lang itong tugtog namin!" si Sir Erol.

Nagtawanan na naman ang mga naroroon.

Naihilamos na tuloy ni Aris ang ang isang palad sa mukha. May tubig na kumalat sa pisngi nya.

Luha yun na pinipigilan nya.

Huminga uli sya nang malalim at tumikhim na naman.

"Are you just going to clear your throat for the rest of the night, Kho?" singit ni Sir Reid. "Need me to coach you about proposal now?"

"Oh shut up, Schulz!" reklamo ni Aris.

Tawanan na naman.

"A-aris...may s-sasabihin ka ba?" lakas-loob ko nang tanong kahit napapahikbi pa ako.

"Uhm... yeah," tumikhim na naman. "Tart... I just want you to know..." tumikhim uli.

Humugong uli ang mahinang tawanan.

"Give him time... hanggang next year!" hiyaw ni Mike.

Halatang lalong na-i-stress si Aris nung nagtawanan uli.

Sa nalulunod kong mata dahil sa luha, tiningnan ko sya at bahagyang tumango, encouraging him to say his piece.

"...uhm...I really am sorry for making you feel worthless about yourself before. I.. I did my best to bring your confidence back yet I know my effort isn't enough yet. I am asking you to give me a chance to bring out the best in you for the rest of our lives. Confidence in yourself and in me. Confidence so that you won't feel jealous about anybody else. It was my fault after all from the very beginning. I admit that unconsciously I put my bestfriend ... on a pedestal as my basis for finding my new love. She was my dream on a pedestal... "

Naiyak na naman ako hindi lang dahil sa pag-amin nya, kundi dahil matindi ang hapding hatid nun sa akin.

Pero yung sumunod nyang sinabi...

"But my heart is looking at you, Ma. Adelyn...now and for the rest of my life as my reality... at the altar. I don't care if I sound pathetic in front of my family, even to the girl I call princess ... I love you so much, Madel, and I'm begging you now to accept my ring and be my wife!

... napahagulgol uli ako. Basta naitakip ko na lang ang palad sa mukha ko.

"M-madel...?"

Gusto kong alisin ang bumakas na takot at pag-aalinlangan sa boses nya. Kaya lang, hindi ako makasagot. Parang kinukulang ako sa oksihena sa sobrang saya.