MATTHEW GIAN's POV
"Happy birthday Natalie! Stay beautiful, okay? I love you." Bati ko kay Natalie, it's her birthday today and we're celebrating it now in Batangas.
"Thank you babe. Sure, i love you more!" Then she kissed me.
"Are you happy?"
"Sobrang saya ko. Akala ko hindi na mangyayari to."
I hugged her and kissed her on her forehead.
Natalie takes some rest, napagod kasi siya sa biyahe. Hapon palang, at pumunta muna ako sa malapit sa beach at nag relax lang dun. Biglang may pumasok sa isip ko.
*start of flashback*
One day I asked Natalie about Samantha because everytime na magkikita kita kami palagi silang hindi okay, and parang my strange feeling ako na hindi ko maintindihan. Pati parang naglilihim sakin si Natalie.
"Who is Samantha Joie Madrigal? At bakit palagi nalang niya tayong ginugulo? At parang may gusto siya saking sabihin, why are you mad at her? Tell me! Wag mo kong gawing tanga just because I have amnesia. Akala ko you love me, pero bakit I have some strange feeling about that girl, and every time I saw her parang kilala ko na siya."
"Okay. I'm gonna tell you everything... Matthew, I love you so much. Sobrang mahal kita kaya ayaw kitang masaktan, but you chose this. I'd rather hurt you sa katotohanan."
"What are you saying? Tell me Natalie please."
"Promise me, you'll never leave me." And she cried.
"Stop crying please. I promise I will never leave you, I just want to know the whole truth.." And I hugged her.
"Okay. I am not really your present girlfriend."
"WHAT?!" Nagulat ako. Bakit? Sino?
"Yes, 3 years na tayong wala. Matagal na, simula nung nagkaroon tayo ng car accident nung high school. After that nagpunta ako ng states to study for college there. Iniwan kita noon. At alam kong nasaktan kita. Hindi ko din naman ginusto yun, pero para daw maka recover tayo sa accident pinapunta akong parents ko sa States and they decided na pag aralin ako dun. Mga bata palang kasi tayo nun kaya hindi rin ako maka angal sa plan nila."
Naguguluhan ako. Nag iisip ako ng mabuti. Naalala ko yun. Hindi na siya nagpakita saakin noon at hindi na rin ako nagpakita sakanya.
"Then why did you lie to me? Tell me why? Pinagmukha mo kong tanga Natalie!"
"You don't understand, Matthew. Pakinggan mo muna ko."
Hindi ako nagsalita at nagsalita muli si Natalie.
"Bumalik ako ng Pilipinas this year, and pagdating ko may girlfriend ka. Si Samantha."
O__________O
My heart beats so fast! That's why every time na nakikita ko siya I'm trying to recognize her and my heart is always beating this fast. Hindi pa din ako nagsasalita.
"Nung nagpunta ako sainyo I asked you about your girlfriend, sabi mo ayaw mong pag usapan. Kasi you and Samantha were always fighting. I comforted you, and you thanked me. Kasi sabi mo, ako pa din ang talagang may alam kung pano ka i comfort. Not that girl. Pero you loved her. So much. But she was just taking you for granted."
"What do you mean?"
"Nakikita mo yung guy na palagi niyang kasama every time na nakikita natin si Samantha? He is Kevin. Siya ang dahilan ng palagi niyong pinag aawayan ni Samantha. Samantha is a whore. Sorry for the word pero yun kasi ang pagkakakilala ko sakanya nung gabing nakasama ko kayo. And sa party, nagpakalasing siya ng sobra at kung kani kaninong lalaki sumasama. Hindi ka niya pinapansin non, she was smoking, drinking and really a bitch. Kawawa ka nung gabi na yun, at nung nasa sasakyan na tayo pauwi nung nangyari ang accident inaaway ka niya. Ayaw pa niyang umuwi kahit uuwi na talaga dapat tayo. You're not talking nalang that time kasi you really loved her. Nadiding ko kayo kasi nandun ako. At nabangga na tayo ng truck. Because of her. She is the reason. Kaya ko lang naman tinake yung chance na ako yung naalala mo nung pag gising mo kasi ayaw na kitang masaktan. I also convinced your mom, and tell her kung anong pinagdadaanan mo sa babaeng yun. Ayaw lang kitang masaktan kasi mahal pa din kita, Matthew." And she started crying.
