The Playlist // Ricci Rivero Fanfiction (On-Hold)

Kabanata 16

Tumakbo ako nang walang pag-aalin langan after Ricci left the bar. He's mad and the worst thing is, I don't know why. Nang nakalabas na ako ng bar, I saw him leaning on a lamp post dun sa may alley.

What the hell is he doing there? It's so dark! Tapos ang kitid pa ng daanan, nag dadalawang isip pa nga akong pumunta dahil takot ako doon.

Dahan dahan akong naglakad patungo doon, tapos nung nagtapat na ang aming mukha, I can see sadness and anger through those luminous eyes. Wala akong masabi kaya niyakap ko nalang siya ng mahigpit na mahigpit.

Then to my surprise, he hugged me back. As if wala ng bukas. As if hindi na kami magkikita, why am I always like this?

"Cci, why do you always run away kung may problema ka?" I broke the hug at tinitigan siya ng mariin. But he's not looking at me.

"Sagutin mo ako and look at me!" Ngayon, he's looking at me with strong and fierce eyes.

"Hindi ko na kaya Ina. I waited for months and almost a year now pero malalaman ko lang pala na iba ang gusto mo. Yung taong bago mo lang nakilala, don't worry I'm not blaming you for laying your eyes on him. Hindi ko lang kayang makita mo akong ganito. Mahina. Takot. Takot sa sakit."

I remained silent after what he said. Hindi ko namalayang may luhang takas sa aking mga mata and isa lang ang ibig sabihin nito. Hindi ko na alam ano ang gagawin ko. I can't believe I'm really involved into this.

"I'm sorry.." Was all I ever said. I can't handle my emotions kaya ako napaiyak. It's because nasasaktan na rin ako dahil kay Ricci, nasasaktan ako dahil I broke his heart. I broke the heart of my most love person. My best friend.

Wala siyang sinabi pero tumango nalang ito. He handed me his handkerchief pero instead of me wiping my tears, he did it. Wala akong nagawa kundi yakapin siya, until he ushered me to go inside of the bar. Sabi niya may ipapagawa raw siya sa akin kaya sumunod ako.

After kong nakapasok sa bar, the lights are dim. All I can see is the stage, lit with the light from the ceiling. Luminga linga ako, pero I don't see anyone. Not until someone begins to sing.

When a day is said and done,

In the middle of the night and you're fast asleep, my love.
Stay awake looking at your beauty,

Telling myself I'm the luckiest man alive.
'Cause so many times I was certain you was gonna walk out of my life.

Why you take such a hold of me, girl,

When I'm still trying to get my act right.

Tiningnan ko yung stage and there he was. My best friend singing. He's singing our favorite song; Statue. Hindi ko alam bakit pero I felt a stab on my chest.

What is the reason, when you really could have any man you want,

I don't see, what I have to offer.

I should've been a season, guess you could see I had potential.
Do you know you're my miracle?

He continued to sing when someone spoke.

"Czarina Kayelle Montalbo, the girl I admired from afar before. Now standing in front of me. Alam kong hindi ako naging mabuti sa'yo noon pero I assure you I'll be way more better in the near future. Now if you'll say yes, I will never ever leave you and I promise you that." Azrael.

I'm like a statue, stuck staring right at you,

Got me frozen in my tracks.

So amazed how you take me back,

Each and every time our love collapsed.

Statue, stuck staring right at you,

So when I'm lost for words

Every time I disappoint you,

It's just 'cause I can't believe,

That you're so beautiful. (Stuck like a statue)

Don't wanna lose you, no. (Stuck like a statue)

Hindi ako nag expect sa mga nangyayari ngayon. All seems so fast! I glanced at the stage and there he was smiling at me nodding. Masakit, pero I need to do what my heart tells me to do.

"Azrael, I'm saying yes. Yes!"

His eyes were wide at pati narin yung kanyang ngiti. Hindi ko alam kung anong ma f-feel ngayon. I'm so happy yet sad. Nang natapos yun, the lights turned on at lahat ng aming mga kaibigan, including kuya, is here.

I can't believe all of them are involved! I never felt so special.

"Ina! My little sister, finally may boyfriend na rin. I'm happy for you shobe." Niyakap niya ako while he's all smiles, pero parang may nakita ako sa kanyang mga mata na pagkalungot. Hindi ko nalang yun ininda and we all sat in a large booth.

Nagkwentuhan lamang kami about sa history namin ni Azrael tapos nakikipag tawanan. Tapos yung iba naman nag iinuman, while some of them already gave up and ngayon, tulog.

Nagpaalam na ang iba kabilang sina kuya and yung ibang Archers for something daw. Tumango naman ako and waved them goodbye.

• • •

Ilan pang mga minuto o isang oras ang lumipas, nag vibrate ang aking phone. Pinulot ko ito galing mesa ang saw a text message from kuya.

From Ahia💚🏹:
   Ina, punta ka airport ngayon din. Ricci's leaving for Australia. ASAP.

My eyes widened and dali dali akong nagpaalam sa kanila. Buti nga lang, hindi malayo yung airport kaya lang, ang traffic! I can make it there in time, sabi ko sa aking sarili.

Minuto ang lumipas, nakarating narin ako sa airport. I saw kuya and the others looking sorry at me. Tumakbo ako patungo sa kanila ng walang pag-aalinlangan.

"Kuya! Asan si Ccing!?" Tinaas ko yung boses ko tapos ngayon, tumutulo na luha ko.

"I'm sorry Ina pero he just left. May iniwan siya para sa'yo." Tinanggap ko yung green na box galing kay kuya. I wiped the tears na nahuhulog doon sa box. Wala akong nagawa kundi titigan ang lugar at umiyak nalang.

The other boys comforted me, talagang iniwan na niya ako no? He didn't even wait for me to arrive tapos hindi niya pa ito sinabi sa akin na pupunta siya sa Australia. That's at the other side of the world!

I can't stop blaming myself. Kung nagkagusto lang sana ako sa kanya ng lubusan, kung hindi ko siya ni reject, kung sana minahal ko siya ng higit pa sa kaibigan. Hindi sana umabot sa ganito. Now he just left me. He's leaving me for good.