Tiningnan ko siya mula ulo hanggang paa. Ang huling alaala ni Lisbeth na tumatak sa aking isipan ay ang tagpo ng paghahalikan nila ni Gene sa opisina nito.
"Did you just see Gene?"
Nananantiya ang boses at titig niya sa akin. It's been long since I last saw her and it felt like things changed. Gone was the overconfident Lisbeth I once knew.
"Uh, no. She's inside."
Humakbang ako para iwan siya sa lugar na iyon. Jealousy's raging all over me right now and the past keeps haunting me. Hindi ko kaya ng isa pang sakit kung sakali.
"Sab.."
Napatigil ako sa paglalakad pero hindi ako lumingon. Mabilis pa rin ang tibok ng aking dibdib dahil sa narinig na pakikipag-usap ni Gene kay Sophie sa telepono kanina.
"Sab, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I did."
Bahagya akong natigilan sa sinabi ni Lisbeth. Hindi ko alam kung para saan ang hinihingi niyang sorry. Her voice was a bit cracked.
"I'm sorry. Sorry for what you've saw the last time. I'm sorry if I intentionally made you hear the truth about your father. I'm so sorry, Sab."
I clenched my fist. I get it now. I now perfectly understand.
"Gene and I were fighting that time. She doesn't want to leave you just like the original plan, and you just came on time. I saw you. Sinadya kong iparinig sayo ang totoo. Gene's mad, that's why she kissed me."
Napapapikit ako habang nakakuyom ang aking kamao. I know Gene's a total bit of asshole at times when it comes to her reputation with women, pero hindi ibig sabihin noon ay hindi na ako nasasaktan sa bawat babaeng nauugnay sa kanya.
"The kiss meant nothing, Sab. I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I was selfish. I thought I could replace you in her heart. I was so wrong. There's Vannah. There's Sophie, her childhood sweetheart. But it's still you."
Hinayaan ko lang siya sa pagsasalita. Halo-halo ang emosyong namamahay sa aking dibdib ngayon.
Do you still love me, Gene?
"She hates your father that makes you forbidden. But she still loves you."
She's also forbidden. But I still love her.
"Sab.."
Hindi ko na siya nilingon pa at mabilis akong humakbang paalis ng lugar na iyon. Nakasalubong ko papasok ang sekretarya ni Gene pero tuloy-tuloy lang ako sa paglalakad at iniwan itong nagtataka ang mukha.
I've learned from Elvis that Sophie's out of the country. Gene told her Mom about it, and of course, Tita Elvira told Elvis so he'll watch out for his sister.
Gene's a bit fine with Elvis, maybe because she forgot about me, or everything about me.
"What are you up to, Sab?"
I looked at him. He's here in my office, again. Hindi pa nga kami maayos ni Gene. Andito na naman si Elvis sa opisina ko.
"Why are you here, Elvis?"
Tiningnan lang ako ni Elvis. I threw him a glare. Hindi naman ako nagkasakit pero napapadalas yata silang dalawa ni Vannah sa opisina. I guess I don't need to wonder.
"Sab. Are you really sure about this?"
I srugged off my shoulders. I stood up and faced the glass wall of the building. I'm not really sure of everything I'm doing right now.
"I don't know, Elvis. I don't really know."
Narinig ko siyang nagpakawala ng malalim na hininga. Everything's complicated and I'm making things more difficult.
