Targets of Destiny (Pereseo Series #1.5)

Chapter 2

< Razille Traijin Zapusumo >

November 27, 2015

SHE'S crying. And it's because of me. She looked like a broken glass right now and I was afraid to touch her.

She was trembling. I could feel her panic while she'sgripping my arm. I could hear the fear in her voice. I could see the fright inher tears that constantly pouring out. I wanted to lock her in in my arms tocalm her down but I couldn't move. My vision's starting to blur, and I couldn'tfeel my body.

"I... I'm sorry. Sorry. D-Don't die. P-Please, Ellis... please... d-don't die."

Paulit-ulit niyang sinasabi. Humahalo ang boses niya sa wangwang ng ambulansiya? Dalawa? Tatlong nurse ang nasa loob? I don't know. All I knew was I was lying down. Masakit ang tagiliran ko. Namamanhid ang pakiramdam. Parang binibiyak ang ulo. I felt drowsy. My heart was beating fast yet it se emed like it wanted to stop.

Humigpit ang hawak ni Bea sa kamay ko.

I wanted to raise my hand and caress her face, to wipeher tears away, to ease her worries, and to comfort her that everything's gonnabe okay.

I won't die. I won't leave you. I promise.

I closed my eyes. She whispered something but Icouldn't understand anything. It was as if my soul was being pulled out from mybody. Until I dreamt. Dreams that I knew were real.

Totoong nangyari.

"May gusto ba you kay Angel, RT?"

I dropped the cheese that I was grinding to makespaghetti toppings. I automatically turned around, eyes-wide, to face Angelitowho's looking at me with a scrutinizing stare. His eyebrows stitched in a thinline.

I rustically cracked up, parang tangang sunod-sunod na umiling. "N-No! No..." Nasamid ako. "'Y-Yong kaibigan mong si Angelica Bianca, magugustuhan ko? Impossible!"

Tumaas ang kilay niya. Hinagod niya ako ng tingin habang nakasalikop ang mga braso. "Really?"

"H-Hindi talaga, insan. I'm not cooking this for her." I laughed again. "I don't love her. Even if you'll be straight, I—"

"Pabebeng tahong!" Pagputol niya. "Okeshie! Hindi you kailangan magpanic. Kung tanggihan you si Angel parang hindi diyosa friendship ko, ah..." May duda pa rin sa kanyang mga mata. "Serious talaga you? Waley?"

You don't have any idea.

Patay-malisyang pinulot ko ang cheese sa lamesa."O-Oo naman. Why did you ask?" I unconsciously rubbed my forefinger on myjawline. "May crush ba sa 'kin?"

Suskopo, RT! Ang tindi, ah.

Even though my feelings for Bea were clearer than the mineral water and brighter than the sunlight, I couldn't tell anyone except her. Not because Kamahalan asked Angelito about me once. Hindi niya naman ako ilalaglag. Pero mayayari ako kay Bea mismo. Especially since I promised her that neither Angelito nor even Magnet would know my feelings, and that we had known each other for a long time.

Even if it's easy to shout to everyone that...she's the missing piece of my puzzle and that I am hers.

But I don't want to ruin her trust.

Hindi pa nga kami, hindi ko na nasusunod ang gusto niya. Hindi 'yon puwede. Kahit naguguluhan ako. Bakit kailangang itago?

She wants to maintain her friendship with Angelito and Magnet without them knowing what I'm doing, what I can do, and what I can sacrifice for her?