Say You Love Me

Chapter 2

HINDI na mabilang ni Zijhan kung pang-ilang baso na ng alak ang kanyang nainom. Hindi na rin niya masabi kung nahihilo na ba siya o hindi. All he knows is that he was bummed out. Hindi na niya alam ang gagawin sa kanyang on-and-off girlfriend na si Mara.

Mara and Zijhan have been together for two years already. Nagka-kilala sila sa isang event na in-organize ng kanilang kompanya, ang Mildstone Industries, para sa mga business partners nila. Isa si Mara sa mga executives ng isa sa mga business clients nila. She works as a Senior Analyst while he was a Senior Manager back then.

He got attracted the first time he saw her. She had a gorgeous body, a beautiful face, and a sultry persona. Noong una niya itong nakita ay hindi na ito pinakawalan ng mga mata niya, following her every move. When he finally had the guts to talk to her, bahagya pa siya nitong tinarayan. Pero hindi pa rin niya ito nilubayan hangga't hindi siya kausapin nito and eventually made her agree to go on a coffee date with him.

He liked Mara so much. She was kind and smart and was good at what she does, even better in bed. Hindi pangkaraniwan si Mara sa mga babaeng naka-date na niya. She's empowered at hindi natatali sa norms ng society tungkol sa mga babae. She was a woman who can work just to get whatever the hell she wants.

He knew even before they started dating that she had just gotten out of a five-year relationship with a guy named Fred. Ayon kay Mara, Fred was "The One That Got Away". Hindi miminsan na napapansin niya na tila naalala pa din ni Mara si Fred. And so he worked hard to make her forget. Para sa kanya ay isa na lang dapat nakaraan si Fred. Zijhan thought that he would be Mara's future. And so he courted Mara, the usual works, he made her feel special, and even took her to a surprise romantic dinner. Hindi naman nagtagal ay naging opisyal na ang kanilang relasyon.

Everything was going well for them when he found out through Mara's friend that Fred just came back from the US two months ago. Bago maghiwalay ang dalawa ay nagtungo si Fred sa US dahil kinuha ito ng isa sa mga kliyente nito roon. They decided to give their long-distance relationship a try. Pero sa kalaunan ay parehas napagdesisyunan ng dalawa na maghiwalay na lamang.

Hindi niya alam ang gagawin. Paano kung balikan ni Fred si Mara? Paano kung may pagtingin pa rin si Mara kay Fred?

Su-supresahin niya sana si Mara nang puntahan niya ito sa opisina nito nang makita niyang magkasamang lumabas si Fred at Mara at sumakay sa isang sasakyan. He felt he was being cheated on.

He confronted Mara about what he saw. Iginiit ni Mara na lumabas lamang daw sila as old friends and nothing more. She even promised she wouldn't see Fred anymore. He believed her and everything went back to normal.

Or so he thought. Nagulat siya nang kausapin siya ng isa sa mga kaibigan niyang si LA na nakita daw na magkasama si Fred at Mara sa isang restaurant. Hindi niya ito pinaniwalaan ngunit ipinakita ni LA ang litrato na nagpapatunay na magkasama nga ang dalawa. Kita pa sa larawan ang pagkakadikit ng dalawa na tila si Fred ang nobyo ni Mara at hindi siya. Hindi siya makapaniwala sa mga nangyayari. Was she toying with him and his feelings? Hindi na niya alam.

When she confronted Mara, she just cried.

"Huwag mo akong lokohin, Mara! Hindi ako tanga!" galit niyang bulalas dito.

Patuloy lang na umiyak si Mara at tila hindi alam ang sasabihin. Mukhang may gusto itong sabihin pero nauunahan ito ng matinding pag-iyak. He told her that he needs space and left her crying.

And that was two weeks ago. He felt like a jerk for leaving her like that. Ngunit masama ang loob niya. Ni hindi man lamang siya nito tine-text o tinatawagan. Hanggang sa muli ay may mga nagku-kuwento sa kanya na nakikita sila Fred at Mara magkasama. Mas lalong sumama ang loob niya. Ni hindi man lang nag-abala ang nobya na kausapin siya at magpaliwanag. Tila sa kanyang palagay ay wala na itong pakialam sa kanilang relasyon lalo pa't bumalik na si Fred. He felt dumped, in a way.