Change [Ricci Rivero, Completed]

Kabanata XXXIX

1.5 HOURS IN OUT OF 2 HOURS OF WAITING
2:15 PM
WEDNESDAY

"Ano?" tanong nito cluelessly at hindi parin tumutunghay. "Anong tanong?" sabi nito sakin at nahiya naman na akong tanungin ulit siya. Yung unang beses nga, binigla ko nalang, ipauulit pa? Ano ba 'to, swerte?

"Ayoko nang ulitin. One time, big time lang. Kasalanan ko bang bingi ka pag ako ang umiimik?" sabi ko dito at sumandal sa wall na katabi ko sa left side. Nahulog yung noo ni Ricci when I moved pero isinunod niya sakin and rested it again. "Likot ha, inaantok na ako eh." sabi nito sakin ng mareklamo at tinuon muli ito.

"Sagutin mo na kasi. Tapos nanaman diba? Bakit awkward pa sayo?" sambit ko sa kanya nervously, silently hoping wag na siyang magreact sa sinabi ko.

Hindi ko alam kung saan ko nakukuha ang lakas ng loob ko. Nung una, ang gusto ko lang naman is to know things that were left unanswered, if its fine para sa kanya since tapos nanaman ata kami. Pero ngayon, things are getting a bit too straight forward at blunt at hindi ko alam kung saan kami nanggagaling at saan kami dadalhin nitong usapan na 'to.

"May feelings ka pa 'no?! Brad naman, nako!" asar ko dito at tiningnan ko siya. Bigla namang tumunghay si Ricci at nagcross arms sakin sabay sumandal ulit sa wall. "Gusto mong malaman?"

Kinabahan na ako para sa buhay ko. Bigla kong ginustong matunaw nalang at nagevaporate, basta mawala sa loob ng silid na 'to. May nagbara sa lalamunan ko at hindi ko magawang sumagot sa sinabi niya.

"You sure, you want to know?" sabi niya ulit at humilig para makita ang mukha kong nakatulala diretso sa elevator doors. "Never mind, hindi ata yan ang sagot na gusto ko. Baka masaktan lang ako."

Natahimik kaming pareho at hindi nakaimik. He chuckled after a short while. "Bakit takot ka parin na mahalin kita? Its not like I'm going to make you do things you don't want? Its not a crime to, is it?" sabi nito at nagpaliwanag.

"I never heard the reason why you didn't want to love me kaagad. P-pwede bang.." tanong nito and waited for my response. Napaisip pa ako ng konti, then I nodded.

"Hindi ko alam. I just think back then I wasn't still ready. First kita eh. I wanted my first to be... just.. right? If that makes sense." sabi ko dito at humarap sa kanya. He was paying attention talaga and was nodding, signalling me to continue. "I wanted a person who'll be patient. You know me, Ricci. I'm mischief disguised in a lady's image. Nung una hindi pa nga lady diba? Tsaka.. I want someone who makes me laugh and..."

"And what?" he asked and this time he was serious. My heart was racing at lalo akong nainitan kaya lumakas ang paypay ko. "And someone who'd fight for me. Yung kahit umayaw ako sa sarili ko at sa kanya, ipaglalaban ako sa mga naiisip ko. He'll prove me everything's the other way around." sabi ko at humarap sa kanya and what I saw was his poker face. His scary poker face kasi that's what he does something I don't expect always.

"Didn't I? Didn't I fight for you enough? And wasn't I patient and funny?" tanong niya sakin plainly and things got instantly awkward. I badly want to hear na yung sagot sa tanong ko kanina. "You did. And I was stupid enough to not notice how you fought for me. Kaya nagsisi ako eh, that I let you go."

I laughed to lighten up the mood and he laughed along narin. I wanted the atmosphere to feel light para hindi mahirap makipagbatuhan ng tanong. May bukol na nga ako eh, pacheck ko to mamaya. Ako lang ata ang taong nageenjoy na mastuck sa elevator, palibhasa ata si Ricci ang kasama ko.

"So ano nga yung sagot mo sa tanong ko kanina?" sambit ko ulit. Ricci looked at me curiously at biglang naalala. "Yun bang kung mahal parin kita? Hirap naman ng tanong."

I rolled my eyes at him and umiling. "Hanggang ngayon naman eh. Hindi naman nawala kaso.."

There's this one thing that's been in my mind kanina pa na I wanted to blurt out. I wasn't paying that much attention but I heard na hanggang ngayon daw. Okay so... "Kung ganon, eh bakit mo 'ko iniwan? Bakit ka nawala? If you fought hard for me and you love me all along, bakit nasa ganito tayong sitwasyon ngayon? Bakit ganito na tayo?" dirediretso kong sabi, carried away sa momentum na 'to. Ito ang highlight ng oras, pay attention kids.

Hindi siya umimik at kumunot ang noo niya sakin then looked away. "Para sa'yo din naman ang ginawa ko eh. Akala ko magiging okay ka pag wala ako, kaya I risked it. I wanted you to be happy." sabi niya and I didn't quite get it sa unang sabi. "But I'm not that happy, lalo na't wala ka. Tamang ba intindi ko? Ha? Isa pa please?" tanong ko sa kanya at pinapaulit.

"Ask me again nalang if I love you, makukuha mo'ng sagot sa lahat ng 'yan."

I stopped for a split second and thought about the surreality of the moment. Sasagot na sana ako nang bigla nalang kaming nakarinig ng malakas na sound at nakaramdam ng movement.

2 HOURS IN, OUT OF 2 HOURS OF WAITING
2:45 PM
WEDNESDAY

Nag bukas na bigla ang elevator at may liwanag na ulit na mula sa labas na inaninag namin ni Ricci. We saw Brent and the others waiting for us dun sa taas at may mga rescue nang dumating para isalba kami. Andun na eh, nasa climax na kami!

"Alex! You okay!? What happened!" Brent said at nagsimula na ang concern nilang lahat samin. "Natakot ka ba?Takot ka parin ba ngayon?" tarantang sabi ni Elliana na magically, napapunta dito. "Hindi na. Hindi na ako takot." I said then looked at Ricci who looked at me too with smiling eyes and a smirk. Naglapitan oa silang lahat ar hindi ko na napansin ang mga sinasabi nila at patuloy kong inisip ang mga nangyari sa loob, lalo na yung huling sinabi ni Ricci.

Kinamusta din nila si Ricci about what happened pero he didn't give details. As I was talking to them na sobrang concerned, I looked at Ricci and recalled.

So that's why he left. He loves me to the point that he had to do something out of his league just so I can benefit from it, which I did not. Hanggang dulo, ako parin inisip niya kahit siya ang nasaktan sa ginawa niya. He did it for me because he loves me kaya siya umalis kahit labag sa loob niya. Para sakin daw kaya niya ginawa, kasi yun na yung level ng pagmamahal niya sakin. He risked everything just so maybe I could benefit from what he did.

Now tell me.. how could I not love this guy ba talaga? Pakiexplain nga how I got too lucky!?