I'm Yours to Keep

Chapter 16

Huminto ang sasakyan ni Gerard sa tapat ng apartment kaya natigil ako sa pag-iisip. Shit. I spaced out the whole time. Nilingon ko siya na saglit na sumulyap sa apartment bago marahang ngumiti sa 'kin. "You don't have to say anything."

Umawang ang bibig ko at saka ako nagkibit-balikat. "Well, I want to say a lot."

He softly chuckled. "All right. Makikinig ako."

Sumandal ako sa passenger seat at pinagmasdan siya nang mabuti. "I'm sorry. This night is supposed to be, I don't know, special? But... I just can't believe that Vida will do that in front of many people. And it's my brother. She hurt my brother bigtime. I just... I can't do this right now."

"Can't do, what?"

"Us. Ito. Tayo."

He fell silent for a while until he forced a smile. "I understand. I know how important your brother is to you."

My chest pounded in pain as I sensed hi sadness. Tumango ako sa kaniya at tipid na ngumiti bago pinihit ang pinto ng sasakyan. "I'm really sorry." Imbes na gumaan, mas lalong bumigat ang pakiramdam ko. Gerard is not a burden, so letting him go is not freeing at all. But I'm so afraid that I may not be the kind of girl that he expected.

Narinig ko ang muling pagbukas ng sasakyan ni Gerard kaya nilingon ko ito. He walked straight to me and gently held my cheeks to kiss me. I feel like I've gathered again all the energy that I lost. My heart raced as he brushed his lips against mine.

"I'm taking my chances so... if you tell me that you can't do this one more time, I will let you go. Just... say it again."

Umawang ang bibig ko habang hindi makapaniwala sa tindi ng nararamdaman ko sa kaniya. He didn't believe me the first time and now he wanted to make sure, so both of us won't have any regrets. I slowly shook my head. "Stay. Can you stay?"

His lips formed into a beautiful smile. "My pleasure." Then he held me close so he could kiss me deeper. Nang bahagya siyang umatras, he smiled at me and tucked my hair behind my ear. "Take a rest. We will talk in the morning."

Tumango ako at naglakad na papasok ng apartment. I can't help but smile when I realized that ending it with him is really not a good idea. Mas lalo lang akong panghihinaan.

Alas dose na ng madaling araw pero hindi pa rin umuuwi si Miguel. Bigla siyang nawala nang matapos ang contest kaya hindi ko alam kung saan ko siya hahagilapin. Nag-text na rin ako kay Basty pero hindi niya rin daw alam. Chelsea and Mae were worried too pero wala ring ideya kung saan pwedeng pumunta si Miguel.

Sa sofa na ako natulog para magising ako agad pag-uwi niya. Maya-maya, naramdaman ko ang marahang pagtapik ng kung sino sa pisngi ko kaya dumilat ako agad.

"What the?" Dumudugo ang ilong ni Miguel, may sugat siya sa kilay at puro pasa ang magkabila niyang pisngi.

"Bakit diyan ka natulog?" Saka siya naglakad patungo sa lamesa.

"Anong nangyari sa 'yo!?"

"Wala 'to."

Tumayo ako para kunin ang first aid kit at saka naupo sa tabi niya. "What the hell did you do?"

Halos mangiyak-ngiyak ang mga mata niyang tumingin sa 'kin and my heart ripped at the sight of him. He held his head habang nakapatong ang magkabilang siko sa lamesa. "I'm sorry... I should've listened. She used me to hurt you. I should've known. I was selfish and desperate."

Hinaplos ko ang likod niya habang nangingilid na rin ang luha ko. "Don't be too hard on yourself. This is not your fault."

He looked at me as tears trickled down his cheeks. "I thought I changed her."