Second Chance

ATHENA 14

“Don’t be sad. Everything will work out in the end.”

Niyakap ako ni Minhyuk after I told him what happened. Buti na lang nandito siya. Kung si Rachel siguro kasama ko, baka nabatukan na ko nun.

“Yeah…I hope so.”

Kumalas na siya sakin at tinignan ako ng seryoso niyang muka.

“Ya. Can’t you just be honest with me? Do you still have feelings for him???”
“I…I don’t know.”
“So it’s a yes. If it’s not a no, then it’s definitely a yes!!!”

Nilubog ko na lang yung muka ko sa tuhod ko. Ano ba namang buhay to. Ano ba talaga purpose ko dito??? Bakit kailangan pa kasi akong bumalik ng Pilipinas at makasama tong si Theo. Maybe Sabrina was right.

“I can’t Minhyuk. I left him and that should be it. I shouldn’t ruin his life again.”
“Aren’t you just human?? We make mistakes. You say sorry and it’s up to him to give you a chance!”, pagpapaliwanag niya.
“That would be too shameless. Besides, caring for someone doesn’t mean you have to be with them. Sometimes, seeing them happy and fine without you is enough.”
“Tch. Babo! You don’t just care for him! You still love him!! And loving him means doing whatever it takes to be with them!”

Sinubukan kong iabsorb ang sinabi niya. Parang ang simple pero ang komplikado kapag inapply ko na sa sitwasyon namin. Pwede nga ba? Pwede nga ba tapangan ko at humingi ng second chance kay Theo???
Iniisip ko pa lang, parang gusto ko ng sabunutan sarili ko. Hay.

“Noona. I won’t be seeing you again. I’ll be busy preparing for the fan meeting. My vacation is over.”
“It’s okay. I’ll see you in Korea, okay??”

Niyakap ko naman ulit siya.

“Just tell him, okay? Or you’ll regret it.”, pagbubulong nito.

Bago pa ko mabaliw kakaisip, hinatid ko na lang muna siya sa lobby. Pagkarating ng van niya, I escorted him outside and waved him goodbye. Aakyat na sana ako ulit ng may nagbusina na kotseng paparating. Kinabahan ako kasi akala ko si Theo.

Pagkatigil nung kotse, nakita kong si Clyde pala.

“Clyde???”

Lumapit siya sakin at binuksan niya yung pinto sa shotgun seat.

“Athena, can you come with me???”
“Ha? San?? Gabi na ah???”
“It’ll be just quick, I promise. Please???”

Pumayag na lang ako sa request ni Clyde. Pagkasakay niya, he started driving again.

“Clyde? San ba tayo pupunta??”
“I just need a breathe of fresh air. Pwede mo naman akong samahan diba??”

Umoo ako kahit na medyo kinakabahan ako. Di naman mukang nakainom tong si Clyde. Saka hindi naman siya gagawa ng kalokohan.

Dahil madilim yung daan, di ko alam kung san talaga kami papunta. I just trusted Clyde to wherever he will lead us.
Habang nanahimik kami pareho, naalala ko na naman yung nangyari kaninang umaga.

Sabrina went to my unit at inimbitahan akong makipagusap. Pumunta kami sa malapit na coffee shop.

“Hindi na ko magpapaligoy ligoy pa, Athena. What’s your real purpose to going back here??”, tanong niya agad.

Napalunok naman ako. I knew a day would come na icconfront ako ni Sabrina.

“I’m here for work. Yun lang, Sabrina.”
“Wala kang maloloko dito. If you can play around with Theo again, sakin hindi uubra yan.”
“If you don’t want to believe me, then we have nothing to talk about.”

Tatayo na sana ako pero hinawakan niya ko sa braso ko.

“Umupo ka dyan, hindi pa ko tapos.”

Tinignan ko lang naman siya ng masama.

“Bakit? May alam ka ba to all those years after you left? Did you know Theo looked for you for over a year? Did you know he only did not suffer depression, he tried committing suicide too?? Habang nagpapakasarap ka sa Korea or to wherever you were, he was in hell. And I was there. I witnessed everything.”

Suicide…??? Di…di ko alam yun.
I tried not to tremble. Umupo na lang ako ulit.

“We were both in hell. Nabuntis ako around that time. I didn’t know what to do. But did you know what he did? He helped me. That Theodore na basag na basag, na akala namin wala ng pag-asa sa buhay, helped me! He treated Becca as his own. And with that, I knew I also helped him move on from you. He was no longer lifeless. He was starting to smile again.”

Di ako makatingin kay Sabrina. It hurts me hearing all of these. Ni minsan di sinabi ni Theo na may ganung nangyari sa kanya.

“Ngayon sabihin mo. Paano ko hahayaan na bumalik ka na lang sa buhay niya ulit? I didn’t help him heal for you to break him again.”
“Don’t worry…I won’t.”

Her face tells me she doesn’t believe a word I’m saying.

“If you’re sincere enough, hindi ka na dapat bumalik pa. Hindi mo dapat tinanggap yung trabaho na yan in the first place. You are such a piece of trash.”
“Huwag kang mag-alala. I’ll leave everything to my sister soon. Aalis na ko kung yan ang ikaakapanatag mo.”

Tumayo naman si Sabrina at tinapon niya yung Americano niya sa muka ko.
I was too stunned to speak.

“Kulang pa yan sa lahat ng nagawa mo. Layuan mo na si Theo. Hindi lang yan ang aabutin mo kapag nakita kong magkasama ulit kayo.”

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“Athena??? Are you okay?”
“Ha?? Ano yun?”
“Kanina pa kasi kita tinatawag, di ka sumasagot. Are you okay??”
“Yeah..yeah.”

Tinabi niya muna yung sasakyan at tinanggal niya yung seatbelt niya. Lumapit siya sakin kaya napapikit ako.