A Little Push [On-Hold]

Chapter Fourteen

🎶I'll never know what brought me here
🎶As if somebody led my hand
🎶It seems I hardly had to steer
My course was planned🎶

This is an old song, older than me, I guess.

Marami rami na ring nagsasayawan. Halos hindi ko na matanaw ang dalawang kaibigan kong nakikipag-usap sa mga kaklase nila.

Natatanaw ko sa di kalayuan ang mga professors na naninita sa mga PDA na mga estudyante.

🎶And destiny it guides us all
🎶And by its hand we rise and fall
🎶But only for a moment
Time enough to catch our breath again🎶

"So tell me, you know me from the start, don't you? " bulong ni Donatello aa aking tenga..

"Well, yeah. Right after you shaved your facial hair, that's when ." I sincerely answered.

There's no point in lying, besides, might as well as tell him about his mother. Right? —

"How is she? " tanong na naman niya. Hindi siya nakatingin sa mukha ko pero alam ko kung sino ang tinutukoy niya.

"Mama's fine, good actually. I had a baby brother. He just turned three this year..."

"Good for her. I know she'll be happy. " bitterness is all over his face but he sounded sincere. He still loves her, my mother.

"Thanks, by coming here...at this ball, with me." nahihirapan akong huminga.

Siguro dahil umaasa akong ako ang pagtutuunan niya ng pansin sa gabing ito. Pero hindi iyon ang nangyari. Si mama pa rin ang mahal niya, at nasasaktan siya,nasasaktan parin siya.. .. Sa guwapo niyang iyan, napakahina ng damdamin niya.

"Of course, it's my pleasure to accompany you. You look great, by the way. " nakangiting papuri niya at pinasadahan ng tingin ang kabuohan ko.

Hindi ko alam kung kikiligin pa ako, kasi nadismaya na ako mula ng makilala niya ako. Yung tunay na pagkatao ko.

🎶And we're just another piece of the puzzle🎶
Just another part of the plan
How one life touches the other
🎶It's so hard to understand🎶🎶
Still we walk this road together
We travel, go as far as we can
🎶And we have waited for this moment to die🎶
Ever since the world began🎶🎶

"I-uhh,  I wanna thank you for everything,  Maxine. But I am leaving, well, not now. But tommorow, I need to attend to my businesses or else all of them will go bankrupt. I'm going back to New York."

I didn't know what to say. He's leaving, and still broken...

🎶Takin' in the times gone by
We wonder how it all began
We'll never know and still we try🎶
To understand🎶

"Maxine. Thank you. Because of you, I appreciate another woman's beauty. Your so beautiful. Just like your mom. Be a good girl. I think.. I think I need to go now.  Bye. " he kissed my left cheek softly the walked away.

🎶🎶And even though the seasons change🎶
The reasons shall remain the same🎶
🎶It's love that keeps us holdin' on
Till we can see the sun again🎶

Paanong ang unang sayaw ko sa gabing ito ay ganito pala ang magiging pakiramdam ko? It's heart breaking. Masakit at hindi ko maipaliwanag.

🎶And we're just another piece of the puzzle🎶
Just another part of the plan🎶
🎶And we have waited for this moment to die🎶
Ever since the world began🎶🎶

Humakbang ako ng isa...at isa pa. Hanggang sa nagtuloy tuloy ako palabas ng hall. Nakita ko si Donatello na may kausap sa kanyang phone.

"Next day? Oh,  I thought tomo—okay, no no, that's alright. Okay.... See you then. Thanks Mrs. Peter. Okay, bye. "

I stopped walking towards him.
I turned my back from him when he saw me.

I was about to head back in when he reached for my arm.

"Maxine. I'm so sorry. I—" hinarap ko siya.

"It's fine, I'm fine. Have a safe trip Mr. Henderson. Thank you for coming here as my date. Good bye. "

Tinalikuran ko na siya at pumasok sa hall. Nakipagkwentuhan pa ako kanila Gina at Lulu.. Pero napakabagal ng takbo ng oras. At wala pang isang oras mula ng umalis si Donatello ay nagpaalam na akong uuwi. Nagdahilan na lamang akong nasakit ang ulo ko. Hinayaan naman ako ng dalawang umuwi.

Kinabukasan ay excited akong pumasok sa resort. Last day na dito ngayon ni Donatello. Sana ay makausap ko pa siya. Kahit sa huling pagkakataon.

"Maxine! Dalian mo, si Thor!! Nagsusuka na naman doon sa labas mismo ng cottage niya. Nagsimula na namang maglasing kagabi!!! " Tawag sa akin ni Sam, isa sa mga tauhan ng resort.

Nagmamadali akong tumakbo patungo sa cottage47 at doon nga ay nakaupo sa sementong pasimano si Donatello.

Hindi ito unconscious pero halatang lasing na lasing siya.

"Oh, here she is! Hi Angel!!" tawag niya sa akin at kinawayan pa ako.

Naglilinis na sila Ditas at Joy ng harap ng cottage. Patapos na sila kaya inakay ko nalang si Donatello papasok ng cottage at pinag-order siya ng black coffee through landline.

"What's wrong with you sir?" hindi na ako nakatiis na magpakita ng inis sa kanya. 

"I love Pris, so so much. I've been busy in New York and was unable to grieve.. But now, I did. I even get to like a girl.. Take note.. A girl!  Haha! Not knowing that girl was off limits. What the hell! " he answered.

I didn't know he liked a girl here.. But the fact that he still have feelings for my mother pricked my heart. I just can't say that it's still because of guilt.

"All those years that we've been together, I knew she was the one. But then it turns out that she isn't who I thought she is. She's engaged to her son's father.. Your father.. And she loved him since who knows when.. What can I do about that? She chose him and not me.. There's no way I can win against all of you. I just needed to move on. And I will try...."

Nainis na ako.. "By what? By doing this!? Making yourself pitiful? By drinking yourself to death!?"

Ngumiti siya sa akin.

"No, this is the last time I'll drink. I promise. Just...just smile for me, Maxine. For one last time, smile and let's not talk about your mom. Okay? "

Napabuntong hininga na lamang ako bago tumango.. That time... Yun lang din ang nasa isip ko. Ang makasama siya sa huling pagkakataon.