Part 2: Irony
Their closeness remained but not as firm as before because Alyssa's time is divided and Kiefer did not complain, for him, he has no right to complain. Even though he couldn't fight his jealousy towards the blooming couple, he didn't complain. But he imagined himself as her Boyfriend and everytime he sees Jovee around Ateneo with Alyssa, he ends up blaming himself for deing a douche, stupid, and coward.
Lahat na ata ng pwede niyang ma-sumbat sa kanyang sarili ay ginawa na niya, para siyang namatayan. He treated Alyssa as his other half and the pain was unbearable, 'yung feeling na ma-detach 'yung tao sa'yo dahil sa iba. Maybe for others it was normal but for him, it was a huge loss.
For almost three years, he worked out on moving on from her and managed to move on... Joke, he didn't. Kahit pa tanggap na niyang masaya si Alyssa kay Jovee, hindi parin niya maiwasang masaktan sa tuwing makikita ang dalawa. Kusang dinadaan na lamang sa ngiti at tawa ang sakit, at nagawa na niyang matakpan ang tunay niyang sitwasyon sa ibang tao, lalo na sa mga malalapit sa kanya.
"Den, nandyan ba si Alyssa?" He asked through a phone call.
"Umuwi ng Batangas, may problema kasi." She said and he got worried. Anong problema? Hindi ko 'to alam.
"Kailan siya babalik?"
"Bukas, Linggo ng hapon. Pahinga muna siya." She said, "Kief, kailangan ka niya ngayon. Puntahan mo siya, ilang araw na kaming nag-alala tsaka ilang araw na rin siyang umiiyak."
"Oo, pupuntahan ko siya ngayon. Salamat." He said and ended the call.
He quickly prepared himself and bids good bye to his Teammates before walking out of the Dorm, he did not inform them to where he is going but he said that he'll return the following day. All he wants right now is to be with his Bestfriend and make her feel whole again.
After an hour, he arrived in front of Valdez's home, Kiefer goes up to their doorstep and rang a doorbell twice before someone finally opens. He greeted Lita, her mom and asked, "Si Alyssa po?"
"Nandun sa taas, hindi ko nga lang alam kung tulog ba. Ni-lock kasi ang pintuan." She said and frowned, "Pasok ka, pwede mong puntahan si Aly sa taas. Matutuwa 'yun pag nakita ka." She added and Kiefer stepped inside their home.
He greeted her family members before going upstairs to Alyssa's bedroom, and he heard cries just a few steps away from her door. He held the door knob and knocked on her door, "Alyssa... Best, ako 'to." He said and the door opened.
Alyssa's face cannot be described, she turned into a complete wreck. Her eyes were swollen, lips are cracked, face was plunging red and she, herself, was weak. She returned to her bed and resumed in crying as if she did not see Kiefer, he approached and rested her head on his chest for her to cry on.
It was hard for him to see her like this, ilang beses na niyang nakita na umiyak si Alyssa pero hindi kasing tindi ng ngayon. Bumalik muli ang kanyang kaba para sa dalaga, tiyak na meron siyang mabigat na dinadala at takot itong sabihin sa kanya. Pagkatapos ni Alyssa na umiyak ay hinarap ang mukha nito sa kanya tapos pinunasan ang luha.
"Bakit nandito ka?" Tanong ni Alyssa.
"May problema ka sabi ni Denden at kailangan mo ako, kaya nandito ako." He said, "Ano ba problema mo at hinang hina ka ngayon?" Pag-alala niyang tanong.
"He cheated on me. For almost three years, I loved him. Akala ko matino siya pero isa rin siya sa mga manloloko, ang sakit. Nagkulang ba ako? May mali ba sakin? Lahat naman ginawa ko para sa kanya, kahit busy ako lagi, I make time for him tapos gaganituhin niya lang ako? It was so painful, I caught them in a Mall last week, ang sweet pa nila..."
That was the first time he witnessed her agony and he had nothing to do but listen. In the inside, he was flaring, the anger was filling up for Jovee. At that moment, he wanted to go back to Manila and look for Jovee to give him a punishment.
"If I only knew, there would be no 'us'. I would never feel down and broken, sinira niya ako emotionally."
He cupped her face, "Tama na, thinking about it will just prolong the pain. Hindi mo siya dapat iyakan, he does not deserve you. Marami pang iba dyan." He said and gave her a reassuring smile before kissing her forehead.
She gave him a weak smile and hugged him tight, "Thank you, nandyan ka lagi para sakin. Sorry kung naabala kita ngayon, I'll be better soon." She said.
"I'll stay here for the night, sabay tayong uuwi bukas. Lilipas din 'yan."
"Are you sure? San ka matutulog?"
"Kung san pwede, wala akong gagawing masama." He said and laughed.
"Nagtitiwala ako sa'yo, dito ka nalang sa kwarto matulog."
KINABUKASAN
The next day, she and Kiefer went back to Manila two hours before night time. She even thanked Kiefer for comforting him last time and promised that she'll be fine. Kiefer nodded in relief and drops her at their Dorm before leaving.
"Pag may kailangan ka, nandito lang ako."
"Okay na ako, Kief. Salamat ulit."
He smiled, "Una na ako."
He went back to his Dorm and lays down on his bed, thinking about what happened yesterday. He felt happy because he was able to comfort Alyssa even for just a while and was sad to know what she's going through. He resumed back to reality when he heard Chris talking.
"Nabalitaan mo na siguro?" Chris asked and he nodded, "Grabe ang ginawa niya, Alyssa Valdez na 'yun eh." He said in dismay.
"Siguro nagsawa kaya humanap ng iba, hindi marunong makuntento." Kiefer said with anger filling up his voice, he couldn't help but get mad at the news, kung pwede lang niya suntukin si Jovee tulad ng pinangako niya noon, gagawin niya kaya lang ayaw niya din magka-gulo.
"Mahal mo parin." Nico concluded.
"Oo, 'yun nga ang problema."
"Problema? May chance ka na nga."
He smirked, "Meron nga, paano nalang kung ayaw niya sakin? Tsaka okay na ako sa magkaibigan lang, hanggang dun naman ako eh."
"Kasi nandyan si Mika." Von added and shook his head, "Baliktad naman sitwasyon niyo, imagine the irony."
Kiefer heaved a sigh, "Kung kailan may iba na ako saka naman siya naging single, hindi ko alam kung pakulo 'to ni Tadhana o ano. Mahirap, mahal ko naman si Mika kaso nangingibabaw parin ang kay Alyssa." He admitted, there was regret in his voice. Siguro kung hindi ako nagka-gusto at nanligaw kay Mika, sana umamin na ako kahapon kay Alyssa. Malay natin, may chance ako. He thought without denying, but it was too late, for now.
