It Takes Time

Prologue

"Isusumbong ko kayo sa Principal! Sabi na nga ba at tama ang hinala ko noong una pa lang!" Nandidiri ang tingin ni Jeniah sa akin, sa amin. Nagsimula na ding mamuo ang mga luha sa aking dalawang mata. No. It can't be happening.

"I trusted you Venice! Nakakadiri ka!" Nagsimula akong humakbang papunta sa kanya. I must stop her! Kahit nanginginig ang dalawang paa ko ay pinilit kong ihakbang ang mga ito.

"Listen Jeniah. It's a secret okay? We're bestfriends right? We should keep each other's secret?" I tried hard to convince her. This secret will remain secret.

"Bestfriend? You call me your bestfriend? That's a big fat lie Venice! You know I liked him first right? Nauna ako! Pero hindi pwede kasi bawal! Naiintindihan mo ba yon Venice? Bawal!" Hindi ko mapigiling hindi pumikit dahil sa lakas ng boses niya.

"Lower your voice Jeniah! Baka may makarinig sa atin! Please.." Malabo na ang paningin ko dahil sa sunod-sunod na pag-agos ng aking luha.

"You know what? The principal should know this.." Tinignan niya muna ako mula ulo hanggang paa saka inilipat ang tingin sa lalaking nasa likod ko. "scandal."

I never beg in my entire life. Why? because I'm Venice! But this time is different. I may lose my happiness, my freedoom. I let my knees to touch the cold floor. "I beg you Jeniah, please."

I felt a warm hands lifting me up. No, I will handle this.

"Get up Venice! I'm the man here, don't step on my ego. I will handle her, okay?" Kahit nangangatog ang aking binti ay pinilit niya akong tumayo. Inilagay niya ako sa kanyang likod. For once in the entire hour, i feel safe.

"Ms. Mendoza, you should think first okay? Let's talk tomorrow, for now, go home and take a rest okay?" I can sense calmness in his voice. How can he do that?

A loud laughter filled the room.

"Oh, you will never fool me. But maybe you're right. I should go home first since ala sais na din ng hapon. We will talk tomorrow, of course.." Isang mapait na ngiti ang sumilay sa kanyang labi bago kami tinalikudan. "in the Principal's office."

Matapos sumarado ang pinto ay tuluyan na akong humagulgol. No, please. I can't lose him!

"Calmdown Venice! We will get through this okay?" Hindi nakatakas sa akin ang takot sa boses niya. Kahit siya ay hindi sigurado.

"Paano na tayo? Matatanggal ka, maeexpel ako! I should be more careful Siv! Hindi na dapat ako pumunta dito! My family will surely know this! My dad will get mad!" Iniisip ko pa lang ang mangyayari bukas ay hindi ko na maatim. I can't lose him but I can't be a failure either! I don't want to lose my parent's trust, but..

Unti-unti niyang kinain ang maliit na distansya sa aming dalawa. He covered me with his arms. I can feel his tense muscles.

"I will solve this baby, okay? Just stay with me. No matter what, just stay with me..then I'll be fine." Bakas ang hindi kasiguraduhan sa kanyang boses. Kahit ako ay hindi sigurado.

Mas lalo lang akong naiyak sa isipin na iyon! I love him but I love my family too. Paano na yung future ko? From the very start, I know that this is wrong yet I still continue. Ngayong nandito na ang problema, hindi ko na alam kung tama pa ba ang naging desisyon ko na ipagpatuloy ito! I need to choose. I need to correct my mistake..

Dahan-dahan akong kumalas sa yakap niya.

"Let's go home Venice, hmmm?" He knows. Isang kilos ko pa lang alam na niya. Parang dinudurog ang puso ko nang nakita ang dumaan na takot sa kanyang mata.

"W-We need to correct this, Siv. From the start, it was already a mistake. Itama na natin hanggang maaga pa." A certain emotion flashes in his eyes. Yung pangalawang beses ko pa lang makita sa kanya. Rage.

"Mistake? Venice? You call us a mistake? Put****** naman! Masaya tayo tapos mistake? Ano yon kalokohan!?" He never shouted at me. Never. Ngayon lang.

Pain and a stinging feeling enveloped my body.

"Listen Siv, you know I love you right? But the situation was not right. Everything was not right! Naiintindihan mo ba ako? Matatanggal ka-" he cut me off.

"Matanggal kung matanggal! Wala akong pakealam! Ikaw lang ang importante sa akin ngayon! Naiintindihan kita! Ako ba hindi mo naiintindihan? Huh?"

"Kung ayos lang sayo na matanggal ka, p'wes sa akin hindi! Paano naman ako Siv? Maeexpel ako! May pangarap ako-"

"Bakit? Ako ba walang pangarap?-" This time, I cut his words.

"Exactly! We have dreams to chase. Bata pa ako! Bata ka pa! You're just 21. Marami ka pang makikilala. Kung tayo talaga, fate will do its job!" He let out a sarcastic laugh.

"Fck fate! Fck profession! Fck council! Fck everything!" Dala ng frustration ay naisabunot niya ang kanang kamay sa kanyang kulay itim na buhok. It made his hair a little bit messy which I find attractive. Napalunok ako dahil ayokong mabago ang desisyon ko dahil sa simpleng ginawa niya.

He turned his back at me. I thought that he will leave me in this room pero makalipas ang ilang segundo ay humarap muli siya. This time, he found his composure.

"In my entire life, I never greed for something. I'm always contented in what I have and who I am, but right now Ven, I don't know anymore. This may sound corny, pero kasi diba 'pag mahal mo dapat ipaglaban mo? Dapat willing kang mag-take ng risk? Pero bakit ikaw hindi mo kaya?" Mahapdi na ang mata ko dahil sa hindi mapigilang pag-agos ng nga luha. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko pang nagagawang tumayo sa kabila ng panlalambot ng mga paa.

Slowly, he raised his right hand. It stayed in the middle, waiting for me to hold it.

"I will give myself a last chance.." Nanatiling nakatitig ako sa kamay niyang nabitin sa ere.

"Break the rules and come with me, my Venice."