To Love Again

Chapter Three: Torn

Toni's POV

Oo, mahal ko pa rin si Paul. Dahil sa four years na naging kami, napasaya niya ako. He helped me mend my broken heart from Sam. Everyone knew that already. Pero ngayon, bakit parang si Sam ang bumabalik?

Today, he surprised me. Aaminin ko, namiss ko si Sam. Namiss ko yung days na magkasama kami araw araw. Laging tumatawa, nagkukulitan.. Lagi niya ako napapasaya.

Hindi ko pa nga siya nakakausap eh, since nung surprise. Busy ako accomodating guests, at siya rin. Konti lang, close friends ko at iba kong mga pinsan.

"Toni!" Sino kaya yun? I turned around, si Bianca, my dearest sister.

She hugged me tight, just what I needed from a friend, "Kumusta naman ang puso mo?" she asked sincerely as we sat down.

Iniyakan ko siya, "Ang hirap pala mag move on, B.. Parang lahat ng nakikita ko, andun parin siya"

"Tin, kaya mo yan. You're a strong person, at before you know it. You've already moved on" She assured, Bianca has always been there for me, since we became friends. I'm thankful for her and now she's getting married to a man that she loves.

"I need one thing from him, Bianca" I said and from the look in her eyes, she knew what I was talking about. There is one last thing I need from Paul.

■ ■ ■ ■

Sam's POV

Tin? Asan ka na? The last time I saw her she was talking to Bianca, at umiyak siya. Ayaw ko siya na umiiyak, it breaks my heart.

Finally. Nakita ko rin siya, "Tin!" I called out.

She turned around, "Uy, san ka ba nagpapa-sikot sikot? Kanina pa kita hinahanap" She was looking for me, I couldn't help but smile.

"I got busy with people.. Ok ka lang ba? I saw you crying kanina" I said as she frowned.

"Okay lang ako" I can tell she's lying, why won't she tell me?

"Is it..?" I dared ask.

She nodded as she frowned, "Basta, okay lang talaga ako"

Then her phone rang, I saw from the caller ID who it was.. Paul. She answered after the first ring and left me as she walked outside to talk to him.

■ ■ ■ ■

Reader's POV

"Paul, we need to talk" Toni said sternly on the phone, as she paced back and forth.

"Okay. Where do you want to meet?" He asked.

"At that restaurant where I said yes to you" Toni said, the irony, they're going back to the place where it all started.

"I'll see you Friday night" Paul said before they said goodbye.

Toni went inside to find Sam waiting for her, "Hey.."

"Are you okay?" Sam asked.

"I'm okay" Toni told without making eye contact with him as she walked over to Bianca.

■ ■ ■ ■

"Tinawagan ka na niya?" Bianca asked as soon as she sees Toni walking to her.

Toni nodded, "Magkita kami sa Friday"

"Alam ba ni Sam?" Bianca asked as she looked over Toni, seeing Sam confused.

"Hindi, bakit?" she asked looking back at him too.

"Kasi concerned siya para sayo" Bianca said, although she knows how Sam would stare at Toni, deep and his eyes sparkling, mesmerized.

"Sinabi ko sa kanya na ok lang ako at okay naman ako, di ba?" Toni said.

"Tin, hindi ka pa okay. Nasasaktan ka pa rin" Bianca said honestly.

"Okay ako, Bianca" She said as if she was programmed to, "Okay ako" she repeated.

Bianca squeezed her hand, "You'll be okay, Tin" she said, giving her a smile.

■ ■ ■ ■

Finally, Sam and Toni were alone. All the guests have left, except for Toni's parents who was staying with them at the house Sam rented.

They sat outside, by the pool, sitting on the swing, "Are you okay? I know you aren't, bakit di mo sabihin sa akin what's wrong?"

"Hindi ko sinabi sayo kasi, you once put me in this state. With Paul, who I actually spent more time and effort with, it hurts even more. What Paul and I had together was real, until it ended" Toni explained, breaking Sam's heart a little.

"I'm sorry" He apologized sincerely.

"Don't apologize to me, Sam. Hindi ko kailangan at ang tagal na ng nangyari sa atin noon" Toni scoffed, "Walang nangyari sa atin noon, Sam. So please, stop asking me if I'm okay because alam mo naman na hindi"

She stood up infront of him, "Don't compare this to what happened to us before, its nowhere near close to what is happening between Paul and I" she continued.

"Tin, I wasn't--"

"Sam, please" Toni said with her eyes filled with sorrow and sadness, breaking into tears.