Chasing After You

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

First

Today is our first anniversary.

Napangiti ako sa salamin habang nag-aayos ng sarili. My toffee brown wavy hair are on one side of my shoulders. Its length is long enough to cover my chest. I put on some light eye shadow to highlight my upturned eyes, a bit of peach blush on my cheeks and greek nose... And then finishing my look with a rosey lip gloss to match my pinkish lips.

I always want to look pretty for him, kahit na lagi niya ring sinasabi sa akin na hindi man ako mag-ayos ay maganda pa rin ako sa paningin niya.

He always make my heart beats faster than a racing car.

Excited akong sumakay ng sasakyan. Inalalayan naman ako ng aking body guard. End term namin ngayon kaya naman pinayagan muna kaming mga estudyante na umuwi mula sa Garnet Academy. Sa pagbabalik namin ay panibagong taon na ulit ng pasukan.

Beau and I have plans today. Espesyal ang araw na ito para sa aming dalawa dahil ito ang unang taon namin biglang magkasintahan. Sa totoo lang ay wala akong kaalam-alam sa lugar kung saan kami magkikita dahil siya ang nagplano ng lahat ng ito.

I opened my phone to send him a text message.

Me:

Malapit na ako sa address na binigay mo. See you! <3

Iyon ang text na ipinadala ko sa kanya. Pangiti-ngiti pa ako habang tinitipa iyon.

I scrolled up and saw the message he sent me last night. It immediately brought me to cloud nine once again.

From: My Patpat

Advance Happy 1st Anniversary, my Theandra Sorrel. I treasure every moment we've spent together, from the day we first met until today. Always remember that I love you. Things may be hard and different in the future, but I will still love you. Thank you and sorry for everything. You made me incredibly happy, Tey.

Para bang sasabog ang puso ko sa saya at pagmamahal.

At first, I never thought that I will fall in love with someone like him. Mayabang, maangas, bastos, at barumbado. Iyon ang spelling ng pangalan niya para sa akin... Noon.

One of my body guards opened the car door for me. Isang magarang hotel ang tumambad sa aking harapan.

Wearing my louboutin heels and black bodycon dress with silver embellishments, I walk gracefully to the hotel entrance with three of my body guards following me from behind.

Iginiya ako ng waiter pagdating doon sa restaurant na nasa loob ng hotel. Sinabihan ko naman ang aking mga body guards na maaari na silang huminto mula roon.

The place looks very romantic. It has a luxury and mood-setting ambiance. The lighting is flatteringly low, but not so that you need a flashlight to read the menu. Small silk-shaded lamps and flowers are on the top of a wooden table. Everything looks amazing. Batid ko na kung bakit dito niya gustong ganapin ang aming anniversary.

Mas lalo akong napangiti nang makita ko ng kanyang likuran. Lalo kong binilisan ang lakad, excited na makita siya.

"Hi." I said happily.

"Hi." he formally said. Beau Patrick looks dashing in his all black suit. Devious eyebrows, prominent eyes, pointed nose, and a strong jawline... He can swoon any girls at this very moment. Tindig pa lang niya ay makapagpapanganga na. Papasa siya bilang isang sikat na imternational model.

I love everything about him, specially his signature messy hair.

He pulled out the chair for me agad din naman akong umupo roon. It's quite unusual. Tuwing ganito kasi, he will always compliment how I look. Pero ngayong anniversary namin, wala siyang sinabi. Nakakapagtaka lang. May mali ba sa ayos ko? Is my dress too sexy kaya naman he's a bit off?

"Hindi pa ba tayo o-order?" tanong ko dahil tahimik pa rin siya mapasangayon.

Ano bang meron?

"Tey, let's talk." aniya. He sounds so serious. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako kinabahang bigla. Hindi pa naman siguro siya magpopropose, 'no? Oh God! Bata pa kami! Pero okay lang naman... Hehe.

"Oo naman." sabi ko sa kanya. Inabot ko pa ang mga kamay niya pero agad din naman niya iniwas ang mga iyon kaya lubos akong nagulat.

"Maghiwalay na tayo, Tey." he said. Agad akong napatigil, pero kilala ko siya. Mahilig siyang magbiro, eh!

"Huwag ka na nga magbiro! Nagugutom na ako." daing ko sa kanya.

Tumikhim siya.

"I'm not joking this time, Theandra. I am breaking up with you. I can't do this anymore, I'm sorry..." he said and immediately stood up and walk away.

Kahit lubos na naguguluhan ay tumayo rin ako at mabilis siyang hinabol. He exited in a different direction. Sa itsura'y mukhang ito ang garden area ng hotel.

"What the hell are you doing, Beau Patrick? Anong palabas 'to?!" I shouted. My tears are starting to flow down. "It's our anniversary. Why are you being like this? Stop joking around! It's not funny!"

I am so mad at him right now. Ano bang pakulo ang ginagawa niya? Hindi na nakakatuwa!

Hinarap niya ako. I can see his eyes right now... It's all blank. There is no remorse.

Bakit siya ganyan? Ano ba ang nangyayari? Hindi ko lubos na maintindihan.

"Like what I said, I'm not joking. Hiwalay na tayong dalawa. Ayaw ko na. Ano ba ang hindi malinaw sa'yo?" nagulat ako sa tono ng pananalita niya.

Tila ba may punyal na unti-unting bumabaon dito sa puso ko.

What happened to my Beau?

"Marami!" sigaw ko ulit. "Hindi kita maintindihan! Why are you breaking up with me? At ngayon pang anniversary natin?! Anong problema?"

I am crying. And it seems like he doesn't even care... It breaks me so much. Naninikip ang dibdib ko at gulong-gulo ang utak ko.

"Bigla ko lang na-realized na pagod na ako sa relasyong 'to. Na ayoko na." diretsong sabi niya. Walang pag-aalinlangan iyon kaya mas lalong naninikip ang puso ko.

"You can't say that... Y-you can't, Beau. Maayos pa tayo kagabi lang! Binati mo pa ako! You said that you love me... And you will always love me. P-pero bakit biglang ganyan ka?" I said, my voice is shaking.

Pakiramdam ko ay hulas na ang make up ko dahil sa pag-iyak. Napupuno ng luha ang aking mga mata.

This can't be happening! There's no any sign. We are all okay and suddenly it comes down to this? I couldn't find any reasons in my mind at all!

Saan ako nagkamali? Saan ako nagkulang?

"I'm sorry, Thea." maikling sabi niya na mas lalong nagpagalit pa sa akin.

"Hindi mo na ba ako mahal?" I asked like my whole heart is depending on it. Kabadong-kabado sa maaaring isagot niya. "Sagutin mo 'ko!"

He looked at me with bloodshot eyes. "Mahal."

Ikinalma nito ang nagwawala kong puso ngunit ang sakit ay hindi manlang naghilom.

"Pero tama na. Mahal kita pero tama na." dugtong niya na siyang pumatay sa katiting na pag-asa.

Naramdaman ko ang panghihina ng aking mga tuhod. Everything suddenly falls apart.

"I-I don't understand..." nauutal kong sabi.

I just can't. There's no way I would. It's very hard to understand!

He took a deep breath.

"We can love each other without owning each other. Our story doesn't need a next chapter. Let's just end it as a tragedy with a closure." he said. "Please forget about me, Theandra."

And that's how the notorious Beau Patrick Santiago broke me. He walked away, leaving me there, all alone, with my heart shattered into a million pieces.