CHARITO felt like she was inside a kaleidoscope. Everything was bright and colorful. At iyon ay dahil lamang nakalapat ang mga labi ni Ade sa kanya. Nang una ay mariin ang halik nito. Ngunit dagling naging banayad iyon, masuyo. Napapikit siya at ikinawit ang kanyang mga braso sa leeg nito.
She felt like having her dreams come true. Her chest felt like it was expanding and would explode any minute. Pinaliguan nito ng mumunting halik ang kanyang buong mukha, ang kanyang leeg. Ang agwat ng kanyang paghinga ay maiiksi na lang at mabibilis.
"Ade..." sambit niya.
Tumigil ito sa ginagawa at pinagmasdan ang kanyang mukha. Hinaplos nito ang kanyang pisngi. "Now, do you understand, Charito?"
Naguluhan siya. Tila naparalisa ang kanyang brain cells. "A-Ade?"
"Hindi mo puwedeng ipagpatuloy 'yang relationship ninyo ni Romeo."
Sumasal ang tibok ng kanyang puso. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"Yes. Break up with him, please."
Natutop niya ang bibig, nag-uumapaw ang kanyang kaligayahan. "You're in love with me, too?" Halos hindi siya makipaniwala. It was too good to be true. And it was, as it turned out. Because he immediately stood up.
"I'm n-not in love with you," mariing tanggi nito.
"You just said you are."
"No, I did not. Ang ipinupunto ko lang, ikaw ang hindi in love sa kanya. Ikaw rin ang magiging miserable. I hate to see you being trapped in that kind of relationship. You don't deserve that."
And he was saying that with a straight face, she couldn't frigging believe him. Sandaling umalsa ang galit sa kanyang dibdib ngunit saglit na saglit lamang. Suddenly, she found it too exhausting to even argue with him. He was impossible. And unbelievably offensive.
Ano ang karapatan nitong hagkan siya upang ipamukha lamang sa kanya na hindi niya mahal si Romeo? Being his brother's best friend didn't give him that right. Being her business partner didn't, too, definitely. That was the lowest of low. She never expected that from him.
"C-Char?" alanganing sambit nito mayamaya.
She looked at him. He looked as if he was confused and longing for her answer. Well, she wouldn't give him what he wanted to hear.
"Umalis ka na lang, Ade. Ayoko nang pag-usapan ito kahit kailan." Nagtuloy siya sa pinto at binuksan iyon.
"Char, I'm so sorry but you have to understand—"
"No, Ade, you have to understand this is my life. I might make mistakes but they're my mistakes to make. Now, get out. Please."
Pinakatitigan siya nito, tila may sasabihin pa ngunit isinara na lamang ang bibig. Paglabas nito ay wala sa sariling bumalik siya sa kama. She felt numb. Ilang oras siyang nakatitig lamang sa kisame bago siya hinila ng antok.
BINABASA MO ANG
Ang Aking Happy Ending by Vanessa
Romance"Just when you were all set to forget what you feel for me because I told you I can never love you did I realize that I'm in love with you. How's that for irony?"
