NAPAHILOT ako sa aking noo nang makatanggap na naman ng text mula kay Aeryn. I heaved a deep sigh before reading it. My jaw clenched at what I read.
Aeryn:
I'm sorry if I slapped you. Bati na tayo, pleaseee? Hindi na kita sasaktan ulit :'(
Talagang siya pa ang nagso-sorry matapos ng lahat ng masasakit na salitang sinabi ko sa kan'ya? That slap was nothing compared to everything that I said that night. God, Aeryn! You're really too good for me!
It's been a week since that night. I thought that after I pushed her away, she'd finally give up, but then, she was really that innately stubborn and persistent. She still kept on texting and calling me, but I never answered.
Pumupunta siya sa condo ko, pero dahil kinuha ko ang duplicate key na meron siya ay hindi siya makapasok-pasok. She was always knocking on my door in the moring. Noong Miyerkules din ay inabangan niya ako sa station, pero hindi ko siya pinansin. Ngunit doon ako nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na kunin ang duplicate key. Sapilitan pa dahil ayaw niyang ibigay. Kung hindi ko pa sinigawan ay hindi niya ibibigay.
I felt guilty, of course. It was hard for me to be harsh to her. It was never easy to be mad at her, actually. Tingnan ko pa lang ang naluluha niyang mga mata at ang parang bata niyang pagnguso ay parang gusto ko na lang siyang yakapin. She annoyed me so much, but I really couldn't afford to see her sad.
But I got no choice. It was better this way. She might break herself in the process of fixing me.
And I never wanted that for her.
Nag-back read ako ng mga messages niya sa akin at napapabuntong hininga na lamang ako.
Aeryn:
Talk to me naman :( I'm sorry for all the things I said.
Aeryn:
Have you eaten na ba? 'Wag kang magpapalipas ng gutom.
Aeryn:
I'm here outside your unit. Hindi ako makapasok :(
Aeryn:
Where are you? Nagpunta me sa police station, but Oliver told me that you left ng maaga.
Aeryn:
I miss you :'((((
Aeryn:
I love you.
"Sweet naman ng girlfriend mo, boss."
Nilingon ko ang magnanakaw na katabi ko na nahuli namin kanina. Parang siraulo itong nakangisi habang nakadungaw sa cellphone ko. Nawala lang ang ngisi niya at saka lang siya nag-angat ng tingin sa akin nang ambahan ko siyang sisikuhin.
"Kalalaki mong tao, tsismoso ka?" matigas kong saad.
Narinig ko ang tawa ni Oliver na siyang nagda-drive ng police patrol car na sinasakyan namin.
"Sweet talaga girlfriend niyan," natatawang panunuya pa ni Oliver.
"Manahimik ka, Ramirez!"
Muli, natawa lang siya.
Kinabukasan, wala akong narinig na katok sa pinto. Nakagawian ko na sa buong isang linggo na ang katok ni Aeryn sa pinto ang nagpapagising sa akin. Ngayong araw na ito, nagising ako't lahat, nakakain, nakapagbihis, at nakaalis ay walang Aeryn na kumatok sa pinto.
Walang Aeryn na nagtext. Walang Aeryn na nangungulit. Walang Aeryn na nagpakita sa kalagitnaan ng trabaho ko.
Which was... very unusual.
Did she finally give up? Did she already realize that I've hurt her enough?
But I knew her. She wasn't the type of person who easily gives up.
BINABASA MO ANG
Exchanging Bullets
Cerita Pendek(This is a side story of Femme Fatale. I suggest you read that FIRST before proceeding to this one. It's worth it, at least for me and for those who appreciate it. You may find it worth reading, too.) Chief Inspector Carlson Enriquez has always been...
