The Wedding Aisle

PART IX

"Whoo.." sabi niya habang pinapaypay ang mga mata niya. "Argh! I hate myself! I promised to never cry again, but now, look at me!"

Hindi ko na lang namalayan, nanginginig na pala yung mga kamay ko. Hindi ko alam kung bakit. Marahil dahil sa mga narinig ko. Akala ko dati, ako lang yung nahihirapan, ngayon pala, may mas nasasaktan pa kaysa sa akin. Napaka makasarili ko pala.

"A-ang tagal naman ni Sharls." pag-iiba niya sa usapan. "Ano bang inihahanda niya at sobrang tagal naman. Dapat masarap yun dahil pinaghintay niya tayo."

"Leann." I said in a serious tone. "I'm sorry."

Natigilan siya. Tinignan niya ako, ang mga mata niya, puno ng hinanakit at tila nagtatanong.

"S-sorry?" tanong niya, "For what?" in a sarcastic tone.

"You know what I mean. Please forgive me. I became selfish and never thought about you. I'm so sorry."

"No, no. Stop. You don't have to say sorry. In fact, wala ka namang kasalanan. It's my fault that I became DUMB and STUPID."

"But--"

"At saka, I don't need your sorry. For the past three years, I learned my lesson. And I'm fine now."

Nagbuntong hininga na lamang ako.

Nanatili kaming tahimik. Wala ni isa mang umiimik, until I broke the awkward silence.

"Salamat." I uttered with full sincerity.

"Why so sudden? Para saan naman?"

"Thank you for being my friend, for taking good care of me, for being so good to me, for being stupid with me, for being hurt because of me, for loving me."

Natigilan siya sa sinabi ko.

"You've been a very good bestfriend of mine. In fact, maipagmamalaki ko na naging kaibigan kita. Even though I didn't show it before, I'm very thankful that I have you by my side, 'cause I think, I won't survive with out you by that time. And I really regret it na hindi ako naging isang mabuting kaibigan sayo. Napakabuti mo sa akin and I'm such an idiot for never giving back the kindness you showed to me." 

Nakayuko lang siya habang nakikinig.

"At alam mo, sang-ayon ako sa sinabi mo, you're STUPID." she failed to hide her shock when she heard me. "Kasi, ang tanga tanga mo para mafall sa isang kagaya ko na hindi deserve ang pagmamahal mo. I'm sorry for wasting you're effort, time, and love, sorry for never saying 'I love you', sorry for making you a stupid person you should never be. Pero buti na lang rin naging tanga ka." 

When I said the last sentence, napangiti siya.