TAMING THE LIONESS °[KathNiel] ✓COMPLETE

31. Jealous

Tres asked me to show him again the photos he saw when we're at the view deck. He looked at each of them earnestly while I took my time watching his perfect face. His emotions remained blank while gazing at our pictures together.

"This was taken from the view deck."

"Huh?"

"This picture. This was taken there, wasn't it?" He asked, looking straight into my eyes. I cannot look at his longer than before because it will make me emotionally break down so I shifted my eyes to the picture he's referring. It's actually my favorite picture of us. Tres and I were both sitting on the hood of his car. He asked me to get a picture of us and so I did. He was kissing my cheek in the picture. His eyes looked so happy.

"Ah. Yes. Yes. It was taken there." I answered. "Nag-skip classes tayo ng araw na 'to."

"So we've been together since we're still studying?"

"Ah. Oo." Sagot ko sabay tango. "Two years. We were together for two years."

"Masaya ba tayo dati?" Tanong niyang nagpainit ng mga mata ko. Ramdam ko na ang luhang nangingilid sa mga mata ko. "I'm sorry. I just really want to remember. Ang totoo niyan, there are snippets of things I remember about everyone."

Napatingin ulit ako sa kanya. Totoo? Hindi niya alam kung paano niya napasaya ang puso ko sa sinabi niya.

"Except you." He added. "Which is very confusing. If you were my girlfriend, shouldn't you be one of the people I should remember?"

"Tres..."

"Minahal ba kita, Madellaine?"

"Oo." My voice trailed down as tears pooled from my eyes. "Sobra. Sabi mo nga eh, ako lang 'yong nag-iisang babaeng minahal mo. And it's the truth. Ilang ulit mo 'yong pinatunayan sa'kin."

"Eh ikaw? Minahal mo ba ako?"

"Tres. Mahal na mahal kita." Kinuha ko ang mga kamay niya na agad rin niyang binawi. "Mahal na mahal kita. Hanggang ngayon, walang nagbabago. Kaya sana, maalala mo na ako dahil ang dami-dami kong gustong gawin na kasama ka. Gusto kong bumawi sa'yo, sa lahat-lahat."

"Bumawi? Did something happen?" Wala ba talaga siyang maalala? "Madellaine, did we break up before my accident?"

I cannot answer him with honesty so I just sobbed on my lap like a kid.

"So we did?" He continued asking. I still don't have the guts to answer him. "Practically, that means you're no longer my girlfriend then."

"Tres. Tres, sandali." Tawag ko nang umakma siyang aalis. "Oo. Naghiwalay tayo kasi ang tanga-tanga ko!" Galit na sabi ko patungkol sa sarili ko. "Ang tanga-tanga ko. Pero nandito na ako Tres oh. Itatama ko 'yong pagkakamaling ginawa ko. Kaya ako nandito."

"I don't mean to hurt you in anyway. But you know what I'm getting, I don't think my mind wanted to remember you. Kasi naaalala ko na sila pero ikaw hindi. Maybe, it's for my own good. Look, I tried. But it's not working. So I think, this will be the last time I'll see you around here."

"No. Tres, no."

"I'm sorry." He said and even smiled apologetically before leaving me in tears.

Deserve mo 'yan, Maddy. Kasalanan mo naman lahat eh. Kung hindi ka lang tanga. Kung hindi ka lang makasarili. Kasalanan mo 'yan.

"Maddy?" Tawag ni tita bago ako tuluyang makalabas ng gate nila.

"Tita." Humagulhol ako para ilabas 'yong sakit na nararamdaman ko. Ni hindi na ako halos makahinga.