He's My Cousin!

[Ch.11] I Will.

[Ch.11] I Will

// Abby’s Point of View

“I don’t really know how Paolo was able to bring back the friendship our group once had,” Hazel said with an overwelmed voice. I smiled at her, finally, she was able to fully accept Paolo again despite everything that had happened.

“Yeah. Pao is a good person, may mga bagay lang talaga na hindi pwede.. like Pao and I.” I tried to smile. It’s been over a year since we broke up, but the pain in still here inside my heart. I love that man so much, I really really do.

Hazel held my hand, “Abby, sorry nga pala. I wasn’t able to say this before. Sorry.” I saw guilt in her eyes.

“Hah? Bakit?” tanong ko.

“You know, ako yung nag-provoke kay Paolo to say those words. Kung hindi ko siya prinovoke, he wouldn’t say that. Sorry, sana mapatawad mo ako,” sabi niya habang nakayuko.

As she was saying those words, Paolo’s face began to flash back into my mind saying, “Yeah. I don’t love Abby, I will never love her. Kaibigan ko lang naman yun ah? I will never love her more than that. Eh ano naman sa’yo, Hazel? You’re happy now? Narinig mo na? I will never love Abby more than a friend. She’s JUST a friend. JUST-A-FRIEND.”

“Ok lang, if you didn’t provoke him, then maybe, he wouldn’t be able to say what his heart really wanted to say,” nanikip ang dibdib ko noong sinabi ko iyon. Oo, hindi totoo ang sinabi ko kay Aya na Pao broke up with me through a letter. Lahat ng sinabi ko sa kanya totoo, bukod doon sa sulat. Narinig kong kausap ni Paolo si Hazel at pinagdiinan niyang hindi niya ako mamahalin more than just a friend. Masakit para sa akin yon. Bakit hindi na lang niya sinabi sa akin ng harap-harapan? Why did he court me if he didn’t love me? Why did he have to do that? 

Noong naging kami, nag-alangan ako sa una, alam kong hindi niya ako mahal but later on, unti-unti nararamdaman ko na importante ako sa kanya. Akala ko, totoong natutuhan na niya akong mahalin, akala ko totoo na ang mga lahat ng iyon, akala ko mahal na niya ako pero mali pala ako. Hindi nga kasi natin kayang turuan ang iba na mahalin tayo. 

Hindi ko sinabi ang totoong nangyari kay Aya dahil ayokong masira iyong tingin niya sa pinsan niya. I could see in her eyes that she admires her cousin, para bang ginagawa niya itong inspirasyon. I could see it, her eyes told me those. Ayoko namang masira yung pananaw niya sa kuya niya and besides, napatawad ko na naman noon pa si Paolo. He apologized and who am I to reject the person I love the most? I know, that was stupid.

Tears fell from Hazel’s eyes, “Friend! I love you so much. Move on ka na kasi kay Pao, pati ako nalulungkot eh.” We laughed.

“If only I could, kung madali lang sana, noon ko pa ginawa. You know what Zel, I also hate myself for my stupidity. I keep on telling myself to stop, but I can’t. I can’t.”

“Your own Mr. Right will some in due time, trust me, Abby. He will come.”
“I hope.”

“Anong kalokohan na naman yang drama ninyo diyan?” we heared a familiar voice.

“I thought may classes ka ngayon?” I asked Riyuji, he’s supposedly not here, may klase siya tuwing ganitong oras. “Cutting classes again?” Hazel asked in dismay.

“Absolutely,” he sat between me and Hazel.

“Magsesecond year na tayo, ganyan ka pa rin? Riyu naman,” suway ni Hazel sa kanya.

Riyuji is not that serious type of person, he’s the happy-go-lucky one, tito kasi niya ang may ari ng university na pinapasukan namin kaya ang lakas ng loob. Doon kami sa Harrington University, simula highschool ay roon kami nina Pao at Kristel nag-aaral. Sina Riyu, Evo at Hazel naman ay simula grade school.