The Ruthless Game

Chapter 36

Chapter 36: "I think we were meant to be, but we did it wrong."

Letting him go wasn't a decision I made because I'd gotten over him nor I'd lost my feelings for him. No. I don't think I could ever move on from him or cut him off of my life because I have given him a big part of me that I'm afraid I'll never get back. 

I just had to pick up the broken pieces of my life and walk away from him because it was high time I put myself first and do what's best for me. Things just can't go back the way it used to be easily. 

Thus, I took a leave from work after Dylan and I had talked, I packed my bag, went to places that I hadn't been yet, and did the things that I never thought I could do on my own for three weeks such as traveling, bungee jumping, parasailing, and scuba diving. It seemed daunting at the beginning, but it was liberating. 

"Saan na naman ang punta mo, Dora the explorer?" Patty asked.

Binitbit ko na ang pagkain na niluto ko. "Diyan lang."

"Diyan lang kay ex no?" sabi ni Tia na kakapasok lang sa kitchen. Bumisita siya dito kagabi at dito na rin natulog dahil inabot kami ng ilang oras sa pagkukwentuhan. "Maharot!"

"Tigilan mo ako, Santiago!" tumatawang sabi ko. "Alis na ako!"

On my way to his house, I turned on the radio and sang along to the song, feeling so good for no reason at all. Masayang ibinalik ko ang pagbati ng kasambahay na nagbukas ng pinto para sa akin. 

Pagdating ko sa bahay niya ay huminga ako ng malalim bago pumasok. Ang maid niya ang nagbukas ng pinto para sa akin at sinabing nasa may pool si Dylan. Iginiya niya ako papunta doon. I looked around and found him sitting by the pool. 

He seemed to be in deep thoughts as he was staring into space. Huminga ako ng malalim at lumakad palapit sa kanya. Napunta sa akin ang mga mata niya. I saw astonishment in his eyes upon seeing me but he was able to mask it right away. 

As I stopped in front of him, we just stared into each other silently. Pinakiramdaman ko ang sarili ko. Wala na. I smiled as I realized that there's not bitterness anymore. 

"Hey."

His lips curved into a genuine smile. "Hey yourself."

I smiled as I received a message from him, asking me where I was at. Mabilis akong tumipa ng isasagot sa kanya. Ilang besis pa kaming nagpalitan ng text message. Nabigla na lang ako ng may humampas sa braso ko. 

"Masakit yon ha! Anong problema mo diyan, Santiago?"

Inirapan niya ako. "Hindi kita in-invite na mag-coffee para lang inggitin ako! Akala mo ba hindi ko alam na si Dylan ang ka-text. May pa-let go, let go ka pang nalalaman diyan tapos ngayon close na naman kayo! Pinaasa mo lang ako! Akala ko pwede na kami! Kaasar kang babae ka!"

"Baliw! Friends lang kami ni Dylan, okay! I swear."

Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay. "True?"

"True!"

Nangalumbaba siya sa mesa. "Paano kayo naging friends?"

Hindi ako agad nakaimik. Paano nga ba kami naging ganito ni Dylan? I smiled as I recalled the exact moment I realized we could be friends. 

It was that night after a week of hanging out at his house with our friends; he sat down beside me while I was watching a video of someone singing at a bar on my facebook, and asked me if I missed performing. And as they say, the rest is history.