THE LAW OF LOVING YOU °[KathNiel] ✓COMPLETE

31.Stupid

Serenity

There really are mistakes you are guilty of but don't end up regretting them. But that doesn't justify anything. A mistake is a mistake. You regret it or not, learn it or not, it remains the same—a mistake.

"You're glowing. You look different today." Puri ni Jeremy nang magkita kami sa Floating restaurant na ipinagmamalaki ng resort.

"It's maybe just the dress." I counter and automatically, my mind recalls how I got it. Oh, Five picked this dress. Damn Siri, stop talking about him. Last night should be enough.

"Order na tayo?" Nakangiting anas ni Jeremy. Seeing him today feels wrong but I don't think I have a better choice. So, I go with the flow, dive with the wave and swim with the current.

"Um, why won't you impress me?"

Ngumiti na naman si Jeremy bago niya kinuha ang menu. Kinakabahan ako, hindi ko alam kung bakit. Iniwan ko kasing tulog pa si Five. Malamang sa malamang, hahanapin ako paggising non. Pero alam kong hindi naman siya gagawa ng eskandalo kapag nalaman niyang kasama ko si Jeremy. Mag-asawa lang naman kami sa papel. And soon enough, he'll have someone he can call his real wife. Damn it. That still hurts. Much to my relief, the wonderful breakfast ends without catching a view of Five.

"I still can't believe it." Jeremy muses after we clean up the food on our plates. "I can't believe I see you again."

"Get over it, Mcknight." I roll my eyes. "The world is small."

"I have to agree. Kailan nga pala kayo babalik ng Maynila? My flight will be this afternoon."

"Um, maybe in a day or two. May kailangan pa kaming puntahan ni Five."

"Five. Yeah, talking about him." Bulong ni Jeremy na nagpayelo sa'kin sa kinauupuan ko.  Wearing an evil grin, Jeremy greets the man I wish to never talk to again for the rest of the day. "Palmer, it's nice to see you."

Hindi ako lumingon. Ayokong makita ang mukha niya. Grabe ang pintig ng puso ko, ang bilis, ang lakas. Kusang bumalik sa alaala ko ang nangyari kagabi. I try to shake it off my mind but I feel so powerless at the moment.

Please don't say anything stupid, Jeremy. Just fxcking shut your mouth.

"Um, you don't mind me dating your beautiful friend here, don't you?"

This time, I can no longer compose myself. This is enough. Nilingon ko si Five na nakatingin rin sa'kin. Hindi siya mukhang galit. No, hindi siya galit. He looks shattered. He looks helpless... broken. And with that, I feel so guilty. I feel so bad about myself. What did I do? Nothing, isn't it?

"Jeremy, I have to go." Paalam ko at mabilis na tumakbo palabas ng restaurant.

"Serene!"

Shit. Shit.

Binilisan ko ang pagtakbo upang huwag maabutan ni Five. Ayoko siyang makausap. Nakabalik ako sa villa na hindi niya naabutan. Umiiyak na naman ako sa di ko malamang dahilan.Hindi ko nga ba talaga alam?

Ba't sinagad mo ang pagpapakatanga Serenity? Ayaw na ba talagang gumana niyang utak mo?

"Pxtang-inang puso ka! Ang tanga-tanga mo!" Hindi ko mapigilang pangaral sa sarili ko. Locking myself in the bathroom is my last resort because my tears are unstoppable. They're streaming endlessly. "Ang tanga mo. Kailan ka ba kasi gagawa ng matino sa buhay mo, Serene?"

"Serene, open the door."

Oh God. Please.

Tumingala ako sa ceiling habang napasandal ang likod sa malamig na tiled walls ng banyo. I calm my voice so he won't recognize me crying. "I'm okay."