AETERNUM SERIES 1: A TWIST OF FATE (COMPLETED)

CHAPTER SEVEN

Tumuloy si Marco sa balcony ng kanyang kwarto. He needed air. Inaasahan na niyang magkikita silang muli ni Anna sa pagbabalik niya sa San Jose. He had practiced how he will face her during the entire trip and even inside the car a while ago. He thought the distance he created between them was enough to kill whatever feelings he had for her. But he was so wrong. He had proven it a lot of times since he knew that she will be working in Austria. His passport was another proof of that.

Right now he wanted to hang himself for failing to forget her no matter how hard he tried. How he wanted to kick himself when the moment their eyes met he wanted to run to her and crush her in his arms just like the times when he secretly watched her in Vienna. But he had to die first before he will lay a finger on her again.

She's forbidden fruit, he reminded himself.

Mula sa kinatatayuan ay tanaw niya ang malawak na solar ng mansyon. Seven years and nothing seemed to change in the Vallarta mansion and he was glad about it. He found comfort in seeing the things he used to see before he left for New York.

Kanina pagdaan nila sa bayan, nakita niyang mas dumami na ang mga establishments at mas marami na ring mga kabahayan ang nakatayo along the road. He's glad with the progress this small town is achieving. Pero paglampas nila ng Poblacion, almost nothing changed. Wild plants and flowers along with century old trees are still on the sides of the road. Ang tanging naiba lang yata ay ang daanan papasok ng hacienda dahil sementado na ito ngayon.

Napahawak siya sa railings nang makita ang paglabas ni Anna kasunod si Nanay Anding. Tila nagpapaalam ito sa matandang babae. Hindi napansin ng mga ito ang kanyang presensya.

Mayamaya pa'y sumakay na ang dalaga sa dala nitong bisikleta. He tightened his grip as he saw how the wind played with her short hair that looks so soft as she slowly drive away and how the afternoon sun glowed her tan skin dahil ang kaninang suot nitong jacket ay nakapulupot na ngayon sa maliit nitong beywang. Ang suot naman nitong puting bestida ay tila isang mananayaw na sumusunod sa galaw ng hangin.

He silently cursed when his body suddenly reacted to the sight. Anna bloomed into a gorgeous woman any man would want to have in his bed.

And that includes you, his mind whispered. He again cursed and watched as Anna disappeared from his sight. Nagtiim ang kanyang mga bagang dahil sa nararamdamang frustrations. Hindi na dapat siyang umuwi sa impyernong lugar na ito. Pero ang pag-aalala niya para sa ama ay hindi rin niya kayang talikuran. For what it's worth, he's still his father and he needed his support this time.

He took a deep breath. Trying to forget Anna was like trying to forget he was living. Sure, he had his share of women in New York. But every morning that he would wake up with a different woman next to him made him ache for her more. Pero hindi iyon maaari. He would try again to meet another woman, hoping that the next one will satisfy his need for her. But he would always end up comparing them to her and he would always feel disappointed.

It was a cycle he wanted to end but to end it means going back to Anna. And he just can't. It would be a sin he didn't want to commit. Again.

He took out his wallet from his back pocket and silently took out an almost faded photograph. Naninilaw na ang kulay nito at marahil ilang buwan na lang ay tuluyan na itong masisira pero ang alaalang kasama nito ay hindi kailanman mabubura.

He cursed aloud when he saw the familiar faces of the lovely young woman and her daughter, both smiling at the camera. He'd seen it countless times pero nandun pa rin ang pag-asam niyang isang umaga pagtingin niya dito ay ibang mukha na ang nandun. It was foolish for him to wish for it pero iyon lang ang kaya niyang magawa para pwede na niyang mahalin ng tuluyan si Anna ng higit pa sa ipinapahintulot.