Pulling Me towards You

Chapter 2

"Alena, can we talk."

Nasa malapit siya sa veranda habang nagsu-swimming na ang mga kaklase niya, pati na si Sir Soriano. Even Rance joined the fun. Hindi niya tuloy namalayan ang paglapit ni Kier. Last time she checked, nakikipaglandian ito kay Preya.

"Hindi ka ba napapagod? Wala naman tayong dapat pag-usapan". She asked, instead.

"Never. You're mine. Nagkamali ako at alam ko yun. But can't you see I'm making amends from everything I've done? Don't I deserve another chance Love?" He almost whispered his endearment for her.

"Chance Kier? Naririnig mo ba yung sarili mo? I have given you 10years of my life. Akala ko nung nabigyan kita ng anak, finally you will see my worth. Pero nagkamali ako. I'm not yours, not even once. Because you never made me."

Hindi napigilan ni Alena ang mga luha. Tumingala sya upang wag tuluyang bumuhos ang mga yon. Masakit mang aminin pero until now she's hurting. She's masking the pain by appearing to be tough, by making it seem like everything in her life is ok. Kasi ayaw na niyang bumalik sa nakaraan. Dun sa nakaraan kung saan puro sakit ang pinaramdam sa kaniya ng dating boyfriend.

    Naiinis na pinalis niya ang nagbabantang luha, and with a very cold voice said, "We have nothing to talk about Kier. My answer today won't be different from last time. Stay away from me. Do your part as our children's dad, and that's it. Wala kang ibang magagawa to change my mind. We are over!"

    "Damn it Alena. Why are you being so hard to me? At paano ako magpapaka-tatay sa mga anak natin when you are not accepting anything from me." He answered, exasperated na napahilamos na lang.

***

    Kanina pa nakatingin si Rance sa veranda. He's looking out sakali man na may gawin si Kier na hindi gusto ni Alena.

   "Pare chill! nag-uusap lang yung dalawa. Dapat lang naman di ba?" Si Axel.

    Kung close sila ng dalaga, close naman ang binata kay Kier. Madalas na magkasama ang mga ito, mula high school hanggang ngayon.

    "Alam ko pare. Pero nakainom na kasi si Kier. Mahirap na. Baka may gawin siyang hindi gusto ni Alena. Anyway aawat lang naman ako. Hindi ko bubugbugin si Kier kung yun ang inaalala mo. Kaibigan ko rin naman sya." Nakatawang sagot naman ni Rance.

    "I told Kier to let her go. Ayaw niya. Guess the cliche is true on his part. Nalaman niya kung gaano kahalaga si Alena sa buhay niya when he already lost her." Komento pa ng kanilang dating kaklase, which earned a nod from him.

***
    Lulugo-lugong bumalik si Kier sa lamesa. Agad tinungga ang alak na nasa bote. Hindi alintana ang tingin ng mga kaklase, o maging ni Sir Soriano mismo. Ng sa lalapit si Preya, dripping wet from the pool, wearing a seductive one piece swimsuit that hugged her body like a second skin.

"Honey what's the problem?" Slurred ang boses nito. Madami na din kasing nainom.

"Don't mind me. Just do your thing. I'll be ok here." Pagtataboy naman ng binata.

Nagpunta siya sa reunion nilang ito to be with all of them. But ultimately, he wanted to be with Alena. Almost two years since she called it quits, and there hasn't been a day when he didn't try making it up to her. Mahal na mahal nya ito. He's just a jerk dahil hindi niya naparamdam yun dito nung sila pa. And now, she's really slipping, from his hold, from his life.

"Shit. That can't happen". Napapasabunot na lang siya sa sarili.

"If this is about Alena, sumuko ka na lang, ok? Ayaw na niya sayo Kier, live with it. Look at her, she's happy with Rance. Ang normal lang para sa kaniya na yumakap at humawak everytime she pleases. Ang plastic lang kasi ayaw pang umamin." Maamghang na komento ni Preya. Hindi inaalisan ng tingin sina Alena at Rance. Kasalukuyang kinukumbinsi nito si Alena na mag-swimming na.

"You know nothing Preya. And if you have nothing nice to say, pakitikom na lang ng bibig mo please." Matalim ang tinig na sabi ni Kier, sabay alis sa lamesa.

***

Sa pool ay pinagbigyan na lang ni Alena ang pangungulit ng best friend. Ayaw kasi sana niyang lumusong dahil malamig ang tubig. Lamigin siya at halos kakatapos lang ng monthly period kaya tamad siyang gumalaw-galaw.

"The water's not too cold bud! Para ma-relax yung muscles mo, come now. I'll give you a massage while we are here. Dali na". Ayaw talagang tumigil ni Rance hanggang hindi siya pumapayag. Apektado na ito ng nainom dahil kung hindi ay hindi sya nito kukulitin lalo at alam nito ang mga ayaw at gusto niya.

"Ok lang naman tong swim wear ko diba?" Pag-aalangan pa rin ng dalaga. Siya lang kasi ang naka-short at sleeveless sa kanilang mga babae na nasa pool ng mga oras na yun.

"Whatever you wear suits you just fine, promise!" Matamis talaga ang dila ng binata pag lasing. Nagiging bolero kasi ito.

Lumusong na nga siya. Pero hindi naglangoy. Nasa isang panig lang siya ng pool dahil malamig talaga. Besides, the feeling of comfort Rance's fingers are giving her back is giving her delight.

"Where did you learn how to do that bud?" She asked. Mas masarap pa kasi ang hilot na ginagawa nito kesa sa favorite niyang masahista.

"Few videos here and there." Bulong naman ng binata.

Rance must be out of her mind, or the alcohol from the shots he has earlier took its toll on him already, but to hold her like this seems different. They've been close friends for years already, natutulog pa nga minsan ang dalaga sa apartment niya. Hindi din matatawaran ang lambing nito pag magkasama sila. But lately, tila nag-iiba na ang pakiramdam niya whenever she's near.

Di kalayuan sa dalawa ay ang nakatiim bagang na pigura ni Kier. Tila anytime ay handa na itong sugurin si Rance para lang ilayo kay Alena.

Lalapit na sana siya sa dalawa when Sir Soriano swam towards him. "Kier lets talk". Anito.

Wala siyang nagawa kundi ang tumango. Nagpunta silang dalawa sa kabilang side ng pool. Just enough distance, sa isip-isip pa ng guro.

"Alena paid me a visit a day before she broke up with you two years ago." Panimula niya.

"What?" Gulat ang reaksyon ng binata. He didn't know. Ang alam nya ay sa mga kaibigan madalas na nagsasabi si Alena whenever he hurts her noong nagsasama pa sila ng dalaga.

"She told me everything. From the time you told her you like her up until that dreadful day. Gusto kitang suntukin ng mga panahon na yon for hurting her. You know I treat you both as my children and you know how special she is, to both of us for that matter. She was crying really hard na hagod hagod ng Mama Gail ninyo ang likod niya the whole time para lang wag siyang mag-hysterical. She was in great pain but she doesn't want to let you go. I was the one who encouraged her to do it." Pag-amin ni Sir Soriano.

Na lalo na lang nagpagulat kay Kier. Napahugot sya ng malalim na hininga. Their mentor here, of all people knows kung ano talaga ang meron sila ng dalaga. Alam niyang mahal sila nito noon pa man.

"I thought you love us, I thought you love me." May panunumbat sa tono niya. Napapailing sa sama ng loob dahil sa natuklasan.

"I did it for the both of you, at lalong higit para sayo Kier. Mga anak na ang turing ko sa inyo, at mahal ko kayo. I don't want you to wake up one day with Alena hating you so much dahil lang sa hindi mo naiparamdam at naipakita sa kaniya ng maayos yung sinasabi mong pagmamahal. How many times have you cheated on her? How many times did she tell you that she wanted this, she wanted that, but you never gave it to her. How many times did you let her down by choosing someone else over her, again and again through the course of your relationship?" Tanong pa rin nito.

Hindi makasagot ang binata. Guilty siya e. Sa maraming pagkakataon ay sinubukan ni Alena na iparating sa kaniya kung ano ang nararamdaman nito. Pinatawad siya nito ng paulit-ulit sa mga panloloko niya. Nakita niya na itong umiyak several times pero hindi siya natinag. Nagbago lang lahat nung mawala na ito sa kaniya ng tuluyan. Napasuntok na lang sa tiled wall si Kier.

"I was such an asshole!" Napahagulgol na lang siya.