Control The Game (COMPLETED)

Chapter 17

#CTG17 Chapter 17

"Okay ka lang?" Iñigo asked as he took the empty space beside me. Inabutan niya ako ng paper cup na may lamang kape. I quietly took it and stared at the sun slowly rising before us.

"Sorry," I said.

"I told you not to say sorry," he replied.

"No, not about that. Just... sorry."

"If not about that, about what?" he asked.

I blew against the cup. Sobrang init ng kape na nakikita ko iyong usok. It's weird but every time I'd see a hot coffee, I'd always associate it with Iñigo. Hindi naman kami ganoong ka-close... I could literally count the times we talked through the three years I'd known him. But for some reason, I felt comfortable around him.

Comfortable enough to cry.

Comfortable enough to show weakness.

It's weird... but nice.

"Sorry about what?" he repeated.

"Basta sorry," sagot ko.

"Come on... Sorry tungkol saan?" he asked again. "Kung ayaw mong sabihin, ako na lang magsosorry."

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Para san?"

"Dapat nagtaxi na lang tayo. O kaya 'dun kita pinaupo sa tabi ng babae. O kaya—"

"Let's just both stop apologizing for things which are out of our control," I said, cutting him off.

A small smile appeared. "Naks... parang linya ko 'yan, ah?"

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up."

He laughed. "Alam mo, iba ka na kaysa nung unang naka-usap kita..." he said, but I remained silent. "Mas open ka na... Medyo. Obvious naman na marami ka pang problema na ayaw mong sabihin, pero ayos lang. But just know that if you ever need someone to listen, I'm always available."

"Thanks," I simply said.

It's nice... to know that there's someone who's ready to listen to you talk. I'd always wanted to have someone like that. Marami akong kapatid, pero hindi kami ganito ka-close... Probably because we're all too busy trying to make our father proud... Iyong mga kaibigan ko naman, alam ko na pwede ko silang kausapin... I knew that they'd always listen.

But it's still different.

I couldn't talk to them.

They're my friends... but they're not my person.

I'm not their person.

I'm no one's favorite.

And it sucked.

"Na-text na kita dati, 'di ba? Sinave mo ba number ko?" he asked. 'Di ako sumagot. "Grabe! Itetext nga ulit kita. Save mo na, okay?"

I shrugged. "Sino 'yung lawyer na pumunta?" pag-iiba ko ng tanong. Pagka-tapos niyang tumawag kanina, mahigit isang oras lang ay may dumating na lalaki. Nag-usap sila ni Iñigo sandali bago iyong abogado ang nakipag-usap sa mga pulis. I was just quietly watching then... The lawyer looked really respectable—like he knew what he was doing.

I wasn't an idealist—not in the slightest way... Alam ko naman na malaki ang posibilidad na ma-dismiss iyong complaint. Gusto ko lang na dalhin iyong lalaki sa presinto para malaman niya na hindi uubra iyong ginagawa niyang ganon. Na hindi lahat ng babae, takot. Na may iba na hindi papayag na gawin niya 'yun.

I already accepted that the complaint wouldn't flourish... but for some reason unknown to me, nagawa nung lawyer na matanggap iyong complaint. In fact, the guy was already in custody.