Unconditional Love ;))

Chapter 28

This is it. The event.

Lee was shaking. Dumating sila Wax at Mark sa back stage. Nakita nya kme ni Lee. Si Lee naka upo sa bench. Nakayuko. Malayo pa lang sila eh kitang kita na ung ngiti ni Wax. Napatingin naman ako kay Mark. Yung mukha nya seryoso. Nakakapanibago. Paglapit ni Wax pumapalakpak na sya.

Wax: bro pogi mo. Mr University na title mo imbis na Mr Captainball. (Tinapik tapik nya ung balikat n Lee)

Lee: (tinignan si Wax at miling) seriously pare you still have the nerve to laugh. Dont you know that im stressed. This is giving me a hard attack.

Tumayo si Lee at inakbayan naman sya ni Wax. Natatawa ako ka Lee. Para syang anemic sa pagka putla.

Wax: pare you look okay. You actually look ho. (Sabay tawa)

Lee: nababading ka na bro. (Sabay nagtawanan sila.)

Natuwa naman ako at nagawa ng tumawa ni Lee. Kahit papano nawala ung stress nya. I held his arm and smiled at him. I looked at Mark. He look stressed to.

Mark: Lee. Can i talk to you for a while. (Inakbayan nya si Lee tas hinila papalayo. Bat kailangan pa lumayo nung dalawang un. Nakatingin lang ako sa kanila habang nag lalakad. I want to eavesdrop pero wala akong marinig. Inakbayan naman ako bigla ni Wax.)

Wax: baka bibigyan ni Lee ng words of encouragement si Lee. (Sabay tawa naman nya. Loko talaga si Wax. Basta kalokohan sya ang nangunguna.)

Tinignan ko sa malayo sila Lee. Nagbubulungan pa din sila kahit ang layo na sa amin. Tapos nakita ko si Mark na tinapik si Lee. Tumingin sa akin si Lee at ngumiti ng bahagya. Parang kakaiba ung ngiti nya. May pag aalala. Anong meron sa ganung ngiti? Maya maya lumapit sa akin si Lee. All of a sudden bigla nya kong niyakap.

Binulungan ako ni Lee habang nakayakap. "Thea what ever happens please stay with me. Please". Nagulat ako sa sinabi nya. Niyakap ko na din sya. I did not answer. He's acting weird.

After that nag start na ung event. Nag salita na ung commentator. Pinapakilala nya ng mga judges. Sumilip ako ng kaunti. Kinabahan ako bigla. Hinila ako ni Lee papasok ng dressing room. Niyakap nya ko. Mahigpit na mahigpit. Ang lamig ng kamay nya.

Lee: Kinakabahan ako. Natatakot ako.

Thea: babe OA na ha. Im here. Hold my hand. Lalabas tayo dun magkasama. I wont leave you. Trust me, will be fine. (Ang weird weird nya. Bat ganun. Whats wrong with walking and posing.)

Ayan na. Lumabas na kme ni Lee. Naglakad kami sa gitna. Wow. Ang daming tao. Nakita ko agad sila Ice. Ang lakas ng cheer nila. Sa bandang likod naman sila Wax. Ang lakas sumigaw ni Wax. Pang asar talaga. We wen out from different doors tas magkakasabay kami sa paglalakad sa middle na. I saw him walk. Ang galing nya. Parang di naman na sya stressed out.

Pagtapos ng evening gown hinanap ko agad si Lee. Queastion and answer na agad. Wala ng swim suit event. Sa pictures na lang ng pictorial sila nag base. Kinakabahan ako since ang mag aanswer lang daw eh ung girls. Paikot ikot ako sa back stage. Hinanap ko si Lee. Sa may dulo nakita ko sya. Kausap ulit si Mark. Mukhang seryoso ung pinag uusapan nila. Papalapit na ko biglang nakita ako ni Matk at tinuro ako kay Lee. Ngumiti naman agad sa akin si Lee. Bakas sa mukha nya ung pag kakaba. Nginitian ko sila at hinawakan ung kamay na.

Thea: babe cheer up. Ako na dapat kabahan. Question and answer na. You dont need to stress yourself. Awarding na pag lumabas ka ulit sa stage.

Lee: do you really want to do this? (He's really acting strange. Nakatitig lang sya sakin. Ang lamig ng kamay nya.)

Thea: babe last step na. Bakit naman ako magbaback out pa.

For the second time he hugged me suddenly. Ang higpit naman ng yakap nya. Ang sarap ng feeling na ang sweet sweet nya pero nakakapanibago. Bakit all of a sudden ganun sya. He kissed me as I say goodbye pero hinawakan nya ung kamay ko. Ihahatid na daw nya ko papunta sa stage.

The commentator called me. I smiled at him and kissed him.

Bago nya ko bitawan parang narinig ko syang bumulong. Dont know its my imagination or what.

"Stay. Please."

I walked with poised and smile. I stopped at the center as the commentator called the judge that will ask me the question.

"May we call on judge Miguel Martinez to give his question to the contestant"

WTF?!!

Tama ba dinig ko? Miguel Martinez?

Hinanap ko ung judge na sinasabi nung commentator. Then on my side I saw him.

Its really him. My ex.

Bumilis ng tibok ng puso ko bigla. Parang anytime it will explode. I feel like crying. Tumingin ako sa side. Away from him. Nakita ko si Lee. Nakatingin sya sa akin. My eyes met his eyes. Naiiyak na ko pero unfair par nakita ni Lee. Ayokong isipin nyang affected ako kahit sa totoo ay affected talaga ko. Im still in denial that its really him. Tinignan ko ulit sya. I want to make sure. Tinitigan ko sya. He was smiling at me and that really kills me.

That smile kills me.

Damn.

He went on the center. At my front. Parang tumigil ung mundo. All i could see is him. Standing in front of me. Smiling.

He opened his mouth and talk.

Its really him.

His voice.

I wanted to scream.

Hinanap ko si Lee. I need him now. Pls.

"Good Evening Ms. Dela Rosa. Here's my question for you." Then I caught his eyes. "Do you believe in second chances?"

...... Second chances?

....... Second chances?

Im numb.

Im so pathetic.

Im shaking. "Thank you for that question." I don't actually know what to say. I glanced at Lee. I saw him signing. He was pointing his heart and head. I got his message. Think and answer from the heart. I closed my eyes for a while. Cleared my mind. I opened my eyes and smiled.

"Yes. I believe on second chances. We are just human. We commit mistakes. We learn. We forgive. I believe everyone can make a stupid decision and/or choice and then realize just how stupid it was. If the person has enough remorse and shows through action just how much they are willing to work to repair the damage, then yes, they would deserve a second chance. The issue might be however, that once the trust is broken, even if you work on the second chance, it could prove to be too much for the other person to work through. Thank you"

He smiled at me "Very well said. Very forgiving person."

I went back to the backstage. Im shaking. I swear. Pinilit ko na lang maglakad. I felt my tears falling. Pinunasan ko agad. I dont want Lee to see me like this. Pero bat gnun ang skit pa pala. Bat okay na sya? Bakit nakakangiti sya? Bakit ako ganito. Dba okay na ko? Dba mahal ko na si Lee.

I was asking myself when someone grabbed my hand.

Dahan dahan ko tinignan. Akala ko sya. Hindi pala.

Akala ko si Migs. Si Lee pala.

Why am I expecting him? I dont know.