Love Deferred

Chapter 33: Her Choice

Daniela's POV

Gusto ko na sanang magexplain kay Steven kaagad pero anghirap nyang patahanin kanina. Nakatulog tuloy ito. Anghimbing at anghigpit ng yakap nya kanina bago sya nakatulog. Mukhang napagod sya physically and emotionally.

His forehead is against my cheek and his face is just almost above my chest while his arm is around my waist. Parang ginawa naman akong life size pillow nito. Kanina pa ganito ang pwesto nya bago sya matulog. Siguro nakalma sya sa tibok ng puso ko. Sana naririnig nya na siya nalang ang tinitibok nito.

Hindi ko inexpect ang mga pangyayari ngayong araw na to. Grabe sa surprises but I'm glad I didn't lose this man in my arms na parang bata umiyak.

Nagulat talaga ako na may mga paparazzi pa palang umaaligid sa amin ni Charlie. Patunay ay ang mga pictures na kumalat sa Twitter. Same people siguro yon na paulit-ulit na nangiissue sa amin ni Charlie kahit si Steven na ang boyfriend ko noon.

Haayy...May mga tao talagang hindi makamove on.

Isa pang nakakagulat ay yung nadatnan ko kaninang yakapan ng mokong na to nung best friend nyang si Tanya. If he hadn't assured me before na walang romantic na namamagitan sa kanila, I would think that there's something going on between them. Siguro kay Steven wala pero hindi ako masyadong kampante dun kay Tanya. Sobra naman yata sya for a bestfriend. Kung makayakap dito kay Steven parang may something sya sa kanya eh. Pero mas kampante na ko kay Steven lalo na sa mga nalaman ko kanina.

Gosh! I can't believe he really went to London and saw Charlie kissing me. Worst was narinig nya pala yon. Pero mukhang di nya natapos yung buong conversation namin ni Charlie coz if he did, he wouldn't have run off.

Flashback

I was at the backstage. Kakatapos lang ng show. The whole cast was ecstatic from the cheers and applause we received from our audience. It was indeed a very successful show.

Everybody went to congratulate me but I was looking for a single face--Steven's. I was hoping ngayon sya makakarating from the Philippines. Usapan kasi namin that he would spend weeks with me habang pareho kaming nakapahinga sa trabaho. This was our last show in London and after this ay sa New York naman kami magtatanghal. So the cast is given almost six weeks for a break.

Excited na ko! Okay lang if hindi sya nakapanood ngayon. Malamang bukas andito na din naman sya.

Pagbukas ko ng dressing room, may isang lalaking nakatalikod akong nadatnan. Matutuwa na sana ako but I know it's not Steven though his back is quite familiar. When he finally faced me, it confirmed my guess. It's Charlie.

"Hi, Daniela. Congratulations! Great show!" Bati nito.

"Charlie. What are you doing here?" Masayang tanong ko sa kanya.

"I watched your last show... Here, flowers for you." Sabay abot ng mga pulang rosas sa akin. Napangiwi naman ako ng bahagya sa mga iyon. Red roses nanaman. Hindi pa rin ito nagbabago. He still doesn't know I hate roses. Pero tinanggap ko naman. Ayoko namang maging bastos.

"Thanks." Inabot ko ang mga yon at nilapag sa may table.

"Buti nanood ka? Akala ko nasa New York ka pa doing your shows?" Casual na tanong ko.

"I couldn't wait to see you. Dani, seryoso ako sa sinabi ko last week. I really want you back." Diretsong paliwanag nito.

"But Charlie--" I continued but was cut off by his words.

"I still love you!" He went closer to me and held my face. He looked straight to my eyes and how I missed staring at those eyes.

"Dani, ever since we broke up, pakiramdam ko hindi na ko nakumpleto. Yes, I achieved success. Natupad ko ang mga pangarap ko. But eventually I realized that all of those mean nothing dahil ikaw ang naging kapalit. I was such a fool to let you go." Kita ko sa mukha nyang sincere sya sa mga sinabi nya.

"But Charlie... I have Steven al--" he cut off my words once again by sealing my lips by his own. I felt something familiar. His kiss brought me back to the past when I was so in love with him.

"I love you." Masuyong sambit nya.

"I love you too." Biglang tugon ko rin. When I realized what I said, nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Surely he'll get the wrong idea from that.

He smiled widely upon hearing what I said. He was about to kiss me again when we heard a bang from the outside. Napatingin kaming pareho and saw that the door was slightly open. He reached for the door at sumilip sa labas kung ano yung narinig namin.

"What's that?" Tanong ko. Bigla akong kinabahan at biglang naisip si Steven.

"Wala akong nakita. Baka napadaan lang na crew at may nabanggang kung ano." Kibit balikat nyang sagot.

"So, you love me still?" Nakangiting tanong nya.

I internally scolded myself. I shouldn't have said that. I have to make this straight. "Look, Charlie, it's not what you think."

"What do you mean?" Kunot noong tanong nito pero nakangiti pa rin.

"It's true. Mahal pa nga kita but it doesn't mean it's the same as before. Hindi na siguro mawawala yung pagmamahal na yon because I had great memories with you. Pero hindi na rin yon kasing tindi noon. Coz now? Steven has my heart completely. I'm sorry, Charlie, pero mas mahal ko na si Steven ngayon at sigurado akong mas higit yon sa naging pagmamahal ko sayo noon." Kita kong unti unting nawala ang ngiti nya kanina.

He's now looking at me like he couldn't believe what I just said.

"But, I thought you--" this time it's my turn to cut him off.

"Whatever you're thinking, you are mistaken. Mas mahaba man ang mga panahon na nakasama kita kesa kay Steven, hindi naman matutumbasan non yung kaligayahang napadama nya sa akin. He's been there for me through my ups and downs. He has witnessed all my tears, my lowest point, my ugly side. Yet, he chose to love me anyway. Sa maikling panahon na kasama ko sya, pinuno nya ko. He helped me bring myself back together when all you did was tear me to pieces.

So, Charlie, huwag ka ng magexpect na dahil sinabi kong mahal kita ay ikaw pa rin ang pipiliin ko. Sapat naman na siguro yung mga sinabi ko para maramdaman mong wala ka ng babalikan coz I'm completely in love with Steven."

"I'm sorry." Tanging sagot nya at napatungo na lamang. Nang muling tumingin sya sa akin ay malungkot syang ngumiti at napaluha. With that, he left.

(End of flashback)

Matapos kong alalahin yung araw na yon ay mas lalo kong naramdaman kung gaano ko kamahal si Steven. Hindi ko rin kayang magalit sa kanya coz I understand how he must've felt.

I caressed his arm across my belly and felt him tighten his embrace on me.

Haayy...I can't wait for you to hear my side of the story, My Love. At mas niyakap ko din sya ng mahigpit.

**********************************

Ayan, alam na po natin yung side ni Dani. Naunahan pa natin si Steven. 😅

Hopefully makapagupdate ulit ako tonight or madaling araw nanaman. 😁 Depende po kung matatapos ko kaagad ang trabaho ko. 😩

Anyway, maraming salamat po sa mga patuloy na nagbabasa nito. God bless you all! 🤗

💙,

Erza Mavis