Ruben's Point of View
I ended up sitting beside her and waited for her to talk. She kept sniffing and sobbing, and when she finally calmed for a bit she tried to talk. "Pinaglaruan nya 'ko. He dumped me infront a lot of people..."
Nanatili akong tahimik, waiting for her to talk more about it. "I never thought he would do that. I thought he'll be serious with me, pero akala ko lang pala 'yon. Then he admitted that he never really liked me and that everything was just a bet."
"Well what the hell do you expect? Kilalang babaero si Leroi. Papalit-palit 'yon ng babae. Tanga ka kasi." I harshly told her.
"I know." She whispered and wiped her own tears. "Ruben... i'm sorry."
Napakagat ako sa'king labi habang nagso-sorry sya. "I'm sorry i chose the wrong person. I'm sorry nagpakatanga ako kay Leroi." Aniya.
I chose to stay quiet. I know she's saying sorry pero 'yung galit noong araw na pinili nya si Leroi bumabalik. There's a part of me that keeps getting hurt whenever i remember that day. And there's a big part of me that wants to hurt her back so badly...
...but i think that would be too much for her. Sinubukan lang naman nya kasing magmahal ng iba. But then again, i hate the thought of her being with someone else.
Napatayo naman ako at nasunod sya. I opened my arms to welcome her back.
She started crying again and ran towards me. Mahigpit nya 'kong niyakap at napalakas hikbi nya. "I'm so sorry, Ruben! I'm so sorry!"
Napapikit ako't niyakap din sya ng mahigpit.
"Shh, just shut up and cry it all out."
"I'm s-so sorry! I wish i never left you!" If that wish could only come true, then none of this will ever happen.
Nobody will get hurt, and no one will cry. But damn, i'm not a saint.
And I don't like this at all.
Ayoko na.
I already gave up on her, so this will be the last time she'll ever receive a hug from me.
Tinulak ko naman sya palayo. Medyo nagulat sya sa ginawa ko. "R-Ruben?"
"You're so naive to think that i'd welcome someone like you back into my life."
Bakas sa kaniyang mukha na di sya makapaniwala sa nangyayari.
"You're stupid, annoying, and childish. All you ever think about is yourself! And all you ever do is bother me back then, tingin mo gusto kong bumalik sa dati ang lahat? Can't you see that i'm doing so much better without you?!"
Onti-onti syang napa-atras habang nagsasalita pa 'ko.
"The day you said you never wanted to see my face again, 'di mo man lang pinanindigan! You're so worthless! Walang kwenta!"
Napayuko na sya ng di nya na kinayang makipagtinginan sa'kin.
"And to think that you keep on claiming that i'm you're bestfriend? Then choose some stranger over your bestfriend? You're such a fucking piece of shit! Naiintindihan mo ba 'yon?"
She gently nodded, then i said my final words to her.
"Now do me a favor and never show your face again." Then she left without a word.
It felt so good but heavy at the same time. I just really wanna get back at her, at parang gusto kong bawiin ang lahat but that would be hipocrisy.
Di pa ko kagad umuwi dahil pinagpahinga ko muna 'yung sarili ko, pero parang mas lalo lang ako nastress dahil na-o-over think ko ang nangyari. At pagka-uwi ko ng bahay, bigla akong sinalubong ng sampal ni mom.
"What the hell!?" Sambit ko.
She gave me her most cruel glare and told me her reason. "Tumawag ang tito Felix mo, anong ginawa mo kay Jade? Why the hell would you make her cry!?" Gigil na gigil sya habang tinatanong ako.
"...what the, that's none of your business!" I told her.
"It's my damn business too you damn brat!!" Bigla nya naman akong hinila sa tenga. "Aaww! Mom! Stop!!"
"Tell me what happened!"
Nang makawala ako sa hawak nya ay lumayo ako kaagad. "Like hell I would! Ba't hindi si Jade ang tanungin mo since mas tinuturing mong anak yon!?" Natigilan sya ng marinig ang nasabi ko.
Umakyat na lang ako sa'king kwarto at nagpahinga na. This damn day won't get any worse than this, right!?
Putangina meron pa bang mas masahol na mangyayari?
But things still got worse.
I never thought that Mr. Garcia would visit us for dinner, even if it's Saturday. Everyone knows that he's one hell of a busy business man. He never even had the time for his daughter, and yet he's here to discuss something with my dad.
They were bestfriends since highschool, and they're also the reason how i met and got engaged to Jade.
It was getting quite awkward in the dining room with my whole family and Mr. Garcia being silent for the whole time. I'm not oblivious enough to know what he really came here for, but he won't talk just yet.
"...uh, so how are things lately, Felix?" Sinubukan namang makipag-usap ni dad kay tito.
"I'm not here to talk about that Rouel. And i think you know what I came here for." Here comes the drama.
Can't we just get all this over with?
"Look Felix, I'm sorry for whatever reason my son did to your daughter. We also..." napatingin sa akin si dad at sinamaan ako ng tingin. "...have problems dealing with this kid. But we never thought he'll make Jade cry."
I can already smell that i'm gonna get in big trouble later.
"I know myself that i'm not the best father for Jade, and that it was stupid of me to just let her getting taken care of people not related to her. But still, i don't want to see her crying like that. Gusto ko lang din itanong kung bakit... bakit mo pina-iyak ng ganon ang anak ko, Ruben?"
I sighed, I can feel the sharp gazes that my parents are throwing at me. "I'm sorry... there are just things that i can't say right now--" muli akong nasampal ni mom. And it fucking hurts.
"Stop being so stubborn!! Pumunta na mismo dito si Felix para kay Jade tas ganyan ka pa rin!?"
"Lana don't--" naputol kagad ni mom ang sasabihin ni dad.
"H'wag mo ipagtanggol 'tong anak mo Rouel, sya 'tong nasa mali pero napaka-pasaway nya pa rin!" Napatayo naman ako sa kinauupuan ko at sinagot sila.
"I had enough shit! I'm going to my room!" At umalis na 'ko.
There are just some things that i couldn't say to them. Like if I told them the truth, then malalagay naman sa alanganin si Jade. What would they do if they found out the truth? That she had a boyfriend and got humiliated?
Gusto ko mang isumbong 'yon pero paano naman si Jade? Would she even want that to happen?
It's better shut up if you're not sure.
Napahiga na lang ako sa aking kama at naghintay na kumatok si mom or si dad para kausapin ako. But instead of them knocking, si Allan ang bumungad sa akin. "Sir, pagkain nyo po." At nagbigay sya sa akin ng isang tray ng pagkain.
Kinuha ko ito at itinabi tsaka nagtanong. "So may ipinapasabi ba sina mom or si tito Felix?"
Napalunok naman si Allan, mukhang kinakabahan. "Meron pero... uhm, p-paano ko ba sasabihin 'to?" Napakamot pa sya sa kanyang ulo.
"Sabihin mo na! Wag kang pabagal-bagal dyan!" Sigaw ko sa kaniya. At sa taranta ay napasagot sya kaagad.
"Mas lalong nagalit si Sir Felix sa inyo, at sinabi nyang hindi mo deserve ang anak nya kaya't makikipag-cut ties na sya! Yun po!"
Para akong nasuntok sa sikmura sa narinig ko kay Allan. Is he fucking serious? Hinila ko si Allan sa kaniyang kwelyo at inilapit sa akin. "You gotta be kidding me... are you serious?"
"O-Opo S-Sir! B-Bitiwan nyo po ako p-please." Itinulak ko sya palayo sa akin.
"Get out of my sight right now!" Sigaw ko sa kaniya.
"Y-Yes Sir!" Napatakbo naman sya paalis at padabog kong isinara ang pinto ng kwarto ko.
Di ko mapigilan ang galit na nararamdaman ko. Di ko matanggap na basta-basta na lang binawi nang ganon 'yung pinangako nila. The fact that I kept talking to my parents to stop the stupid fixed marriage they've set up for me and Jade, tapos matatapos lang dahil sa ganito!?-- It's all fucking ridiculous, lalo na't araw-araw unti-unti kong natatanggap na si Jade din bagsak 'ko!
Tas ganito ang pagtatapos namin!?
All because she cried and made me the reason behind her fucking problems!?
"ARGH! YOU FUCKING MORONS!" Naitapon ko yung pagkain na binigay sa akin.
"MGA TANGINANG WALANG UTAK!!" Binasag ko din ang mga babasagin na gamit sa kwarto ko, at pinagpupunit ang mga librong niregalo sa'kin ni mom.
But as i was going to rip off another book from the shelf, napahinto ako ng marealize ko na hindi ito libro kung'di isang photo album. It was a bunch of picture of Jade and I when we were younger.
Di ko namalayan na kumalma ako't napatingin na lang sa mga litrato na nandito. I suddenly started reminiscing the past, when i first met Jade.
flashback
"...Ruben, I hope you're excited to meet a new friend!" Sabi ni dad sa akin.
I just looked at him with disinterest. "How can you be sure that the kid you're talking about will become my friend?"
"W-Well, her father's also my bestfriend. So maybe you guys might become friends as well!"
"'Her'!? I don't want to be friends with a girl! I don't like playing with dolls and make-up." Reklamo ko.
Nabatukan naman ako ni dad bigla. "Wag ka na mag-inarte please lang! You're already in pre-school pero wala ka pang kaibigan sabi ng teacher mo, kaya atleast take this chance to make a friend!"
"Ayaw!" I hate this old man stubborness, alam nya namang di ako mahilig makipag-socialize pero mapilit sya masyado.
"Tsk, hindi naman kami anti-social ng mama mo pero grabeng anti-social mo! Paano ka magkakagirlfriend nyan anak!?"
"Dad! I'm literally just a six year old kid! Let me do what i want to do!" Putek yun pa talaga pinoproblema nya.
Pagkarating namin sa lugar na napag-usapan nilang magkaibigan, tuwang-tuwa si dad ng makita nya ulit bespren nya. "Felix!! Long time no see!!"
"Rouel!" Nag-usap naman ang dalawa like they're catching up with each others lives. Then dumating na din sila sa punto ng pagpunta nila dito.
"Ah Felix, ito nga pala anak ko. His name is Ruben! Ang gwapo diba? Mana sa'kin hehe." Napa-ikot lang mata ko sa pinagsasabi ni dad, medyo natawa naman yung kaibigan nya.
"Hi Ruben, ako nga pala tito Felix mo."
"Yeah, hi." Bored kong sagot.
Mas lalo lang natawa si tito Felix. "Wow! This kid is totally your opposite!"
Natawa na lang din si dad. "I can't argue with that. So asan naman yung anak mo?"
A tiny high-pitched annoying voice suddenly appeared. "DADDYYYYYYYY!!!"
"J-Jade!? What happened!?" Binuhat ni tito Felix yung batang babae na lumapit sa kaniya. Tas iniyakan naman nung bata yung barbie nyang napugutan ng ulo. "Tsk, ingay." Sabi ko.
"Ruben!" Saway ni dad.
Muling natawa lang si tito Felix at ipinakilala ang batang umiiyak. "Pasensya na't maingay si Jade. Ruben, ito nga pala ang anak kong si Jade. I hope you that both of you will be good friends!"
At nagkatinginan nga kami ni Jade. She still had teary eyes and i'm kind of annoyed as hell just by looking at her.
I just sticked my tongue out at them. "Ampanget mo!"
At mas lalong napa-iyak si Jade, at muli nanaman akong nabatukan ni dad. Kainis naman! Gusto ko ng umuwi!!!
to be continued