His Loss

c h a p t e r t w e n t y - f i v e

       NOON PA MAN, MAS MADALI NA PARA SA AKIN ANG TUMAKBO. When all things fail, my first solution is to run. Noong nagkagulo kami sa Bicol, tumakbo ako papuntang Maynila, at noong hindi na naman umayon sa akin ang kapalaran at nasira ulit ang takbo ng aking mundo, I rarely went home.

It felt as if my life was a constant back and forth from Bicol to Manila—kung saan may problema, takbo papunta roon sa kabila. It worked for some time, and I found comfort in that, except today. Today, I didn't run away from my problem, instead, I ran straight towards it—completely blinded.

Kahit na sinubukan akong pigilan ni Weng, Vince, at Jenna, napagtanto rin nila na kailangan ko 'tong gawin. So, they let me.

Madali kong nahanap si Tasha. She was on her way back to the office from her quick trip to an expensive coffee shop in the next building as usual. She was wearing pastel again, and it was in blue this time. Gaya ng dati, nakapusod ang mahaba at unat na itim na buhok. She looked completely unbothered by the fire that she lit on social media when she herself knew that she gassed that up herself.

At iyon siguro ang pinaka nakagagalit sa lahat—how could people be so shameless? Kaya bago pa siya makapasok ulit sa building, nagmamadali akong humabol sa kanya, and as soon as she saw me in my state—swollen eyes and mismatched clothes, she smirked.

"Megan, long time no see. Akala ko malinaw na sa 'yo na you're not allowed na bumalik dito?" Nakita niya sina Jenna sa likod ko at tumaas ang kilay niya. "Ah, you even brought company."

"Ang sama-sama talaga ng ugali mo," I said through gritted teeth. "Ano bang problema mo sa akin at kailangan mo akong siraan kay Kiana at sulsulan siya para i-upload ang video na 'yon?"

"Oh?" she pretended to be surprised. "But is it about you though? May name mo ba there? Or natamaan ka lang kasi you're affected nga talaga because true naman?"

"Hindi ko inagaw si Derek! Wala akong balak sirain 'yong kasal nila. Hindi ako gold-digger at—"

"And what?" she taunted, curling her blood-red lip in disgust. "What? Hindi true na you lied to Kiana despite her treating you as a friend? Not true na you asked for money? 'Di rin ba true na you messed with the designs? E 'di ba true naman?"

Umabante si Vince. "Tasha, gusto kita, pero 'wag mo namang sabihan ng ganyan si Megan. Magkakasama tayo sa Bicol at alam mong hindi 'yan totoo."

Tasha rolled her eyes. "Nobody cares. What matters is nakabalik na ang account ni Kiana with Elixir, and you're out."

"Aba sumosobra na 'tong mukhang color pencil na 'to ah." Pinigil ni Weng si Jen na lumapit sa amin.

"So lumabas din 'yong totoo kung bakit mo 'to ginawa. Gusto mo akong alisin sa Elixir kasi insecure ka sa akin."

"Who will be insecure sa 'yo when you're nothing but an irrelevant, trying-hard, gold-digger? My designs are way better than yours at graduate ako sa fashion school. I have nothing to be insecure about and even your tito thinks so. Promoted na ako after you left, hindi niya ba nabanggit sa 'yo?"