'La Magie'

Kapit

When I witnessed Bong's affection towards Liza, halos hindi ko na kayang makinig pa sa speech niya.

If it was up to me, nag walk out na ako kanina pa.

I sat there and listened to the rest of his speech feeling lifeless and tired.

Yung tipong wala na akong naririnig sa paligid ko. 

I was breaking into pieces. 

Pero Kahit sobrang sakit na, I decided to finish the speech. 

Naisip ko kasi na mas magandang tapusin ko muna bago ako umalis ng sa ganun walang makahalata.

"Ilang minuto nalang Sara.. kaya mo yan"

I told myself as I tried not to break down.

And as soon as Bong's speech was over, I immediately stood up and walked away from Liza.

From everyone.

I was such in a hurry to get out of that venue na halos hindi ko na tinitingnan ang mga bumabati sa akin. 

I felt so relieved when I finally saw the exit.

I was only a few steps away from getting out of there when suddenly, I felt someone grab my arm.

"Hoy! Saan ka pupunta?"

I immediately looked at the person behind me and saw that it was Imee. 

For some reason, nung napalingon ako sa kanya, it was like she knew that something was wrong.

I honestly don't know how she does it, but she always seems to know whenever there was something wrong with me.

So without saying a word, agad niya akong hinila palayo sa mga tao.  

She took me to the bathroom, locked the door, and confronted me.

"Be honest, ano ba talagang nangyayari? May relasyon na ba kayo ni Bonget?" 

Seryosong tanong niya.

Imee and I are really close at okay lang naman sa akin na malaman niya. After all, I knew she was going to protect me no matter what.

Pero ewan ko ba, ngayong tinatanong niya ako, parang hindi ko siya masagot ng deretso.

Maybe because of her question.

May relasyon ba kami ni Bong?

After everything I witnessed earlier, hindi ko na din alam ang sagot sa tanong na yan.

When I thought of it, that's when I started crying.

Di ko na napigilan.

My tears started to flow as I looked at Imee and said

"Relasyon? hindi ko alam... pero.. mahal?

 Mahal na mahal ko siya Sen. 

mahal ko si Bong pero ang sakit pala.."

After I admitted my feelings to Bong's sister, I started sobbing uncontrollably. 

I felt so betrayed and abandoned by Bong. 

Nakakahiya na parang kahit sarili ko hindi ko na kayang harapin sa salamin.

I was so devastated.

Then Imee hugged me.

"You know what's funny Sara, I felt the same when I was with your dad. Siguro naman hindi lingid sa kaalaman niyo that we had something special. Parang ganyan din mukhang meron kahit wala naman talaga. But you know the difference between you and Bong? I could see in his eyes that he really feels something for you."

She told me with the most sincere tone.

When I heard what Imee said, napaisip ako. 

Could it be that Bong was just confused? Baka naman kailangan ko lang ipaalala sa kanya that I'm here, I'm waiting at mahal na mahal ko siya.

As soon as I thought of that, I lifted my head. 

Agad din namang pinunasan ni Imee ang mga luha ko then she spoke again.

"Tara! Hanapin natin si Bong. For sure kanina ka pa hinahanap nun!" 

When I heard Imee's suggestion, nagdalawang isip ako. 

Ang totoo, hindi ko alam kung kaya ko bang humarap sa mga tao while my heart was breaking so I politely declined.

"Wag nalang siguro Sen. Next time nalang" I told her with a fake smile.

"Anong next time? tara na! wag kang mag alala akong bahala sayo, kapit ka lang sa akin!"

At dahil hinila na ako ni manang, wala na din akong nagawa kundi bumalik sa loob.

I held her arm tightly as we made our way to Bong.

After a few minutes of searching, we finally found him.

Halos hindi na ako makahinga nung makita ko siya.

He was so busy shaking other people's hands that he didn't even notice that we were behind him.

While he was busy, I patiently waited  para lingunin niya ako.

But he didn't

Aalis pa nga sana sa pwesto niya e buti nalang at napigilan ni Martin.

When Martin did that, nakita kong nahagip ako ng mga mata niya.

 Pero bakit ganun? Why is he pretending not to see me?

Am I suddenly invisible to him?

How could he not notice me in this crowd? Especially in the outfit I spent hours preparing in. Para sa kanya...

"What are  you doing to me Bong? Ano bang kasalanan ko sayo? Bakit mo ba ako sinasaktan ng ganito?"

Questions I asked myself as I watched him ignore me as if he didn't even know me.

When Manang noticed Bong's behavior, bigla niya itong hinila paharap sa akin then she spoke.

"Bonget si Sara oh!" Sabi niya sabay turo sa akin.

That's when he looked at me awkwardly at halatang na on the spot pa.

Then he smiled and joked

"Ay sorry nakalimutan ko, ano nga ulit ang pangalan mo?"

My eyes widened when I heard it. 

I was honestly surprised. 

He looked so casually happy making that joke.

 or should I say casually cruel?

At dahil ayoko namang magmukhang weird, I responded to his joke as if it was normal. 

I gave the biggest and the fakest smile and then answered

"Indaaay Saraa sir.." 

When I said that, everyone around us laughed and I couldn't really blame them.

Sanay kasi silang makitang nag aasaran kami ni Bong.

For them, it was just a normal and simple joke but for me, it was not.

Bong was obviously giving me the cold treatment.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit, pero alam kong sinasadya niya. Iniiwasan niya ako.

And to make it worse, after he made that joke, agad na din niya akong tinalikuran as if I was just another acquaintance of his.

My eyes began to tear up again. 

Ayoko na! why so cruel Bong?