Isla Del Fuego (Alejandrino Trilogy 2)

13

"Kassandra, I have to help one of the guests. May sakit ngayon ang anak ni Jomar," tukoy niya sa isa mga tour guide nila. "Do you want to come with me?"

"Sige, hintayin mo lang akong matapos dito." I tied my hair in a ponytail and then ran to cling onto his arm.

Habang naglalakad kami, panay ang tukso ng mga tauhan niyang makakakita sa amin. Tanging ngiti lang naman ang tugon naming dalawa. Nang makarating kami, napansin ko ang babaeng nakatalikod.

"What's the problem here, Marie?" tanong ni Hugo sa receptionist. Humarap ang babae at kaagad ko siyang nakilala. She's Ellaine Angeles, one of the country's famous celebrities.

"Sinasabi ko lang po 'yong direksyon na tatahakin niya, Sir," sagot ni Marie, ang receptionist.

Hugo approached her. "I'll help you. I'll take you to your cabin. I'm Alonso, one of the island's staff."

"I don't want a tour guide," she answered.

Lumingkis ako sa braso ni Hugo. "He's already my tour guide."

Ngumiti naman si Hugo sa akin. "Someone's clingy. Or perhaps you're jealous?"

"Ang kapal-kapal naman talaga ng mukha mo!"

Sinamahan namin si Ellaine sa cabin na tutuluyan niya. Habang naglalakad kami, tatawa-tawa si Hugo at tumitingin sa akin.

"Ano'ng problema mo?" singhal ko.

Nanatiling tahimik si Ellaine kaya hindi na namin siya pinansin.

"Eres linda cuando actúas posesiva," Hugo said

"Na naman? Akala ko ba tapos na tayo sa ganiyang phase? Sabi mo hindi ka na magsasalita ng espanyol!"

"Did the green-eyed beast possess you?"

"No! Why would it?"

"No te preocupes, te soy fiel."

"Ewan ko sa 'yo! Hindi ko ma-gets ang mga sinasabi mo."

Tumawa lang siya at hanggang sa maihatid namin si Ellaine sa cabin niya, patuloy pa rin akong inaasar ni Hugo. Hindi ko siya pinansin at nagpaplano na ako kung paano siya magagantihan, pero nang paalis na kami, tumigil na siya sa pang-aasar sa akin. Tahimik lang siyang sumunod sa akin na naglalakad papunta sa pampang. Hinayaan kong mabasa ang paa ko ng tubig, at habang tinitingnan ko ang alon, may na-realize ako.

"Alam mo, Hugo..." panimula ko. "Memories are like waves."

"Why? How?"

"Kahit ilang beses umaalis ang alon, they always come back to the shore. Same with our memories. No matter how hard we try to push them to the back of our minds, they'll always come back. And the only thing you can do, is either hurt yourself trying to go against it, or just go with the flow. Kahit pala ilang taon ang lumipas, babalik at babalik pa rin ang mga alaalang pilit kong kinakalimutan. Ilang taon kong sinasaktan ang sarili ko sa pagkukulong ko sa nakaraan, pero ito ako ngayon, stilp trying to pick the broken pieces of myself."

"You know, there is a way to somehow eaae the pain."

Tumingin ako sa kaniya. "Really? How?"

Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at hinila paalis. We stopped by his yacht and he guided me towards their. Pinaandar niya iyon at nagsimula kaming maglayag. About half an hour later, we stopped by an island where a house– no, a mansion stands. It looks like it's floating on water, pero sa malapit ay makikita mo ang suporta nito sa ilalim. Hindi ako makapaniwala kahit at mas lalong hindi ko alam kung paano kami nakarating doon. It has a terrace, at doon kami tumigil ni Hugo.

"Shout." It's the first time he spoke in thirty minutes.

"Ano?" I asked, confused.

"Isigaw mo lahat ng gusto mong sabihin. It'll help you ease the pain."

"Too cliché, Hugo."

"At least give it a shot. If it helps, then good for you, right? If not, wala namang mawawala."

I stared into the open sea. I took a deep breath and recalled everything. Pinikit ko ang mga mata ko upang maipon ang mga emosyong matagal nang nakabaon. Unti-unti akong nakaramdam ng matinding sakit sa dibdib ko.

"I hate you," I whispered.

"Louder, Kassandra. Isigaw mo."

"I hate you, Denver!" I yelled. "You made me feel worthless! I was ashamed of my own life, you fed me lies and blamed me for something I never wanted in the first place! I hate you, for making me believe your shitty lies, for trying to manipulate me, for hurting me! You did not succeed on killing me, but you killed my happiness... you took it away. I hate you, Denver! I hate you so, so much!"

My body collapsed on the ground. Doon ako umiyak nang umiyak hanggang naramdaman ko ang yakap ni Hugo. Kumapit ako sa kaniya at sinandal ang noo ko sa dibdib niya.

"I hate you, Denver, for making me hate myself. I hate you for making me hate love," I whispered.

"You can cry all you want... I'll stay here. You can lean on me, Kass."

With that, I sobbed harder and held him closer. Umiyak lang ako nang umiyak hanggang magsawa ako. Ni isang imik ay wala akong narinig mula kay Hugo. He just sat there, hugging me and stroking my hair.

I never knew silence could be this comforting. His presence is all I need. There is something odd about him, the way I feel when I am with him. I find it amusing how my walls crumble when he is around me.

"Hugo, when I fall, please catch me."

Hindi siya nakasagot kaagad. "I can't..."

Lumayo ako at tiningnan siya. "Why can't you? Akala ko ba mahal mo ako. Ayaw mo na ba sa akin?"

"It's not that. I will always want you, but the problem is..." he paused. "How can I catch you, if I keep falling for you?"

"Really? Totoo ba 'yan?"

"Yes. Whenever I'm with you, it always feels like the first time I saw you. Everything else doesn't matter, you become the center of my world. And yes, I sound very cheesy right now..." he sighed. "I guess this is what love really do to people."

"Sana, kapag maayos na ako at handa ko nang ibigay sa 'yo ang lahat, ganiyan pa rin ang iniisip mo tungkol sa akin."

"Take your time. Healing is a process, and you shouldn't hurry. Remember, you deserve love regardless of how you feel about yourself, but before loving me, or anybody else... love yourself first. Gusto ko, mahalin mo ang sarili mo, more than the love I could offer."

"Handa ka talagang hintayin ako kahit matagal? Hindi ka magsasawa?"

"You know, you're worth the wait."

"And this isn't a joke?"

"Absolutely not. Sa ngayon, let me stay by your side. I'll pray that you'll heal from those thoughts and pain you're not telling me."