Lost in the Maze: Elias de Marcel

Kabanata 25

KABANATA 25

Atasha's POV

In the morning when I woke up, I packed all my belongings and didn't leave a single one behind. I occupied five suitcases and several boxes with my things because I really had that much. Sa ilang taon ba naman naming magkasama ni Elias dito sa malaking condo unit na ito? Hindi na ako magtataka kung maipon ng ganito karami ang mga gamit ko.

Hawak-hawak ko ang bag ko'y lumabas na sa kwarto upang sumunod sa mga limang taong nagbuhat ng mga gamit ko. Pagkalabas ko'y napansin ko si Elias sa malaking sofa, tahimik lamang na nakaupo roon na tila tulala sa kawalan. Nakakapagtaka nga at narito siya ngayon, buong akala ko'y umalis siya kagabi.

Napabuntong hininga ako bago dahan-dahang lumapit upang magpaalam na sa kanya.

"I'm going to leave now, Elias. Take care yourself," paalam ko ngunit nanatili lamang siyang tahimik. Hindi na ako nag-aksaya pa ng kahit ilang minuto at naglakad na ako papunta sa pinto.

Ngunit bago pa ako tuluyang makalabas ay hindi ko inaasahan ang biglang paglapit ni Elias. Sinarado niya ang pinto at ni-locked yun. Nagtataka naman akong tumingin sa kanya.

"You are not going to leave," deklara niya habang nakatingin sa mga mata ko.

Nagsulubong ang dalawang kilay ko sa sinabi niya. "What? Ano bang sinasabi mo?" nalilitong tanong ko.

Huminga siya ng malalim at biglang napahilamos ng kanyang mukha, nilagay pa niya ang dalawang kamay niya sa kanyang baywang.

"Hindi ka aalis, Shang. Hindi ka pwedeng umalis," seryosong sabi niya, natutuliro.

Napasinghal ako at imbes na sagutin siya'y nilampasan ko siya at lumapit sa pinto. Ngunit mabilis siyang umaksyon at hinila ako paharap sa kanya.

"Ano bang problema mo, Elias?! Bakit mo ba ako pinipigilan?!" sigaw ko sa kanya.

"Bakit ka ba aalis?!" sigaw niya rin sa akin.

Hindi ko alam kung maiinis ba ako ginagawa niya ngayon.
However, I was not happy with his attempt to stop me from leaving, especially since he was the one who wanted this in the first place. Now that I wanted to give the space he was asking for, he wanted to hold me back.

"Why not? This is what you want, right? You want me to leave, you push me to leave. So, I'm just giving you what you want," I said boldly, looking into his eyes.

"Let's talk," he said softly, surprising me.

"Talk? What for? I'm done, Elias," I responded seriously. "We have nothing left to talk about because everything is clear to me," I said before pulling my arm out of his grip. "I said everything I needed to say last night, and I have nothing more to add. So, let me go."

I passed by him again, and as I turned away, I felt his arms suddenly wrap around me. He buried his face in my shoulder, causing me to weaken.

"I... I can't see you leaving me," he whispered to me, making me even more vulnerable.

But despite what he said, it did not change my decision to leave. I stood by what my mind was telling me, and I refused to listen to what my heart was shouting to stay by his side. I was tired of all the pain he made me feel every day, and I did not want to add to it. I did not want to see myself locked in a situation of loneliness again, enduring to stay because I loved him.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I felt torn between my mind and my heart, between the desire to leave and the fear of losing the person I loved. Yet, deep down, I knew that staying would only prolong the agony, and leaving was the only way to regain my peace of mind and self-respect.