Taking Chances

13. Taking Chances

"It's your birthday." 

Nakangiting wika ni Pablo kay Fatima nang araw na iyon. Pinuntahan niya ito sa silid nito dahil tulad ng palagi nitong ginagawa ay hindi na naman ito lumabas ng kwarto. He found her lying on her bed wearing that lavender dress with its matching high heels. Naka-make up rin ito and somehow, he found that disturbing. 

"Leave me alone..." Sabi nito sa kanya. He just sighed. Marahil ay malungkot pa rin ito sa pagkamatay ng kanilang ama pero kailangan na nitong tanggapin iyon. He sighed. 

"Fatima, why are you acting like that? Are you still sad about Papa?" Tanong nito sa kanya. Fatima eyed him. 

"No, I really think that Dad is happy na doon. I'm not sad about him leaving." Sabi nito sa kanya. Umupo siya sa tabi nito at saka humiga sa tabi nito. 

"Then why are you acting like that? I missed the old Fatima.." Nginitian niya ito. "Next week, eighteen ka na, what do you want?" Nakangiti pa ring sabi niya. Fatima faced him. 

"I don't want a celebration." Sabi nito sa kanya. 

"Okay... what is it that you want?" Tanong muli niya ditp. Fatima smiled. 

"I want to go to Paris." 

"Iyon lang?" He asked her. Fatima nodded. Tumango na rin siya. 

"Pwede?" Tanong nito sa kanya. 

"Oo, pero next June mag-aaral ka na." Sabi niya sa kapatid. Fatima sighed. Tumango rin ito. "I guess we have a deal?" He asked. 

"Deal..." Nakipag-kamay ito sa kanya, pagkatapos ay nahiga muli siya. Inilagay niya ang kanyang braso sa likod ng kanyang ulo at saka bumuntong hininga. Naramdaman niyang tumayo si Fatima, ngunit maya-maya ay bumalik rin ito. May hawak itong isang long bond paper at ibinigay iyon sa kanya. 

It was an article she printed out - an article about Kristine. Ayaw man niyang tingnan iyon ay kinuha niya pa rin... The article's title was: Pinay beauty swept away UAE's catwalk.

Tapos ay may picture ni Kristine habang ngiting-ngiti ito. Oh, how he missed her. He missed her voice, the way she calls his name, her laughter, her warmth - everthing about her. He missed her. And it's killing him. 

Wala na ang galit niya dito. Naroon na siya sa puntong alam niyang kailangan na niyang kalimutan ito. Many nights he had thought about flying to UAE and look for her pero hindi niya magawa. Nahihiya siya dito - the way he acted the last time he talked to her - he hated himself for being such a jerk. 

"Do you miss her?" Tanong ni Fatima, Cause you know, I do miss her, kaya nga ako nagde-dress ng ganito because somehow, it reminds me of her." 

"She doesn't belong to m y world anymore..." Nakangiting wika niya.

"Kuya, she's not like that..." 

"Totoo naman, Kristine belongs to the world she's in right now - iyong mundo ng glamour. Doon siya bagay. Hindi siya pwede dito sa hacienda, maputik, mabaho, ma---" 

"Pero nandito ka, mahal ka niya..." 

"That's not the point... Mukha namang masaya siya." Sabi pa niya. Bumangon siya mula sa pagkakahiga. "Babalik na ako sa azukarera. You stay here, mamaya we'll talk about your birthday trip." Hinaplos niya ang buhok nito. "I love you..." 

Fatima just looked at him. Hindi niya alam kung para saan ang tingin nito sa kanya but that bothered him somehow. Napapailing na tinalikuran niya ito... 

Maybe he was right about his decision of not fighting for her kasi ngayon, mukha namang masaya na ito...

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