Possibilities [Completed]

CITROEN

LEA SALONGA

"....'What' and 'If 'are two words as non-threatening as words can be but put them together side by side and they'll have the power to haunt you for the rest of your life..."

What if?..

-Excerpt from "Letters to Juliet"

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Abot-abot ang kanyang kaba habang naglalakad sa concrete pathway ng bahay na nakasulat sa pirasong papel na hawak niya. 

In this life, there are too many decision that everyone of us will have to make. From the simple choice of wearing a pair of sandals or a pair of shoes to choosing the person whom you'll share your life with.

There are too many things a person will be regretting in his life but she won't let herself to be included in the list of people wondering, what if?

And now she's standing here today, putting her heart on the line and risking everything she has for the first time.

She pressed the door bell and waited anxiously for the door to open.

Si Aga ang nagbukas ng pinto.

"Hi! Pwede ba tayong mag-usap?" Nag-aalangan tanong niya.

Bakas ang sobrang pagkagulat sa mukha ng binata pagkakita sa kanha.

"Lea?! Anong ginagawa mo dito?" Nagtatakang tanong nito.

"I want to--"

"Honey, who's there?" Boses ng isang babae mula sa loob ng bahay.

She froze.

That's the same voice she heard on the other end of the line noong tinawagan niya si Aga.

...

Fast forward.

...

AGA

"Ags, why did you tell your estranged wife that I'm your fiancee?" Puno ng pagtataka na tanong ni Diane.

That was on instinct.

"I don't know. I guess I was just protecting my heart to whatever she has to say. And she's not my wife." He said truthfully.

"What? And here I thought you are the smartest man I've ever met. Based on your description about her, I conclude that a woman with that caliber won't stripped off her pride and come here with nothing important to say. There's no certainty if you're going to talk to her but she took the risk and came anyway."

"Shit." He cursed when he finally realize the implication of Lea's sudden appearance his doorstep.

"Come on, Ags."

"I made a mistake."

Terrible mistake.

"Well, yeah and that's the understatement of the century. You just created a disaster, dude."

"I know." Pagsang-ayon niya sa sinabi ng kaibigan.

"So what are you still doing here? Go after her."

"Thanks, D."

"Anytime."

Hinabol niya si Lea pero hindi niya alam kung anong direksyon siya nagtungo.

Napahinto siya sa may kanto at palinga linga bakasakaling nasa malapit lang ang babaeng pinakamamahal niya.

Please, Lord. Sana hindi pa siya nakakalayo.

Laking pasasalamat niya nang namataan niya ito na nakatayo at nakasandal sa isang puno sa parke.

With purposeful strides, he went to where she is.

"Lea.." tawag niya sa pangalan nito.

Napalingon naman sa kanya ang dalaga, halatang kagagaling lang sa pag-iyak.

"Lea, I'm sorry." He said gently.

"I understand."

"No, you don't." Sabi naman niya.

"I truly do. I'm happy for you, Aga. Sa wakas nahanap mo na ang babaeng nakalaan para sa'yo. Nagpunta lang ako dahil I wanted to make sure if you have finally moved on and I guess it's true. Pasensya ka na sa abala." Mabilis na paliwanag ni Lea.

"Diane is just a friend. One of my associates."

"But you said..."

"I lied." He cut her off. "She's not my fiancee. Because until now, I'm still waiting for someone to realize that she can't go on living without me in her life."

Napatitig sa kanya si Lea.

"Why are you really here, Babes?" He smiled.

Napahagulhol naman ang dalaga sa hindi niya mawaring dahilan kaya nataranta siya.

Napatingin siya sa kanyang paligid at hindi nga siya nagkamali dahil pinagtitinginan na sila ng mga bystanders at mga taong napapadaan.

So he made the first thing that came to his mind.

He hugged her. Tight.

Lea cried on his chest and he tried his best to calm her down.

Makakasama ang sobrang pag-iyak para sa kanya. "Sshhh.. Stop crying, Lei. I'm here."

"I miss you.." she mumbled. "You, Jerk!"

He chuckled lightly.

"I miss you too. And I must say, I admire your resistance, it took you this long to come here." He whispered.

"I love you." This would now be the second time she uttered those words.

Lalo niyang hinigpitan ang pagkakayakap kay Lea and he burrowed his face on her neck and said, "I love you more."

They stood that way as the walls between them started to crumble down.

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I wanted Lea to run after Aga,. For a change pero parang ang ending ay si Aga pa rin ang humahabol.

Tsk.tsk.

Almost there.

Five hours before midnight.