THE DEAL

TD- 51

Hands on his pocket, staring at the ocean, deeply thinking.

Dawn approached Angelo who was standing alone.

"Where's Lea?" she asked him.

Angelo looked at her and forcefully smiled, "She's asleep. She got tired of crying, eh. Sabi ko, she needs to rest." he answered. "Bakit gising ka pa? Bawal ka magpuyat."

Dawn smiled, "Hinihintay ko lang si Chard, may binili saglit, eh. Ikaw? Why are you still here?"

"Nagpapahangin lang." he answered.

"Are you okay?"

He showed her a smile and nodded.

"Did she tell you everything already?"

He nodded again, "Sana nga, hindi na lang, eh."

Thought it was dark, Dawn noticed Angelo's eyes were wet.

"Sorry, Gelo."

"You don't have to apologize, Dawn. It's o-- I mean, it's actually not but--yeah." he tells.

"Hindi rin kasi namin alam na this would happen to them."

"Hindi ko rin naman alam. But it happened. Wala naman na tayong magagawa."

Dawn did not answer.

"I don't know how to let her go, Dawn. Ang hirap. I cannot let her go but I know I have to."

Dawn was shocked upon hearing him, "You don't have to let her go, Gelo. You just have to talk about everything. You can still fix it."

"Kung hindi ko siya pakakawalan, ipipilit lang namin sarili namin sa isa't isa. Mas masakit 'yon kaysa sa nalaman kong mas mahal niya si Aga." he tells, "Nasasaktan ako pero kaya kong tiisin kasi mahal ko siya. Mahal ko si Lea."

She sighed and continued listening to him.

"Ang unfair lang sa part niya kasi pakiramdam ko, mahal niya lang ako kasi mahal ko siya. Baka pinipilit lang niya sarili niya sa akin."

"Mahal ka niya." Dawn stated, "Siguro, not as much as she loves Aga. But I'm sure she loves you."

"Araw-araw ko siyang minamahal lalo. Pero pakiramdam ko, walang nangyayari, eh. Nanghihina ako kay Lea, Dawn. She's become my weakness. When I heard her sobs over the phone last night, I knew she wasn't fine kaya I booked a flight. Buong flight, iniisip ko kung anong problema. Kung bakit siya nag-sosorry. And when I arrived here and saw Aga with Sophia, I knew then what the problem was.

"Gusto ko ring magwala, gusto kong suntukin si Aga. Gusto ko siyang saktan pero alam kong hindi magugustuhan ni Lea 'yon. Baka magalit pa siya sa akin dahil doon. Kaya pinigilan ko 'yong sarili ko. Ayaw kong saktan kung sino mang mahal niya dahil alam kong mas masasaktan siya." he continued.

Dawn's heart felt the pain he's experiencing. She hears his silent sobs and it made her sad.

"I want to spoil myself sometimes, eh. Gusto ko ako naman piliin ni Lea. Gusto ko, ako naman. Pero imposible. Sobrang imposible." he says. He wiped the tears falling down his cheeks. "I know, wala kang pake pero this is the first time that I cried over a girl. First time na wala akong magawa para sa sarili ko."

"Sorry, Gelo. Sorry sa nangyari. Sorry kasi hinayaan naming magkasama si Lea at si Aga kahapon."

He shook his head, "Wala naman kayong kasalanan, eh. Okay lang. Wala rin akong magawa, Dawn. Hindi ko kayang pasayahin si Lea. Hindi ko kayang ibigay lahat sa kanya kasi alam kong si Aga lang ang makakagawa no'n sa kanya."

He sighed and took a deep breathe. He looked at her and forced a smile, "I know myself I should let her go. If that's what would make her happy, kakayanin ko. I love her. I love her dearly. Kaya ko siyang pakawalan, sumaya lang siya."