Regrets are Always at the End

Kabanata 45

Sean's POV

"What do you mean Gizelle is alive, Sean?" sigaw sa'kin ni tita Mary. "She faked her death and went to Manila to start a new?"

"Yes, tita," tipid kong sagot.

"So where is she? Bakit hindi mo siya kasama?" tanong ni ate Ganella.

"Bago na buhay niya, tita, ate, kuya. I tried to bring her home, but she doesn't want to," sagot ko. "Masaya na siya sa bago niyang buhay. Sa bago niyang mga kasama."

Mas lalong umiyak si tita Mary while ate Ganella was cursing underneath her breath. Si kuya Myrick naman, nakatulala lang. Tumayo na ako at nagpaalam. But before I can even go out, hinawakan ni kuya Myrick yung braso ko.

"Please persuade Gizelle to come back," nangingiyak na sabi ni kuya. "We miss her so much."

"Kuya, I tried. But failed," sabi ko sa kanya. "Let's be happy for her."

May sasabihin pa sana siya pero tuluyan na akong umalis. Sumakay na ako sa kwarto ko at dun umiyak. Nilabas ko na lahat lahat mg hinanakit ko.

~

"And then nung isa na lang ka portrait natira, talagang nagsagutan pa yung dalawang businessman kung sino ang mas karapat dapat na bumili," kwento sa'kin ni Sandy.

Tumango lang ako at nagpatuloy sa paglaro ng pasta ko. I took her out on a date, as promised. Pero wala akong gana, sa totoo lang. My mind was still clouded with Gizelle.

"Okay ka lang ba Sean?" tanong sa'kin ni Gizelle na may inis sa kanyang boses. "Alam mo, if wala kang gana na kausapin ako, you shouldn't have asked me out."

"It's not that, okay? Marami lang mga bagay na nasa utak ko," paliwanag ko sa kanya.

"Like what? Don't tell me it's business because ikaw na mismo ang nagsabi na business is business. Us is us," taray na sabi niya sa'kin. I was getting mad at that moment.

"It's Gizelle. Masaya ka na?"

"My gosh, Sean. Gizelle is dead!" sigaw niya sa'kin. "So forget about her already, will you?"

"She's not dead, Sandrine! Because I saw her alive and breathing yesterday," sagot ko sa kanya. Bakas sa mukha niya ang gulat sa sinabi ko. "She was the reason why I went to Manila yesterday."

"You still love her, don't you?" tanong niya sa'kin. "Because if you still do, go after her Sean. Go after her before Philip hurts her."

"What do you mean?" I asked her. "And how do you know her new boyfriend?"

"I'll tell you everything when she's in a safer place. But now, you have to go and get her," utos sa'kin ni Sandy.

Sandy's POV

"Kuya Philip is my sister's fiancee," simula ko. Pinapaliwanag ko kasi kay Sean yung nabanggit ko kanina. "I know I shouldn't be saying this pero, Philip is going to hurt Gizelle. Kaya dapat mo na siyang masagip."

"You promise me na ipapaliwanag mo lahat lahat kapag nakuha ko na si Gizelle, Sandrine," inis na utos niya sa'kin. "I need to go. Here's the money. Tapusin mo na kinakain mo."

"Yes, Sean," I said.

And with that, tuluyan na siyang umalis. I was left alone, once again. Tinawag ko na yung waiter para sa bill. I wanted to leave this place at once. Pagkatapos kong magbayag ay lumabas na ako ng restaurant para pumara ng taxi. My phone suddenly rang and it was ate who was calling.