How to Break a Heart (To be published by LIB)

Twenty-Six

Arron

I knew bringing her to meet my mother

was a bad idea but somehow, letting the two important people in my life meet felt right. Plus, pinilit rin naman ako ni Mama na dalhin si Allie sa bahay at pakilala sa kanya. Kapag kasi binibisita ko siya, which is once a week–hindi ko maiwasan na mabanggit ang pangalan ni Allie. Then she’ll end up asking questions about her until I have no other choice but to answer.

Watching her and my mom get along, I couldn’t help but secretly smile. Alam kong iniisip ni Allie nung araw na yon ay naiirita ako but my mom knows that I was feeling the opposite.

That night, I know Allie wasn’t mad at me. She’s disappointed and more of confused. Alam kong naguguluhan siya sa kinikilos ko. At hindi ako manhid para hindi mahalata na naguguluhan din siya sa nararamdaman niya. Allie is attracted to me. How she almost kissed me if it wasn’t for Carmela gave that idea away.

Now, all I need to do is to let her admit that to herself.

I know that my plan would work… kung hindi niya lang sana ako iniiwasan.

It has been three days since I dropped her off that night. Huling nakausap ko siya ay nung dinala ko siya sa bahay. Nakita ko naman siya kinabukasan sa room but it was our last class together for the week at iniwasan niya pa ako nung araw na yon.

The thought of her ignoring me frustrated me and made me happy at the same time. It only proves that I was right. That she’s really attracted to me and her feelings is starting to confuse her. Sinong hindi matutuwa doon diba? The only downside to that is she’s trying to stop herself from feeling it.

Allie is taken, damn it. Granted, she’s trying to break up with her boyfriend–with a reason that I have no knowledge about. A reason that I promised to know but never got the chance to find out yet. I can find out the real reason if I wanted to, I am Arron Valencia after all–but for some reason, I respect Allie’s decision if she wants to keep it from me–or us, if I’m going to include her boyfriend.

I really hate calling Chua that way. Pero hindi ko naman maatim na tawagin siya sa pangalan niya. Hindi ko kasi maiwasan mainis. Sa tuwing binabanggit siya ni Allie sa tuwing nag-uusap kami, kulang na lang ay sigawan ko siya at ipagbawal ang pag banggit ng pangalan ni Chua.

It was not my type to be insecure dahil wala naman akong rason para ma-insecure sa ibang lalake. Gwapo ako, maraming babae ang naghahabol sa akin. I’m not saying that to show off, just proving my point. I’m actually more fun to be with than him, maraming bagay na mas angat ako sa kanya pero hindi ko pa rin maiwasan ang mainggit.

Lahat ng bagay, nasa akin na. Pero yung isang bagay naman na gustong-gusto ko, nasa kanya. Maybe that’s why I’m jealous.

Because I know that Allie loves her. Yes, she’s trying to break up with him but I know she still loves him. She loves him enough na hiningi niya pa ang tulong ko dahil ayaw niyang makitang masasaktan si Dominic. I know she wants it the other way around.

That’s the whole plan after all. The whole point why she asked for my help. She wants Dominic to fall out of love enough to break up with her para sa ganoong paraan, siya lang ang masaktan. Yun ang dahilan na gusto niyang paniwalaan but I know deep inside, the real reason why she can’t break up with Dominic is because she’s too afraid to do it.