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

Thirty-Four

Allie

It was ten minutes before dinner when Frannie and I decided to stop crying. Tinanong niya sa akin ang tungkol kay Dominic at Arron–kung alam ba nila, and I said yes to Dominic but no to Arron since hindi ko pa siya nakakausap. Plano kong sabihin sa kanya pero parang hindi ko alam kung paano ko biglang ilalabas ang topic na iyon, lalo na at hindi siya nagpaparamdam for three days.

Sunod niyang tinanong kung anong gagawin ko sa dalawa kaya mas lalo naman akong napatigil sa pag-iyak. I told her the truth. Yung mga nangyari nitong nakaraang buwan at gumaan ang pakiramdam ko nang mailabas ko ang lahat ng iyon. I told her how I also fell for Arron in the end.

“So you tried pushing him away by telling him that you’ve been cheating on Dominic and using Gian at the same time? Si Gian na tahimik na nag-aaral sa ibang bansa?” Gian is the person whom I was talking with when Arron misunderstood some things. Matalik na kaibigan ko si Gian. Aside from my family, siya ang nakakaalam ng tungkol sa sakit ko. I didn’t tell him about it, nalaman niya lang when he was confined–kapareho pa ng ospital kung saan nandoon ako. I think he overheard it from doctors. Yun din ang dahilan kung bakit naging mas close kami. I asked him to keep it a secret and he was nice enough to not broadcast it to anyone.

“Yun kasi ang akala niya, kaya pinanindigan ko na lang. Wala na akong ibang maisip na paraan. I just want to lessen the casualties. Pinoproblema ko na nga si Dominic–I just didn’t want to include Arron to that list, it will be better if we remained unattached.”

“Which is obviously now impossible since you’re both in love with each other.”

“I said I’m in love with him, I didn’t say he was feeling the same way.” I rolled my eyes at her. Bigla naman inangat ni Frannie ang kamay niya para batukan ako.

“Don’t be dense or act like you’re obtuse. It’s so obvious that Arron is in love with you. Hello?! Sinong matinong lalaki ang hahalik sa isang babae sa harap mismo ng boyfriend niya?” nawala ang simangot sa mga labi ni Frannie at napangiti siya ng malawak. “Man, I’d pay to see that. Nakakakilig!”

“I thought you were pro-Dominic!” hinaltak ko ang buhok niya.“I told you, I was only rooting for him because you were in love with him–not because I personally want him for you. Yes, he’s perfect–but you don’t need someone you could call perfect, you need someone who’s right.”

“And Arron is that right person?” tanong ko sa kanya.

“If he makes you happy, then yes, he’s your Mr. Right.”

“Napapasaya rin naman ako–”

“Oh my God, Allie. Stop mentioning Dominic. Just stop. You already admitted that you’re in love with Arron. You’re acting like it’s wrong to fall in love with him.” inirapan ako ni Frannie.

“Because it is! I’m not supposed to love with him! Do you know how wrong that sounds? It wasn’t meant to happen. It was wrong for me to fall in love with him.”

“Why would it be wrong to fall in love with someone who makes you happy?”