Tinitigan niya ang kabuuan ng apartment nila.Kagaya parin ng date,walang nagbago.
She can't believe that she's back. Ilang hakbang niya na lang pagpasok, magkikita na sila.
She should be happy about this but --the sadness she feels inside her is so strong.
Natigil sa ere ang daliri niya na sana'y papindot na sa doorbell.Sa tagal na di sila nagkita,gusto niya sana na bungaran ito ng ngiti sa mismong pagbukas nito ng pinto.
Pero ang hirap.Parang di niya kayang ngumiti ngayon.
Clin blatantly kicked her out,and now she doesn't have even the faintest hope to find her parents.Wala nang pag-asa.Hindi niya na mahahanap magulang niya.
She didn't even wished for them to come back.All she wanted is answers to the raging questions that is dwelling in her system .Questions like "What did she do for them to give her a life like this?" Lumaki siya sa ampunan.Ulilang bata na kaawa-awa sa tingin ng mga tao.It's a good thing that she met Rayko-pero pano nalang kung wala ito ngayon? Saan siya babalik? Saan siya pupulitin? Saan nalang siya pupunta?
Ano ba kasi ginawa niya?Bakit sila nang-iwan? Kasalanan niya ba na pinanganak siya?
There is endless questions.Pero mukhang kahit isa dun wala nang masasagot.
Naibagsak niya ang kamay niya sa kaniyang gilid.On second thought,siguro sa hotel na muna siya matutulog ngayon.Hindi pa siya handa.Ayaw niya na makita siya nito sa ganitong kalagayan.
She knew for that fact that he'll be hurt to see her in pain.
She sighed as she turn around facing the other direction. Paunti-unti siyang humakbang papalayo.
Isang hakbang.
Dalawang hakbang.
Sa bawat hakbang palayo.Palapit ng palapit din ang mga luha niya.
She blinked her tears back.Sht ayaw niya nang umiyak.
Bigla, naramdaman niya na may yumakap sa kanya mula sa likod kaya napatigil siya.
"San ka pupunta " the stranger said with a gentle voice.Hindi siya natakot kasi kahit di siya tumingin,alam niya agad kung sino ito.
Si Rayko.
Nakayakap ito ng mahigpit sa likod niya na para bang sinasabi nito na huwag siyang umalis.Na takot itong umalis siya.
Hindi siya nagsalita.Pero sa pagkakataong yun,bumagsak ang mga luhang pinipigilan niya.
"Ang tagal kong naghintay tapos aalis ka lang.Bruha ka" he laughed shakily. She bit her lip to stop herself from sobbing.No-she can't face him like this.
He held her arms and spun her around gently.Nakayuko lang siya at hindi na nakayanang pigilan ang hikbi niya.
"Ganitong ganito ka din nung pagbalik mo date.Nakayuko.Umiiyak" malungkot siya nitong tinitigan. "hindi ba dapat sa tuwing babalik ka at magkikita tayo-masaya ka? Pero bakit ganito?Sa tuwing babalik ka sakin parati ka nalang umiiyak" That made her stare at him.He looks broken 10 times than she is right now.In fact,he looks like he's also in the peek of crying. Mas lalo lang bumuhos ang mga luha niya.
"I'm ...sorry" she whispered between her sobs.Her vision became blurry because of her tears.It doesn't help her in reading his expression,but,she can feel that he was gazing at her with heavy intensity.
After a moment,he suddenly carries her in bridal style.She didn't protest.She just held into his neck while sobbing into his arms.
She's like a damsel in distress with a knight in shining armor.
When they reached their bedroom.He placed her down ever so gently on the bed.She was still emotional and was really unable to stop herself from all the sobbing
"Tingnan mo ako" sabi nito nang makatabi sakanya.Tumingin naman siya dito.Hikbi ng hikbi parin.Sobrang maluha-luha na din ang mga mata nito.If she knows,he's just it holding back.And sht this is all her fault.
***
Habang nakatingin ito sakanya.Kitang kita niya kung paano bumagsak ang mga luha nito.He wanted to do something,just anything to stop those damn tears.But what can he do?
He reach for her cheek then wiped her tears gently with his thumb.But then it was just replaced with new ones. Any moment now,baka bumagsak nadin ang luha niya pero pinipigilan niya lang talaga.
How can he comfort her if he'll also break down,right.He have to be tough.Like a real man that is.
"Gusto kong sabihin na tumigil ka na pero..." he swallowed so his voice won't trail off "sige umiyak ka lang..ibuhos mo ang lahat-nandito lang ako ...yakapin mo ako hanggang sa maubos luha mo" He outstretched his arms and tried to smile but came out as a heartbreaking smile.
Nakatingin lang ito sakanya ng mga ilang saglit habang tahimik padin na bumubuhos ang luha nito.
Damn please.Hug me.Let me comfort you. Isip niya.
Silence.She was just there.
But before he knew it, she was already hugging him,crying on his chest.
Mas naging emosyonal lang ito nung nakayakap na sakanya.All he could was to rub her back reassuringly the whole time.
Napakahabang oras bago ito nakalma.Natahimik nalang nalang ito at ramdam niya na bumigat ito sa dibdib niya.
"Sayvel?" inialalay niya ang braso niya sa batok nito.And when her face came into view,there he have confirmed that she's already sleeping.
Minasdan niya ito.Basang basa ng luha ang mukha nito.Pati din ang bangs nito basa na din sa luha.He combed her hair up with his hand so he can look at her face better.
She looks pale and a lot thinner.But even in this state,she's still so damn adorable.So precious.
Who the hell would have the guts to hurt a person like her.He sighed then leaned forward to kiss her forehead.
"Nandito lang ako kahit ano mangyari" he whispered.
