By any chance... will you marry him?

CHAPTER 1

***

Chance was sitting in a restaurant with his current girlfriend. It's Valentine's day, and they were having a dinner date.

"Chance, I'm really sorry. The truth is, I am seeing someone else," his girlfriend confessed so suddenly.

Napatigil si Chance sa pagsubo ng spaghetti.

"I am currently pregnant with his baby, and... he just proposed to me. We're getting married this month." Maingat na hinawakan ng babae ang kamay niya bago nagtuloy sa pagsasalita. "I'm really sorry, Chance."

Nilapag niya ang hawak na tinidor.

Hinawakan niya rin ang kamay nito. "Okay lang," sabi niya, 'saka niya ito nginitian. "Congrats. I'm so happy for you."

Napuno ng dead air ang paligid nila, pagkatapos noon.

Chance wasn't acting or being sarcastic by the way, he was indeed really happy for her. His girlfriend realized that, kaya ito natameme.

--

"Luna..." tawag ni Chance sa kaharap pagkabukas na pagkabukas ng pinto.

Kumunot ang noo ng babae. "Hulaan ko, you got dumped again?"

Tumango siya.

Huminga nang malalim ang babae.

Nag-buntong hininga.

Pagkatapos...

"Ugh!"

"Punyeta!"

"T*ng in*!"

"Sh*t!"

"F*ck!!!"

Sangkaterbang mura ang sunod-sunod na lumabas sa bibig ng babae. May pagliyad pang nalalaman habang nakatingin sa itaas na animo'y kinukwest'yon ang mundo.

--

"Luna... tama na 'yan." Awat ni Chance sa katabi. Nasa isang bar na sila ngayon at hindi maawat sa pag-inom ng red horse ang kasama niya. "May shift ka pa bukas, 'di 'ba? Maaga pa pasok mo."

"Alam ko! Pero sino ba kasing may kasalanan, ha?!" sigaw nito, galit na galit. Mainit pa rin ang ulo. "You promised you won't get dumped again this time, pero ano? Pinagpalit ka na naman!"

Inistraight nito ng inom ang hawak na bote ng red horse. "Ugh! Punyeta! How could you get dumped every single time with a face like that! Ano na naman ba kasing ginawa mo this time?!"

"Sabi niya, masyado daw akong seryoso, I couldn't make her laugh," paliwanag ni Chance. He's trying to maintain a safe distance between her and him while talking so as not to get hit or get punched. "She said she was starting to get bored so, she started seeing someone else. And now she's already pregnant with the guy's baby."

"What the fvck? Tinu-time ka na, nagpaanak pa? So? Anong sinabi mo?"

"Sabi ko, 'oh, okay. congrats, I'm happy for you'."

"What the fvck? 'Yun lang? Hindi mo man lang minura o sinabihan na ang kapal ng mukha niyang manloko e ang pangit-pangit niya?!"

He shook his head. "Hindi na. Buntis din kasi siya, baka makasama sa baby 'pag sinigawan ko. Nag-sorry naman 'e. Tsaka, valid naman ang reason niya. Sobrang seryoso ko naman talaga at hindi ko pa siya napatawa ni minsan. Good thing nga na nakahanap siya nang—"