Ang Love Stories ng BongLeni

Malaya

(AN :///: mabuhay ang mga broken hearted!)

LENI'S POV

Nakatayo ako ngayon sa waiting area ng Clark Airport. I am waiting for Bongbong. After 3 years, ngayon nalang kami ulit magkikita. But we never lost communication. And I knew for sure, we also lost the connection.

"Leni?" I heard a familiar voice from my back.

"Bong..." I said and slowly turned.

He went right infront of me. I was astonished first but he bend and now he's facing me, nearly.

"Nasaan na yung kaibigan ko na yayakap sa akin kapag nakita na nya ako?" He asked amd he smiled. HE SMILED. He still is handsome. Stop spacing out Leni. Stop it. "Maybe you weren't Leni, sorry I faced the wrong person."

"Bong!" I loudly objected.

"Just kidding," niyakap ko kaagad sya. And because I'm not wearing high heels, he looks a lot taller than I am.

"Let go, let go. Mabigat ka pa rin hanggang ngayon!" He said.

I punched his stomach and said ,"Mapagbiro ka pa rin"

"Mapanakit ka pa rin," I gave him a glare. "Oh tingnan mo uulit pa yan!" Inirapan ko nalang sya. He knows me well. 15 years of friendship eh.

"Gutom ka? Tara kain tayo. Dating gawi kina Toyang's" I offered, I mean I ordered. He was about to say something, but I am not yet done talking. "Your treat."

I heard him sighed.

"I thought na kapag may work ka na di ka na magpapalibre. Kahit pala may pera ka na kuripot ka pa din," tinawanan ko nalang sya. "Buti sana kung parang ibon ka kumain eh"

"Anong sabi mo?!?!" and with that, he ran away and we looked like two kids having a little war.

.
.
.

I was quiet the whole lunch. I didn't know what to say.

Before he went to Chicago, exactly a month after their annulment was done, I confessed.

I knew we were not lovers. But we are more than friends.

We never said "I love you", but we always ends everything with "You know I will do anything for you. I will protect you with all my might. I will always be here for you. I will never leave you."

3 years of our friendship nung nalaman kong iba si Bong sa kaibigan ko lang. I know how nice he is. And I like him. But after I learned that he was dating Liza, her future wife, I gave up on him.

After 2 years they got married and had a son, Phillip.

5 years after their marriage they knew the feeling was gone. 10 years na ng pagkakaibigan namin ni Bong non. And after a year, they decided to file for annulment.

That whole month of us is a lot of fun. We went to Palawan together.

We did parasailing.

Pinanood namin yung sunset sa daan nung papunta kaming Batangas.

And he said : 'If you weren't my bestfriend, I would have dated you'

If I wasn't. But I was, so unlucky of me.

He followed it with a : 'Have any plans of marrying?'

I answered : 'Marriage I don't think so. Maybe...'

I can still remember how we met each other's eyes...

'Maybe what?' he asked.

'Maybe i don't know...'

If it was you, yes. I woukd love to yes.

Dito mismo ako umamin. Hoping that after pointing all the stars he missed while watching the moon, he might stay.

But he didn't.

If only I knelt down in front of him that night he might have stayed.

Kung nanindigan lang sana ako sa nararamdaman ko...

But that's all in the past now.

After all...

I was just his friend.

"Leni..." nagulat ako sa bigla nyang pagtawag sa akin.

"Sorry. For spacing out... Again... It's just that..." I can't think of any reason.

"You don't have to make up for it, Im sorry Leni... I have put you down... I---"

I can't take it anymore. I stood up and bowed down my head. My tears are traitors. They rolled down my cheeks, though I haven't ordered them yet.

"Leni..."

"You don't have to say anything Bong," I said and wiped my tears. "I get it and it's fine." I went around the table and gave him a tight hug, maybe the last hug. I would love to stay in those arms forever but after a few seconds I stood up and gave him a smile.

Maybe I waited for him this long just to let him go.

It's just not meant to be.

Accepting defeat, I whispered... "Malaya ka na..."

'Susuko na ang sandata, aatras na sa laban, hindi dahil naduduwag kundi dahil mahal kita...'