1971 {Rodrigo Duterte x Leni Robredo}

14 True

Leni felt nervous.

She asked Rodrigo if there was a place he would like to go visit with her that he hasn't visited yet. He thought for a moment and smiled. He said he had the perfect place in mind. She asked him to take her there and told him she had something important to say. He looked initially expectant, but there was a hint of doubt in his eyes, like he knew that she was going to say something he wouldn't like. But she reassured him that everything would be clear once she tells him the truth.

With the wind on her face, she rode on the back of his motorcycle through an elevated path shaded beneath colossal trees. She held on to Rodrigo who drove the motorcycle uphill, she didn't even ask where he was taking her. She had placed her trust in him. She knew she was always safe with him.
They arrived at a clearing with enormous pine trees all over the place. She never thought there was a place like this in Davao. She could see the entire expanse of the city below them. The landscape was mostly filled with luscious greens of fresh trees and grass instead of urban buildings and houses.
It was a lovely spot. She felt a sense of melancholy knowing that she would yet again be breaking him.

She knew she had to be strong. Not just for her sake but for him. It wasn't fair that he didn't know the truth when he was so in love with her.

He had parked his motorcycle and after which they sat on the grass next to each other, the entire expanse of the city spread before them.

She took a deep breath before looking at him. She felt jitters in her stomach but she ignored it. What if he didn't believe her?

"May ipagtatapat ako sa 'yo," she said.

He looked expectant. There was a smile on his face, and Leni saw it. But she decided that she couldn't lie to herself and to everyone around her any longer. She had to be strong enough to accept the fact that she could hurt him. There was no other way.

"Bakit Leni?" He asked her.

"I...can't see myself marrying you. Hindi ako ang para sa 'yo Rodrigo, I'm sorry."

He appeared to have frozen in place. His smile fading.

"Hindi kita maintindihan Leni. Akala ko kasi..." he asked in frustration. "Dahil ba 'to kay Elizabeth? Nalaman niya ba 'yung tungkol sa atin?"

She looked at his eyes and she saw the conflict that felt. How many times did she have to break him like this? How many times did she have lie to him? He needed to know the truth. She needed to tell him. She had to do it now.

"Siguro iisipin mo na nababaliw na ako, na gumagawa lang ako ng kwento para ipagtabuyan ka. Pero Rodrigo, hindi ako ang Leni na kilala mo. Hindi ako ang Leni Sto. Tomas ng panahong ito."

His brow furrowed and he looked more confused than ever. He couldn't understand what she was going on about. He didn't know if he even believed her.

"Galing ako sa hinaharap. Ako si Leni Robredo at hindi ko alam kung bakit ako napadpad sa panahong ito o ano ba ang kailangan kong gawin para makabalik ako. Kaya hindi tayo pwedeng magkatuluyan kasi kailangan ko pang bumalik. Hindi ako pwedeng manatili dito. Hindi ako ang babaeng minahal mo."

She paused for a few moments to see his reaction.

"Leni anong ibig mong sabihin? Galing ka sa hinaharap?" He scoffed in utter disbelief. "Paano naman 'yun mangyayari?"

"Totoo ang sinasabi ko," she told him. She wanted him to believe her so badly.
"Mapapatunayan mo ba na nagsasabi ka ng totoo?"

"Gusto ng Tatay mo na maging politiko ka rin diba? Kaya ka niya pinapaaral sa Maynila para maging isang abogado?"