Paper Planes (Sandejas Siblings: Companion Book)

Kabanata 25

Kabanata 25

"YOU'RE SPACING OUT again," I lifted my gaze to my friends who was sitting in front of me.

"H-Huh? Ano nga uli ang pinag-uusapan?" I murmured.

"I said...what will you do now?" Cess asked.

"I'm sorry if I was too pre-occupied, medyo marami lang kasing tao sa shop ngayon." I murmured

"You weren't answering the question, Lena." Floyd commented. "And we're not talking about the shop."

Natahimik ako. I gazed around the cakeshop where we are and I continued biting my lip.

"Hindi ka pa rin nakakatulog ng maayos, ano? Look at your eyes, they looked tired and bloodshot." Cess said.

"M-Medyo busy lang kasi, atsaka late na rin nagsasara itong shop."

"How long will you keep on diverting our attention, hmm?" What Floyd askes made me stop.

"I-I'm fine." I whispered.

"Come on, stop lying," Cess said. "Just last week and you are crying really hard tapos magkukunwari ka pang ayos ka lang when in fact, you are not."

"I can handle myself just fine, ayaw kong...dumagdag pa ako sa iniisip n'yo," bulong ko.

"We're your friends, Lena." Floyd said, making me look at him.

"You...helped me a lot during my break up, tho, I haven't really moved on pero marami kang ginawa para kumalma ako. Now, when you're on my situation, hindi kita makalma and I don't want it."

Napasulyap ako sa mga kaibigan ko. Nasaapo ko ang ulo at maya-maya pa ay mas nanghina.

"I-I don't know what to do," I whispered.

"Have you ever reached out to him? After that night?"

"No," I shook my head. "I-I've never seen him these days."

"This is just my opinion, Lena, but I really do think what you've said is below the belt." Cess said.

"Me too," ani Floyd. "We are here to give sense to you, for everything."

I nodded and listened to their words.

"Ejercito was hurt," ani Cess. "I know you are hurt too pero sa ngayon, iba ang sa kanya. We thought he moved on but he didn't, dagdag pang nakita ka niyang hinalikan ni Augustine."

"I know..." I said, "that's why I was so hurt. Nagsisisi ako kung bakit ko nasabi iyon...I was out of my mind, akala ko talaga ay sila ni Emily at ayokong masira ang relasyon nila dahil sa akin kaya ginawa ko 'yon...I never thought that after all I've done to him, mahal pa rin niya ako."

"You know, Lena, men...us, we really don't show people we're hurt pero sobra rin ang sakit. Hindi lang kami nagpapakitang masakit because society expects us to be strong."

I nodded slowly, listening to his point.

"We love you, Lena, but I do think it's you that's wrong that night."

I closed my eyes tightly because I am guilty, I know I am. I am the one to blame this time.

"I should apologize," I said. "It's my fault, I know. Ang sama-sama ng sinabi ko sa kanya. For the second time, I broke his heart again."

"You should," Floyd nodded.

"I think it's time to step up your game," Ani Cess kaya napasulyap ako sa kanya.

"What do you mean?"

"Isang tanong, isang sagot, Lena. Kung bibigyan ka ng pagkakataon na maayos ang mayroon sa inyo ni Ejercito, gugustuhin mo ba?"