Until The Next Sunrise

38: The Start

Chapter Thirty-Eight

"Yna, I'm on my way! Promise! Yes!" Sabi ko pero maliligo pa lang ako, nakalimutan ko na ngayon ko pala makikilala ang fiancée niyang Canadian, ewan ko ba san niya nakilala.

"Nako, siguraduhin mo lang, Aviona Clarisse Estrada!"

Look at her, she's going to get married months from now. And me? I settle for less. But I want more. And it sucks but I want it with Archer.

30 minutes later.

"Okay, keys, check. Phone? Nasa bag! Lights? Off!" Sabi ko habang inaalala kung may nakalimutan ba akong isarado o dalhin.

Lumabas na ako ng pintuan at nandoon a harap nang aking pinto si Archer, naka suit and tie at nakapamulsa.

Nagtitigan kami bago may isang magsalita sa amin.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?"

"Ace.." Sabi niya. "Can we talk?"

"No." Sambit ko, "May importante akong pupuntahan. Excuse me."

Hinarang niya ako at tinignan ako sa mata.

"Archer, umalis ka na."

"Hindi ako aalis. Hindi na." Sabi niya, "Naiintindihan ko na."

"Wala akong oras para intindihin yan, Archer." Hinawakan niya ang braso ko.

"You want.." Then he held my hand. "I know what you want."

I smiled, "Good for you. But what I want right now is for you to get out of my way,"

"I know what you want," Paulit ulit niyang sambit. "We both want each other, Ace. But we can't have it because of me."

"No, n-no." I said and held his cheek. "We can't have it because of our own personal issues. It's not about you, it's us."

"Exactly, Ace." Ngumiti siya ng maikli at inilagay ang kamay niya sa aking buhok at sinusuklay suklay ito, "I spent days to figure out how, how would it work the way you want it."

"H-how?"

He kissed my forehead. Tapos ay lumayo siya sa akin. Is he letting me go?

No!

"What are you doing?!" I asked but then he remained silent and calm.

"I'm breaking up with you, with our relationship that has Glaire in it." He said, "I don't want you to be hurt because I did that to you, I can't do that. So maybe, this is the right way to start."

"Arch, No! I don't want this, No!"

"Trust me, you want this." Sabi niya at tumalikod na sakin.

To: Yna
I can't go. Sorry.

I was calling Archer on my way outside but it kept going straight to voice mail. What the fuck? He dumped me just like that?

Nagbibiro ba siya o ano? Hindi nakakatuwa.

Nakatambay lang ako sa labas ng pinto para hanapin kahit kotse man lang ni Archer. At nakita ko iyon kaya doon ako nagpunta agad. Naka tint ang kotse kaya sinilip ko ilang beses hanggang sa tumunog ito.

To: Archer
Why the fuck did you leave?

So this is what he felt when I left him alone without goodbye? Revenge siguro?

I would never do that to him! Ever! Wala siyang hiya! Grabe!

"Woah," Archer said. As he arrived at the car, he opened his car so that the sound would stop.