Best for Us (GU #3)

fifty-three

Fifty-Three: Vanessa Gerleen

Tyler held me close to his chest. We were like this he got home from school and went directly to my unit. Basta, gusto niya lang daw akong yakapin.

It was ten minutes before five in the afternoon and I knew he had to leave few minutes from now. Pinapupunta raw siya sa bahay ng mga Guzman dahil may gustong sabihin ang tatay ni Olivia sa kanya.

And I was nervous. Hindi kung sa anong sasabihin ng senador kundi sa planong gawin ni Tyler.

Last Tuesday night, we talked. At sinabi niya sa akin na hindi na niya kayang nasa ganitong sitwasyon at sinabi yung plano niyang gawin.

I told him to wait and think about it, of course. Hindi namin alam pareho kung anong pwedeng gawin ng tatay ni Olivia. But then Tyler was really determined to end this. He even was willing to sacrifice his studies for this.

'I'm not going to pass my project.'

Naalala ko pa ang gulat ko nang sabihin niya iyon. At tinanong ko siya kung bakit. Pinaghirapan niya iyon na gawin kaya dapat lang na ipasa niya.

'I just know they can use it against me since it's the senator's project. And if I really want to end this, kailangan wala silang maisusumbat sa akin.'

I even reminded him kung anong pwedeng maging consequence nun. Na ikakabagsak niya yun sa isang major subject nila, na hindi siya makakagraduate on time. Yet he just smiled at me in return. Saka niya sinabi, 'Then that much better. I can still see you at school. Mababantayan ko pa kung may gustong umaligid sa girlfriend ko.'

That was supposed to make me smile. Pero hindi ko iyon ginawa. Instead, that night, I cried. I cried all of my frustrations because of the situation that he's into. That we can't do anything about it his plan was our only resort. But at the same time, I supported him. Dahil wala naman akong maaring ibigay sa kanya sa pagkakataong ito kundi iyon lang. To make him feel that he's not alone in this battle. That he got me.

I hugged Tyler tighter as I closed my eyes and calm myslef in the steady beating of his heart.

*

Hindi ako mapakali habang pabalik-balik ang tingin ko sa orasan sa dingding at sa cellphone. I wondered what's going on in that house. Ni walang paramdam sa akin si Serena. I told her to text me if anything bad happened.

So, maybe this is a good sign? Baka naman tinanggap ng maayos ni Senator Guzman ang pag-ayaw ni Tyler?

But who was I kidding? Alam kong hindi iyon ganoon magiging kadali. But then, bakit wala pa ring balita?

As if on cue, my phone rang. At nang makitang si Serena iyon ay agad kong sinagot. "Hey, ano nang balita dyan?"

"Nakaalis na si Tyler," sagot ni Serena. "But Dad was fuming. Ate Olivia's trying to pacify him. He even ordered the guards na sundan si Tyler."

"What?" singit ko. The senator really did that?

"But don't worry, hindi natuloy kasi may biglang dumating dito na lalaki. And Ate Olivia seems to know him. Sila naman yung nandoon sa office ni Dad ngayon and I still don't know what's going on."

Nakahinga ako nang maluwag. At least, for now, medyo ligtas na si Tyler.

"Thanks for the info, Ren. Kapag may nabalitaan ka dyan, magsabi ka lang ha."

"Sure. I really want to help you guys. And I also hope with finding the truth, matulungan ko rin si Ate Liv."

When the call ended, bumalik na naman ako sa pagmumuni-muni. What if tumakas na lang kami ni Tyler? I laughed dryly at that absurd idea. At saan naman kami pupunta? Madadamay pa pareho yung families namin.