NAUNA ng magpaalam si Rocky ng mapansin ata niyang walang balak ang katunggali kong magpatalo. "You really are shit, Ice." Mapang husga ang mga tinging ibinabato niya. "Yeah! I'm full of shit! So are we done here? 'Cause you're wasting my precious time, Val." Ayoko na siyang tawaging Avry. Nauurat ako! "Don't make me repeat myself, Ice. You are not going out with her.." Napasinghal, igtad ako sa hindi pagkapaniwala. "And who the hell are you to tell me what to do?" Inulit ko yung sinabi niya eksakto kagabi. Lintik lang ang walang ganti sa babaeng to."A concerned citizen maybe.." Ano daw?? "What? Another prey of your games? That Rocky? Seriously?" Sabi pa niya na tila nanunudyo. Oh shit! I know what she's referring to. She's using this card to have control over me. I thought I got her, making her die of jealousy. Pinaka titigan ko siya bago nagsalita. Tutal sarado utak niya.. Iyon ang gagamitin ko to crack her, destroy her walls."Alright.. I'm playing games. A challenge to
ANOTHER TWO MONTHS had perished since my last encounter with Avry. Hindi na din siya nanggulo pa na akala ko nga ikaga-gaan ng kalooban ko pero ikina-bigat pala ng mas malala. Ginawa ko ang lahat para matanggap ang masakit na katotohanang hindi na siya babalik. Katotohanang wala ng next chapter sa love story namin dahil narating na nito ang masaklap na ending—a downer. Walang Saabado at Linggo na hindi ako laman ng club, bar o inuman. Hindi ako iniwan nila Rafa, Kera, Allie at Rain pero kailanman hindi naging sapat para matabunan yung sobrang pangungulila ko kay Avry. In my 20 years of existence, I've come to reach the hardest peak of my life that I haven't ever imagined coming. It's too painful to deal with but still, I managed to strongly maneuver my studies, the least I can do. Despite myself drowning in despair. Naglalakad kami nila Rafa ngayon papuntang gymnasium. Kahit saan ako magpunta kasa-kasama ko sila maliban na lang kapag abala ako sa cosplay. "Hey! Bestie.. Okay ka
ARAW ng Linggo at naisipan naming magsimba ng mga kaibigan ko. "Kera, yats.. Until when you're gonna ignore me?" Yats! Their new endearment. Pfft. Akala ko yats kasi parehas silang payatot. Ayun pala STAY. They will forever stay on each other side daw for the rest of their life till death do them part.Ikinatuwa ko ang isiping iyon na ikinasakit din ng puso ko. Sana all my forever. Makiki-sana all na lang ako sa kanila. Ganun din kasi si Rain at Allie. They were so in love with each other. How I wish I could be on Avry's side too until our hair turns grey, our skin wrinkled and our soul leaves our body. And then in the next life, we would meet again, and love each other in an undefinable way. If I could reincarnate 1000x I would still want to meet and fall in love with the woman who taught me what more there was in love a 1000x. "I told you.. Georgette is just a friend." Muling pangungumbinsi ni Rafa kay Kera. Simula kanina pa lang sa byahe nagtatalo na sila. "Guys.. Mamaya n
"Why did you do that? You don't have to." I asked and said when I cooled down. "I know what you are doing, Ice. You're driving her away. S-sorry. I invaded your privacy and the confidentiality of your condition." Kumunot ako, biglang napaisip."What do you mean? W-what are you talking about?" "I followed you the day you had a consultation with your Doctor and the day you learned the result, too. I'm worried that's why I did that." Natahimik lang ako. "If you want her to really give up, you have to make her believe that the thing she's holding up is no more. You can use me, Ice. It's my pleasure to help you. And I won't accept a no for an answer. Just on this, let me." [AVRY VALERI BLOSSOM]"Ma'am.. O-okay lang ho kayo?" I heard a female voice. That's the bartender, I guess. Alcohol was the first thing that popped up in my mind after my heartbreaking encounter with Ice earlier, so I ended up here at a bar again. And I think that would be the last time I will be seeing the love of
"I'm staying, honeybunch," Quinn said, which caused me panic. Just last night, she brought up the idea of not going back to Paris. We are currently having dinner in one of my restaurants. "W-what? No.." I raise to meet her eye, showing her my displeased reaction. "What the hell are you talking about, Quinn?" I asked just to make sure I didn't hear it wrong. "I want to stay, get married here, honeybunch. Ayoko na bumalik ng Paris. I want to settle here in my mother's homeland with you and build a family. Don't you like that?" She uttered, eyes fixated on me as she held both my hands and gently stroked them. Quinn is half Filipino and half French. "I have a life in Paris, Hon. I thought we have understanding?" Wala pa kaming one-year ni Quinn ng mag prose ako ng kasal. I met her at one of my gallery exhibits. I caught her then, staring for a long time at one of my Obra Maestra. She said she sees herself in that painting. At a glance, she looks genuinely happy and seems to be liv
[ICE QUEEN SAMSON] "Ice.. Ice!!" I was stunned sa biglang pagtaas ng boses ni Rocky—Nasa loob kami ng kotse niya at pauwi na. Sinundo niya ako kanina after ng klase ko. "S-sorry. What are you saying?" Tanong ko ng makabawi ako. Wala pala kasi ako sa sarili ko. "Okay ka lang ba? Kanina pa ako nagsasalita hindi ka naman pala nakikinig." "Sorry." "May masakit ba sayo?" Umiling ako sa tanong niya kasabay ng," Wala. Okay naman ako. Pagod lang siguro." "Are you sure? Sumasakit ba ulo mo?" Nag-aalala nanaman siya. "Gusto mong magpa check up tayo?" Dagdag pa nito. Panay ang tingin sa akin tapos babalik sa daan. "Relax.. Walang masakit sakin. Paranoid ka." Natatawang sabi ko. "Nakuha mo pa talagang tumawa. I'm being serious here, Ice." Hinawakan ko siya sa may braso para kumalma. "Okay nga lang ako." Pinanindigan ni Rocky ang pananatili sa tabi ko simula ng malaman niya ang tungkol sa sakit ko. Maliban kay Mommy, Ate Izzy, lolo, si Rocky lang ang may alam. Siya nga ang unang nakatu
[AVRY VALERI BLOSSOM]"You were quiet since yesterday. Is this still about not going back to Paris?" No.. It's more than that.Quinn knows how broken I was before she came into my life. What she doesn't know is whose. I never speak about Ice. Quinn could only see my suffering, but I didn't say anything to her. She only knew that I loved someone at that time. "Hey.. Talk to me. What's the matter, honeybunch?""Nothing. I'm just adjusting. You know. I'm not used to staying here anymore. Especially the traffic. So frustrating." She laughed, which eased me. "Yeah. Hon, there's still super traffic. By the way, I met someone the other day." "Who?" "We have the same name." Happily, she shared. "And I want her to design our house." I was surprised. I thought I was gonna design our home. "I knew that look. Don't be jealous. Just work with her. For sure, you gonna love her work too.""You allow me to work with a girl now?" I sounded amused. "She's an exception." She giggled. Another day
"Oh no. It's the same course." Magsasalita sana siya pero nag ring ang phone ko. Shit! Si Rocky. "Hello.. Rocky. Sorry on the way na ko ng bahay." "Ah ganun ba? Sorry, natagalan kasi ako sa meeting. Bagong investors." "Sorry.. Biglaan. Mukhang uulan na kasi." Pagdadahilan ko pero umuulan na din naman talaga. "Okay lang. Wala pa naman ako sa Samson kaya mabuti nag taxi ka na." Sorry Rocky. Wala ako sa taxi. Kasama ko siya ngayon. "Ingat ah. Chat mo ako kapag nakarating ka na." Sunod niyang sabi saka nagpaalam at pinutol na ang tawag. Sinulyapan ko naman ng palihim si Avry. Madilim na ang mukha nito. Hindi na katulad kanina. "Si Rocky pala sundo mo." She said in a monotone. Nasa daan lang ang focus niya. "Ah.. O-oo." Bakit ako nauutal? Ilan sandali pa nakarating kami ng bahay. Inalok ko siya na pumasok na muna. Nagalak naman ako ng pumayag siya kahit tila pangit ang timpla. Simple lang ang bahay namin pero maayos naman. "Ate Izzy.." Yumakap ako kay Ate kahit medyo nabasa ako