Napaatras ako nang nagsimula siyang maglakad palapit. I looked over my shoulder only to see that I am 5 meters away from the door... hindi ako makakaabot kung sakaling--

"Hey," nang muli akong tumitig sa harapan na naroon na si Abby. Nakatitig sa akin dala ang kutsilyo at itinititigan iyon ng mabuti.

"Did. He. Call. You?"

Nanginig ang mga labi ko. "N-No."

Then she spat out again. "See? Ang duwag niya!"

Napalunok na ako.

"He haven't called you, yet I know he would soon enough. Kaya I made the initiative to do things my way."

"Ano'ng sinasabi mo?"

"He shouldn't see you. Hindi siya puwedeng magpatuloy na wala na ang sakit! He can't tell he's damn sorry. He doesn't deserve to be forgiven again! He's still too guilty for what he's done to you! He can't be happy while I'm this miserable!"

Itinutok niya sa akin ang kutsilyo.

"Back then, I got him from you because I can. Hindi ka ba nainggit, Kathlene?" she taunted. "Oopss, you were. SO MUCH that you had to take matters on your own hands. Second year college nang lumipat ka ng university. For what reason again? So that you could protect yourself from breaking seeing me and Theo having the best moments of our lives. Right? Also, you transferred to prove your worth to Theo? So, you could prove that you were the best option he could ever choose."

Unti-unti nang may bumabara sa lalamunan ko.

"Umalis ka sa university. Hindi mo kami kinausap na mga kaibigan mo. You avoided us. You decided to forget us. Just like that. Kasi hindi mo matanggap na ipinagpalit ka."

"Abby," saad ko, hindi napigilan na mapapikit. Napailing-iling ako. And even if she does nothing in front of me, even if she hasn't inflicted me any physical pain at the moment... I wanted to scream and cry.

"You've chosen a famous college huh? Tapos hindi mo pala nakayanan ang demands. Ayon, bagsak tuloy."

"Ano'ng kailangan mo sa akin? Bakit ginagawa mo sa 'kin to?" basag ang boses kong tanong.

"Hmm, bakit nga ba?" She titled her head to one side while she stared at me intently. "Honestly, I wanna talk to you. Maybe say sorry? I'm not really sure, Kathlene."

Katahimikan ang nanaig sa kwarto bago siya biglaang natawa. "Okay, fine you were really a good friend." Kumalma ang ekspresyon niya. Then she smiled at me. "Hindi ko makakalimutan ang mga pinagdaanan natin noong high school."

Pagkatapos ay natigilan ulit siya. Napatitig sa kisame bago sa akin. "Pero kasi, Kathlene... ang unfair ng mga nangyari noon." She suppressed a sob.

"Ikaw palagi ang nakikita ng mga tao. I also deserve to be recognized. Theo was your biggest asset. He was your ultimate inspiration. And I kinda like him. I decided to go for him. And viola! We clicked."

Napayuko siya. Nawala ang sigla sa boses. "But he was full of inconsistencies. He said he likes me. Then he loves me. Then after graduating from college he said we're over. May nabuntis na agad siya six months after we separated. You know how unfair was that!"

"Serves you right, Abby. You had been unfair to me too," I said.

Umatras ako ng dahan-dahan. She was too occupied to even notice. Pero natigilan din ako nang narinig ang mahina niyang hikbi.

"You know why you're here?" Natulala siya, lumamlam ang mga mata. "You're here because I wanted to tell you how we have felt the same pain all because of one person."

Nabitiwan niya na ang kutsilyo na dala-dala at nagmakaawa. "Kathlene... how did you overcome the pain? I don't know what to do..." she sounded so helpless that I felt my tears flowed from my eyes.

Napaupo siya sa sahig at mas lumakas ang hagulgol.

Nanlumo ako sa nakita. "Abby..."

Tinitigan ko lang siya habang walang tigil sa pag-iyak.

Namalayan ko ang sarili na dahan-dahang lumapit sa kanya.

"4 years had passed. Nakayanan mo ang sakit hindi ba? How did you do it? Paano, Kathlene?" Niyugyog niya ako gamit ang nanghihinang mga kamay.

"The pain didn't leave me unscratched, Abby. Hindi iyon bastang nawala. Andito pa rin. Pero alam kung hindi na iyon ang mahalaga."

"So, you still love him?" tanong niya sa nanginginig na boses.

"I cherish the memories we had together. Love lingers between those moments."

"P-Paano niya nagawang magmahal agad ng iba?" pautal-utal niyang tanong.

"Because he just did," deristo kong sagot. "It's his choice, Abby. Like how things went years ago. He made a choice."

Nagtaas-baba ang balikat niya at hindi na nakapagsalita. Dahan-dahan naman akong tumayo para kumuha ng tubig. Umikot ako sa kitchen bar at kumuha ng malinis na baso. Mabuti at may tubig nga na nakastock sa ref.

Pero nang lumapit ako kay Abby, napapakipit na siya-puno ng dugo ang mga kamay.

She just stabbed herself.

Things happened too fast afterwards. Tumawag ako ng staff at nagpatawag ng ambulasya. Nang nakarating sa ospital... hindi ko alam kung sino'ng unang tatawagan. Kaya wala akong ibang nagawa kung hindi ay mag-message sa mga kaibigan namin noon na hindi ko na kinausap pa apat na taon na ang nakakalipas. I know that up to this day, close pa rin sila ni Abby.