Chapter 47
Victim

"Blair!"

Napatigil ako sa paglalakad patungo aking susunod na klase dahil sa pagtawag sa akin ng isang pamilyar na boses.

I turned around and saw Graham panting as he ran to where I am. I quickly scanned the place to see of there are any signs of Gael around but he's not.

Ginaya naman ni Graham ang paglinga-linga ko sa paligid. He cluelessly looked at me after that.

"Anong hinahanap mo?" he asked me while his forehead is creased.

"Nothing." sabi ko nalang.

"Anyway, have you seen Gael? Do you know where he is?" he suddenly asked me. "We need to pass the proposals for the graduation party to the head today before we passed it to the dean tomorrow. Deadline na 'yon bukas."

"No, I don't." tipid kong sagot at akmang tatalikod na nang muli siyang nagsalita.

"Can you call or text him then?" tanong niya. "He's not answering my calls nor replying to my messages."

"I can't, Graham. I'm sorry." sabi ko naman sa kaniya at bumalik ang pagkakunot ng kaniyang noo.

"What do you mean you can't?" naguguluhan niyang tanong. "I'm sure that if you'll text him—"

"I can't do what you're asking for Graham. I can't talk to Gael. I'm very sorry." paghingi ko naman ng paumanhin sa kaniya.

"Bakit naman hindi?" ngayon ay mas lalo siyang naguluhan.

"Tapos na kami ni Gael. We already ended everything last night. So please, huwag mo na akong kulitin pa." I told him and turned my back before he can say another thing.

Kita ko ang gulat sa mukha ni Graham nang dahil sa sinabi ko bago ko siya tinalikuran.

I'm sure that he didn't expect that we will break up that fast. We we're just starting and now it already came to an end. I don't blame him for being suprised though. Kahit ako rin naman ay hindi ko inakalang ganoon kabilis lamang magtatapos ang relasyon naming dalawa.

For a split moment in my life, when we were still together, I believed that there can be forever. But when ours ended, I woke up in reality that there is not.

There is no such thing as forever. There is no such thing as happily ever after. Everything in our life will end in a way we don't want it to be and we have no control in that.

I managed to end my classes for today without getting distracted. I just have to live this kind of routine for the rest of days left 'til graduation.

"Gael, come on ano bang nangyari sa inyong dalawa."

Napatigil ako nang marinig ko si Graham at ang pangalan ni Gael.

Nag-angat ako ng tingin mula sa lapag na aking dinadaanan at nakita ko si Gael na nakatingin sa akin. Ang kaniyang mga mata ay namumungay.

Napaawang ang kaniyang bibig at akmang lalapit sa akin nang lumihis ako ng daanan ngunit hindi doon nagtapos ang aming muling pagtatagpo.

"Blair! Blair!" rinig kong tawag niya sa akin habang hinahabol ako kaya naman binilisan ko ang aking paglalakad. "Please, Blair, talk to me!"

Nang maabutan niya ako ay hinawakan niya ang aking braso ngunit marahas kong binawi ito sa kaniya.

"Gael, please! Let's not make a scene." mariin kong sabi sa kaniya tsaka muli siyang tinalikuran.

Mas lalo kong binilisan ang aking paglalakad at halos tumakbo na ako ngunit hindi pa rin tumigil si Gael sa paghahabol sa akin. Naririnig ko rin si Graham na sinusundan kami at pinipigilan si Gael sa paghahabol sa akin.

He kept on saying sorry and under words to make me come back but I didn't give a heart to listen to his words and just kept on walking like I don't hear anything that he's saying.

Nang matanaw ko na ang aking sasakyan ay tinakbo ko na ang distansyang iyon. Agad akong sumakay sa aking sasakyan at sinarada ang pintuan.

Gael didn't stop when I was already inside the car. He was tapping the windows. I gave him a glance. I saw how he's pleading and begging for another chance.

"Blair, I love you so much! Please! Please!" I managed to hear him clearly even though there's a window that separates us.

Kung hindi lamang siya pinigilan ni Graham sa pagkakalampag ng aking sasakyan at inilayo sa akin ay baka hindi na kayanin ng puso ko at bumaba na ako upang daluhan siya.

Before I changed my mind, I immediately maneuvered the car and left.

Habang nagmamaneho ako ay hindi maiwasang lumipad ng isipan ko kay Gael na nagmamakaawa.

Napakahirap panatilihing matigas ng puso ko dahil pagdating sa kaniya ay walang kahirap-hirap itong lumalambot.

When I arrived at our house, I decided to park my car behind the familiar car who's blocking our gate.

Nagmadali naman akong pumasok sa bahay nang mapagtanto ko kung kanino iyon.

And in our living room, I saw Ida and Isaiah who are talking to my mother who stood up when she saw me arrived.

"Oh! Nandiyan na pala si Blair. I should probably leave you three here and chat. I'll see what I can prepare for you guys in the kitchen." maligalig na paalam ni Mommy kila Ida at saka ako hinalikan sa pisngi bago dumiretso sa kusina.

Dahan-dahan naman akong lumapit kila Isaiah. Tanging si Isaiah lamang ang nakatingin sa akin samantalang si Ida ay nakatitig lamang sa mga magazines na nakalatag sa center table.

"Isaiah, what brings you two here?" I asked him when I sat in front of them. "Is Tito Arman already discharged from the hospital?"

"Yes. He got discharged yesterday." sagot naman niya. "We're because we want to talk to you..." he trailed off as he looked at Ida who's still keeping her mouth shut.

Muling nabuo ang katahimikan sa aming tanggapan. Halos manginig ako sa lamig na pinaparamdam sa akin ng pagiging tahimik ni Ida. Pakiramdam ko ay mayroong mali. She's not this quiet around me. Unless...

"Ida..." pagtawag naman ni Isaiah kay Ida.

I saw Ida closed her eyes before raising her intense gaze at me. Her cold stare made me froze.

"You broke up with my brother." It wasn't a question but a statement.

My lips parted as I gasped for air to breathe. She already knew. Does she know the reason why? I'm sure she'll understand! Their family was almost ruined because of Gael's mother. She will understand.

"That's the right thing to do, Ida." sabi ko. "Do you know what happened? Do you know the reason why I broke up with him?"

I tried to plead for understanding by asking her questions about my decision because she can't seem to understand anything except for the fact that I broke up with Gael and break his heart.

But his heart isn't the only one who's broken here. Mine is also broken and bleeding so bad.

"I know, Blair. Alam ko kung bakit kaya mas lalong hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit mo siya iniwanan." she said.

I opened my lips to defend myself but there are no words that came out. I was lost for words.

Hindi ko maiwasan ang makaramdam ng hinanakit. I know that she is his sister but she should try to look at the situation we're in first. She's my bestfriend! She should also consider my side.

"Remember what happened to our family?" she asked me.

"His mother almost ruined your family—"

"See?!" she shouted. "His mother. Mother! His bitchy mother but who did we throw away before? Si Gael diba? And who did you throw away this time? Si Gael pa rin! Why is it always him? Why is it he's the one who's always suffering when it is not his fault?!"

"Ida..."

Isaiah held his sister to calm her down.

Ida and I had fights before but I never saw her this mad at me. When we fight, five minutes later then we're already good. But I don't think it will also be the case this time. Seeing her this mad at me, it might take almost a lifetime.

"Why can't you people see reason?! Why are you all blinded by the facade his showing that's hiding his mother's faults and mistakes?" inis na tanong ni Ida. "I thought you're different, Blair. Ginawa mo lang ang pagkakamaling ginawa ng pamilya namin. You're nothing compared to my family."

Nagpumiglas siya sa pagkakahawak ni Isaiah at saka nagmadaling lumabas ng aming bahay. Kaming dalawa lamang ni Isaiah ang natira.

He deeply sighed. "You know when I realized that I'm wrong with pushing Gael away, I regretted everything. I should've been a better brother to him." he said. "But I can't blame you. Because like you, all I care about that time is my mother who's hurting and my family. I'm too focused on protecting my family, especially my mom from all the pain that may hurt her. That's why I didn't give Gael a chance though he's also a victim of the mistake my father and his mother did."

Lumapit naman siya at marahang hinawakan ang aking balikat.

"I don't want you to make the same mistake my family did to him who's innocent." he told me. "You love him so much, Blair. I can see that you really do. I hope you use that love to find understanding that he doesn't deserve being left by you. Whatever your reason is, is beyond Gael."

He hugged me and gave me a kiss on my head before leaving.