"Speaking of the devil, your ex-boyfriend is here."

Napatingin ako sa paparating. It was Jhunel. Naglalakad siya papunta sa amin habang nakangiti. Natawa naman ako nang makitang may dala siyang mangga. Hindi ko maiwasang isipin kung gaano siya ka-thoughtful, dahil kahit hindi ko hiningi, binilhan niya ako. Hindi ko man gustong kumain ng mangga, napilitan akong kainin dahil iniisip kong baka kung mamaya ko pa kainin ay hindi na maging masarap.

"Salamat," tugon ko, as I started to eat what he brought me. He sat beside me.

Hindi naman ako tinantanan ng mapanudyong tingin ni Anne Marie. Hindi ko talaga alam kung saan nanggagaling 'yung lakas ng loob niyang asarin ako sa harap ni Jhunel. I really don't know where she got the courage to tease me in front of Jhunel. Parang kailan lang noong nag-aalala siya na baka ma-distract ako sa pag-aaral dahil nag-transfer 'yong ex-boyfriend ko rito tapos ngayon naman halos ipagtulakan niya ako sa kaniya.

I just rolled my eyes and munched my food. Ang sarap talaga ng mangga kapag isinawsaw sa alamang.

Nagulat naman ako nang biglang tumunog ang cellphone ni Anne. Mukhang alam ko na kung sino ang tumatawag.

"Sheen, Jhunel, mauna na ako sa inyo, ha? Kakausapin ko lang 'to. Bye! See you in class!"

Hindi ko na siya napigilan pa dahil tumakbo na siya papalabas ng cafeteria. Wala talaga akong maisip na dahilan bakit kailangan niya pang lumayo kapag mag-uusap sila ng boyfriend niya. Nahihiya ba siyang marinig ko ang mga landian nila?

Natawa ako.

"You're laughing. Why?"

Doon ko lang muling naalala na nasa tabi ko nga pala si Jhunel.

"Wala, natawa lang ako kay Anne. Ikaw? Bakit ka nandito? Kumain ka na ba?" tanong ko dahil nakaupo lang siya sa tabi ko at pinanonood akong kumain ng mangga.

"Yeah, I'm just waiting for you." Agad na kumunot ang noo ko.

"You're waiting for me?" I asked curiously.

"Yup, I couldn't leave you alone," he honestly said. My heart flutters suddenly, and I can't find any reason why I feel that way.

"Then, should we share?"

I looked at him and smiled. He was looking at me too. He pats my head.

"I told you to stop saying such things. My heart flutters when you do that."

"Sorry," I answered while smiling. "I just finished my food, so we can finally leave this place."

Magkasama kaming lumabas ng cafeteria. He was just following me like a bodyguard. Daig niya pa si Derrick kung makabuntot at makaalalay sa akin na para bang disability ang pagiging buntis.

"Malapit na 'yung birthday mo. Saan mo gustong mag-celebrate?" tanong niya.

Napanganga pa ako dahil samantalang ako hindi ko na naalala ang tungkol sa kaarawan ko. Is it three weeks from now? I'm getting old again!

I shrugged. "Oh, right! Thank you for reminding me. I almost forgot it. Tsaka parang hindi ko kayang mag-celebrate sa dami nang nangyari. Ngayon pa nga lang ako nakakahinga nang maluwag," I answered bluntly. Wala na rin akong oras pa para maghanda.

"I think you should celebrate it since may bago ka nang makakasama." Tinuro niya ang tiyan ko.

I smiled when he talked about my baby. "Maybe, I'll just eat out. Hey, aren't you feeling weird seeing me like this?" tanong ko.

"What do you mean?" Tumigil siya sa paglakad at hinarap ako.

"You see, I'm your ex-girlfriend. I was supposed to marry you, but then I got pregnant to someone else. Why are you still here talking to me? Hindi ka ba nakakaramdam ng poot laban sa akin?"

He smiles. He put his hands in his pockets. He looked nowhere, as if he were trying to find words to express himself. "I don't hate you for that. It hurts me, yes, but how I see you have never changed. Even if you have a child now, my feelings are still the same. And if you're bothered why I'm still here, it's because it's the least that I can do after what I've done before."

I looked up at him, giving him time to explain himself. "What have you done before?"

"I took you for granted. That night was the night I regretted the most, you know? It still haunts me at night, and every time I looked at you, the guilt was here. I should have treated you better so you wouldn't be in a situation like this."

I tried to stop myself from crying. I don't want him to see me still affected by what happened that night, but just like him, every time it comes back to my mind, I can't help but feel the pain of the past.

"I'll wait for you until you forgive me," he sincerely said.

I can't help but show him my smile. "I already did, Jhunel. Haven't you noticed how I let you talk to me like this?"

Napangiti rin siya. "Right, my waiting is not in vain. I thought you'd hate me forever. I still remember how you treated me before when I just got transferred here."

"Because you were such a jerk," I scolded him.

We both laughed. It feels good to finally reunite with him, even if we're just friends. I don't want him to hope that high because I'm in a situation where I can't be with him romantically. Additionally, I'm about to marry someone else, not him.

"How ironic that we both messed up our lives because we attended a birthday party," I commented.

"Napansin mo rin?" He chuckles, and we both continue walking down the hallway to our room. I am just happy that we forgive each other.

"So are we good now?" he asked.

"Yup."

He smiled widely. I never saw that smile again until now.

"Thank you for forgiving me, Sheen. I'll be a good friend of yours." Tumango ako sa sinabi niya.

"Wait, should I say this?" he added. "I know it might be off, but if you ever have second thoughts about marrying that bastard, you can come to me. I'll be waiting for you 'til then. I mean, just a friend."

"You always wait," I commented.

"I'm always here, Sheen May."

Somehow, I feel like something is deep inside my heart. I can finally see now why I fell in love with him in the past. If I just didn't push myself to go to that party, I think I'm happier now with him and should finally consider our marriage.

"So you're being unconditional?" biro ko, trying to mess him up with the discussion we had earlier in class.

"Yup, my love for you is unconditional. Professor Magalona wouldn't understand that."

Nakakatuwa sa kalooban na kaya naming magbiruan nang ganito.

"Thank you for being that kind of guy, Jhunel. I know I don't deserve it. I just hope you'll find the one who'll be worthy of your love."

"Nahanap ko na, hindi niya lang tinanggap."

Right, because I'm getting married to someone else.

Natigil ako sa paglakad nang matanaw ko sa di kalayuan ang taong ipakakasal sa akin. He was looking at me with too little expression.

"Do you really want to get married with him?" tanong ni Jhunel.

"I think, I don't have a choice. I think I need to do that for our business. Lalo na't ipinaliwanag sa akin ni Derrick kanina kung bakit piniling magkasundo ng dalawang pamilya na ipakasal kami."

"So you just need to, but you don't want to?"

I couldn't find myself to answer that question because I didn't want to give him false hopes, but he nodded like he knew my answer to his question.

"You'll never be happy with him, and I hate that."

I know that already. Jhon Rey told me that too: that I will never be happy with him. And the idea of ​​marrying him is like putting my life in hell, not only mine but this child's too.

"I want to do something to protect you but why am I trapped and has no right to do so?"

Ramdam ko ang inis ni Jhunel habang nakikita niyang naglalakad ito papalapit sa amin. Para bang gusto niyang sugurin ito ng suntok.

Hinawakan ko ang braso ni Jhunel para subukang pakalmahin siya. Kahit ako'y kinakabahan sa paglapit sa amin ni Jhon Rey.

Nakatingin siya sa akin. Blangko pa rin ang mukha niya.

"Hindi mo naman siguro planong lumikha ng bagong issue?"

I frowned.

"Everyone here knows we're getting married, but you're still clinging to your ex-boyfriend? Are you messing with me?"

"What's your problem?" sabay naming tanong ni Jhunel na mas lalong ikinainis ni Jhon Rey.

"You being with other guy."

Hinawakan niya ang braso ko at hinila niya ako papunta sa kaniya.

"Don't tell me you want to marry her? Hindi ba't ikaw ang may gustong mamatay na siya?" inis na tanong ni Jhunel. Kita ko how ang pagkuyom ng kaniyang kamay, nagtitimpi sa lalaking kaharap niya.

"I don't want her to be happy that's why I'm marrying her."

I gulped and couldn't even blink at what I heard. My heart is racing out of disappointment.

So he's not planning to destroy this arranged marriage?

He's doing this because he hates me and wants revenge for what I did.

Pinaparusahan niya ako at idadamay ang anak namin dahil nasira na ang buhay niya.
Dahil sinira ko ang dapat kasal niya sa taong mahal niya.
This is the consequence of what I did.

And I got to accept this.