Del Franco Brothers: Adien (Book 2)

CHAPTER TWO

Leaving is my only option.

“Kelan kapa umuwi ng Pinas?” Tanong agad sakin ni Natalie habang umuupo to harapan ko pagkatapos ako nitong yakapin nang mahigpit.

Alanganin akong ngumiti dito. “Almost a month.” Mahina at nananantya kong sagot dito.

At katulad nang ini-expect ko, nanlalaki yung mga mata at hindi makapaniwala tong napatitig sakin. “And you just called me now? Your very own best friend? Really Embry Montinilla?”

And here comes the rant, I’m dreading.

Para ma-divert yung atensyon nito sa late kong pagtawag, nanunudyo ko tong tinitigan. “Because I know that you’re sooooo busy with your fiancé.”

Napangisi nalang ako nang makita ko yung pamumula ng pisngi nito.

What a blushing bride.

I used to be like that but then life slapped me in the face and forced me to become a realist.

“Where’s Rain?” Pagbabago ni Natalie sa usapan at pagkuha nito sa atensyon ko.

Ngumiti ako ng pilit dito. “She’s out of town.” Ngumisi ako. “Ako ang kakauwi lang ng Pinas pero ako pa ang may alam kung nasaan si Rain.” Mas lalong lumapad yung ngisi ko. “Ganon kaba talaga kaabala sa fiancé mo?”

“Oh, hush it!” Saway nito sakin pero halata naman yung kaligayahan sa mukha at boses nito.

We spent the next hours catching up on each other’s lives. Until Natalie decided to approach a dangerous ground. “So, did you have any news about him?”

Painosente akong tumitig dito kahit nagsisimula ng mag rigudon yung puso ko sa kaba. “Him?”

Natalie rolled her eyes and snorted in disbelief. “Oh come on Embry. Do I really need to spell it out?”

I sighed. “Aside from the tabloid’s trashy news.” I shrugged my shoulders, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible. “I don’t have any news about him.”

“You probably don’t want to hear this but….” Bumuntunghininga muna to bago to nagpatuloy. “He was really in a great mess, the day you left him.”

Dahil hindi ko alam kung ano ba ang dapat kong i sagot dito, tumahimik nalang ako. Pabuntunghininga na pinagtuunan ko nalang ng atensyon yung tasa na nasa harap ko.

“I’ve been in your situation before, you know.” Putol nito sa katahimikan ko.

I sighed and looked up. “Yeah, who would have thought, you will end up with him, samantalang ang buong akala ko eh in love ka kay Dave. Not to mention ang laki ng galit mo noon sa fiancé mo.”

“There’s a very thin line between love and hate.” Natatawa na uminom muna to. “I crossed that line umpisa palang but I’m way too prideful to admit it.”

I rolled my eyes and pouted. “And I didn’t even know about him.”

“It was too complicated that time.”

I’m with Ade. Her fiancé’s cousin. Not by blood but sort of.

“I understand.”

“Naisip mo naba kung ano yung gagawin mo kung sakali na makita mo sya ulit?”

Kumunot yung noo ko dito.

“Because you know, you will definitely see him again.” Natalie gave me a pointed look. “He’s one of the groomsmen and you’re my maid of honour.”  Nananantya tong tumitig sa mga mata ko bago nagpatuloy. “Probably next month, there will be a wedding rehearsal.”

I slumped my shoulder in defeat and decided to tell her the truth.

Sooner or later, malalaman din naman nito yung tungkol sa gagawin kong interview kay Adien.

I cleared my throat. “I’m going to see him earlier than that.”

“What do you mean?”

“I need to set up an interview with him for Glamour.”

“Damn!” Naaamaze na bulalas nito. Hindi makapaniwala na napasubo nalang to ng cake.

I snorted. “Welcome to my life.”

“So, what are you going to do now?”

“I don’t know.” Simpleng sagot ko dito. Dahil yon naman talaga ang totoo, hindi ko alam kung anong dapat kong gawin.

“He’s still your husband Embry.” Paalala nito.

I balled my hand into a fists. “We both know it’s not legal. He tricked me!”

“All is fair in love and war. Ade just did what he thinks that he needed to do that time.”

Hindi makapaniwala akong napatitig dito. “By tricking me?”

Sa lahat ng mga kilala ko, she’s the one who I’m expecting to send me running. She knew all the things I went through.

Natalie sighed. “Alam mong hindi yon ang ibig kong sabihin.” She paused and shook her head. “He should have come clean from the start.”

“Our relationship was built in lies.” I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly kahit parang pinipiga yung puso ko sa sakit. “It was doomed from the very beginning.”

To my surprise, disappointed ako nitong tinitigan. “You’re just trying to say that para ma-justify yung ginawa mong pag alis.”

I stared at her dumbfounded. I’m pretty sure my mouth hung open.

Pagkalipas ng ilang minuto, napasimangot ako. “Best friend ba talaga kita? You’re obviously on his side.” I exclaimed in frustration.

“I’m your best friend at wala akong pinapanigan. Sa nakikita ko kasi you’re still in denial and obviously, you still have feelings for him.” Baliwala na uminom muna to ng kape na para bang hindi big deal yung sinabi nito bago nagpatuloy. “Minumulat ko lang yung mga mata mo.”

I huffed.

What a way to open my eyes!

Naiinis na sumandal nalang ako sa upuan ko. “Let’s not talk about him.”

“That’s your problem from the very start, Embry.”

Kunot noo at naguguluhan akong napatingin dito.

“You’re always running away.”

Damn it! Bakit ko ba nakalimutan that Natalie always tells me things I don’t want to hear?

But I made the right decision years ago, right?

That time, when everything becomes lies, leaving is my only option.

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