Third Person's POV
"I can't."
Liam bowed his head. After disobeying his father and planned a secret flight with Dianne back to the Philippines, he's still not confident on what he's doing. Nakatayo lang siya sa pintuan ng kwarto ni Brielle. Nagdadalawang isip kung tutuloy ba siya o hindi.
Liam was too stunned to speak when he saw Brielle's father coming out of that door. Napahawak si Dianne sa balikat niya.
"What are you doing here?" Brielle's dad's voice was cold and he was staring at Liam with disappointment.
"Sir, I just want to talk to her," Liam replied with his shaking voice. Binalot sila ng katahimikan. Napailing ang tatay ni Brielle at bigla na lang umalis. He knows Liam. Akala niya si Liam na ang makakapagbigay kay Brielle ng kaligayahan. But it was misery. All of them were ruined because of Liam's stepfatger.
Pumasok si Liam sa kwarto ng mag-isa. Parang nalambot ang mga tuhod niya nang makita niya si Brielle na nakaupo sa kama. She was severely ill. Napakaputla ng mga labi niya at sobrang laki ng nabawas na timbang. Brielle was different from Liam has remembered… totally.
He tried to hold back his tears. They say first love never dies. Tama naman kasi ang lahat. Liam still loves her. Who else could forget their first love? Yes, she likes Summer and that's substantial. But what's more? Si Brielle na una niyang minahal at hindi niya makalimutan.
"L-liam…" Brielle called.
Just seeing Liam makes Brielle sobs. Sinabi niya kay Calvin na kahit anong mangyari ay ayaw niyang makita siya ni Liam ng gan'on. She wants Liam to remember her healthy. Hindi sa ganoong paraan.
"B-bakit hindi mo sinabi?" Liam asked her. Napatingala siya para pigilan ang mga luha niya.
"B-bakit ka nandito?"
"I thought they were all lying." He wiped his damn tears. "Brielle, bakit hindi mo sinabi?!" sigaw ni Liam habang nanginginig ang mga labi niya. "Dapat sinabi mo sa akin bago ka man lang umalis dati!"
"I c-can't…"
"Bakit?" Liam said. "Ano ba ako sayo?"
"Liam… s-sorry."
"Joke ba to?" Napahawak si Liam sa ulo niya. Brielle held his hand and gained strength to pull him for a hug.
"It's not your fault. N-one of this was your fault," Brielle whispered. "Huwag mo namang ulit sisihin ang sarili mo." She was sobbing.
"Brielle, I can't…" Liam replied. "I can't bear to see you leave. Hindi ko kaya…" Halos mapaluhod na si Cua sa sahig. The facts were already killing him. He became an ass for the two whole years and that made him fcking stupid.
"Silly, I still have a week." Brielle caressed his back and chuckled. Liam's lips were trembling when he heard that.
"How could you smile at a time like this?" Liam asked.
"I heard about Summer," Brielle said. Umiwas ng tingin si Liam. Brielle held his hand too snugly. "I have plans."
"I don't want to hear it."
"Dom…don't resent me, please?" she said. "Pero pwede favor lang?"
Liam shook his head while crying.
"You c-can still have the t-trust funds," sambit ni Brielle. Agad napatingin si Cua at hinawakan siya sa balikat.
"Tangina, Brielle!"
"Dom…"
"No!" Liam yelled. "Ayoko!"
"Dom, please? I know your dad…" mahinahong sabi ni Brielle habang hawak-hawak ang kamay ni Liam. "It still could work, right?"
Liam continuously shakes his head. "Brielle, ayoko!"
"Dom, please? Last na 'to, oh?" Brielle forced a smile despite the tears flowing down her cheeks. "Can I be selfish? Ngayon lang."
"I can't…" Liam replied. He walked a distance. "I won't!"
"Dom," she called. "I'm sorry…" She sobbed. "Alam ko namang mali ko.."
Liam looked at her. Kinuyom niya ang palad niya nang marinig niya 'yon. "Ayoko."
Brielle shook her head. "If I didn't leave, everything would be perfect," she said.
"Ayoko na," Liam mentioned. Tumalikod siya at naglakad papunta sa pintuan.
"Cua…." he called. Liam's knees became jelly when Brielle called him for one last time. He was biting his lips from the sobs he wanted to hide.
"Can I hug you before you leave?" Brielle added.
Lumingon si Cua pabalik. Hindi man lang siya nagdalawang-isip. Unti-unti siyang lumapit at niyakap si Brielle. He wants to cherish this moment. He's willing to do everything except for the favor that Brielle was asking.
"Dom," she utters. "Please make me happy…"
Lalong humigpit ang yakap ni Liam kay Brielle. He doesn't want to hear any words coming from her. It's like an arrow that shoots directly in his heart.
Brielle pulled him close and cupped his face. "Liam Dominique Cua…"
Liam wiped his tears and looked at her. "Hmm?"
"Please marry me."
Calvin's POV
"Kumusta audi?" tanong ko kay Summer pagkalabas niya ng studio. I waited her outside for almost an hour. Ang dami rin pa lang nag-audition at hindi lang siya. Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay at nag-shrug siya sa akin.
"Tatawag daw sila kapag nakapasa."
"Okay. Let's wait then," sambit ko. Hindi siya sumagot at sinamaan niya lang ako ng tingin. "Summer, even if you fail or not, artista ka pa rin para sa akin!"
"Manahimik ka!" she yelled. "Ikaw nagpapunta sa akin dito 'di ba?" tanong niya kaya tumango naman ako.
"Bilhan mo ko pagkain! Nakakagutom kaya. Pinakanta kaya ako at pinag-acting!"
"Oh?" Ginulo ko ang buhok niya. Huminga ako nang malalim saka ako ngumiti. "Fine, I'll treat you today."
I drove for a while until I found a small pasta restaurant. Summer ordered a big portion of pasta and I don't even know if she could finish all of that. Hindi ko alam kung sinasamantala niya lang dahil ako naman ang magbabayad.
Kumunot ang noo ko nang makita ko siyang tuloy-tuloy sa pagkain. Sabay pa kaming nag-agahan kanina tapos gutom na siya agad. Wala pa nga atang tatlong oras ang nakakalipas.
"Dahan-dahan nga, witch! Wala namang humahabol sa'yo." Napasinghap ako dahil bigla siyang nabulunan. Agad kong binigay sa kaniya ang juice.
"Oorder pa ako. Minsan ka lang kaya manlibre! May ice cream din sila sa menu, bili mo ko n'on."
I sighed when I heard her reasons. Kinain ko na lang din ang binili kong pasta. Napangiwi ako dahil sunod-sunod siya sa pagsubo. "Magdahan-dahan ka nga. Hindi naman kita tatakbuhan."
Parang lumiwanag ang mga mata niya. "Talaga?"
"So, iniisip mo talaga na tatakbuhan kita?"
"Oo. Baka pagkatapos mong kumain umalis ka na, e!" sagot niya sa akin. Tinuro ko siya ng tinidor.
"Wow."
Tinaasan ako ni Summer ng kilay. "Parang hindi naman kita kilala!"
Napairap ako. "Oo na hihintayin na kita! What do you take me for?"
Nanlaki ang mata ko dahil pinisil niya ako sa pisngi. "Bait mo today!" sabi niya saka tinawag ulit ang waiter. Argh, treating her was literally a bad idea!
Pagkatapos niyang mag-order ay tumingin siya sa akin. "Kailan ka pala uuwi? 'Di ba malapit na graduation niyo?"
"Ngayon."
"Weh?"
"Supposed to be. I cancelled my flight. Hindi ka okay, e," sagot ko. Napatigil siya sa pagkain at umiwas ng tingin.
"Hoy, hindi mo ba nakikita? Okay lang ako, oh!"
"After hearing all those truths, okay ka lang? The fact that Liam used you for the trust funds and other issues connected with that?"
"I understand Liam," she replied.
"Uh?"
"Hindi kami nag-break dahil r'on. To be honest, I almost agreed to marry him." Napakunot ang noo ko dahil sa sinabi niya.
"Ha?"
"Liam was the one who broke up with me."
I looked at her with disbelief. How could Liam do that?
Biglang tumunog ang phone ko kaya agad ko 'yong kinuha sa bulsa. Nakita kong tumatawag si Eli kaya umalis at pumunta ako sa labas para sagutin siya.
"Oh, tol?"
"What the hell happened?!" he yelled. Nilayo ko ang cellphone ko sa tenga. Ring na rinig ko kung gaano siya kainis dahil sa tono ng boses niya.
"I don't know. I'm with Summer the whole time. Ano bang sinasabi mo?"
"Umuwi ka muna."
"Bakit?" He seems so eager and impatient like we're having a serious problem. Alam kong laging galit si Eli lagi pero parang ngayon iba ang inis niya.
"Brielle gave me a call. Papakasalan niya si Cua."