"Because I am. I am indeed your home Amanda."
"Matt-Matthew?" Amanda asked with a shaking voice.
"Yes my love, it's me." Matthew answered.
Amanda stand properly and she immediately fix her dress. She then look at the men in front of him. Nawala ang pagkalasing niya dahil sa presensya bng lalaki.
Her face is in blank, she doesn't know what to react. Is she going to be mad or is she going to hug him tight?
"What are you doing here? Mika never told me, that you're invited." Amanda asked in a very low voice while her eyes is keeps on avoiding Matthews gaze.
"As far as i know Mika is the one who gave me the invitation card." Matthew said with a smirk while waving the invitation card from his right hand.
"Oh that's for the party earlier. But it just ended, so you can leave now." Amanda said with a smile.
Matthew took a deep sigh.
"Don't you miss me?" He then asked, while scratching the back of his head. Trying to calm himself.
"Apparently not Mister Gomez." Amanda said proudly.
Matthew look at him like he was hurt so bad on what Amanda said.
"You don't love me anymore don't you?" Matthew asked in a serious tone of voice. He is now looking at Amanda with a very cold stare.
Amanda immediately avoided Matthews stare.
"Answer me---please." Matthew begged.
"I don't know Matt. You're the one who let me go, and now you're here, Asking me if i am still in love with you? Are you crazy or what?" Amanda asked with annoyance.
"Just because i let you go, it does not mean that i wanted to." Matthew answered.
Matthew step forward to Amanda and hold amandas chin to face him.
"I love you Amanda, at hindi yun nagbago." Matthew said with a smile.
"I'm sorry Matthew. I love you too but i can't just let things to be like this. You leave me once, what's my assurance that you won't leave me again? I'm sorry Matt, I'm just afraid." Amanda said. Tears is now falling from her eyes.
Matthew immediately, wipe her tears at ipinagdikit niya ang kanilang mga noo.
"I'm afraid too. Natatakot ako na baka kailangan ulit kitang iwan for your own happiness. But i won't. I will never leave you again." Matthew muttered, while his
Amanda shake her head.
"No Matthew. My decision is final, we can't be together now. I want to think first. Babalik ako kapag buo na ang desisyon ko." Amanda said with a smile before she finally wipe her own tears.
Matthew deep sigh.
"I understand. But please hear me first." He said.
"Sure I'll give you a minute." Amanda said.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for leaving you behind. I thought leaving you was the best decision but darling, I'm wrong. It's the most painful and wrong decision I've made in my entire life. I'm sorry."
"Is that it?" Amanda asked.
Matthew nod.
"Look, i already moved on from the past Matthew, so you don't have to apologize about that. After you broke my heart, i realized one thing, that our love is full of sacrifices and it's not right. Matthew if we really destined to be together then gagawa ng paraan si destiny para maging tayo ulit. But for now we need to take a break and find ourselves first." I give him a small smile and kissed him on the cheeks before i leave him behind.
The day of the second trial...
Like on the first trial, napaka daming tao and most are medias ang nakapalibot sa hearing room.
Unlike before na sobra akong kinakabahan, ngayon ay hindi na. Masyado na kaming madaming nakalap na ebidesya against Lolo at alam naming wala na siyang takas. Ma oopen-up nadin ang case about the kidnapping incident.
Pagkbabang-pagkababa ko ng sasakyan ay kaagad akong dumiretso sa office ni Atty. Dawin. I bake a cookies kasi kaninang umaga and i want to share it with him.
I don't bother knocking pagkatapat ko sa pintuan ng office niya. Pagkabukas na pagkabukas ko ng pinto ay kaagad tumambad saakin si Atty. Dawin kissing a girl from his lap. He's french kissing the girl and it's so hot---wait a minute what am i doing here??
"Oh sh*t!" He shouted as soon as he saw me.
Napabalikwas siya sa pagkakaupo niya at naitulak niya pa ang babae kaya bumagsak ito sa sahig.
"Oucchh what the hell was that Dawin?!" Bulyaw sa kaniya ng babae pagkatayo nito.
"Oh god I'm really sorry to bother you two from your, you know making out--" I joked.
"I'm really sorry about that Miss Amanda." Hiyang-hiyang sabi ni Atty. Dawin.
"It's fine." I said before i finally get out of the door.
I sigh.
"What the fuck is that Amanda? Where's your manners?" I whispered to myself.
"Sinong kausap mo?" A familiar voice suddenly asked.
I look at him and surprisingly it's Matthew Gomez. Wearing a black dress shirt tuck in to his cream sluck pants.
"Why do you care?" Mataray na tanong ko.
His two brows frowned.
"Ang aga-aga ang sungit mo, kaya nagmumuka ka ng lola eh." Pagbibiro niya, but WTH as if naman na nagmumuka nakong Lola eh nakuha pa nga aki sa teen magazine yesterday.
"Duhh stop kidding me. I know naman na patay na patay ka lang sakin kaya nagpapa-pansin ka." Mataray na sabi ko.
"Duhh ka ren nagpapansin mukha mo. Tumabi ka nga nakaharang ka sa pinto." Seryosong sabi niya bago niya banggain ang balikat ko pagkapasok niya sa pinto.
"He's so pikon talaga." I whispered
--
The trial started and they presented evidence and witnesses.
One of the witnesses ay ang kanang kamay ni Lolo. Unlike before, umattend nadin ngayon ng trial sina Kristina and Dad but i don't bother saying hello and how are you questions to them, like duhh after everything hindi ko na kakayanin pang isipin na pamilya ko sila.
Una silang nagpakita ng mga evidence na magdidiin sa kidnapping case ni lolo. They use the letters that he sent sa mga tauhan niya. Nandito din ngayon sina Ethan, Karlo, Christian, Amara, Mika at Matthew.
Seryoso kaming nakikinig sa kay Atty. Dawin na ngayon ay nagsasalita sa harap. Madami sitang tinanong sa witness na hindi namin alam kung saan nanggaling. Basta ang alam ko lang ay palalim ng palalim ang nagiging kaso ni Lolo.
Lolo manage illegal businesses and he also kidnapped Lola Carmela and now... He also killed my moms dad.
Hindi ako makapaniwala sa mga naririnig ko. Ambigat. I never knew na ganito pala talaga kasama si Lolo. He never did something wrong to me, lolo treat me like a princess. But this? Nakakapanghina.
"Are you okay?" Matthew asked.
Puno nadin ng pag-aalala ang mukha niya.
"I think, i-- i can't continue watching this." Nanghihinang sabi ko.
Matthew nodded, he grabbed my head and assist me to stand. We started walking palabas ng court room. Nagpaalam din naman si Matthew kanila Amara na lalabas lang kami saglit.
"Family is supposed to be our safe place. Very often, it's the place where we find the deepest heartache." I said without a trace of emotion on my face.
Matthew looked at me.
"I know." He said with a sad smile. "You don't have to explain what you feel Amanda. Because i know. I know how much you feel pain right now, I know how much you feel restless, I know how much you feel tired i can see this all in your eyes and it's killing me." He said with a tears in his eyes.
Hindi ko nadin napigilan ang mga luha ko, at least i know someone who can understand my feelings without explaining it.
I red a line in a book and it says Never explain your heart to others, because the right one will already know.
Without saying anything i hugged Matthew and let my tears fall on his shoulder. He's really my safe haven.
To be continued...