David’s P.O.V.
I faced her. Helena’s name doesn’t deserve to be dragged here and she should be out of this topic. “You think, you have the right to ask those questions?” I narrowed my eyes on her.
I saw her swallowed real hard. “It’s just that… break na kami ni Drew. I broke up with him two weeks after you found out. I realized that my heart really belongs to you… na ikaw pala talaga ‘yong mahal ko. I’m so sorry for hurting you, Dave. All this time, I was wrong. I thought, I was happier with him… but I guessed, we were just fooling around and what we felt for each other was just lust. I know it was too late but I only realized that when we parted our ways. I just pretended to be sweet to him today because I thought you would be jealous if you see us that way, but you know what? It was me who got jealous on how well you are treating Helena… I wanted to change position with her because in the first place, it should have been me.” Then, she started to cry.
If she thought that I would allow myself to be used again, she was wrong. Hindi na ako muli pang magpapakatanga sa kanya. “I’m sorry, Vanessa… pero wala na akong nararamdaman para sa’yo. You just wasted everything that we have. I truly cared for you, you know that! I was so proud way back then that I had a girlfriend who was such a beautiful cheer leader! And for that, I was willing to do anything for you… willing to trade anything for your time… even my grades just to edit your pictures and make you satisfied! Pero anong ginawa mo? Matagal mo na pala akong niloloko! You made me feel like a rag at ‘yon ang hindi ko mapapalampas. And please lang, take Helena out of the picture dahil wala siyang kinalaman dito!” I then again turned my back on her and took my steps away.
It felt like all I wanted to do now was to protect Helena’s name. I didn’t want her name to be linked to any kind of issue. And at an instant, nakita ko siya sa hindi kalayuan at nakangiting kumakaway sa akin. Nakasalampak pa siya sa damuhan habang kumakain.
From that simple view, I smiled at the thought who just stole my heart without even doing anything, who had the capability to bother my mind just to make me think about her and who always made me feel these unexplainable heartbeats. Strange… but that was where I found my real happiness.
I know, I’m falling for her.
But my thoughts were interrupted when Vanessa suddenly hugged me from behind. And I guessed, her arms wrapped around my torso was the main reason why Helena’s smile faded away. Helena even glanced away and what made me enraged was when she talked to Brent!
“Please, Dave… let’s start all over again. I want you back. Ako na lang ulit. I promise you, I will love you unconditionally. Hindi na kita lolokohin at lalong hindi na ako magsisinungaling. Please, Dave… I beg you, ako na lang ulit.” She was already sobbing at my back.
Unti-unti kong kinalas ang mga braso niyang nakayakap sa akin. “Fix yourself, Vanessa. Nandito tayo para sa Annual Camp, hindi para i-tolerate ‘yong feelings mong wala nang pupuntahan. Everything between us was already over, we’re done…” those were the last words that I told her bago ko siya tuluyang iwan.
I wanted to pity her but in the process, I didn’t want myself to be fooled again. After all, it was better to stay cold and blunt than giving her false hopes… because we already had zero percent chance of reconciliation.
Umupo ako sa tabi ni Helena at nagulat naman ako nang binigyan niya ako ng isang paper plate na puno ng pagkain, “I thought that you two will take quite longer to talk so I decided to save you this. Baka maubusan ka ng pagkain eh,” saka siya ngumiti sa akin.
“Nakakainggit naman si Dave, pinag-save pa talaga ng pagkain ni Helena kahit na kausap ‘yong ex kanina! Wala na talagang pag-asa ‘tong bata namin dito!” Narinig kong pang-aasar ni Jack sa likuran namin na wala namang tinutukoy kung hindi ang tropa nilang si Brent.
“Kaya nga. I was thinking that Mrs. Cheng should have chosen me to be paired up with Helena on this Annual Camp project, instead of Dave…” sagot naman ni Brent.
“Will you please shut up?” Helena shouted at them na agad naman nilang ikinatahimik.
“Hayaan mo na sila. Thanks for this,” ipinasya kong huwag nang patulan pa ang mga narinig.
“Oh, it’s nothing! You just have to treat me a one-month lunch to repay for this. But kidding aside, I hope you enjoy your food.” She was still smiling when she poked my nose.
I just loved her smile. Kahit isang buong taon na lunch pa ang gusto niya, I’ll do it makasama ko lang siya.
I didn’t know why but I felt like butterflies suddenly occupied my stomach. Maybe because this was the only day, among from the days we spent together, that I wasn’t yet able to get any dosage of her tantrums. She was not yet acting mad, as if she doesn’t know how to walkout!
Soon enough, our lunch ended and the first obstacle course for Junior students had started. While Helena was giving the mechanics, I just couldn’t help but stare at her. I guessed, I was being mesmerized by her simple beauty. She had a green pair of eyes everyone would adore. Her natural brown hair, wonderfully ponytailed at the back of her cap was smoothly being swayed by fresh air while the sun made it a little more shiny.
I thanked God that the typhoon went away but we still have to be ready in case the clouds would pour some raindrops again. Kahit pinagpapawisan si Helena habang nasa gitna ng initan ay wala siyang arteng nagbibigay ng game mechanics sa mga makukulit na estudyanteng pinapaulit-ulit lang naman ‘yong mga sinasabi niya. Nagsalubong ang dalawang kilay ko nang wala na akong ibang narinig mula sa kanila kung hindi ang magtanong ulit ng mechanics kay Helena.
Crush ‘ata ng mga ‘to si Helena ah! Malapitan nga.
I came closer to Helena and quickly snatched the paper where the game mechanics was written. “Pinagpapawisan at parang pagod ka na. Umupo ka na muna roon and I’ll take charge on this,” tinuro ko ‘yong monoblock na inuupuan ko kanina.
“No, I’m still fine. I’m okay, Cristoff…” nakangiting sabi niya.
“Sabi ko, umupo ka na muna roon. Kagagaling mo lang sa trangkaso, ayokong mabinat ka…” I seriously instructed Helena leaving her with no other choice but to nod and follow me.
“Okay, if that’s what you want…” she responded.