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George felt like there was no more tears left in her system. Ilang araw na rin kasi ang nakalilipas since Dos and her last talked pero hindi pa rin siya tinetext or tinatawagan man lang nito.

That just goes to show na ayaw na talaga nito sa kanya. That he's not interested in her anymore. Hindi man lang siya nito sinuyo or something.

It's Friday and she had no energy to go to school. Wala rin siyang gana kumain. Her eyes were all puffy from crying at nanghihina ang buo niyang katawan.

So this is what heartbreaks feel like...

Her mom and dad left for a business meeting sa province so she's all alone sa bahay nila. Her mom wanted to stay sana to take care of her pero she assured her na she'll be okay. That she only needed to rest and sleep.

She agreed naman but she instructed some of their helpers to check on her from time to time. Manang even made her some congee para daw may lamang ang tummy niya when she drinks her medicine.

This sucks. Maybe she went overboard about the whole Dos thing. But... wala na ba siyang karapatan to be pissed after waiting for hours para sunduin siya nito? She waited for three hours. She would've understood kung busy ito because of schoolwork pero that wasn't the case. He was drinking and enjoying the night while she waited for him to come pick her up. Tapos he had the audacity pa to get mad at her when she went to school the next day without him.

Nakakainis!

She heard her phone vibrate on top of her bedside table but she was too drained to even move. In the end, she just ignored it and closed her eyes. Baka si Lia lang 'yon.

Her thoughts transported her back to the day she saw Dos' video with her own eyes. Nasa party ito. He was holding a drink. And there was a girl. Ang sakit lang. She lived a fairytale for a year only to wake up to this harsh reality na they live in different worlds now. He's a college guy while she's still a high school brat.

As dramatic as it may sound, it was the truth. At masakit 'yon. Reality's mean.

She felt a gently touch on her cheek. Medyo nahirapan siyang magmulat ng mata but when she did, nagulat siya dahil si Dos ang bumungad sa kanya.

"You should've told me you weren't feeling well," mahinang sambit nito. "Wala kang kasama?"

"W-What are you doing here?" nanghihinang tanong niya. Kahit sumagot lang dito ay nanghihina siya.

"Your mom called," he said at the same time she felt her bed move. Umupo ito sa tabi niya. "And I was about to pick you up but you wouldn't answer."

"I can't..."

She heard Dos sigh and felt his hand gently brush her hair away from her face. Gusto niyang pigilan ito because she looks like a mess pero she has no energy to do so. She felt like crying.

"Have you eaten yet?" Tumango lang siya.

Nakita niyang bumaling ito sa pagkaing nakalatag sa may malapit sa kanya. Her congee was only half eaten kasi wala din naman siyang gana. He sighed.

"You barely even touched it," he said. Maya-maya ay naramdaman niya na lamang na maingat na inaangat nito ang katawan niya to sit up. He even put pillows by the headboard to support her body. "Eat up. Mas mabilis kang gagaling kung kakain ka ng maayos."

"Ayoko," she weakly answered. It was true. "Wala akong gana."

"Hindi pwede," anito. "Kumain ka."

"I said I don't want!" she blurted out making Dos' brows furrow. "You're so makulit!"

"Ikaw ang makulit," he said—his voice was still soft and calm. "You should eat."

"Ikaw, you should leave," she sassed. Hindi niya lubos akalain na kaya niyang pagsabihan ng ga'non si Dos. He raised an eyebrow at her statement. She immediately thought of an excuse. "You have class pa. It's important, right?"

"Not as important as you."

If she wasn't mad at him, baka kinilig na siya sa sinabi nito. But she still is. Kaya nga hindi niya na napigilan ang sumundo na lumabas sa bibig niya.

"Important, my ass."

Dos' forehead creased. Too late. She can't take that back now. Itinago niya na lang tuloy ang sarili sa ilalim ng kumot para makaligtas. But Dos pulled it down almost immediately.

"Anong sinabi mo?" bulalas nito. Agad naman siyang nag-iwas ng tingin and rolled to her side--away from him.

"Wala!" she shouted back. It took so much effort and energy for her to scream like that kaya hindi niya na napigilan ang maiyak. Sobrang bigat ng katawan niya and she felt so weak. Napapikit siya. "Please... just go."

She wasn't able to hear anything from Dos for a few minutes after that. Akala niya nga ay umalis na ito but she felt her bed move a bit. Napilitan tuloy siyang mapamulat.

"Why are you still here? I said leave--"

Hindi niya naituloy ang sasabihin nang bigla na lang siya sinubuan ni Dos ng pagkain. He looked like his old self--cold and stoic. His eyes were blank habang hawak ang pagkain niya.

"I'll leave after you finish this," walang ka-emosyon-emosyong sambit nito. "So if you want me gone, eat up."

Wala siyang nagawa kundi sundin na lamang ang sanasabi nito. Her heart felt heavier and heavier habang nauubos ang kanyang kinakain. Dos stayed silent kaya she felt like crying again. Buti na lang at napigilan niya ang sarili.

And just like that, the bowl was empty. Pinainom muna siya nito ng gamot at tubig bago kinuha ang tray at lumabas ng kanyang silid.

When the coast was clear, she cried. She let her body fall on the bed and cried while rolled up like a cat hugging her legs. Ginusto niya 'to, right? She's the one who pushed him to leave kaya bakit siya umiiyak ngayon? Dapat nga ay matuwa siya, right? Because he left?

Hindi niya namalayang nakatulog na siya for the whole day. She only woke up when she felt a soft pat on her shoulder.

"Baby? Wake up na. It's almost time for dinner," she heard her mom's soft voice kaya agad naman siyang napamulat. Gumala din ang tingin niya sa paligid and saw no one there except for her mom who gently brushed her hair and smiled. "Did you sleep well?"

Maybe it was because of the medicine or because she was feeling too many emotions at once, she bolted up and hugged her mom tightly. Nagulat naman ito at her sudden action but still welcomed her embrace.

"Mommy..."

She cried again. Akala niya ay magiging okay na siya. She thought she'd be fine kapag wala na si Dos. But she was wrong. Mas lalo pang bumigat ang pakiramdam niya and her heart felt like it's being stabbed a thousand times. He really did leave her.

"Baby, why?" nagaalalang tanong ng kanyang ina. "Masama pa ba pakiramdam mo? Do you want me to ask Manang to make you some soup?"

Agad siyang umiling. Soup won't make her feel better.

"It hurts, mommy..."

Her mom hugged her tighter as her sobs become louder. Hindi na ito nagtanong pa and just let her cry. Kaya when her tears subsided, agad nitong inutusan si Kendall--who looked really worried when she got inside the room, na gawan siya ng gatas so she could sleep well. It worked naman and she fell asleep almost instantly after drinking. Siguro ay dahil na rin sa pagod kakaiyak kaya ga'non.

A few days passed by and she felt a lot better. She was still sad dahil hindi niya pa rin nakakausap si Dos but the pain was bearable. Hindi siya lumabas ng kanyang silid and just played with Red's gaming console. It was the first time she joined breakfast with her family again today since papasok na uli siya sa school.

"Good morning, Ate!" Kendall greeted her as soon as she stepped inside the dining room. Her mom was smiling at her as well while Red looked like he just rolled out of his bed. Wala ang daddy niya since he was still on a business trip. "Are you feeling well na po?"

She smiled and nodded. Naupo na rin siya sa tabi nito.

"That's good!" she blurted out. "I'll tell kuya Dos na para he can make sundo you."

Hindi siya agad nakaimik and just smiled weakly. She's still not sure if she can face him na ba or not. Malaking part yung hindi.

"He came by yesterday and played with me," ani bigla ni Red. "Ayaw ka daw niya istorbohin so he stayed in my room."

Red's room was just beside hers. Bakit hindi niya narinig ang boses nito? Why didn't her mom tell her na pumunta pala si Dos?

"I... I didn't know."

"Huh? I thought you knew, ate," bigla namang singit ng inosenteng si Ken. "He was here nga the whole day when you were sick eh. Mom saw him sleeping sa may chair 'non. 'Diba, mommy? Box said he got scolded kasi he cut classes daw."

Tahimik lang ang mommy niya habang kumakain and just nodded.

"I told him to go home since I was already there to take care of you," she added before turning towards her.

"He... He didn't leave?" she unconsciously asked. "He stayed here?"

Both her mom and Kendall nodded. Red was already sleeping on the table. And she felt so guilty. She wanted to text him so bad but she can't seem to push the fact that he still made her wait and did not even apologize for it.

"Georgina?" her mom called her in a worried tone. "Are you okay, baby?"

She nodded and just proceeded with eating her breakfast. Tahimik lang siya habang dinadaldal ni Kenny ang kanilang ina telling her stories about her new best friend na si Box. Kinu-kwento din nito that Uno was getting along really well with Box's twin brother Seven.

Hinatid siya papunta sa school ng kanilang driver. She had hoped na susunduin siya ni Dos but who was she kidding? Baka napagod na ito sa kaartehan niya. And hindi niya nga rin alam if pano niya ito haharapin after everything.

"Okay ka na ba girl?" bungad sa kanya ni Lia nang maupo ito sa tabi niya. She was by the bleachers to clear her mind. Sinalat nito ang kanyang noo to check her temperature. "Medyo may sinat ka pa. Dapat nagpahinga ka muna."

"I can't miss more classes, Lia," she answered. "It'll be hard to make habol."

"Ay kumo-conyo na uli," bigla nitong turan. "You're maayos na ang lagay pala."

She glared at her bestfriend for mocking her. She can't help it. Hindi pa ga'non ka-wide ang knowledge niya when it comes to Tagalog. Saka, nasanay na siya because her mom and Ken also speaks like that.

"Yang puso mo ba, okay na?" maya-maya ay tanong nito. Lia was also staring sa field like her before turning towards her. "Are you still mad at Dos?"

Napatingin siya dito. How'd she know? She clearly remember telling her it was fine.

"I'm your best friend, G. Give me some credit," sambit nito as if she just read her mind. "Alam ko na likaw ng bituka mo. You say you're okay but your actions and expressions say otherwise. I also know that you overthink things. Kaya nga feeling ko, kasalanan ko kung bakit ka nagkakaganyan eh. If I didn't tell you about that party, hindi ka magkakaganyan."

"It's not your fault," agad niyang depensa para dito. "It's good nga that you told me. Otherwise, I wouldn't know. He haven't even told me about the party since the last time I talked to him."

"What? You didn't tell him why you're mad at him?" gulat nitong sambit. "So that's why he kept asking me about it. Bakit ba kasi hindi mo sinasabi?"

"What's the point in telling him?" she asked. "And besides, we're not together together. What right do I even have?"

"Your anger is valid. Pinaghintay ka niya tapos 'yon pala nagparty lang. But he's not a mind reader, G," Lia said softly.

Inilayo niya ang tingin dito. Lia's starting to make sense and her guilt's eating her up.

"The guy is clearly head over heels in love with you. He wouldn't be this concerned if not. That alone gives you the right. Saka malay mo naman kung may rason siya. You should at least give him the chance to defend himself," patuloy pa nito.

She heaved a sigh. "I hate it when you're right."

The school bell rang and it was time for them to go to their rooms. But before she entered her classroom, she told Lia she needed to text someone first. That someone was Dos.

To: My Annoying Cat

Do you have class after 5?

Her phone buzzed. She didn't expect to receive a reply that quick.

From: My Annoying Cat

I'll pick you up.

She replied a smiley emoji and hid her phone before going inside her room. Nakatingin lang siya the whole time sa wall clock waiting for classes to end.

The doorbell rang and she immediately fixed her things. Her classmates all threw her confused looks while Lia just smirked. Nagpaalam na siya sa mga ito and waited by the parking lot for Dos. He wasn't there yet but she figured baka he still had class.

Thirty minutes had passed and wala pa ito. But she still waited. Nakakailang ulit siyang tingin sa kanyang phone but she didn't receive and messages from him at all. Naabutan pa nga siya ni Lia na naghihintay. So it's been an hour and a half na pala.

"Wala pa?" her best friend asked. Alanganing napangiti siya't umiling. "George—Oh my God!"

Sabay siyang napatingin sa kung saan nakatingin si Lia. Her eyes grew in size when she saw the guy she's been waiting for covered in blood while limping towards her.

"Dos!"

Dos weakly smiled at her as he stopped.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry I was late again."

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