[quote][b]CHAPTER 5.2[/b] “Khalil…” He looked back and saw me. “Kelsey?” “Yeah.,” I stood beside him and asked, ”Ang emo mo dito ah. Ba’t mag-isa ka lang?” “Wala. Star-gazing.” I looked up to and remembered, oo nga pala, mahilig siya sa night sky, sa stars. I guess that’s one of the soft spots that I fell for. “Ang ganda nga ng stars dito sa veranda noh. Plus, ang layo ng tanaw mo.” “Kelsey..” he suddenly looked at me and his gaze made me look at him too. “Uhmm?” “Ang ganda mo pa rin.” Oh. That pulled a string, and in my head, “Before I let You Go” was playing. I grew up na hindi basta-basta naniniwalang maganda ako. I guess it’s because people would so often say na mas maganda ‘yung ate ko that’s why I don’t really feel it ‘pag nacocompliment akong maganda ako. Khalil… he was the first guy who told me I was beautiful, even before siya nanligaw sa’kin. I remember that night, magkatext kami and out of the blue he told me, hindi mo lang pansin pero ang ganda mo kaya. I guess that was the first night I started to notice that behind the bad boy image of Khalil, there was a sympathetic part of him. “Ano ka ba. Madilim kasi kaya malabo paningin mo.” “Hindi. Maganda ka talaga. Tandaan mo ‘yan,” there was a short pause before he asked, “Bakit mo nga ba ako nilapitan. Anong sasabihin mo?” I breathed deeply. Relax Kelsey. ‘Yan naman ‘yung pinunta mo ditto. Nandito ka na rin naman, sabihin mo na. “I know hindi naging clear kung bakit kita binitawan and I wanted a closure, a proper closure para maka-move on tayo nang maayos. I felt like you didn’t trust me enough. Mas pinagkatiwalaan mo ‘yung iba kaysa sakin. Sobrang ma-pride akong tao pero nilunok ko ‘yung pride ko, ako ‘yung humabol sa’yo and yet it wasn’t enough for you.” “Kels, sorry kung gan’on ‘yung naisip at naramdaman mo, but I never intended that to happen. Aaminin ko, sinadya ko talaga na pahabain ‘yung usapan, na paikut-ikutin ka sa storya pero hindi dahil hindi ako nagtitiwala sa’yo. Selfish ‘yung rason ko kaya nakakahiya aminin.” “Ano ba ‘yon Khalil?” It took him a minute before he finally admitted, “Gusto ko sana magkasama tayo nang matagal lagi kaya pinahaba ko ’yung issue. Gusto ko kasama kita.” My heart melted that time and I wanted to hug him. Tama bang pinakawalan ko siya? “Siguro proof ‘yon na hindi natin masyado kilala ‘yung isa’t isa. Hindi mo alam na nasasaktan na ako. Hindi ko alam na gusto mo lang ng oras.” “Siguro nga.” “Sige na Khalil, it’s almost time. Malapit na tayo magsimula ng evening session.” I was supposed to walk but he took my hand, “Kels…” “Uhm?” “Salamat sa lahat.” “No, thank you. Mas dapat ako magpasalamat sa’yo. Malaki ‘yung nagawa mo sa’kin. Hindi mo lang alam.” I smiled and was the first to leave again after he released my hand. Khalil… what could’ve been in store for us if I didn’t leave you?[/quote]