They Don't Know About Us

Chapter 43

"Sorry," Sasha gently lifted Kai and got her settled in the car.

Kai looked at her. She reached for her wrist and stopped her before she could fold her wheelchair and put in the trunk.

Sasha wiped her face. She couldn't look Kai in the eyes.

"What happened to you?" Kai whispered before her lips pouted and tears poured from her eyes again. "Anong nangyari sayo?" She held Sasha's face with both hands and made her look at her. "Ha, Sash? Anong nangyari sayo?" She repeated. Then she pulled her for another hug. They stayed like this for a while as they cried in each other's arms.

Kai was first to let go. She wiped Sasha's face and looked her in the eyes. "You look worse than I last saw you," she swallowed.

Sasha avoided her stare. She felt extremely embarrassed for failing her.

"Why did you leave? What made you run away?" Kai asked. Then she swallowed again.

However, Sasha remained quiet.

Kai took a deep breath and held her hand. "Sash, I need to understand. Ipaintindi mo sakin what you needed to do and why it took so long for you to come back. You owe me at least that. May balak ka pa bang bumalik sakin kung hindi tayo nagkita ngayon?" She was afraid to hear Sasha's answer.

Sasha looked at her. Then she stood straight and put Kai's wheelchair on the trunk. When she entered the driver's seat, Kai reached for her hand. "I'm sorry I probably made you feel worse because of how I've been treating you since we saw each other again. Oo, nagalit ako. Oo, may tampo ako. Setting all of that aside, I'm here to listen. Sabi ko naman sayo, diba? All you have to do is tell me what you need, and I'm willing to adjust, to compromise. You don't have to do things alone, Sash. If yun yung nakasanayan mo, then that's going to have to change if you really want this, if you really want us. I love you, Sash. It took me a while to realize it because I was currently engaged kay Omar nun, but I knew how you made me feel. I felt more like myself when I'm with you. Pag nakikita kita, kahit gano pa katindi yung pagod ko, kahit pa gano kasama yung pakiramdam ko, napapawi lahat ng yun. I just thought maybe it just felt that way because parehas tayong babae. You get me, and it's nice to have a friend. Malayo kasi yung dalawa sakin nun and you were technically my only friend that I got to see regularly. I was in denial, but I knew that there was something brewing inside me already. Hindi ko man alam na I was slowly falling in love with you na pala, but I knew it was getting stronger. My love for you got so strong na it gave me the courage to finally say no to marrying Omar. I couldn't bear the thought of having to be tied down to a man like him, and mas lalong I couldn't afford to lose you. Kaya kung ako yung tatanungin mo, yes, nag-tampo ako and maybe even nagalit sa pag-alis mo at sa pagkawala mo ng matagal, but my love for you is what kept me going. My love for you gave me hope. My faith made me believe na everything will soon work out for the best. Kaya kahit masakit, mahirap, I waited. I stayed, and I'm here to stay if and only if you're willing to take the plunge with me. I'm willing to be as patient as I can habang you're trying to figure things out for yourself, but this whole trying to do things on your own, you're going to have to learn how to share the load with me."

Sasha took a deep breath. Then she turned her head towards Kai and swallowed. "Mahal din kita. Like you, I felt something for you, but I wasn't sure what it was. Ang tagal ko ng hindi nagkakaron ng kabarkada. Kahit na I've never felt the same with my other friends before, I just assumed na I was probably enjoying your company, like biglaan na lang akong merong best friend. Maybe I was also in denial, and maybe a huge reason for that is because I vowed not to let myself get involved with anyone, pero wala eh. You're Kai. You had that magic in you that made me challenge my own beliefs and break down my walls. It came so naturally for you. There's this—this essence sayo na just draws people to you. I was just one of them. And like you, iba din nararamdaman ko whenever I'm with you: Sasha is Sasha without all the baggage that's usually weighing her down, and you made me feel na it's okay to be me, whoever I may be. Magaan pakiramdam ko pag magkasama tayo—like the world could end and it would be alright as long as I'm with you."