Chapter 18
Baby:
You really have to talk to me, B.
Baby please.
Let me explain
Doug has been texting and calling Bella nonstop pero hindi alam ni Bella kung anong gagawin niya. Hindi niya alam kung saan magsisimula.
Bella and Doug have known each other since they were like, what? 3 years old? Nakita nila ang lahat sa isa's isa. LITERAL. She was there noong nagpatuli si Doug, si Doug ang bumili ng napkin niya noong una siya nagkaron, nakita niya noong puro pimples ang mukha ni Doug at talagang puro chain ang nakasabit sakanya dahil uso ang chain wallet o kung ano mang chain to make you cool.
They know everything about each other, kaya it's just natural that they fell for each other. Pero alam nila. Alam nila na risk yun.
They were 14 when Doug told her that she loved her. Iniwasan siya ni Bella dahil:
1.) Pakiramdam niya nagtataksil siya sa soulmate niya at
2.) Paano kung makita ni Doug ang soulmate niya? Iiwan niya ba siya?
Gulong gulo si Bella noon. It took her 3 months to talk to Doug again after his confession, took her another 8 months to allow him to court her, and 3 years to finally say yes.
All because at the back of her head natatakot siya sa mga 'what ifs'.
She knows their Universe. Tinuturo sa school ang soulmate culture. She knows about the 'bond' and the fact that everyone is wired to find their soulmates. Pero nilalabanan nila ni Doug yun. They're fighting the 'culture' to defend their love. Kaya they promised na laging magsasabi sa isa't isa, laging alam ng isa yung nangyayari sa isa.
Kaya ngayon hindi maprocess ni Bella kung anong mararamdaman niya, gulat ba? Lungkot ba? Galit ba? Ano ba?
Hindi na sana niya rereplyan si Doug ng may marinig siyang kumakaluskos doon sa tabi ng bintana sa may balcony ng kwarto niya, at alam niyang isa lang ang umaakyat doon.
"What are you doing here?" masungit na tanong ni Bella kay Doug na kakasampa lang sa may balcony niya. Ngumiti si Doug at biglang kumaway "Hehe, hi Bells." At hindi napigilan ni Bella matawa.
Before they were lovers, they were bestfriends. And their friendship is important to her more than anything else.
"You can knock you know? My mom knows you." Pinipilit na magsungit na sagot ni Bella.
"Oo, pero eh di hindi kita napatawa kung sa pinto lang?" pacute na sagot ni Doug. Bella just rolled her eyes but they both know na nabawasan na yung tension.
"Are you still mad?" tanong ni Doug kay Bella. Nakaupo lang si Bella sa upuan sa tabi ng sliding glass door niya, si Doug naman nakasandal sa may balcony.
"I'm not mad I'm just—I felt betrayed Doug." Sagot ni Bella. "Our number 1 rule is to tell each other everything. Everything. Pero you failed. I tell you the smallest things, pero ikaw? Yung nakilala mo na yung soulmate mo, hindi mo sinabi sa akin? Kailangan ko pang makita na masaktan ka dahil sakanya para malaman na soulmate mo siya? It hurts, Doug."
"I know Bella. But I just—I know you, and kapag soulmate na ang usapan you have the tendency to close yourself and choose to feed your insecurities. When I met Cathy hindi ko alam gagawin, so I thought maybe I can figure this out first before I tell you kasi kung ako naguguluhan at ikaw lumayo... paano natin ireresolve yung issue?" sagot ni Doug.
"Pero anong gagawin ko? Nakita mo na ang soulmate mo Doug. This is the day that I was dreading, the day that I wish would never come. Na sana, baka sana, hindi kayo magkita ng soulmate. And I know I sound so selfish right now, pero natatakot lang talaga ako Doug. I'm scared. I'm scared of losing my boyfriend... I'm scared of losing my bestfriend."
Tumayo si Doug at unti unting lumapit kay Bella at niyakap siya. She gently cried on his chest while he's patting her head to calm her down.
"Since we tell each other everything, I met Cathy sa Cafeteria noong naglunch kami nila Sofi and Elix. She was my classmate in Biology and you do know I have the clumsiest soulmate right? Much like yours is probably a chef dahil palaging napapaso yang kamay mo. Nalaglag siya and fell sa lap ko tapos parehas kami nasaktan pero I don't know we ignored it but at the same time hindi? And then nacofirm noong lunch. After that, we tried to be friends kasi... our souls 'met' and somehow bonded and I feel sad kapag malayo yung soul niya, and she feels the same pero alam niya na I love you and I have no plans of leaving you just because I met her."
Natahimik lang sila, walang nagsasalita. Doug is playing with Bella's hair and Bella's just quietly sobbing on Doug's chest.
"But... it's unfair for Cathy. She doesn't deserve this. Kahit na sabihin mong friends lang kayo, the bond might be too much for her. I know, I'm researching on soulmates Doug." Natigilan lang si Doug dahil alam niyang may point si Bella, katulad ng sinabi sa kanya ni Elix.
"Hindi ko din alam Bella. Ang bait ni Cathy at hindi niya talaga deserve lahat ng nangyayari. Pero... Bells, all our lives we've been preparing for this day to come. Napagusapan na natin 'to. Na no matter what happens, kahit dumating soulmates natin, we won't let go. We promised."
"Doug but—"
"No buts, baby. I can't fight this war alone; I need you like how I've always needed you. You can't just drop everything and say na we're done dahil nandito ang soulmate ko dahil kung makita mo man ang soulmate mo I'll fight for you. I will. So do the same for me. Please, baby. Fight for me."
"Doug... is it worth it. Soulmate mo si Cathy, at ako... si Bella lang ako."
"You're MY Bella. The Bella who knows everything about me. The Bella who's been there for me through good times AND bad times. The Bella who's both my bestfriend and the girl that I love. You're not just Bella. You're MY Bella. So please. Please."
Doug was pleading because he knows... he knows na baka magpadala si Bella sa insecurity and the goodness of her heart at ilet go niya si Doug para sa happiness nito kahit na si Bella ang masaktan. Doug knows, and he's not going to allow that. Bella does not deserve this, kaya he will fight for her. For them. Only if she says she's willing to fight too.
"I'll try, Doug. I'll try because I love you. I just hope our love is enough."
And Doug knows what he's going to do. He knows that he needs to prove to Bella that it their love is enough.
Even if it means that he has to hurt his soul.
