The Bitch Has Changed

Chapter 16

Note: This is the revised version. Please do not confuse yourself with the comments on the comment section. Thank you.

Chapter 16

THIS WAS WHAT I have been so afraid of. Clifford was back and I was afraid that Scarlett will realize that it was really Clifford, not me.

"Luna..."

I immediately stepped back when Scarlett attempted to come near me. "I-I'm sorry," I told them. "Symon told me Scarlett didn't come home so I..." I trailed off and looked at them. Parang hindi alam nina Clifford at Scarlett ang gagawin o sasabihin man lang. "I'm sorry to disturb you. I'll go now."

Walang lingon-likod akong umalis kahit na naririnig ko pa silang dalawa na tinatawag ang pangalan ko. I placed my hand on my chest because my heart feels like it's going to explode. Naninikip ang dibdib ko. Sobrang nasasaktan ako.

"Please, don't leave yet. Let me explain."

I smiled at Scarlett. "No need, Scarlett," I told her.

I attempted to press the elevator button but she blocked my way and pulled me to the fire exit. "It's not what you think, Luna," Scarlett firmly said but I was just staring at her. "Believe me, please."

"Why are you explaining?"

"Because I don't want you to misinterpret things!"

"It doesn't matter anymore."

Scarlett's face was filled with disbelief.

"I'm not your girlfriend. Nothing's going on between the two of us. Maybe you were just confused. Maybe it's really Clifford."

"What are you saying, Luna?" Naguguluhang tanong ni Scarlett.

"The day I saw you with Clifford, I saw how you have missed each other. I saw how happy you were with him." Upon my attempt to smile at her, my tears started to roll down my cheeks. Doon ko lamang naramdaman na kahit anong gawin ko, masasaktan at masasaktan pa rin pala ako.

"Luna, I just told you that I love you. Why can't you see that it's already you? You are my happiness now." She sounds so frustrated. "If this was about what you saw earlier, I told you nothing happened between us."

Umiling lang ako. "I have never seen you so happy with me the way you were with him. I can never make you happy the same way he does."

"Because you never even gave yourself a chance to see how much you changed me and made me happy!" Tears started to flow from her eyes as well. "You isolated yourself, Luna. You stayed away from me because you were so afraid even though you knew that I am in love with you already."

Nakatingin lamang ako kay Scarlett, hindi alam kung paniniwalaan ang mga sinasabi niya. Ganoon siguro talaga kapag nasasaktan, inilalayo natin ang sarili natin sa mga bagay na dapat nating malaman sa takot na masaktan tayo ng katotohanan. Because truth will always hurt, that at some point, you would be afraid to face it.

I held Scarlett's hand on my arm and slowly removed it. "I was so afraid if you will realize that it's really Clifford after all. I was so afraid that you will realize that you are not really open to a relationship like this. I can't tell you I love you because I was so afraid that one day you will realize that it's not me that you love. I love you, Scarlett, but I can't take the pain of being left alone again so I protected myself from you."

"But why did you give Lance a chance? How about me, Luna?" Nagsusumamong tanong ni Scarlett. "Wala ka ba talagang tiwala sa akin?"

"I gave Lance a chance only when I thought I was already over you. I thought I could give myself a chance to fall in love, without being scared that he will leave me just because he was not sure about us. But when Clifford told me that he feels that you are in love with someone else already, and when you told me you love me, doon na muling nabuhay ang pag-asa ko. But..." I laughed humorlessly while tears are still rolling down my face.