Gerald kept his distance through out the night…. He watches Kim from far… Naiintindihan niya si Kim… pero bakit nga ba niya kailangang pahirapan ang sarili… Yeah…I already admitted na I’ve fallen for her…. But does it make sense na pilitin ang sarili ko…kung ayaw naman niya….. Gerald took a deep breath….. Sabi ko na nga ba…hindi magiging madali ang lahat……..

Going home… Auntie Pokie decided to sit on the back of the car…

“Anak…dyan ka na lang sa unahan…. Napagod ako ng husto gusto ko sanang matulog dito sa likod….”

Kim was left with no choice…. She have to sit beside him… she took at deep breath… reaching the car door….but to her surprise… Gerald opened the door for her… she look at him… he was looking in the other way…… her heart was melting with his gestures…but the coldness he’s showing her is making small pinches in her heart……. She settled in her sit…. She closed her eyes… she didn’t want him to see the pain in her eyes…. She didn’t want to loose this battle……

They’ve been driving for a while… Gerald probably taught that she’s sleeping…but she can’t go to sleep… not with him at her side….

Gerald stops the car… she wanted to open her eyes…but she’s afraid for another conversation with him…she just kept on pretending she’s at sleep.. Then she felt his breathing near her cheeks…. OH no… oh no… her mind was going crazy…heartbeat was going on wack… but to her surprise…Gerald just pulled the recliner so she could lay down properly… and also buckled her seatbelt…. Kim was touched by his gestures…. Hinayupak na lalaking ito… why can’t he just be rude and selfish…para hindi naman ako Nato-torture ng ganito…… hindi pa pala tapos ito… she felt a warm blanket on top of her….and a small pillow was been placed on side of her head….. TAMA NA!! Tama na!! she wanted to scream at him…. At ano ang isisigaw mo…….. Na bakit siya pinanganak na ganyan…. Gwapo na… Maalaga pa…gentleman pa…….

Gerald on the other side was trying to control himself not to kiss Kim… She looks like an angel laying beside him in his car… Remind yourself not to wash that seat cover…. ..

He may have need to sacrifice a lot of things… pero kung siya naman ang kapalit pagkatapos… maybe I’m willing to wait….until she’s ready to accept what I’m offering………. Ano nga ba ang inooffer mo?… You know…I can’t offer her stars… or moon… but … I can offer myself…if she’s willing to take me as I am………. Are you sure about that?… He look at her again… for her…….. I think…. I’m sure now!! He fixed the blanket on top of her…good thing he was able to bring some pillows and blanket……..

Kaya nya bang ibigay ang space na sinasabi nya…… Kaya mo yan Gerald… if that’s the last resort for her to love you back…by loving her at far…then do it……….. Like what I’ve said……. Kung siya ang kapalit ng parusang ito………. It’s all worth it………..

They arrive at Kim’s house… he said his goodbyes to Auntie Pokie…but didn’t say a word to her…… She knows her heart is crying……… the cold treatment is killing her heart…. Tignan mo itong lalaking ito… talagang magaling manakit…kahit di naman niya sinasadya…… She went upstairs with tears on her eyes……..

Auntie Pokie felt the tension between the two… gusto man niyang pumagitna…para magkaayos ang dalawa….hindi niya gagawin… Kailangang magkusa silang harapin ang totoong nararamdaman nila sa isa’t-isa……. She knows how Kim’s feeling about love.. .. At alam din niya na Gerald have a special place on her daughters heart……. Maybe time will tell…kung kailan mauuntog ang anak niya at aamining mahal na rin nito ang binata…….. Pero sana….hindi pa huli ang lahat sa araw na aaminin nito ang totoong nararamdaman…………..sana hindi pa huli ang lahat!!…

The next day…. Kim was expecting to see Gerald on their kitchen…pero wala ito…… Ayan Kim… nasunod na ang gusto mo…….. Nawala na siya……… Oh… eh diba dapat Masaya ka…. Eh bakit ka naluluha diyan!!…

She sits down on the dining table…and notice na ready na ang breakfast… ang aga naman yatang nagluto ni Auntie Pokie……

Speaking of her Aunt… nasan na ba iyon…………

Her Aunt was just going in inside their house with a hot pandesal in her hand……. “Ay… anak… gising ka na pala…….. Tinawag ko na sina Mel at Matt…susunod na daw sila!!”…

“Auntie….ang aga nyo yatang nakapagluto…..at may pandesal pa!!”…she smiled….

“Ay anak…di ako nagluto niyang… si Gerald!!”….

Kim’s eyes widened…”S-si G-Gerald po?” she mumbled…….

“Ohh…bakit ka nauutal dyan…para kang may sakit na epilepsy?…”..tukso ni Auntie Pokie…”oo nandito siya kanina…. Siya po ang nagluto niyang almusal nyo….at sinamahan akong bumili ng pandesal…”…

Kim run through the door…hoping he would see him…but to her dismay….he’s not there………

“Wala na siya…. Umalis na….may pupuntahan pa daw kasi..”… Auntie Pokie watch her intently……

She went back to sit on the dining area….grab the pandesal on Auntie Pokie’s hand…took at big bite….and drop her head on the table… she dropped it hard that she actually hurt herself…and made a loud “bog” sound…

“Gusto mo ako maguntog sayo….anak! Paduguin natin….baka sakaling magising!!”…

She could hear Mel and Matt coming inside the door….

“Oh…ano problema mo?”…tanong ni Mel…

“Wala!!”…she kept her head down to the table…

“MEron!!”..hirit ni Auntie Pokie…

Mel smiled…. “Aaahh…. Puso ba?”…

“Hindi!!”…she said…

“OO!!”..hirit ulit ni Auntie Pokie…

Matt … “Inlove ka na?”…

“Hindi kaya!!”…she answered keeping her position… she didn’t want the people around her to see what she’s going through…….

“OO kaya!!”… hirit ulit ni Auntie Pokie…

“Binasted ka?”… Pangaasar ni Matt…

“Hindi no!!”..she answered…

“Hindi pa!!”… Hirit ulit ni Auntie Pokie…

“Auntie……kanino ba kayo kampi?”.. she lift her head..and look at her Aunt…

“Kay Gerald..”… her Aunt said…

Her jaw dropped… bakit feeling niya lahat ng tao mas pabor sa Gerald na yon…..

“Wag mo akong tignan ng ganyan…kimberly…… Alam ko ang pinagdadaanan mo…at alam ko rin ang pinagdadaanan niya… Pasalamat ka nga at may tao pang nagtyatyaga sayo…. “..she said…

“Eh yun na nga ang point Auntie… Pinagtyatyagaan lang niya ako…pano kung magsawa na siya.. Sino ang kawawa…eh di ako…”….she defend herself……..

“Pano kung di magsawa?”… the three asked at the same time…..

She look at the people around him… “Bahala nga kayo……. Para kayong nagtri-trio sa isang concert… kampihan nyo yung lalaking yon… “…she was about to leave the dining table….when Auntie stops her…

“OOpps… di ka pa kumakain… bilin ni Gerald… sayo daw itong tatlong bacon… tatlong hotdog…at isang itlog…..at heto…dalawang pandesal lang daw..kasi baka lumaki ang tyan mo!”… she made the plate for her….

She couldn’t believe it… na kahit may cold treatment si Gerald sa kanya…. Heto at inaalala pa rin siya……

Tears formed in her eyes….. “Tignan nyo nga…….pinaglihi yata ang lalaking yon kay Binladen…grabeng magtorture!!”..she said in between her sobs…..

Mel and Matt were laughing at her……….

“Kasi naman….kung siya si Bin laden….ikaw naman si Hitler…grabe kang magtorture ng sarili mo!!”… Auntie Pokie smiled… “Kain na…. ay teka…. May protein shake daw siyang nilagay sa fridge….tinimpla na nya iyon… ready to serve………. “..

“Kayo po siguro ang gala may ni Binladen..” …she said to her Aunt…

She winked at her for a response….

Kim was indeed tortured…. Si Gerald nga ba ang nagpapahirap sa kanya….o tama si Auntie…. Siya ang nagpapahirap sa sarili niya!!