Chapter 24

Hanggang sa mga araw na iyon, ay iniisip pa rin ni James kung gagawin niya ang ipinayo sa kanya ng ate niya na kausapin si Devon. May point naman ito sa sinabi sa kanya. Yun nga lang wala siyang lakas ng loob para gawin iyon. Natatakot siya sa pwede niya pang malaman mula sa dalaga sa oras na kausapin niya ito. natatakot siya! Natigil lang siya sa pag-iisip ng biglang pumasok sa kwarto ang ate Lyra niya.

James: What are you doing here? Don't you know how knock first before entering someones room?

Lyra: you're my brother!

James: that's not the point! You still need to ask permission before entering my room!

Lyra: Whatever! Want some?

Pambabalewala nito sa kanyang sinabi sabay alok sa kanya ng ice-cream na kinakain nito.

James: What do you want from me?

Lyra: I want you to relax!

James; I am relaxed! So, can you go out now?

Lyra: Devon doesn't have any affair with anyone else, James. This is all a misunderstanding!

jameS: huh?! Why are you talking about Devon? And what are you saying that this is all a misunderstanding? That she never had an affair with other guy?

Lyra: I've talked with her sister this morning.

James; What? How di-

Lyra: She's the one who approach me first. She went o my office this morning.

James: you believe her? She is Devon's sister. She mi-

Lyra: she might be lying? No! what she said all answer my thought in mind! She even remember the day you visit Devon but didn't show yourself to her because of what you heard and see that day.

James: How come? She didn't even know me! Devon told me that she is not showing any of my pictures to anyone fearing that they might steal me from her, even with her sister. So how will Devon's sister learned about mu supposed to be surprise visit to her sister?

Lyra: like what I said, she remembers you! You just can't remember but she told me, that you even bumped her and didn't even ask for forgiveness.

Bump? Did he happen to bumped with somebody that day? Iniisp n James ng husti kung meron nga siyang naka-bungguan ng araw na iyon. Sa pagbabalik tanaw sa nangyari ng araw na iyon, naalala niyang parang bumunggo nga siya sa isang bagay ng nagmamadali siyang umalis sa lugar na iyon narinig pa nga niya na may sumisigaw sa kanya na boses babae. Hindi na nga nya lang maintindihan dahil sa sobrang emosyon na nararamdaman niya at tagalong ang ginamit nitong salita.

James: I remember it! so what about it? How is it connected with Devon not ha-

Lyra: it is that what you hear and see that day is just an act!

James: Act? What do you mean by that?

Lyra: that guy you saw Devon is hugging and to whom she even say "Honey I love you", is her cousin!

James: what?

Lyra: Her cousin asked Devon to put up a play with him to make her cousin's ex-girlfriend jealous. And those people with them, including Devon's family are a part of that play!

James: So what's the point of making her cousin's ez-girlfriend jealous?

Lyra: it is that her cousin is still madly in-love with that girl! He wants to know how the girl will react if she learned that her ex-boyfriend easily replace her after their break-up.

James: so what happen next?

Lyra: The girl confesses to the cousin of Devon, that she is still in love with him. And she can't allow that other woman will own him and his love! And everything follows. Devon's cousin tells the girl that Devon is his cousin that he only want to know if she still love him.

Hindi na naiintindihan ni James ang iba pang kinukwento ng ate nya tungkol sa nangyari sa pinsan ni Devon. He is just so happy and relieve to know that all this time, he still own and have Devon's heart and love! Na lahat ng mga galit niya ay balewala. Na napa-ka tanga niya sa pag-sayang sa mga panahon na sana ay masaya sila ni Devon na mag-kasama. Kung sana lang, hindi siya inunahan ng selos at galit ng mga araw na iyon. Kung binigyan niya sana ng pagkaka-taon na mag-paliwanag ang kanyang mahal, hindi sana sila nagkaka-gulo ngayon. Kung sana lang nag-tiwala siya at hindi binase lang sa kung anu ang nakita at narinig niya. Kung sana inintindi niya ang buong pangyayari bago siya gumawa ng isang bagay ng pagsisisihan niya! Na talagang pinagsisi-sihan niya sa mga oras na iyon.

Lyra: James, are you listening?

James: Sis!

Lyra: what?

James: Help me!

Lyra: help you with what?

James: help me make it up with her! Help me to ask for forgiveness! Help me to-

Lyra: Sure no problem! Don't worry! We already have a plan!

James: we?

Lyra: Leave it to your sisters!

Hindi man maintindihan ni James kung anung plano ang tinutukoy nito at kung sino pa ang kasama nito na gumawa ng plano ay ipagkaka-tiwala pa rin niya sa kapatid ang lahat!