The Long Weekend (A Novelette)

Chapter 5

Hindi ito kasama sa plano ko.

When I agreed to come, I thought I would have my own room.

Hindi man kasama si Brad, hindi rin kasama si Sidney.

Why did this happen now?

Pero ano bang magagawa ko?

Kapag dumadalaw kami ni Sid kina Tita dati ay lagi naman talaga kami magkasama sa kuwarto.

Kaya ang dali lang sa kanya sabihin ito dahil nasanay na rin naman siya na ganito kami lagi.

I was about to close the door when a hand stopped it from closing.

Sid was standing in front of me wearing the same nervous look.

"Lee, I can always share a room with Kevin. You don't have to worry." She closed the door.

"Sira ka ba? Hindi papayag si Tita. Kahit bestfriend mo ang pinsan ko, magtataka iyon kung bakit ayaw mo matulog dito sa kuwarto."

"Kesa naman parang sinentensiyahan ka? Besides, wouldn't you rather be with Brad?"

"Why do you care?"

Hinila ko ang maliit na suitcase at tinayo sa gilid ng pintuan.

"This doesn't have to be so difficult."

"Who said it was?"

"Your face."

"What?"

"You could never lie to save yourself. Isa pa, the look on your face says everything. Kanina lang noong tinanong ka ni Tita Marga, you looked like you lost a million bucks."

Sisimangutan ko sana siya pero bigla akong natawa.

Ito kasi ang lagi niyang sinasabi sa akin dati.

I always wondered how I was able to keep our relationship a secret for as long as I could knowing that I wasn't good at lying.

But I did.

Until Kev saw me crying and I confessed everything to him.

Kahit kolokoy ang pinsan ko na iyon, marunong naman siya magtago ng sikreto.

Sa kanya nga ako umiyak nang makipagbreak sa akin si Sid.

Siya rin ang lagi kong tinatanong kung kumusta na ang ex ko.

Kay Kevin ko nalaman na single pa rin ang ex ko.

Kahit hindi ko naman kasi tinatanong eh siya na mismo ang nagvolunteer ng information.

At first, I was happy to hear that.

But as the months went by and when I started dating Brad, I felt sad for Sid.

She was so easy to love.

Masuwerte ang babae na makakasama niya.

***

"Sa sahig na lang ako matutulog. If that makes things easy."

"Ano bang pinag-aalala mo?"

"Ayoko lang na maging uncomfortable ang lahat."

Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa.

It was already uncomfortable hindi pa man kami magkatabi sa higaan.

"Ikaw ang bahala." Lumapit ako sa kama at umupo.

I felt exhausted all of a sudden.

Traffic was terrible on the way here.

Brad's road rage didn't help.

Kahit ilang beses ko siya sinabihan na hindi niya kailangan magmadali, galit nag alit siya sa mga sumisingit sa lane niya.

Akala ko nga hindi kami makakarating ng buhay dahil nakikipagkarera siya sa ibang drivers.

My hand went up to my neck.

It was sore and stiff from the tension.

I closed my eyes and massaged the tight muscles.

When I opened them again, Sid was looking at me.

"I'm gonna go."

I completely forgot na nasa kuwarto pa ng apala siya.

Before I could say anything, she was already on her way out.