(CALIX' POV)
*Phone rings
(Voice message)
From: Kaye
"Hey Calix. Still not picking up huh? Di ko alam kung naririnig mo ba 'tong mga message ko sayo. Well, I...got the job! Ikaw yung una kong gustong makaalam. Anyway, I hope you're doing okay. Call me back.....maybe?"
(End of voice message)
"Aw! Aw! Aw! Dude!" - then I looked up and it was Adam. - "Bakit mo ko iniwan sa swimming pool?" - he got...burn..literally. - "You were suppose to wake me up a few hours ago. Be honest with me, do I look burnt?"
Oo nga pala, sumunod sa'kin si Adam dito sa Manila para lang sa swimming pool dahil ayaw n'ya daw sa beach ng Palawan. Seriously dude?
"Uhh...no. You look....your skin looks..perfect. Perfectly tanned. Anyway, I'm sorry, man."
"It's all good, man. Anyway, bakit nandito yung mga gamit mo? Wait, did you check out?!"
"I just don't wanna be here. I know you just got here and we're partners but-"
He tried to sit down but..
"Uh!" - he can't 'cause it hurts. - "No buts! I know she's calling you -- sorry, I looked at people's screen when they don't pick up -- and your not picking it up! See, ngayon ikaw yung melodramatic dyan! 'Huhu! The girl I like made me sad. I don't wanna be here! I'm going home! Weh!'"
"Wala ka dun. She lied straight to my face. Di ko na uulitin yung pagkakamaling nangyari sakin with you know who."
"Yeah. At yung strategy mo ay yung pagtakas sa mga problema mo? Look, alam kong hindi naging maganda yung last relationship mo-" - I looked at him - "okay, last two relationships." - I looked at him again - "Three times?!" - I looked at him again - "Wait, four times?! Kailangan mo nga talagang magdesisyon nang mas tama."
"I know. And that's what I'm trying to do by walking away from-"
"NO! Look, dude, magkaiba ang desisyon sa reaksyon. Wait, let me rephrase that. There's a difference between stupid decisions and stupid reactions. Kung lagi mo lang gagawin yung dati mong ginagawa sa mga relasyon mo, sa tingin mo ba sa susunod iba na? Bro, kaibigan mo ko at ayoko namang nakikita kang lagi nalang ganyan."
Kahit loko-loko talaga 'to, tagos to the bones yung mga sinasabi nya.
"Alam mo, hindi sa lahat ng oras, masaya tayo sa isang relasyon. At hindi rin sa lahat ng oras ay pwede tayong sumuko sa mga problema natin na parang hindi na sisikat ang araw. Just look at me, sunog ako, bro! Pero hindi ibig sabihin nun ay titigil na ko na makamtam yung perfect tanned skin na pangarap ko. Bakit? Kasi magbabalat din 'to at magkakaroon ng bagong layer ng skin kaya babalik at babalik ako sa lugar na yun at magpapa-tan pero para hindi na maulit 'to, babalik ako dun nang may kasamang isang dosenang sunscreen. Do you get it dude?"
Tumango lang ako sa kanya dahil ngayon ko lang na-realize na ang tanga-tanga ko, na gago ako, at na makasarili ako.
"You know what, let's just finish this job at the park. That would be a great time to think things through." - tumango lang ako sa kanya - "By the way, anong oras flight mo?"
"Maya-maya pa."
"Good! Let's go!"
(KAYE'S POV)
BINABASA MO ANG
The RED Suitcase (Short Story)
RomanceHave you ever had a moment when you thought that you can never find someone to love again? A moment when you thought that he's the one? A moment when you met someone that could change your life but suddenly...everything changed before you even had t...
