This past few days, wala masyado sa matinong pag-iisip si Justine. Maybe because of the changing weather. Or because of the sudden rush of patients. Ang dami niyang kailangang gawin, alam niya yun. Pero hindi siya nagsisink in sa kanya.
Ilang araw nang hindi nakikipag-usap si Yana sa kanya. As if hindi siya nagpunta sa kanya at nagstay. Justine wants to ask a lot of questions, pero alam niyang kailangan nito ng space. She had Josh to worry. Sabi nga, in a relationship, there is only a room for two people.
It is the reason why he did not tell her that he knows.
Senseless naman na kung sasabihin niya yun kay Yana. He knew about the stunt Ria pulled before she returned to her vacation spree. The night before that, he did everything to convince Ria not to continue her trick, but she still did. Of course, Ria does what she wants. At wala siyang pakialam kahit may sagasaan pa siya.
Pero kahit anong galit pa ni Justine kay Ria, hindi niya matatanggal yung fact na malaki ang utang na loob niya rito. Well, he was the one who straightened him up. Ria deserves a round of applause for that.
Tumingin siya ulit sa bumper ng sasakyan na nasa harapan niya. Hindi pa rin ito gumagalaw. Justine groaned. As much as he owes Ria, wala sa hulog yung tawag niya kaninang umaga. Imbis na natutulog pa rin si Justine galing sa shift, magsusundo siya ngayon sa airport.
It bought him some time to think about things. Naglean si Justine sa kinauupuan niya at pumikit. Gahd. Inaantok pa siya. Ria was lucky na nasa mood siya ngayon at kailangan niya ng makakausap. Hilong hilo na si Justine nang biglang bumusina yung mga sasakyan.
Go na ulit.
Ilang minuto pa ang nakalipas bago makarating si Justine sa airport. Pahirapan pa yung parking. Wala masyadong free slot. Nakailang ikot pa siya bago siya nakahanap ng malapit na parking space. At nasayang din ang paghahanap niya ng parking space dahil pagkapasok niya sa waiting area, nandoon na si Ria.
She was still the same Ria. Siguro medyo namuti lang? Kasi malamig dun sa pinuntahan niya. May kabigatan yung mga bagahe niya. Halatang nagshopping.
"Justine! Oh gosh. I missed you." Masayang niyakap ni Ria si Justine.
"Mukhang nagshopping ka dun a. Marami ka naman sigurong pasalubong sa akin?" Pinalo siya ni Ria sa balikat.
"May pasalubong ako para sa lahat. Akala mo naman ikaw lang ang bibilhan ko ng souvenir."
Siya ang butihing alalay na nagdala sa gamit ni Ria. Lahat talaga ng mga kaibigan niyang babae, ginagawa siyang alalay. Pagdating sa kotse, binigay niya yung susi sa kanya. Ria was more than happy to drive the car.
"Ha. I missed Manila. Manila, you're beautiful. Hay, You have to tell me what happened when I was out" Binuksan niya yung window. If not for pollution, Justine would agree with Ria that Manila was a beautiful place.
Inisip ni Justine kung ano sasabihin niya. What Ria missed. Hm. Pwedeng 'Nagstay sa unit ko si Yana ilang weeks after niya malaman yung sinabi mo sa kanya.' Pwede rin yung 'Halos makipagbreak na si Yana kay Josh nang malaman niya yung totoo.' Yes. That would definitely cheer Ria up.
"Well. Aside for the fact na hindi pa nagpaparamdam sila Chris at Chai, well, yun pa lang naman ang alam ko."
"How about the girl of your dreams?" Nagsmirk si Ria. Hindi naman siya nakasagot. "Admit it. You still got dibs on her."
"Well. She stayed with me for a while, then she went home a few days ago." Ria slammed the breaks. Halos tumilapon na si Justine.
"No. Oh no. This is crazy. This is it! Oh gosh. I can't believe it." Paulit ulit niyang sinabi. Ria was half-worrying and half-celebrating.
"What?"
"Alam mo ba kung bakit ko ginawa yung mga bagay na yon? Yung mga kalokohan ko and all that shizz?" Nakangiting tinanong ni Ria. Tinaasan siya ng kilay ni Justine.
"It was Josh who asked me that favor. Matagal na kaming magkakilala. You know, exes and stuff. Josh was my first..
Ria launched to the tale of how they met, how they got together, how the brothers fought for her. Inabsorb naman yun ni Justine. Hindi madaling tanggapin yung mga sibasabi ni Ria. It seemed impossible, you know. Para bang nanloloko lang siya. Then she told him about her relationships with Dominic and stuff. Why she was not introduced by Tricia before.
"Then he called before they returned. Alam mo bang ayaw ko pang tanggapin yun nung una? Kahit yung blogs. Pero I still have to. Maybe that's how first love goes. It was the best love you could ever feel. Kahit sabihin mong sa iba ka mauuwi. In love, for me, the first will always be the best. I think that applies to you too, my friend." Ria winked.
Maybe she's right, Justine thought. Hindi naman niya ipaglalaban yung nararamdaman niya kung hindi yun yung nagpapasaya sa kanya hanggang ngayon. It might seem unfair na masustuck ang isang tao sa first love nila, but it's not true.
All is fair in love and war.
---
Tumingin sa may bintana si Tricia. Kakatapos niya lang hugasan yung kanyang pinagkainan. Kanyang, since hindi naman siya sinasabayan ni Jason. Laging nawawala si Jason. Minsan, late nang umuwi galing sa trabaho. Minsan, magkasama sila ni Josh. O kaya nasa parents nila. He was always away, escaping Tricia's so-called wrath.
Pero hindi galit si Tricia. The truth is, Tricia misses
him a lot.
Sinaraduhan ni Tricia yung ilaw at umakyat. Hawak niya yung kamay niya. Namimiss niya na yung feeling ng ring dun sa kamay niya. Her engagement ring. Tricia liked the sound of it. Ngayon, all it brought her was pain.
Alam niyang mali yung ginagawa niya.
Nakita niya yung pagflash ng ilaw sa bintana. Maya maya, may nagbukas ng pintuan sa baba. Tapos yung ilaw na kakasara lang, binuksan ulit.
Inisip ni Tricia kung bababa siya. Well, wala namang masama kung magkikita sila. Hindi pa naman sila nagsasapakan pag nagkakasalubong sila. Tricia took a deep breath and silently went downstairs.
Nakaupo lang si Jason sa sofa. Hindi siya humarap kahit nung narinig na niya si Tricia. Unti unting lumapit sa likod ni Jason si Tricia. Tinignan lang niya ito ng matagal.
"Bakit gusto mo ako pakasalan?" Tricia stiffened. This was the first time na kinausap siya directly ni Jason. Not with the same playful tone, but still. He talked to her. Inikot ni Tricia yung sofa at umupo malapit kay Jason.
"Well. I want to marry you because it is something I have been waiting for my whole life. Agreeing on marrying you is the best decision I have done in my life. I have never been so sure of myself."
Silence. Gusto batukan ni Tricia yung sarili niya for babbling, pero she had to say that. Kailangan ni Jason na buo yung puso niya sa pagpapakasal sa kanya. If he just knew, gusto ni Tricia na suotin yung ring na binigay ni Jason.
Nagkneel si Jason sa harap ni Tricia. Nagulat siya. It was like seeing a dream come true.
"Trish. Uhh, alam mo naman kung gaano kita kamahal diba? Gaano ka kaimportante sa akin. Gaano kita gustong pasayahin diba?" Jason said. Tricia nodded, pero deep inside, natatakot siya. Sa mga nakita niya sa movies, ganito yung scene kung saan makikipagbreak na yung guy kay girl after a long time. Trcia braced herself for those words.
Pero ang tanging dumating ay yung singsing na gustong gusto niya. Yung singsing na muling binabalik sa kanya.
"If you love me, then kaya mo akong hintayin hanggang sa handa na akong maging ako lang? Yung hindi bilang anak o kapatid. Can you wait for me until everything's alright?"
Naiyak na natawa si Tricia. Iba yung bugso na nararamdaman niya sa puso niya. Of course she can wait. Tricia knew that this guy was the one she was waiting for. It did not matter that she had wait for him. Everything else can wait.
"Yes. Oh yes." Tricia dropped to her knees and hugged Jason. The feeling of his body against her. She missed everything about Jason.
This one single moment, nobody mattered but them.
~~
#VOTE PO ^___^v
