Begin Again #Wattys2015

Re-Alignment

"Siguro yun yung plano mo sa umpisa, pero nung nakita mong gusto mo naman yung trabaho mo, naging passion mo na?" Adela smiled at Geoff nung nakarecover na sya sa sinabi ng binata. "You get to travel, work with amazing people...dun mo ba nameet si Danica? Fellow model mo sya di ba?"

"Oo."

"Gaano na kayo katagal?" Adela asked bravely.

"Isang taon na."

"Wow, tagal na pala," Adela smiled kahit may kirot syang naramdaman. "Bagay kayo."

"Ada...hinintay kita...pero di ka nagparamdam. After college, nadiscover ako, and I thought chance ko na to para mahanap ka..."

"Geoff, you don't have to explain."

"Per hindi pa rin kita nahanap. I've been all over the world, pero hindi ko alam kung saan kita hahanapin. Si Danica," he paused. "She was there. Lagi kaming magkasama sa mga photoshoots nung bago pa lang syang modelo. Mabait naman sya..."

"I'm happy you're happy."

"Ada..."

"Hindi naman kayo tatagal ng isang taon na kung hindi mo mahal di ba?" she smiled. "Our story ended years ago. And never naman naging tayo, so you have nothing to explain," she laughed nervously.

"Naging tayo, Ada. Naging tayo. Stop saying na hindi naging tayo," Geoff gripped her waist tighter.

"Look, I didn't come to this reunion to open up old wounds," she stepped away from him. "May girlfriend ka na, may boyfriend na ako. Nanligaw ka kay Danica dahil ginusto mo, and that's okay. Dapat lang na mag move on na tayong dalawa. Matagal na kitang kinalimutan, Geoff."

"You can still cut so deep with your words," he looked at her like she had stung him.

"I'm sorry, pero yan ang totoo."

"May I cut in?" napalingon si Adela sa likod nya ng may narinig syang familiar na boses galing sa likuran nya.

"Sure, Katrina," Adela smiled at the newly arrived woman. "It was nice catching up with you, Geoff," she nodded at him and walked up to where Ethan was talking with Marco and his wife.

Geoff watched in dismay as Adela walked up to her boyfriend and the guy greeted her with a kiss on the temple again. Hindi naman nya talaga plinano na magtapat kay Adela agad agad, kaya lang nung nakita nya ang dalaga, parang bumalik lahat ng alaala at pagmamahal nya para sa dalaga. Parang nakalimutan nya na nga na meron na pala syang Danica at kung hindi lang sya ni-remind ni Adela ay baka tuluyan na nyang nakalimutan ito. Naguilty sya, pero nawawala ang lahat ng bagay sa paligid kapag si Adela na ang nasa harap nya. It had been so long, and he never thought na makikita nya pa ang dating kasintahan.

"Geoff," Katrina interrupted his thoughts.

"Ano?" he asked as Katrina put her hands on his shoulders.

"Relax, wala naman akong masamang balak. It's been ten years and hopefully nagmature naman na ako," she laughed.

"So may Danica kang kasama pero si Ada pa rin ang nandyan?" ngumuso si Katrina sa direksyon ng dibdib ng binata.

Napayuko si Geoff. "We were just talking."

"Yeah, like we're just talking now," Katrina joked. "Geoff, I'm really sorry kung may part ako sa hiwalayan ninyo ni Ada, pero I was just a jealous kid back then. Tayo ang matagal ng magkakilala pero hindi ka nadevelop sa akin. Sa kanya...sa kanyang bookish and plain pa talaga. I made a bet with her dahil nalaman ko yung secret mo. Nakita kita one time sa resto and gusto ko sanang ipagkalat ang secret life mo as revenge, pero I made a deal with Adela na lang. She was willing to do it...ganun nya ayaw masira ang pangalan mo or reputation mo. Siguro dahil mahal ka talaga nya...kayong dalawa ng mama mo," Katrina finished.