Sweet Rejection

Chapter 23

Ara

"Ano?!!!!" napasigaw na sabi nya kay Mika na nagtatakip ng dalawang tenga nya.

"Ano ba? Hindi pa ako bingi!" reklamo ni Mika.

Napatingin ang ibang tao sa loob ng coffee shop. Matalim na tingin ang iginawad ng mga tao dahil madalas mga estudyante ang nag-aaral ang mga nakatambay dito.

"Di mo na lang kasi nireplyan pa! What do I do? Pano kung iconfront ako?"

"Umayos ka nga dyan! Pasalamat ka nireplayan ko si Jho! tsaka toms diba mas mabuti na alam na nya? Ilang years na ba? Decade na ata yon?"

Mika hid her anxious feeling. She understood Ara felt the same. She also did not know what she would say about Jho. She's mad at Jho for forgetting them but she's more mad at herself for unabling to stop her from leaving the school. She blamed herself for that. She blamed herself she lost one of her bestfriends.

"Kinakabahan ako Ye.." Ara could not look unto Mika's eyes. She hoped Jho would remember her but she also hoped Jho to forget what had happened a few years ago. It was traumatic. Bea blamed herself but chose to stay with Jho. I blamed myself and chose to stay away. Mika blamed herself and chose to keep quiet.

"Kaya mo yan...Kaya natin to toms.."
Mika pressed Ara's hand. They need a support.

Ara's phone rang.. Her eyes became wider when she saw who the caller was. Mika peeked unto the screen and her reaction was the same with Ara.

"S-sagutin m-mo..." nauutal na sabi ni Mika.

"H-hello?" nauutal na sagot ni Ara.

Jho was asking where Ara was. She threatened her to answer immediately.

"N-nasa c-coffee s-shop.." Ara's scared of Jho. She's scarier than Ara thought.

"K-atapat ng hospital..  k-kasama ko si Mika.."

Agad na pinatay ni Jho ang tawag pagkatapos ni Ara sumagot.

"Ba't pati ako sinali mo toms?! Alis na ako! May practice pa pala kami!" Mika tried to get away. Kinakabahan sya lalo. Nakakatakot si Jho pag nagalit. Alam nya yon.

"Wag mo kong iwan hoy! tinatanong nya sino ang kasama ko kaya sumagot ako!"

"Kinakabahan ako bwisit! Alam mo namang yong si Jho pinapatay ka ng tingin! Ikaw na bahala sa kanya katulad ng ginagawa mo nun!" Mabilis pa sa alas quatrong tumayo si Mika para iwan si Ara..

Pero mas mabilis si Jho. Nasa tapat na nila ito.

Both of them froze. Jho gazed down where Ara's hand held Mika's. Ara automatically let go and so was Mika. Both tried to explain but realized that Jho was unable to remember them.

"U-upo ka J-jhoo.." sabay na sabi ng dalawa.

Jho squinted her eyes and crossed her arms.

"Explain."

Jho was nervous. And was scared to unveil the truth. But running away is not an option. No one dared to tell her the truth. Not even her family. Nor Bea.

Matagal na natahimik ang dalawa. Di nila alam kung saan magsisimula.

May kinalikot si Jho sa kanyang phone at saka ipanikita ito sa dalawa.

"Ano?! Di ba kayo magsasalitaa?!" Jho hissed. Pinigil nya ang kanyang sariling hindi mapasigaw. Galit sya sa lahat kung bakit itinago ng lahat yong nakalimutan nyang memorya.

"You don't want to know, Jho.. better kung hindi mo na lang kami pipilitin." Seryosong sabi ni Mika.

"Alam ko kung anong gusto ko kaya wag mo akong pangunahan." Matalim na tingin ni Jho kay Mika.