"If tomorrow comes and I forget about this, and I forget about you, will you still love me?"
Yesterday. Love. Nothing else matters to Lee Gabriel than Odyssey Lee. If love was a manifestation, iyon ay ang pag-ibig ni Lee. At unti-unti rin yong naram...
Oops! Ang larawang ito ay hindi sumusunod sa aming mga alituntunin sa nilalaman. Upang magpatuloy sa pag-publish, subukan itong alisin o mag-upload ng bago.
April 30, 2019
"Doc, doc Odyssey?" A young lady knocked on Odi's office. She has a pixie hair, and a voluptuous body. She's Danielle Garcia. Fellow professor, and a good friend of Odyssey. Sadly just a friend. Dahil alam naman ng lahat how she has followed him even here.
'Di naman lingid sa lahat that Dani has some affection for Odi. 'Yun nga lang she's just being friendzoned like the rest of the other ladies who took a move to this elusive professor. Dahilan ni Odyssey, he's busy. Professor sa umaga, partner ng isang pharmaceutical company sa tanghali. At may ilan pang mga stints na ginagawa tulad ng mga speeches at talks. 'Di naman nakakapagtaka considering how Simon Odyssey Lee transformed into a very successful self-made man, 26 years young.
Kahit nga sa kaisa-isang kapamilya niyo na si Perseus nakakapagtaka ito. In his brother's word's parang may sangkaterbang anak ang pinapaaral nito sa sobrang sipag nitong magtrabaho. 'Yung parang walang bukas at walang oras sa love life. Many has tried to penetrate his circle, pero kaunti lang ang nagtatagumpay. Madalas, friendzoned. And maybe the longest person in this box — is Danielle.
"Are you ready na sa conference natin sa Cebu?"
"Yup."
"Did you bring your anti-allergies?"
"I have them in my pocket. I never leave them. At saka wala namang pistachio siguro doon."
"You'll never know..."
At this time, umiiling na pumasok ang isang lalaking nakapormal. Umakbay ito kay Danielle and by his gestures, it's obvious that they are friends.
"My goodness Dani. Naga-apply ka bang maging nanay ni Odyssey?"
The man who teased Danielle is named Eliseo. His build is so buff to the point na iniisip ng mga tao kung palagi bang nasa gym si Eli para mapalaki nito ng ganito ang katawan. Hindi naman sila nagkamali. For Eli, gym is life.
"I was just checking! Ikaw Eli, i-check mo din gamit mo." Dani replied, quite pink on her face.
"Ikaw, bakit kasi sasama ka pa?"
"Bawal ba akong sumama? Excuse me Eli, I'm also a partner in your company. So technically, that's our company."
"Pero okay na kami ni Odyssey doon. Three's a crowd already."
"Dahil ba babae ako 'di ko na kaya mga ginagawa niyo?"
"Wala akong sinasabi."
"Then what?"
"Ang akin lang Dani, why don't you just attend the reunion. Besides, you've never missed one. Bakit ka mawawala ng grand reunion with the other batches? Takot ka bang ma-meet mga ex-boyfriends mo sa ibang year 'nung high school tayo?"
"H-huh? Anong sinasabi mo?" Tumingin pa si Danielle kay Odyssey, as if scared to make him jealous. Eli almost rolled his eyes. Because he knew Odi didn't care about her boyfriends. Not in a romantic kind of way, but he just wouldn't put his nose into his friend's windowpane.
"May mga na-miss na akong reunion 'no? Ewan ko ba sa batch natin bakit ang aga nag-reunion. Tapos every year na until now. 'Yan si Odi ang forever uma-attend."
It was too late when Dani realized her slip of tongue. Because although Odyssey never really verbalized why he never missed a reunion, and why it was a very important event for him— it's obvious that it was the only thing that gives him hope. Pag-asa na may makikitang tao na matagal nang nawala sa buhay niya. Sa buhay nilang lahat.
"Hay nako, bakit ba tayo dito nagaaway." Eli pulled Danielle out of the office. They didn't want to face this kind of Odyssey. Mas lalo lang lalaki ang awkward moment kapag nahalata na naman ang pagkawasak ni Odi.
He is obviously wrecked.
Pinipilit nitong maging maayos. But despite Odyssey's successes, he's empty. His close friends know he's empty. He's both angry and yearning for someone he never had a closure with. At hindi nila alam kung paano papakiharapan ito.
"Parang tanga talaga 'to!"
"I'm sorry..." Yumuko na lang si Danielle habang inaalalayang lumabas ng building where Odi's room is.
"University instructor ka na, pero insensitive ka rin minsan."
"Nadulas lang ako!"
"Gusto mo ba talagang mapasayo si Odi? Why do you keep rubbing salt on his injuries."
Hindi nakasagot si Danielle.
"Unless sinasadya mo."
"Hindi ko sinasadya 'yung kanina. But I guess it's really Freudian slip. Kasi kapag iniisip ko, gusto ko na siyang maka-move on. Paano siya makaka-move on kung ibe-baby natin 'yung feelings niya. Kundi natin haharapin?"
"Natin? Bakit tayo ang haharap. Siya ang hindi pa makalimot kay Lee."
"Kailangan din nating harapin for him, Eli."
"Gets kita, young lady. Pero mahirap mag-move on nang hindi pa sila talaga nag-uusap ni Lee."
"Pero ilang taon na!"
"Sige nga. Ikaw, 'pag kunwari nawala ng parang bula si Odi, kahit lang taon na, sa tingin mo makaka-move on ka nang hindi kayo nagkikita ulit?"
"S-sana kasi bumalik na si Lee. Nang makapag-usap sila..."
Humagalpak ng tawa si Eli.
"Seryoso ka ba?!"
"Bakit?" Pumamewang pa si Danielle. "Ang gulo mo. 'Di ba that's what you're trying to say. Na dapat mag-usap sila. Magkita?"
"I know, but knowing Odyssey, galit na galit lang 'yan, but I kind of guessed he would take her back in a jiffy. He'd take Lee back even without explanations.
Nalungkot si Dani.
"You really think so."
Eliseo shrugged.
"I'm not saying you should give up on Odi. You can chase him all you want. Besides, that's what Lee did 'nung high school. She literally chased him. Without shame and reservations. I'm not sure kung tatablan pa ng ganyan si Odi ah."
"Hay basta!" Dani ran her hands through her hair. "Basta sana magkita na sila at makapag-usap. Closure. And maybe Odyssey will realize that he's just in love with the idea of her. Sana bumalik na siya. Sana bumalik na siya." Dani repeated the phrase as if chanting a spell.
