Finding Ms. Right

Last Chapter

After three months...

"Alam niyo ba? Simula ng bumalik 'yang si Darren galing doon sa probinsya na pinuntahan niya, palagi na lang siyang ngumingiti mag-isa." Natatawang sabi ni Jay. Tumango-tango naman si Inigo.

"Baka may nakitang maganda." Lucy said while putting some rice in Jay's plate. Nang mapansin naman 'yon ni Jay, he gave Lucy a smack on the lips.

Kumuha naman ako ng maliit na bato mula sa damuhan at binato sa kanila. Hindi naman sila natamaan pero pareho silang napatingin sa akin. "Huwag nga kayong PDA." I said.

"Nagsalita ang hindi nagpapakita ng PDA." Sarcastic na sabi naman ni Lucy at tinuro ang kamay ko na kahawak ang kamay ni Zild. I just rolled my eyes on her and looked at Darren who's smiling like an idiot. "Hoy. What's her name?" Parang nagulat pa siya sa tinanong ko.

"H-Ha?"

"Ano daw 'yung pangalan no'ng babaeng nagpapangiti sayo?" Tanong ni Inigo matapos niyang batukan si Darren na ngumuso pero ngumiti naman. Darren suddenly looked at me and a mischievous smile escaped his lips. Nagtaka naman ako dahil nginingitian niya ako.

"Mine." I was stunned when Zild said that and suddenly hugged me from the back. Kumabog kaagad ang dibdib ko. It's been three months pero hindi pa din ako sanay. Tumikhim lang ako at hinayaan siya.

"Hindi pala PDA ha." Jay said and smirked. Inirapan ko lang siya kasabay ng pagtawa ni Darren.

"Oo na. Sayo na 'yan." Sabi niya at biglang bumuntong hininga. "I will just going to say her name kapag nakumpirma ko na." Sabi niya and we all shrugged. Siguro ang tinutukoy niya ay ang pagkumpirma tungkol sa nararamdaman niya. After that, the topic was diverted about what happened three months ago.

Tahimik lang naman akong nakikinig at napapangiti na lang sa tuwing aasarin nila si Zild. Three months ago, after my 18th birthday, official ng naganap ang engagement party naming dalawa. Though, we had an agreement na matutuloy lang ang kasal kung sakaling kami hanggang dulo after ng graduation namin sa college. Nagulat pa nga ako dahil ang daming pumunta. But that night was one of the most best memories I have because my friends are there. Hollie was there with her brother. Section C were there. Niko was there. Joshua and Paula were there. My family were there. Lucy was there. Inigo, Darren and Jay were there. And especially, Zild was there.

Until now, stay strong pa din sila Jay at Lucy. Minsan nga lang ay nag-aaway sila dahil madalas pa din lapitan ng mga babae si Jay. But I am thankful na kahit isa sa kanila ay hindi niya pinansin at nanatili ang mga tingin niya para lang kay Lucy. Their parents already did a meet-up. Nagustuhan naman ng parents ni Jay si Lucy at gano'n din naman sila Tita Irene kay Jay. Well, Lucy told me all of that with so much kilig. And I'm very happy for her.

While Inigo on the other hand is still single. Ang sabi niya sa amin, balak niya lang daw magkaroon ng girlfriend kapag college na kami. But because of that, madalas siyang inaasar ni Jay na baka daw bakla siya kaya ayaw pang magka-gf.

Si Darren naman, ayun nga, mukhang may nagustuhan doon sa probinsyang pinuntahan nila ng family niya. It was just a week vacation but he's already acting weird. Palangiti naman siya pero kakaiba ang mga ngiti. Hindi lang ngiti ng masaya, it's a smile of an inlove person.

While me and Zild are both fine. We settled being in a relationship and decided to let go the past who chained us for many years. Sapat naman na siguro lahat ng sakit na naramdaman namin para piliin naman naming maging masaya ngayon.

Madalas din kaming lumabas na anim. Minsan ay sama-sama kaming nanonood ng sine, kumakain sa labas o kaya'y mga road trip. And right now, we are having a picnic. Nasa isang burol kami na malapit sa probinsya nila mama. Naglapag kami ng tela sa damuhan at doon kami nakaupo ngayon. Mahangin dito kaya masarap kumain at magkwentuhan.

Napatingin naman kami kay Zild ng bigla siyang tumayo habang hawak-hawak ang kanang kamay ko.

"Oh? Sa'n punta mo?" Tanong ni Jay. Zild ignored him and pulled me to stand up. Tumayo naman ako kaagad habang tinitignan siya habang nakakunot noo.

"Oh, the lover boy wants some alone time with the love of his life." Mapanuksong sabi ni Inigo kaya tinignan siya ni Zild.

"Shut up." Then, he pulled me.

"Good luck!" Rinig ko pang sigaw ni Lucy. I frowned. Para saan 'yung good luck? Mga baliw talaga.

Huminto lang kami sa tapat ng isang puno na medyo malayo na kay nila Darren. He sat under the tree and tap the space beside him. Umupo naman ako sa tabi niya at ilang minuto kaming naging tahimik. Sa harap naman namin ay isang magandang view. It's the sky being enveloped by the dark. It's almost sunset but it's still a liitle bit bright.

"I will give you something." Biglang sabi niya kaya napatingin ako sa kanya. He will give me something? Ano naman kaya 'yon?

May kinuha siya mula sa bulsa niya at inabot sa akin 'yon. When I was able to get hold of it, I realized that it was a picture. Nagulat ako sa nakita ko sa picture. It's a picture of us... when we were still young. We are both standing on the park and the sunset is our background. Hindi gano'n kaliwanag sa picture pero hindi din madilim. The smiles in our lips are vivid and we really look happy in the picture. Bigla ko namang naalala kung kailan kinunan ang litrato na 'to. We were playing at the playground when one of his nanny came near us and told us that she will take a picture of us. Naalala ko pang na-excite ako dahil iyon ang unang pagkakataon na magkaka-picture kami pero napasimangot ako dahil ayaw niya. Nagmakaawa pa ako sa kanya noon bago siya pumayag.

"Before my mother died, she gave me that. My last nanny in that province gave her that picture as an evidence that I'm totally okay. She told mom that I met that girl in that province and the reason why I tottaly healed." Sabi ni Zild kaya medyo napahigpit ang hawak ko sa picture. We have a lot of memories in that province but this was the only evidence. "That's the time that I completely realized that it was really you. When I saw you at AU, sitting under a huge tree while reading a book, I already had the hunch that you might be her. Ang kaso lang, hindi ako naniwala sa iniisip ko because many years have passed and I can't remember that young girl's face anymore. But when I saw the picture, my hunch was confirmed."

"Bakit hindi mo ako tinanong?" Tanong ko.

Ngumiti naman siya at bumuntong hininga. "I was scared. I became afraid because if you are really her, the pain I kept inside might go berserk. Though, even I asked you, you won't be able to answer me since you lost your memories." Natahimik na lang ako sa sinabi niya. May punto naman siya. I lost my memories. Hindi ko nga siya naalala ng una kaming magkita sa AU. Paano pa kaya kung tanungin niya ako? "Mom told me something before she died."

"A-Ano?"

Ngumiti siya at sinandal ang ulo niya sa balikat ko. I stiffed but when he held my right hand and squeezed it, it made me calm. "She told me to never let you go because you always come in my life in a right time. You were there when I was traumatized. You were there when I'm needing a help to find a girl that I will love." Bigla siyang natawa sa sinabi niya kaya napangiti ako. It's really silly to find the person you will love because they are not meant to be found, they are meant to just come in your life when you least expect it. "You're the most right thing that happened to me. And I will never let you go."

I sighed and started caressing his hair. "If that's the case, then it means that I didn't failed my mission." Sambit ko tumango-tango lang siya. Ngumiti naman ako. "Can I claim my reward now?" Tanong ko. Umayos naman siya ng upo at humarap sa akin. Nakakunot ang noo niya kaya medyo natawa ako. "I didn't failed the mission. Ang sabi sa contract, I can ask anything as my reward. Can I have it now?"

"Fine. What do you want?"

Ngumisi naman ako. Before he could even move or speak again, I gave him a quick kiss and smiled at him. "Stay by my side. Create new memories with me even it means more tragic memories. And, fulfill your promise that you will never let me go." Halatang nagulat siya sa mga sinabi ko pero ngumiti din pagkatapos.

"Wish granted."