As we arrived, nakita naming nakapulupot na nang mga puting tela ang mga bagay sa loob ng bahay nila.
Also, their house is now for sale.
"Paolla?" Maro called.
"Paolla?" Z called.
"Paolla?" I called.
Paolla came down from upstairs and she was still wiping her tears off from her face. She immediately hugged me as soon as she came down towards us.
"What's with the sale? You're really not coming back?" Maro asked.
Paolla nodded.
"I'll be having my job there kasi. Also, my family insisted na dun na din talaga ako forever."
"Grabe sa forever." Sabi ko. "You can always have your vacation sa Philippines naman e."
"Yeah." Z agreed.
Kaagad kong itinaas ang dala naming foods and drinks.
"Well if this is the last night— but not really the last night. We brought some food." Sabi ko.
"Maro was so excited with the drink. Soju bomb." Sabi ni Z. Siniko niya si Maro na lutang ang utak habang nakatingin kay Paolla.
Nagtungo kami sa malaking Balcony ng bahay nila. We set up a mat there and placed our food at the center. Habang kaming lahat ay napaupo na din.
"So, saan ka ba?" Maro asked.
"Europe." Sabi ni Paolla.
Lahat kami napatango.
"Bakit pala pabigla-bigla?" Sabi na naman ni Maro. In fairness tonight, Maro is so talkative and very curious about Paolla.
"Dad booked a flight for me at nakalimutan niyang hindi niya pa pala sinabi sa akin na tomorrow na. Kaya ayun. Too fast." Sabi niya. "Kaya I cried kanina pa."
I pat her back.
"Okay, if you're too emotional for everything then— first glass, first shot." Maro handed Paolla a glass of the drink.
"Oh and don't drink too much— Paolla. My flight ka tomorrow." Sabi ko.
Paolla nodded.
The next hours— naubos na ni Zadist ang chicken. Actually naubos naming lahat pero Zadist is the one who ate a lot. Tapos si Maro naman ang sobrang napainom.
The next thing we knew is that Maro actually had a crush on Paolla. Which doesn't make sense— he was always ignoring Paolla, like how he ignores us.
"You know what— You are one of the most extraordinary beauty in this dimension." Sabi ni Maro habang lasing na lasing na.
Napatawa kaming lahat.
Paolla was crying hindi dahil sa lungkot kundi dahil sa tawa.
Zadist on the other hand is recording him. They're such bullies to each other. Yan na naman ang bala ni Z for teasing Maro back.
"Dimension—" Zadist laughed hard after he heard Maro spilling every tea to Paolla.
I also laughed pero masakit na ang tiyan ko kakatawa kaya I think I needed some air.
Pero instead of walking away from them— I realized we're already outside and mahangin naman. Napahiga ako sa mat and I saw the moon and the stars.
Stars are too hard to count. That's why it's stunning.
Napapangiti ako habang rinig ko naman ang tawanan nang tatlo. I sighed and I felt happy.
I feel amazed.
I feel at peace.
I feel loved.
This was just everything I ever wanted in my life.
"Hey—" Napatingin ako sa tumabi ng higa sa akin.
Magkahawak ang aming kamay sa tagiliran namin at bahagyang napangiti sa isa't-isa. Matapos ang matatamis na ngiti— We both looked up to the sky.
"It's beautiful." Sabi ko.
Zadist burped.
Natawa kaming dalawa.
"Sorry, ate a lot tonight." Sabi niya.
"And you're tipsy, Mr. Cruspero." Sabi ko.
"Great, now I'll be the one who's driving." Sabi ko.
"No, I'll drive." Sabi niya habang tinignan ko siyang nakapikit. I can hear Maro and Paolla talking.
"No, you're kind of drunk."
"Fine, you'll drive baby but in one condition." Sabi niya at saka niya inilapit ang bibig niya sa tenga ko.
"Sa bahay ko tayo uuwi. And—"
"And?"
"Let's have some workout tonight." Sabi niya nang pabulong at saka ko siya sinuntok sa gilid niya dahilan para mapangiti siya.
"Come on, please." Sabi niya matapos niyang tumawa.
I bit my lip.
"Okay."
"Okay?" Sabi niya pa.
"Hmm, okay."
Napatingin ako kay Maro at Paolla. Both of them are also lying down the mat na din. Maro was already sleeping. Nakatingin sa sky si Paolla while wiping her tears.
I am also sad that she's leaving pero I know naman na babalik at babalik din si Paolla.
"Paolla, wag ka na umiyak." Sabi ko.
"I'll miss you guys." Sabi niya. "I'll come back here every summer and that's for sure." Sabi niya pa.
Napatingin ako kay Zadist na nakapikit ang mga mata. Tumayo ako at tumabi kay Paolla. Napaupo siya when I got to her side.
"We'll all miss you too. Kaya hihintayin ka namin and tell us when." Sabi ko. "I love you."
Kaagad niya akong niyakap.
That was the night I ever felt loved by everyone that surrounds me and I am lucky. I feel like everything is fine and all I can do is to enjoy the moment.
With what I have.
YOU ARE READING
Thorns After Everything (Completed)
Romance"Bakit tayo iniiwan ng mga taong nagsabi sa ating 'wag natin silang iwan?" - Zadist Thorns After Everything follows the story of Maris, a young girl who has always looked up to her sister as her role model in life. But as Maris begins to discover h...
