She didn't want it and she's sure neither does he. It was an accident. Well, it was because of
his clumsiness.
He is supposed to propose to his girlfriend for a year - si Levi. He is patiently waiting for her.
Pero hindi s'ya mapakali, dala ng exc...
“Kuya, what’s taking you so long?” Naiinip kong tanong. Nakaayos na kasi ako, nasa kwarto pa din si Kuya nag-aayos.
“Sandali na lang.” Sigaw n’yang sagot.
I sighed. “Hindi na magbabago yang muka mo!”
It’s been five years since I decided to have a breather, away from the hullabaloo.
Ibreached the contract I had with Stan and Tita Shie, they were trying to reach out but I never answered their call. Kuya and Mama assured me that if
Stan or Tita Shie sue me, they will fight for it until their last cent. Luckily, they stopped calling me. Stan tried to reach out, calling day and night – I’m not
sure what he’s up to. The only time he stopped is when I changed my mobile number.
I kept contact with everyone, except for Stan and Kuya Rene.
“Kuya, ano ba???? Ano’ng petsa na.” Naiinip kong sabi.
“Eto na, eto na.” Humahangos na sabi ni Kuya, umaalingasaw ang pabango n’ya.
Ngayon ang kasal nina Miley ay Zach, yes – after 5 years, ikakasal na sila. [Kung siguro hindi ako pumirma sa contract, sana.. Sana..] I brushed off those
thoughts. Naisip ko lang, but it doesn’t mean that I regret what happened. It was one of my – for the books. Something that I’ll tell my grandkids when I
grow old.
“Umaalingasaw naman yung pabango mo.” Sabi ko kay Kuya.
“Nakikiamoy ka lang, nagrereklamo ka pa.”
Medyo traffic pa-Manila. Sa Manila Cathedral sila ikakasal. Pinaghandaan at pinagipunan talaga ng dalawa ang wedding nila. And honestly, I’m happy
for them.
“Tsk! Ang traffic naman.” Sabi ni kuya, habang nakatingin sa daan, hawak ng dalawang kamay nya ang manibela. “Kaya ayokong lumuluwas ng
Manila.”
“Talaga ba? Sabihin mo yan kay Claret ha?”
Yes, two years ago.. Naging si Kuya at Claret. He’ll go back and forth para lang magkita sila since hindi pa ready si Claret na mag stay sa Nueva Ecija. She’s enjoying her career and her life.
Nagring ang phone ko habang stuck kami sa traffic. Si Claret –
“Nasan na kayo?”
“Malapit na. Na-traffic lang kami. Ready na ba? May 1hr pa diba?”
“Yes, but we’re just making sure you’re on your way.”
“Ano ka ba, feeling mo ba hindi kami pupunta?”
“I wanted to make sure. Yang Kuya mo, sobrang bilis magbago ng isip. Baka maisip lang na traffic dito sa manila, magdecide ng wag na pumunta.”
“Actually.. “ Napatawa ako sa sinabi ni Claret. “She knew my brother really well, like she knew me and Miley. “We’re moving, I think 20 minutes tops, we’ll be there.”
“Ok, see you. Take care.”
What happened to us after 5 years? Natanggap sa isang call center company sina Claret at Miley. Miley is in a Team Lead Position samantalang
Operations Manager naman si Claret wherein under n’ya si Miley. Ako? I’m running our business with Kuya. They opened a patisserie when they came
back from US. Si Kuya ang Patissier, ako ang nag-manage pero syempre, may guidance ni Kuya.
30 minutes before 10 ng dumating kami sa simbahan. 11 ang start ng kasal nina Miley at Zach.
“Hey!” Bati ni Zach ng makita ako. Kaagad s’yang lumapit. Yumakap.
“Hi.” Gumanti din ako ng yakap. “You look great.”
Ngingiti. “Oo naman. Ikaw lang eh, pinagpalit mo ko kay Stan.” Biro n’ya.
Nagbago ang ihip ng hangin, nawala ang ngiti sa mukha ko ng banggitin ni Zach ang pangalan ni Stan.
“Tsk. Hindi ka pa din ba nakaka move on sa mokong na ‘yon?”
“Do you want this day to be your last day?” Seryoso kong tanong. Pero gusto kong tumawa.
“Hoy, joke lang. Hindi ka naman mabiro.”
Ngumiti ako. “I’m just kidding. Pero, subukan mo lang na lokohin si Miley, baka totohanin ko.” Naglakad na ‘ko palayo.
Nakita ko sa di kalayuan si Kuya at si Claret, magkausap sila. Nagtatawanan, ewan ko kung anong pinag-uusapan.
Since hindi pa magsisimula ang wedding, naglakad-lakad muna ako. May 30 minutes pa naman. Pumasok ako sa loob ng simbahan, ang ganda ng
pagkaka-decorate nila. Halos mapuno ng tulips ang bawat isle. Tulips kasi ang favorite flower ni Miley. Napangiti ako, pero kahit di ako umamin.. May kurot akong naramdaman sa puso ko. Kung hindi talaga ko pumirma sa kontrata na ‘yon, baka ako sana ang nasa posisyon ni Miley. Kami sana ni
Zach. Not that I feel something for Zach at this point, but the thought that I could’ve been the one walking down the aisle today – then a movement few
meters away from me made me look at that way.
Napakunot ang noo ko. May lalakeng naka-jacket na dark blue, black na sports cap ang nakaupo sa di kalayuan. Tumayo na ang lalake, naglakad s’ya
palabas sa malapit na entrance mula sa kinauupuan n’ya.
Eksaktong 11, nagsimula na kaming nagmarch. Kaming dalawa ni Claret ang Maid of honor. Dapat isa lang samin ni Claret ,dahil usually isa lang
naman talaga. Pero ayaw pumayag ni Miley, gusto nya kaming dalawa ni Claret ang maging Maid of honor. Magkahawak kamay kaming naglakad ni
Claret.
Sobrang ganda ni Miley ng araw na ‘to. Ang fresh n’yang tignan, ang blooming. Her hair was styled to look natural, walang masyadong kaartehan,
meron lang fresh flower garlands na nakalagay sa ulo n’ya. She opted for a non-classic gown. She wanted peach, then peach it is (See below pic for reference)
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
“
Ollie, magagalit ka ba sakin kung sasabihin ko sa’yo na sinabi ko kay Stan na nandito ka ngayon sa Manila?”
Halos maibuga ko ang soup na kahihigop ko palang sa sinabi ni Claret, tinignan ko s’ya, tinitigan actually.
“He’s been bothering us since you changed your number.” Casual na sagot ni Claret, humigop ng mushroom soup.
Tahimik na kumakain si Kuya. Nakikinig.
“He won’t stop asking about you, your whereabout. Sobrang kulit n’ya. He’ll let few weeks past, tapos tatawag at itatanong ka. Nakakasawa din actually, I
really don’t want to tell you about it. I know you’ve moved on, pero for Christ sake.. Will you talk to him? Just end up whatever you have to end up.”
Napataas ang kilay ko. “Ano’ng tatapusin ko. Hindi naman naging kami.”
“Ano ba kasing pinakain mo dun?” Tanong ni Claret. Just so you know, he’s a mess since you left.”
“Are you like.. Blaming me?”
“No. Pero I just wanted you to know what you never wanted to know. He’s been in the news for what.. Consecutive months. Alcoholic, unprofessional, player. He broke up with Levi on national tv.”
[What the heck just happened to him? Unprofessional, not so him. Alcoholic, I didn’t think he’ll be like that. Player???] “So ano’ng gusto mo? Kausapin
ko? And what? We stayed together for almost 6 months, I don’t even know if what I’m gonna tell him will matter.”
“Ollie, he will not look for you every single time if you don’t matter to him. I was suspicious of his intentions too. Like, why would he even bother looking
for you for 5 years straight, kung wala lang.”
“Nasan ba si Stan?” Tanong ni Kuya.
“He’s somewhere out there. Waiting for my call. Sabi ko sa kanya, I’ll talk to you. If you agree on talking to him, I’m gonna give him a call.”
“Kausapin mo na.” Sabi ni Kuya. “Samahan kita.”
[What will I tell him? I know I have to say sorry, for leaving without letting him know. For breaking the contract.] Bumuntong-hininga ako.
“Ano?” Paghihintay ni Claret sa sagot ko.
“I don’t know. I’m not sure what to say. What to tell him.” Tumingin ako sa malayo. Nahagip na naman ng mata ko yung lalake kanina na nakita ko din
saloob ng simbahan. He’s sitting with other guests.
“That’s Stan.” Dinig kong sabi ni Claret, nakatitig s’ya sakin.
“Pero..?” May pagtataka sa boses ko. Why doesn’t anyone seems to notice him? I’m used to seeing him surrounded by everyone, girls swarming just to get
a chance to just even touch him.
“He’s been out of the lime light for a couple of months now. I’d say almost a year now. He’s relevant, irrelevant to showbiz.”
I look at her, puzzled.
“Irrelevant, no one wants to cast him due to the issues thrown at him. But he’s still relevant because of the same issues.”
“I’ll talk to him.” What made me change my mind? I need to talk to him, he is not the guy that he is right now. Someone needs to tap him and tell him to
go back to who he was. I’m still not sure if he will listen to me, but I got to try.
Ngumiti si Claret, kinuha ang cellphone. Kasabay din nun ang pagkuha ng lalakeng nakablue na jacket, black na sports cap ng cellphone mula sa
pantalon n’ya. Tinignan ang cellphone tsaka mukang sinagot ang tawag.
Nagpaalam kami kay Miley at Zach, naintindihan naman nila dahil mukhang aware sila sa sitwasyon.
