I Miss You (I Blank You #1)

four

Jayce brushes off the stares, "Rena, call off the contract. Maghahanap ako ng kapalit, it may not be as good as Beilin Co. but it's better than working with him."

Agad ako umiling ako sa mga sinabi niya, "No."

"Huh? Pero Rena, this is—"

"I said no, Jayce."

Jayce just looks at me with a lost expression, "What do you mean 'no'?"

"Hindi mo na ba naaalala nangyari dati?" dagdag na sabi niya.

Kinuha ko isa sa mga kape na nakapatong sa table namin at uminom muna bago siya tinignan muli. Instead of responding I just hummed at him.

"Irene, you were a wreck back then... He didn't bat an eye at you. Worse, iniwan ka niya sa ere!"

I just shrug my shoulders at him.

"Siya dapat ang nasa tabi mo nun but guess what? It was me who was by your side! What happened sa sinasabi niya na 'through thick and thin' huh?"

Jayce clicks his tongue and massages his temples, closing his eyes to calm his nerves. Ilang segundo ang nakalipas ay iminulat niya mga mata niya at tumingin sa akin.

"René, your future was almost ruined by his selfish acts." he pointed out.

"You said it yourself, almost" I told him going over the topic lightheartedly, binaba ko 'yung kape sa table at sumandal ulit.

"And you're telling me na willing ka maging marketing executive 'yung muntik na sumira ng buhay mo?"

Hindi ko na lang sinagot si Jayce, "My answer is final, Jayce. Can we please not talk about this anymore?" sabi ko habang tinitignan siya diretso sa mga mata niya.

Jayce holds eye contact for a moment, eyes wavering, desperately trying to find an answer on my expression before sighing in defeat.

"Fine. Ikaw naman may huling salita but know that I will still find another company in case of an unexpected occurrence."

"Thank you," saad ko.

[ After all, hindi mo alam buong kwento namin, Jayce. ]

Ngumiti ako sa kanya at sumandal sa balikat niya, "You want to catch up right? How about we do that instead?"

Nagbuntong-hininga lang si Jayce at tumango, "I missed you like crazy you know..."

Nagkibit-balikat ako at medyo natatawa na sinabing, "What can I say? I'm irresistible like that!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever floats your boat" biro ni Jayce while patting the top of my head. "Remember when I confessed?"

My relaxed body tensed at his words, "Don't worry your pretty head too much. I guarantee you that those are left in the past, Irene."

I straightened my back and looked at him seriously, "I don't like that 'phase' of our friendship, Jayce."

Tinignan niya lang ako bago siya nag buntong-hininga muli, "You have to admit na it's one of the reason why our friendship is still the way it is now," inangat ni Jayce yung salamin niya gamit mga daliri niya.

"Sawa na ko balikan ang dati, Jayce."

Agad naman ito dinagdagan ni Jayce ng mga salita na, "Maliban kay Keene."

Umiwas ako ng tingin sa kanya at uminom ulit sa coffee cup ko, "Sino ulit yung university ambassador nun na lagi mo kasama dati?"

Tinaasan ako ng kilay ni Jayce nang mapansin na pinalitan ko ang usapan, "You mean Clover Anne?"

I snap my fingers at him habang binababa 'yung drink ko, "Clover Anne."

Jayce leans on his palm at patuloy na pinapanuod bawat galaw ko, "What about her?"

"Don't 'what about her?' me. Bigla ka na lang nagbago isang araw nun at napansin ko na hindi na rin siya laman ng memory card mo!"

Tinaas ko kamay ko bago pa niya ako bigyan ng gasgas na palusot, "It's only fair na I'll pry on your relationship with her since alam mo nangyari sa amin ni Keene. Don't you think so?" punto ko habang nakatingin sa mga mata niya na parang kinakaaway siya.

Jayce raises both his hands in defeat, "It's complicated but I guess hindi enough na answer yun para sa isang Shauna Irene Dilamis."

"You bet. We got all day, baby."

Natawa lang si Jayce sa sinabi ko, "Kung siguro EU Jayce ang kaharap mo ngayon panigurado namumula at mapapasigaw na yun sa kilig."

"Cut to the chase, my friend. Bakit naman nakawala ang isang ginto sa kamay ng isang Sinag?"

Natawa kami pareho sa sinabi ko, sharing a good laugh and making a memory that we both would have engraved in our mind. After a few moments, we calmed down, wiping the stray tears from our eyes.

Jayce's face morphs into something serious, yung mood niya literal na umikot at hindi mo akalain na humahalakhak siya kanina, "She said 'napagod ako.' Plain and simple."

I gasp at the reason, "I'm sorry, Jayce."

Hinawakan ko kamay niya para i-comfort siya, "Wala naman nakakaawa saakin. It should be her who should receive support like that from you. It was my fault in the first place."

"Did you ever come to love her?"

Mukhang napaisip si Jayce sa biglaan ko na tanong. Mga itim niya na mata niya ay parang kinikilatis bawat galaw ko, ngumiti at tinawanan ko na lang siya, "Huwag mo masyado pansinin tanong ko, it's such a ridiculous question to begin with."

Laking gulat ko na lang nang marinig ko sunod na sambit niyang mga salita, "Hindi. Pero kung bibigyan ako ng isa pang pagkakataon, I'll be willing to learn how to love her."

"Still the hopeless romantic Jayce I know," lumaki 'yung ngiti sa labi ko, "There's your answer. Are you still in touch with her?"

"That's the thing..."

"I'm sure you two will cross paths soon." I assure him.