I woke up on a strange bed, with a strange man. Sinapo ko ang ulo ko at pinilit ang sariling alalahanin kung nasaan ako at kung sino ang kasama ko. But my mind was blank. Empty. As if it had been wiped clean before I woke up. There was this weird sensation all over my body. Certain spots were sore. I didn't know if I should be disgusted or happy about it. Paano ko malalaman kung ano ang dapat kong maramdaman kung wala akong maalala?
Napaurong ako nang biglang gumalaw ang lalaki. I then realized that I was not completely naked. I was wearing a shirt, probably his shirt, given the size of it compared to my frame. Dahan-dahan akong umalis ng kama para hanapin ang sarili kong damit. Ingat na ingat akong magsuot para hindi makagawa ng anomang ingay. While putting clothes on, I scanned the place to look for clues.
It was just a standard bedroom. May bintana. May cabinet. May kama. May bedside tables, lampshades, kurtina, aircon... nothing definitive. I tiptoed my way out of the bedroom after collecting my things. I thought that maybe we rented a room at a hotel somewhere so it was unrecognizable to me. Pagkalabas ko ng kwarto, napunta naman ako agad sa sala. There were no pictures on the wall. They were almost bare except for a clock that didn't seem to be working. To my right was the kitchen and the small dining area.
So maybe this was the guy's condo unit.
I searched the place for my shoes but I couldn't find them anywhere. Kaya bumalik ako ng kwarto para tingnan kung naiwan ko iyon sa loob. But as I was about to open the door, it opened from the inside and the man was already awake. Pareho kaming napaurong sa pagkagulat.
"H-Hi!" I greeted when I recovered from the surprise. "Kukunin ko lang 'yong sapatos ko," sabi ko sa kanya.
He stepped aside and let me through. "Where are you going?" he asked while I was busy looking for my shoes beneath the bed.
I didn't know how to answer the question. Now that I think about, I don't know where my home is. Nangunot ang noo ko nang mapagtanto ko na hindi ko rin pala alam ang pangalan ko. But something about this place and that man was unsettling. I felt like I needed to leave.
"Cora," I heard him call. At first, I didn't acknowledge it. I thought he was calling someone else. But when he tapped my shoulder, I realized that he was calling my name. When I turned to face him, he was holding my shoes and he was smiling. I took the shoes from his hand and said thanks. And then I walked passed him to leave. "You don't need to leave," I heard him say. "You're already home."
—
After two hours of explaining to me who he is and who I am, I finally accepted the fact that I couldn't remember anything and I was just relying on him and the memories we apparently share. His name is Paul, my boyfriend. He told me that he proposed to me last night and we got home and got drunk to celebrate the engagement. He apologized for the bruises on my body. He said he was probably a little rough with me last night. Together, we looked for the missing ring, but we couldn't find it. We had pictures on my phone, though, so it put me at ease. At the very least, I knew him. He was probably telling the truth.
—
Ginugol namin ang natitirang oras ng araw na iyon sa pagpunta sa mga lugar na madalas naming puntahan. We went to my favorite restaurant for lunch and ordered my favorite food. He said that doing our normal routine could trigger my memories. The food was great and all, but I still couldn't remember anything. Ang mga naaalala ko lamang ay ang mga nakita at ginawa ko simula nang magmulat ako ng mga mata kaninang umaga.
Paul did his best to make me feel comfortable and for a while, the unsettling feeling from this morning was pushed aside. I truly enjoyed my day with him. But when it was time to sleep, it resurfaced. He probably saw the fear on my face because he gently pulled me for a hug and kissed my forehead.
"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll remember everything tomorrow," he assured me. "We'll go to the doctor and have you checked kapag wala pa rin."
I nodded. "Thank you."
He smiled and said good night. I closed my eyes.
