Unsaid Around You (Isla Laiya Series #1)

Prologue

"Let's all welcome, the success behind this event, Ms. Solace or also known as Ate Yla!" the crowd welcomed me with screams of happiness and tears of joy. It was a great day to be happy and cry at the same time. 

The staff gave me a bouquet of sunflowers na agad ko naman tinanggap. The host gave me the stage to say my message to the crowd. Agad naman ako huminga ng malalim at ngumiti sakanila at saka sinimulan ang pagsasalita. 

"Hello everyone! I'm Yla but you can call me Solace as well."

Natahimik na ang lahat at agad namang sumunod muli ang pagkakakaba ko.

"Sa totoo lang, hindi ko inexpect na mararating ko lahat ng ito. I never expected to be here being known as someone to be their inspiration despite their challenges in life. Parang kailan lang, payapa lang ako nakatira sa dagat at iniisip kung makakapagpatayo kaya ako ng bookstore sa tabi ng dagat." The crowd laughed at my last sentence.

"You know, I was a failure from academics to responsibilities. Marami na akong pinagdaanan bago ang tinatamasa kong blessings ngayon. Totoo nga nga na kailangan mo munang magdaan ng maraming pagsubok sa buhay para tuluyan kang maging masaya. But It was all worth it. I'm saying this to be a motivation to all of you, na kung kaya ko, mas kaya niyo. Again, thank you everyone for coming to this event and I hope my story inspired you to be a better version of yourselves." I ended my message bowing to them and smiling to everyone. 

"What a great message, Yla!" The staff organizer praised me as I go down from the stage. Ngumiti ako sakanila at nagpasalamat na din. Dumiretso na muli ako sa backstage upang magpalit at magproceed sa pagpapabooksigning part ng event. 

"Hello po Ms. Yla! I've never read your stories before pero I had to attend this one for my girlfriend." The guy said habang pinipirmahan ko ang mga librong ibinigay niya sa akin. I smiled at him pagtapos kong pirmahan at agad nagtanong.

"Oh bakit ka naman umattend?" I asked him while signing the other books.

"Hindi po kasi siya pinayagan ng magulang niya kaya ako nalang ang pumunta." the guy said with a sad tone. Nginitian ko nalamang siya at saka nagsabi ng mensahe bago kumuha ng bagong magpapairma. 

"Ganyan din ako noon, hindi pinapayagan pero nakakagawa naman ako ng paraan." I said to him while laughing and ended our conversation. 

Lunch time came at umalis muna ako sa venue para maghanap ng makakainan. It was really hard to find a place where I can peacefully since I had to greet some people who knew me as Solace. 

Finally, I saw a vacant seat at a newly open resto near the event. I started ordering and waited for my order to be served.  While waiting, I browsed at my social media account and saw something on the trendy list. 

Now Trending

1. JDOnBookWorm

2. SolaceOnBookish 

Agad akong ngumiti nang makita ang pangalan ko sa trending. I made it again. I was always on the trending list pero nakakapagtaka lang na hindi ako yung top 1. BookWorm?! Katabi lang ito nung venue ng event ah! Hindi kaya may nagpapabooksigning event din doon at ito yung JD? 

Pwes, kung sino man siya, sure naman mas magalingan naman ako magsulat kaysa sa kaniya 'no! 

I ate my lunch at agad namang bumalik upang ipagpatuloy ang gagawin sa event. Bumalik na ako at sa gulat ko napakaraming tao sa labas ng venue! Hindi naman ganto kahaba iyon nang umalis ako para umabot sa kabilang bookstore ang pila!

"Macey, anong meron at bakit dinumog yung venue ng ganto karami na tao?!" tanong ko sa event organizer ng aking booksigning. 

"Girl, hindi sa 'yo lahat 'yan, feeler ka." She said to me while laughing. "What?!" I asked her kasi I didn't understand what she said. "Yung iba diyan, dun sa kabilang booksigning nakapila, nagkataon lang na magkatabi ang napiling venue kaya umabot sa venue natin ang mga nakapila sa kaniya." sabi niya habang pineprepare na muli ang lamesa ko.

We called it a day after maubos ang lahat ng nakapila mula sa loob hanggang sa labas ng venue. It was tiring indeed, more than 6 hours ba naman ginanap yung booksigning eh. 

"Grabe yung sa kabila 'no? matagal na sigurong sikat yung nagpapabooksigning doon"

"Oo nga eh. Magaalas-sais na may isang mahabang pila pa rin sa entrance ng venue!" 

I heard some of the staffs while removing the decorations outside the venue. Sino ba kasi yung author doon at dinudumog? Maganda ba? Magaling magsulat? Sus. mas magaling ako diyan! 

When I was about to enter the venue again, a girl approached me.

"Hi! Do you know what time will JD's book signing event will end?" She asked politely.

"I'm sorry but I don't know who's JD. Excuse me." I smiled at her and left after that. 

Hours passed and It's already 8pm in the evening, masyadong maraming naiwang kalat ang mga dumalo kaya inabot kami ng halos matagal kakalinis at kakasigurong wala kaming maiiwanan. 

"Thank you guys! Dahil diyan, sagot ko na ang dinner niyo!" I said to the staffs habang sabay-sabay na nagreready para umalis. Agad naman akong lumabas at inantay ang iba. 

"Finally, babe!" A girl shouted. It was the girl who asked me earlier. Sino naman kaya inaantay niya? I saw her hug a guy and smile at him. I didn't see who the guy was but maybe It was her boyfriend, they hugged each after and she called her babe after all. 

When I was about to leave them, I heard something that made me freeze. "Ikaw ah? Napapadalas na 'yan." the guy said while laughing. Pagkatapos non, iniwan ko sila at bahagyang nilibang ang sarili sa pagkakatulala.

The voice. 

It was familiar. 

Maybe It was him?

Or not. 

Tsk. That's impossible! Matagal na siyang wala. It's been 6 or 7 years! 

I ended the night full of thoughts and plans for the next day. I couldn't sleep thinking of different possibilities if ever that was him. Magugulo nanaman ba ang mundo ko? Ewan ko nalang talaga.