Bittersweet Hearts

2~ i'll have drama for dessert

"Crybaby."

I looked up and saw Julien na suplado. Sinusubukan talaga niya ako after that revelation? O andito ba siya to comfort me? Kaso sis, sa lahat ng magcocomfort sa akin, isang stranger pa. At para bang nambabadtrip imbis na tumulong?

"Don't even–" I warned. Sorry, badtrip ang lola niyo.

"Sorry. I was just trying, er, nevermind. You okay?" Sabi niya. Biglang tiklop yung angas niya so naisip kong wag na siyang sungitan.

"No...I mean, I'm not okay with them being together. Ikaw ba?" I asked. Who else would know how this situation feels like kung hindi siya?

"I know where you're coming from. Been there, done that. So..." Tinabihan niya ako sa couch. "...I'm here, I guess? Ganito na lang isipin mo–"

"Teka, what are you talking about? Anong been there, done that?" Sorry, di ako makapagpigil sumingit.

"Sana naman kasi patapusin mo muna ako." Sabi tuloy niya. Sunget.

"Sorry na." I told him.

"I don't usually open up to someone okay, pero ewan ko, I feel like you'd understand eh. So here goes." Biglang naging serious yung mood namin. Pati itsura niya. "My mom died seven years ago. Bata pa ako noon, yung twins naman kakapanganak lang. Ang hirap lumaki ng walang nanay. So years later when dad began dating again, he seemed happier. Siguro 3rd relationship palang niya to. Ayun. So for me, I'm okay with it."

"Oh, I'm sorry..." Natameme naman ako dun. Awww. So sad. Baka raised to the tenth power yung horrible feeling na nafeel niya noon. I feel so selfish tuloy. Grabe ang OA ko ba kanina?

"Okay lang. So, pwede tama na ang drama? Balik na tayo dun." Tumayo na siya. Tapos nakabulsa yung dalawang kamay niya sa bulsa niya.

"But...if I say I'm okay with it. It means wala nang chance na magkabalikan sila ng dad ko." I realized quietly. Umupo ulit siya.

"Well, I don't know, Andy. Isipin mo nalang saan ba sasaya yung Mama mo?" He said. Saan nga ba? Well, syempre hindi kay dad kasi hindi pa niya napapatawad. Hay. Ang hirap naman. Pero para sa happiness ni Mama, sige na nga. At least maging masaya man lang yung isa samin di ba.

"You're right. Mukhang masaya siya with your dad."

"I know. Kahit today lang din namin siya nameet, parang iba siya from Dad's past relationships." He added.

"Talaga? Hay ewan. I'm still torn pero I need to live with it. Tara na nga." Sabi ko at tumayo na. "By the way, thanks. Pati sa pagshare mo kanina."

"No problem...sis." Sabi ng mokong. Omg, oo nga. So parang kaming magkapatid nito?

"Sis ka dyan." I snorted.

Naglakad na din kami pabalik ng restaurant. We found our parents by the counter, paying our bill. Pagod naman yung twins habang nakaupo sa waiting area sa labas. I hugged Mama nung lumapit ako at nagsorry sa kanila for my outburst. Sabi ko nalang naparealize sakin ni Julien na mali ako at I will support them. Sa sobrang tuwa nila nag aya pa mag ice cream. Napawi bigla yung pagod nung twins eh. Si Julien naman nakangiti lang habang nakatayo from afar.

x

After ng ice cream fix sa may High Street, tumambay muna kami sa benches for fresh air and pahinga. Dinner with Tito Javi, Julien, Roselyn, Adrian and Mama was unexpectedly great. Never laughed like that in weeks. Somehow nakalimutan ko yung dalawang lalaki na gumugulo sa utak at puso ko–even just for a few hours nakalimutan ko sina Dad and ex ko.

Distraction helps pala, you know. That's what I'm going to do from now on since escaping wasn't such a good idea.

"Dad, Tita, may pupuntahan lang po ako–" Panimula ni Julien.