A string of fate

30

Paalis na si Bri at nagdesisyon nadin akong manatili nalang sa bahay nang tumunog ang phone ko at nakita ko ang pangalan ni Gwen sa screen. Hindi ko pa man sinasagot 'yon ay nagkaroon na ako ng ideya. Kanina pa maingay ang group chat at mukhang may plano silang magkita kita. Hindi ako sumasagot.

"Hello?"

"Hey! Where are you? You just seen the messages. 'Di ka nagreply." I heard the familiar voice of my close friend.

"I'm home. Saan kayo?" Tanong ko. Bri is just waiting beside me. Abala sya sa phone nya habang marahang hinahaplos ang katawan ni Bella.

"I'm with Jai and Von is about to pick us up. You free? Let's have some coffee." Sabi ni Gwen at saglit din naman akong napaisip. "Primo is just waiting for the plan. Nasa paligid lang si Lian at Owen and they're coming. I don't know the others."

"I'm free. Saan tayo?" Sabi ko at muntik ko nang makalimutan ang tungkol kay Primo.

Should I ask our friends not to invite him because I don't what to?

Damn it. Gusto kong mainis pero wala akong magawa. I really cannot avoid him. I don't want to be unfair and unreasonable too. We're in the same circle and running away will be useless. Ayoko ding idamay ang mga kaibigan namin sa issue naming dalawa.

"Dasma. We'll send you the location. Do you want us to pick you up?"

"No. It's fine. Bri's here." At nilingon ako ng katabi ko.

"Oh. You're with him again. Papahatid ka sa kanya? I can ask Primo to-"

"It's fine. Don't ask Primo. I'll just ask Bri here." At umirap ako nang ngumisi si Bri sa tabi ko. It's like he knows what's gonna happen.

"He's fine but Primo is not." Saglit akong natigilan at ang malakas na tawa ni Gwen ang narinig ko sa kabilang linya. "But anyways, okay. See you in a bit."

Tinapos na ni Gwen ang tawag at saglit akong natulala sa kawalan. Gusto kong mawalan ng pakialam pero iniisip ko ang mangyayari. Bri is here and I will ask him to bring me to the place where Primo is. I shouldn't be thinking of his side when he see Bri here. Bri should be out of this.

Mariin akong napapikit at muli kong mapagtanto ang sitwasyon ngayon. It's him. It's always him who makes the situation complicated. At nakakainis dahil alam ko naman 'yon pero hindi ako makaalis alis nang tuluyan. I thought it's all done. But why am I coming back to this circle again? Why did I let this happen again?

"Ihahatid ba kita? Magcommute ka nalang."

I was busy reading the messages in our group chat when I heard Bri. Nilingon ko sya at ngumisi pa sya sa akin. I didn't tell him anything but he knows already.