Breaking Ice

Breaking Part: Twenty-nine

Hindi niya nakita si Dos ni isang beses man lang the whole time she was there. Sabi ni Uno pumunta daw ito sa bahay nila Alek. She was hoping to catch up with him pag umuwi ito but she couldn't wait naman hanggang gabi kaya umuwi nalang siya nang hindi man lang ito nakita. All she got was an "Ingat!" text from him the morning before her flight. Not to compare but it was dry compared to Cast's long good bye call na para bang mawawala siya ng ilang taon and Uno's super long text na puro paalala sa kanya to take care of herself and enjoy her vacation.

Ice managed to get food in her system nang makita niyang palapit si Elina. Isang malapad na ngiti ang salubong nito sa kanya. She was taken aback a little because Elina always greeted her with a fake smile. Did she master that over the years?

Ice can't be blamed kung hindi pa din nagbabago ang tingin niya kay Elina. All she can remember about her are the bad things. She remembers every bitter memory that comes along with the face of her cousin.

But... wait. Did they always resemble each other that much?

Ice tilted her head. Parang naka tingin siya sa sarili niya sa malayo. Up close Elina is like a taller, fairer version of her with short hair.

Natural lang na mag kahawig sila noong bata pa but now they could pass as siblings with the way they resemble each other.

"Hi! Sorry you had to wait long." Nakipag beso agad ito.

Ice doesn't know what to feel for a moment. Hindi niya alam kung anong pinag usapan ni Lex at Elina and what Elina thinks of her now. Did her cousin pity her? Na awa kaya ito sa kanila kaya ito pumayag?

"It's fine." Binigyan nalang niya si Elina ng tipid na ngiti hoping her haggard face will deliver the idea na sobrang pagod siya and she's not up for long conversations.

Pumunta agad sila kung saan naka park ang sasakyan nito and Elina rambled on how her coworker pisses her off kahit wala namang tinanong si Ice kung ano ang nangyari. Ice had to smile at that because Elina is as snarky as ever. Ang hindi niya lang inexpect ang mabilis na pag open up sa kanya ni Elina ng ganon.

Maybe Elina isn't the type to dwell on the past unlike Ice kaya madali itong nakikisama sa kanya ng ganon. Maybe it was too early to tell. Halos isang buong araw silang magkasama, ano kaya ang mangyayari?

     Hindi nagawang umidlip ni Ice during the ride to Santa Monica. Nag sight seeing nalang tuloy siya habang nakikinig pa din sa mga sinasabi ni Elina. Dumadagdag din naman siya sa mga kwento nito at sumasagot sa tanong kahit papaano. She was surprisingly easy to talk to if you look pass all the snarky remarks she makes about other people. Siguro wala lang talaga itong mapag sabihan.

Kwento ni Elina, she went to college somewhere in Santa Monica instead of staying in Los Angeles at her parents' home. Hindi naman daw ganon kalayo but she was glad to branch out early. Ice remembered Lex nang marinig niya iyon. Parehas ang dalawa na ayaw nang may magulang na palaging naka mata sa kanila. While Ice on the other wanted to be guided by her parents lalo na sa edad niya ngayon pero wala naman siyang magawa of her parents have other priorities. Inisip niya tuloy, what if sumama siya dito sa California? Will things turn out the way she wants it to? Maybe it will, but she guessed she won't be entirely satisfied. Her parents are workaholics, in the end mag-isa pa din siya. Tsaka hindi niya din makikilala ang mga kaibigan niya ngayon.

She gazed out the window when the car stopped at a stoplight, hiding her smile. The friends she left back home were like the fire that keeps her heart burning. The silver lining in all of her dark clouds.

But then, instead of feeling content, her chest hollow again.

A voice kept repeating inside her head.