How Do We Live?

Chapter 3: Dehydration Synthesis

We're in the city of Manila. The dark streets are illuminated by some lights hanging on the trees. Mukhang isang romantic venue ang parteng ito ng syudad. Ang katabing city hall ay matayog 'din lalo pa ang tore na may kulay pulang orasan doon.

Nadaanan pa naming ang iilang unibersidad na kasama sa U-Belt. I suddenly miss my alma mater on Taft Ave. Pakiramdam ko ay sobrang tanda ko na habang tinitignan ang mga unibersidad na iyon.

Medical field will really snatch you the luxury of time. But all I can say is it's worth all the years of repeatedly dying because of school works when you can save a person's life.

I look at him at prente lamang siyang naglalakad sa gilid ko. He's face is stoic at deretso ang tingin sa daan. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin sinusuot ang coat niya at inilagay lamang iyon sa aking dibdib. He and his words are really vulgar! Walang filter!

We stayed silent, not awkward, I guess. But silent while we walk under the street lights of Manila. Where not to close but we are not that afar either.

I suddenly wonder what would have happened if hindi nangyari iyon? What if nine years ago we could have done something to prevent things from collapsing into unfortunate faith.

Hindi ko na naman mababago ang nakaraan but the guilt trip and all those undead memories keeps haunting me like a fresh flesh alive in the back of my mind.

Huli na ng mapansin ko na halos nalakad na namin ang Intramuros. I can see the Puerto Real Gardens on the side and some of the field na visible sa fences sa tabi. The old and antique stone that comprises the entrance is nostalgic.

I suddenly feel sentimental ng mapagtanto kung bakit kami nandito... or at least recall what had happened between us in this place. Ang galing naman din niya pumili. Char ades ba ito? Guess what memory had happened here?

At mas lalong lumakas ang kabog ng dibdib ko ng maabot naming ang isang sikat na food chain. In red and white colors, amoy na amoy ko na agad ang chicken joy mula pa lamang sa labas.

Here, I thought that he would bring me to something fancy, pero heto kami nasa tapat ng isang fast food kung saan kami madalas kumain noon.

He didn't even ask me kung doon ko gustong kumain! Bigla akong nagsisi na hindi ako nagdala ng sarili kong pera and worse bakit ba ako sumama sa kanya!

He just entered the fast food chain ng hindi man lang ako inaantay. It's already past seven in the evening at halos mga estudyante ang laman noong fastfood, some in uniforms and some are civilians pero base sa lanyards nila they are all from some universities nearby.

Iyong mga babae ay halos mabali ang leeg ng tuluyan na kaming—siyang makapasok sa loob. Girls drool him, kahit humihinga lang naman siya at nakatayo doon.

"You find us a seat. I'll order the usual." He said and pave his way papuntang counter. Usual? Wow, ah. That's nine years ago. So much for usual.

Nakita ko pa na halos mag-unahan ang mga babae na pumila sa likod niya. He on the other hand is dozing off into another dimension dahil halos wala naman siyang pakialam.

I manage to take a sit on the table in the far corner, malapit sa bintana at tanaw ang labas. I look at the familiar Starbucks on the adjacent side of the road and feel nostalgic about everything.

"Here." I look at Rahim when he places the tray of food in front of me. Umupo naman siya sa tabi kong upuan kaya parang gusto ko na lamang idikit ang sarili sa salamin sa tabi ko because of his massive frame ay nagdidikit kami kahit pa may agwat na ng bahagya ang upuan namin.

Inilapag niya ang isang plato ng chicken joy sa tapat ko. The fries on my side and a cup of sundae samantalang ang soft drinks ay nasa kabilang gilid ko naman niya ipwinesto.