ARK'S KLEO

UNO

Kailan ba ako mananalo pagdating sa'yo?

12:15 am

"Hanggang kailan ba ako maghihintay sa'yo?" mahinang bulong ni Ark sa noo'y natutulog na kaibigan. Fuck, ba't ba niya sinabi 'yon? Mismong si Ark ay nabigla sa mga binitawang salita. Hindi ito pwede at alam niya 'yon. Kleo clearly isn't the type to date friends, and he's been vocal about it since day one. Doon pa lang, wala ng pag-asa si Ark.

12:07 am

It's been an uneventful twenty minutes since Ark arrived sa condo ni Kleo. They've been calling him for days and earlier tonight, he finally answered. Kung kaya't agad na nagtungo si Ark dito to check on him, only to find him sprawled across his bedroom floor.

Marahang nilibot ni Ark ang tingin sa kwarto ni Kleo. Sh*t. Napamura siya bigla ng malamang naglasing na naman pala ang kaibigan. Judging from the empty bottles of beer sa sala nito, marahil ay ilang araw na itong nagpapakalunod sa alak.

"What the hell, Kleo. Nakikita mo ba sarili mo ngayon? Ang gago mo", wika ni Ark habang sinisimulang linisin ang mga kalat nito. Ilang linggo ring di nagpakita si Kleo kina Ark after he caught his ex cheating on him. Magtatatlong taon na sana sila ng jowa niya this October kung hindi niya pa ito nahuli on the act. He was even planning to propose to Ria after finishing their masters degree next year. But shit happens, kaya heto at sinisimulan ng tapusin ni Kleo ang buhay niya by swimming and drowning in liquor.

1:45 am

"Ayyy fuckkk!" paos na wika ni Kleo pagkatapos nitong bumangon. Unti-unti na niyang nararamdaman ang sakit sa buong katawan. Ilang araw na rin siyang ganito, but who can blame him? He was devastated. Knowing Ria cheated on him was one thing, but catching her on the act broke him the most. Nakakagago yung sakit lalo na't di niya alam kung saan siya nagkulang at nagkamali.

Ark was busy washing dishes ng bigla niyang marinig ang kaibigang nagmumura sa kwarto nito. Sa wakas, gising na ang tropa niyang tanga. Ngumisi ito at nagsimulang magpakulo ng tubig.

2:10 am

"Oh, ito kape. Para naman magising ka na sa mga kagaguhan mo." wika ni Ark saka inabot yung tasa kay Kleo. Napamura bigla ang binata ng sinubukan nitong humawak sa tasa.

"Shit naman Ark! Ba't sobrang init niyan?"

"Tanga! Syempre mainit 'to. Kape nga di ba? Di naman ako informed na iced coffee pala ang hanap mo." sambit ni Ark at saka nilapag ang tasa sa tabi ni Kleo.

Kitang-kita ni Ark ang pamumugto sa mata ni Kleo kahit pa medyo madilim ang ilaw nito sa kwarto. Napabuntong-hininga na lamang ito sa sitwasyon ng kaibigan. He wasn't the same Kleo that Ark adored so much. Bakas sa mukha nito ang pagod at sakit. He was no longer the bright-eyed Kleo everyone admired. Isang wasak na Kleo na lamang siya ngayon.

"Arche..." mahinang tawag ng binata sa kaibigan. Nakakapanibago. It has been so long since he stopped calling Ark by his real name. Kung kaya't inirapan lamang siya nito at nagtaas ng kilay.

"I know you Kleo. Calling me by my real name just like that, I'm sure may hihilingin ka na namang favor. Just drop it. Hindi ako interesado." sabat ni Ark. Ang totoo'y gusto niyang malaman kung anong sasabihin nito but he couldn't trust himself well when it comes to Kleo. With him, he'll always be a willing victim.

"Ark, please help me. I want to win her back." seryosong wika ni Kleo. Nung mga oras na yun, walang nagawa si Ark kundi pagmasdan ang kaibigan. Di niya alam kung maaawa ba siya rito o magagalit. But one thing's for certain, his words are like knives stabbing Ark's whole being.

"Tangina mo, Kleo. She cheated on you... and you want her back? Lasing ka pa rin ba?" padabog na tanong ni Ark, concealing the hurt in his voice.

Kleo looked away from Ark's gaze. "Maybe I am. Pero willing akong i-overlook lahat. I just want her back, Ark. Di ko kaya..." biglang pumiyok si Kleo. He was already sobbing so hard bago siya napansin ni Ark. Gusto niyang magmura sa harapan ng kaibigan ngunit di niya magawa. Kleo's being unfair right now and Ark's falling for it, all over again.

"Fuck you, Kleo. Stop crying. Lalo kang pumapangit. If you want to win her back, di ka dapat nagkukulong dito..." Di na natapos pa ni Ark ang sinasabi dahil bigla siyang niyakap ni Kleo. He really hates being with him right now. He hates how Kleo makes him weak with the little attention he offers to him every now and then. Kleo's oblivious and he's always down for it.

"Arche..." he slowly whispered. Namamaga na ang mga mata ni Kleo but it didn't stop him from crying still. This time, it was not meant for Ria, but for Ark. He's been there for almost half of Kleo's life and was so good at keeping up with all of his bullshits. At kahit ngayon, he's still supportive even though it meant supporting Kleo's greatest shit yet. Gahd. He felt so lucky with him.

"Arche... Alam kong sobrang gago ng gagawin ko and you might even call me names for weeks but I don't know what I'd do without you. Kaya, thank you." He broke the hug between them at ngumiti sa kaibigan. Napabuntong hininga na lamang si Ark at biglang tumayo mula sa kama ni Kleo.

"Di pa rin ako nag-aagree sa gagawin mo Kleo, but I trust you. Kaya wag kang magpaka-bobo please lang. I don't even know how can you forgive her... just like that."

"I didn't---"

"Then what's this 'I-want-to-win-her-back' bullshit Kleo? What are you trying to do?"

Biglang kinabahan si Ark sa maaaring gawin ni Kleo. This is not the first time that he and Ria broke up. For the last three years, maraming beses na silang naghiwalay and each time they do, Kleo's the first one to apologize. But it was different this time, Ria cheated and she should be the one making apologies instead.

Silence.

The silence has been killing Ark's curiosity for the last five minutes. Hindi pa rin umiimik si Kleo sa tanong niya. Nanatili lamang itong nakaupo sa kama niya at iniinom ang kapeng lumamig na. Unti-unting bumilis ang tibok ng puso ni Ark ng marinig niya ang mahinang tawa ng kaibigan. Kleo's not on his usual self and it scared the hell out of Ark.

"What are you thinking Kleo..."

Nung mga oras na iyon di alam ni Ark kung tama bang tinanong niya si Kleo. He's starting to regret what he did after seeing Kleo smirk like a madman. Putangina, Ark.

***