"SO YOU BROKE up with your man?" pang-aasar ni Lily sa kan'ya.
Padabog siyang umirap at sunod-sunod na uminom ng alak. Might as well empty Lily's pocket. Party naman ito. Free drinks!
Umiwas siya ng tingin nang makitang pumasok si Damien at Zadrick sa bar. Of course, this is Damien's own bar. Napatigil pa ang dalawa nang makita siya at bahagyang nagsikuhan.
"You know them?" tanong sa kan'ya ni Lily.
Tumango lang siya at hindi na tinapunan ng tingin ang dalawang lalaki.
May mga lumapit sa kanilang grupo ng foreigners pero tinataboy naman ni Lily. It's a good thing. Wala pa naman siyang lakas para paalisin ang mga ito.
Sobrang lasing na siya. Siguro dahil sa ilang oras niya sa bar ay halo-halo na ang iniinom niya. Lily didn't left her table. Baka daw bigla siyang mawala dahil wala pa naman siyang sense of direction.
She's actually expecting a party with lots of Lily's friends and acquaintances. Pero ngayon niya lang napagtanto na sila lang pala talagang dalawa. Paano, wala naman daw itong ibang friends. Nasa honeymoon somwhere din si Eli.
"Why did he broke up with me that way? Huh, Lily? Talagang sa message lang! He could've just talk to me in person! So I'll know his reason! Alam kong.. alam kong ako naman ang nag-open up ng bagay na iyon but it's been.. months, right? I just can't understand him! Do you think he met someone else? Kaya't hindi niya rin ako kinocontact? Because he's afraid that I'll get mad at him for cheating on me?"
Inagaw sa kan'ya ni Lily ang alak pero hinila niya iyon at agad na ininom.
"He's too unfair. I... I waited for him! Baka nga.. baka nga mas nakahanap siya ng mas maganda sa akin tapos.. tapos ngayon ay naroon siya kasama ang babae?"
Lily sighed. Siya naman ay naiiyak na talaga. How could he? Kaya niyang tumanggap ng break up pero hindi sa ganitong paraan! And she called him again but he's not answering! She just wanted a reason. Dahil kapag may rason na.. sa mga susunod na taon ay hindi na siya mababaliw kakaisip kung bakit.
She'll moved on fast. Hindi niya mamamalayang nakalimutan niya na ang lahat dahil tanggap niya ang rason. Dahil binigyan siya ng rason. Pero ngayong hindi.. at wala.. will she live the next years of her life seeking for a reason?
"Malay mo naman wala siyang babae. He just got so tired? He's mourning and doesn't have any time for romance? Baka naisip niya na mas mahihirapan ka kapag pinagpatuloy niyo ang relasyon niyo?" si Lily.
Sinamaan niya ito ng tingin. Napanguso naman ang babae.
"Kung ganoon diba.. bakit hindi siya ang magsabi ng rason? I called him! He didn't answer! Kasi kapag ako makikipaghiwalay sa kan'ya, sasabihin ko ang rason! Before I run away from him, I'll give him his rights to know! Dahil ganoon dapat! So we'll both gain a courage to move on from each other!"
Natahimik si Lily. Nang uminom ulit siya ng alak ay hindi na siya pinigilan ni Lily.
Kaya naman parehas na silang lasing. Naghahagikhikan na silang dalawa at pagkatapos ay magmumukmok ulit.
"Paano.. paano kung hindi nagawang sabihin ang rason dahil.. iyon ang tama?"
Pinitik niya ang noo nito. "Ano namang tama sa pagtago ng rason? To protect your lover? To protect yourself? Bakit.. bakit kailangang itago? Do you want the past to haunt you for life?"
"Well.. say that at that time.. that's the only thing you can do. "
Umiwas siya ng tingin. "Then why didn't you search for another way. That's the only thing you can do? There's a series of choices. You're just afraid to pick an option because you might be wrong. So you resort on choosing a way that is average. The one you already knew the conclusion. "
Lily chuckled. "You're always like that. Very straightforward. "
Her eyelids getting heavy. Pero pinipigilan niya ang sarili na makatulog dahil parehas pa naman silang lasing ni Lily.
"Because I am brave to say it straight. I don't want any rollercoaster or a zigzag life. "
Kelly rolled her eyes when Zadrick went to their way. She's starting to get annoyed. Baka kasabwat ni Caleb 'to.
"I'll take you home, Kelly. And your friend. "
She glared at him. "Siguro ay alam mo na niloloko ako ni Caleb, ano? Is it fun hearing me pleads to you and your friends about Caleb whereabouts? I asked you so many times. Sa mga panahon bang iyon ay alam niyo na ang ginagawa ni Caleb sa akin?"
Kumunot ang noo nito. "What are you talking about—
"He broke up with me! Suddenly! Where's your friend, huh?! Tell me where he is so I can slap him for once!"
Napabuntung-hininga ito. "You're drunk, Kelly. " Tumingin ito kay Lily. "Hey, Kelly's friend. Tell your friend here that she should go home. "
Pero nagulat siya nang iripan rin ito ni Lily.
"No. We're staying here. We can't trust the friend of the guy who dumped my bestfriend! Sabihin mo na kung nasaan si Caleb na 'yan! I'll slap him too! How dare he?!"
Naiiyak tuloy siyang humarap kay Lily. "Right. We can't trust this man. I'll.. I'll call my bodyguards! And police! He's a doctor you know? He's knowledgeable about human body.. " Nanlaki ang mata niya. "He might.. he might abduct us for human trafficking?"
Nanlaki din ang mata ni Lily at sabay silang naiyak. "No.. no.. I'll call.. I'll call my bodyguards, too!"
Napasapo sa noo si Zadrick bago naglabas ng cellphone.
"Stay put. I'll call your boyfriend, " sabi nito.
"Ex.. " she corrected. Mas lalo siyang naiyak nang maisip na sasagutin ni Caleb ang tawag. Bakit sa kan'ya hindi sinasagot? Ano 'to? Favoritism? I thought I was his favorite?!
"Hey. Are you decent? I'll bring your girlfriend there. She's kind of stubborn. No.. she doesn't want to go home. She's with her friend. Yes.. no one went near her. "
Talagang sinagot ni Caleb?! Baka hindi talaga ito nambabae! Baka nanlalaki! And he's cheating on me with Zadrick!
"I'll take you to Caleb, Kelly. So stand up because I don't want to lay even my fingers on you. I don't want to be killed anytime soon. "
Lily glanced at her. "You can slap Caleb if you'll go with him! Or even punch and kick him!"
Tumango-tango siya. Medyo nagugustuhan ang ideya.
Medyo sober naman sila parehas ni Lily kaya't sa tamang condo naman nakauwi si Lily. Pasuray-suray pa itong bumaba sa kotse. Malikot nitong kinuha ang cellphone sa bag at kinuhanan ng sunod-sunod na litrato si Zadrick ganoon din ang plaka ng sasakyan.
"If Kelly suddenly went missing, I'll put you in jail. Akala mo ikaw lang ang mayaman? I'm rich too! I'll use all of my connections to punish you!"
Dahil nga medyo nawawala na ang kalasingan niya, nag-uumpisa na siyang mahiya sa mga pinagsasabi ni Lily.
"Kelly's pretty so you might take advantage of her! I'll really kill you if you will! My mom has an army! Nasa France iyon but.. they can take the plane! All of them!"
Zadrick sighed again. Namumula na rin siya sa hiya. Lily won't say this in her normal basis!
"Don't worry, Miss. I'm not interested with her at all. I like someone else. "
Tahimik lang siya sa buong biyahe. Hindi niya alam kung saan siya dadalhin ni Zadrick. Paano.. hindi niya magawang tanungin dahil buong oras yata itong may kausap sa cellphone.
"I'll take her to Caleb before I go to the airport. Can catch up the flight.. " rinig niya.
Hindi naman siya chismosa pero dahil wala siyang magawa, medyo naging curious siya sa pinag-uusapan at kausap nito lalo na at nabanggit si Caleb.
"Yeah, she's fine. Don't worry. "
Nang hindi niya mahulaan kung sino ang kausap nito ay sumuko na lang siya. Nakikisakay na nga lang siya sa sasakyan tapos makikichismis pa siya!
Tumunog ang phone niya at nakitang nagmessage si Freesia. It's a picture of a narrow pathway with beautiful trees both side. There's a big sign on the road with a writings of Welcome to Switzerland.
So Freesia's on Switzerland?! Parang noong isang araw nasa Finland iyon ah?!
Freesia:
I'm alone here :(
Freesia:
I watched a piano recital earlier and went to the chocolate stores. But I'm still so bored. Are you still busy? I need a companion :(
Freesia:
Maybe you want to travel, too! I'm going to Slovenia next week! Heard there's a lot of good mountains, lakes, and glaciers there!
Napanguso na lang siya dahil talagang interesado siya sa ganoon pero hindi naman niya alam kung dapat bang iyon ang unahin. And is it fine to stay friends with your ex's friend? I mean, wouldn't it be too uncomfortable? Or if not, probably, there will be a gap, right?
Anyway, does Freesia already knew that Caleb broke up with me?
Ako:
I can't. Works lining up. You should ask your other friends. Maybe they're not busy?
She regretted what she replied. Wala nga pala itong friends! Na babae! Well, boys would be fine. Pero kapag kayo lang, hindi ba awkward? Although Freesia said that she never like anyone from them and it was all platonic. But they're adults and well..
Freesia:
Don't have any girl friends. Boys would be boring. And they're all busy with their lives.
Kelly bit her lip and thought of the best words to reply. Wala siyang maisip kaya't nagbiro na lang siya.
Ako:
Get yourself a boyfriend so you have someone on your trips! Nandiyan ka na rin naman sa ibang bansa, then get a foreigner! Mas maganda kung adventurous. Para naman may kasama kang suungin ang Ilog Nile!
Natawa siya sa nireply.
Hindi niya parin matanong si Zadrick kung malapit na sila dahil may kausap parin ito. Tiningnan niya na lang ang sarili sa maliit na salamin na dala kung maayos ang mukha niya. She doesn't want to look like a broken hearted girl in front of Caleb! May pride pa naman siyang natitira!
Freesia:
I actually like someone else now. We should really meet so you can teach me how to pursue him.
Namamangha at gulat niyang binasa iyon. Itatanong pa sana niya kung sino pero biglang tumigil ang sasakyan.
Kumunot ang noo niya nang makitang nasa Batangas sila. Ano namang ginagawa ni Caleb dito? She was expecting a private house or something..
Nauna siyang bumaba sa sasakyan at luminga. She shrieked when Zadrick started the engine and drove away leaving her so dumbfounded.
"What am I? Google map? Did he expect that I'll see Caleb easily with this large province?!" inis niyang kausap sa sarili at nilabas ang phone para makita ang oras. It's 9pm! What the hell!
Ready na sana siyang magbook ng taxi para makauwi nang biglang may humablot sa kan'ya. Kabado niyang iwinaksi ang kamay nito at sinubukang lumayo. He's strong! Oh my god! This is Zadrick's fault!
I'll really burn his hospital if something happens to me!
"Hey, it's me.. "
Medyo kumalma siya nang mapagtanto kung sino iyon. She thought it's a random shit!
"Bitiwan mo nga ako!" asik niya. Although she felt relieved that it's Caleb, she can't still forget the break up!
"Damn you! Let go of me!"
Agad niyang nakita ang kabuuan ng mukha nito. He's wearing a cap but she knew it was him. His scent is still the same!
It's been months, huh?
Wala tuloy sa sariling naging emosyonal siya. Yes, she planned on slapping him the seconds she'll see him but she can't bring her self to do that now.
Ayaw niyang aminin pero hindi talaga niya kayang tuluyang magalit sa lalaki. She doesn't want a break up! She doesn't want to end their relationship! She doesn't want anyone else! She couldn't moved on easily!
"D-Did you get tired of me because I'm always working?" mahina niyang tanong.
Hindi siya sinagot ni Caleb at inabot lang ang palapulsuhan niya. Hinila siya nito papasok sa sasakyan at sinuotan ng seatbelt.
"It's late and cold outside. Ask me once we reach my place, " sabi lang nito at inumpisahang paandarin ang sasakyan. May pinatong itong paper bag sa kan'yang hita. Laman nito ay cardigan at pagkain. "I bought that for you. Medyo malayo pa tayo. You can take a nap too. "
Sumimangot lang siya at sinuot ang cardigan. It is really chilly. Maybe because it's a province? The temperature seems to be cold than usual.
"Eat something before you take the medicine. Your head aches, right? Drink a lot of water too so you won't dehydrate. Heard you drank a lot. "
Hindi na siya tumutol at ginawa na lang ang gusto nito. Talagang kanina pa nananakit ang ulo niya at parang gusto na lang niyang matulog.
Indeed, she woke up feeling uncomfortable with her head. It isn't that much painful but still kind of mushy. Napakurap siya nang magising sa isang estrangherong silid. Nilukuban siya ng takot pero nang malanghap ang pamilyar na amoy ay kumalma siya.
So this is his room?
Kelly can't help but to be curious with the room. Nang hawiin niya ang manipis na kurtina at buksan ang bintana, napangiti siya dahil akala niya ay matatayog na gusali o malalaking kabahayan ang makikita niya. Instead, a large hammock was on her sight and a smoking grill outside.
Inayos niya ang sarili at lumabas sa kwarto. Bumungad agad sa kan'ya ang maliit na sala. Walang masyadong kagamitan. Ni walang TV.
"You're awake?"
Napatingin siya sa likuran nang makita si Caleb doon. He was wearing a black cotton shorts and a white fitted shirt.
"I cooked breakfast. Want to eat now?"
Tumango na lang siya at sumunod dito. Ngunit napako ang tingin niya sa batang babae na nakaupo sa lamesa at kumakain. The kid looked up to her. Bakas sa mukha ng bata ang takot at agad na yumuko.