"HOP IN!"
WE BOTH SAW ZOE inside the car. Nag looking-annoyed ang itsura ni Jea nang makita nya si Zoe. "No thanks, a taxi will be here soon." Mataray nyang saad kay Zoe. "Sige, si Jane nalang kung ayaw mo. Jane?" Nakangiti nyang tanong sa'kin. "Jea! Let's go!" Aya ko sakanya habang hinihila ko sya papalapit ng kotse. "Ma'am, bawal po dito magsakay sa private cars." Suway nung guard samin pagkalapit. "Ay sorry po kuya, paalis na po." Sambit ko sa driver.
Napilitan sumakay si Jea sa loob dahil sa sinuway na nga kami.
Nasa likuran kaming dalawa ni Jea ngayon, magkatabi.
"Why are you still even there? Are you a stalker? Are you waiting for us?" Mataray na sunod-sunod na tanong ni Jea kay Zoe.
"Easy! You can look at my trunk later pagbaba. I bought some things and i didn't expect the line. Sobrang haba. It's a coincidence, really." Zoe's really nice, kasi kahit mataray at rude na 'yung tone of voice ni Jea, nakukuha nya pa ring ngumiti.
"Teka, may i know ba kung bakit laging galit sa'yo si Jea?" I suddenly remembered na naputol 'yung sinasabi ni Jea sa'kin nung nasa Tagaytay kami. Actually, hindi naman sya laging galit. Simula lang nung naging close kami ni Zoe, dun lang sya laging galit at annoyed kay Zoe.
Ewan ko ba sa bruhang babaeng 'to, unpredictable ang mood.
"Actually, we're---"
"You know what? You can pull over kung pati private life ko, hahalungkatin nyo." I looked at her awkwardly, ganon rin si Zoe. She looked at her using her rear view mirror.
"Relax dude!"
"Pull over!" This time, she's shouting already but Zoe looks so calm pa rin.
Well, she needs to be calm dahil she's driving.
"Don't pull over, Zoe. Nasa gitna tayo ng highway! Umayos ka nga Jea! Stop acting like a child!" Sinasagad kasi ako eh.
Bakit kasi sa ganitong paraan pa ako kailangan sagarin?
"And now i'm the one who's acting like a child?! Wow!" Sobrang ingay na ng loob nitong kotse ni Zoe. Palipat-lipat na ng tingin samin si Zoe.
Me, the road, and kay Jea.
Kinalaunan, kami nalang rin ang pumigil sa mga sarili naming mag-away. Maybe dahil natatakot si Zoe na mag interrupt sa away naming dalawa ni Jea.
Hindi kami nagpansinan after that.
Nagpababa ako kay Zoe sa mismong tapat ng bahay namin and unexpectedly, sumunod sa pagpasok ko sa loob si Jea.
"Oh, bakit sumunod ka pa? Nang-aaway ka ah?" Kapal ng mukha ha.
"Excuse me, ikaw ang inaway ko and not your parents. Can you please step aside? You're blocking my way." She waited but instead na umalis ako sa way nya, mas lalo pa akong nang-asar sakanya.
Kaya siguro tinulak nya ako sa gilid.
"You motherfucker!!!" I shouted, cursing at her. She didn't look back but instead, pumunta samin sina Manang Dory.
"Oh Jane! Janella! Ano meron?!" Nagp-panic nilang tanong sa'kin. "Nothing!"
Shit... Nasigawan ko sila.
Anyways, that doesn't matter to me now. Nakakainis kasi 'tong babaeng 'to, napaka unpredictable ng ugali!
Ang kapal pa kamo ng mukha para mag-stay rito matapos ba naman akong awayin?
Pumasok nalang ako sa dati kong room dito na katabi lang ng room nya.
Pwede ko syang bulabugin sa kabila dahil nasa kabilang room sya ngayon.
What if guluhin ko sya habang nagpapahinga sya?
Tama.
Mamaya ka lang talaga sa'kin, wag ka pa mag-apologize at hindi ka makakapag-pahinga.
"You're so stubborn." I said with an annoyed voice of mine. "Eh sorry, they're disrespecting you eh. Syempre as your friend, i don't want that to happen." She's really is the sweetest friend of mine.
Actually, hindi na friend of bestfriend ang turing ko sakanya eh.
Kapatid na.
Actually, i can't explain how i feel about Jea. I feel like meron pang mas lalamang sa kapatid na turingan na turing ko sakanya eh.
I really just can't say it out loud nor name it.
I just feel like, there's something else.
"Next time, just don't mind them, alright?" Binully kasi sya dahil there's a rumor going in the campus na we're together raw kaya lagi kaming magkasama.
They said na she's kadiri because we're both women. They said na she seduced me.
Na hindi kami bagay.
I mean, kung ako papipiliin kung si Jea ba over them, i'd choose Jea to be my lover. Kilala at tanggap sya ng family ko at isa pa, i know her better than anyone and she knows me better than anyone too.
We both know each other too good na nasa point na kami na nir-rumor na kaming mag-girlfriends.
Do some boys are really scared na mawalan ng maliligawan?
Dahil naaagaw ng mas better sakanila?
They know to themselves na they couldn't treat any woman better kaya they are jealous sa mga babaeng nagmamahal ng kapwa nila babae.
Yes, i don't see anything wrong with loving a same sex of yours.
Those homophobic bullies are the one na mali.
"My parents will know about this." I said, pero Jea's too kind enough para ilayo sa mga lalaking 'yun.
Imagine, they pushed Jea na walang ginagawa sakanila.
Nang medyo makalayo na kami, tsaka lang sya ulit nagsalita. "You don't have to do that, Jane. It's fine and i'm fine. Alright?" She smiled at me but i can see her pain in her eyes.
"Jane." She called me.
I looked at her in her eyes.
"I love you." She said while smiling at me softly. I smiled at her softly too and said, "I love you too, sister." We both hugged each other.
Shit, i found myself daydreaming again. Why do i keep getting flashback, ngayon pa na nandito si Jea?
Dati, sobrang nagpakahirap sya para lang um-oo ako maging girlfriend sya. 'yun nga lang, secretly.
Dahil katulad ng flashback kanina, binu-bully sya sa ganon. Na nilason nya raw utak ko.
Kaya naging kami secretly. Dahil una, takot kami sa judgement and pangalawa, baka kung anong maisip nila mama at papa pag nalaman nila at paglayuin pa kaming dalawa.
That time rin, hindi naman nagdududa samin si mama at papa dahil sanay naman na silang makita kaming dalawa na laging magkasama.
Lalo na sa iisang kwarto.
Parang nung naging kami ni Jea, walang nagbago eh. Naging girlfriends at bestfriends kami.
But it's really nice to have her as my girlfriend at that time, kasi i can call her mine.
Noon.
That's a flex noon dahil parehas kaming campus crush, but it's also something na we couldn't flex. Kaya nga siguro kami nagkaroon ng rumor na ganon dahil hindi kami ganon ka-close sa iba naming mga kaibigan.
And jealous peeps rin ang gumawa ng rumors about us.
I suddenly remember Alex Till.
He's one of my friends, maliban kay Lex. Si Alex naman 'yung tumutulong sa'kin during college dahil magkaiba kami ng course na kinuha ni Jea.
Jea's jealous of him noon. Jea had almost switched her course for me, para raw mabantayan nya ako.
Pero syempre, hindi namin sya pinag-aawayan dahil Jea knows how much i loved her.
He's in the US right now. Fil-Am kasi sya. His family and him are living in the US now. He's still contacting me through my social media account.
Actually, nagkaroon na rin kami ng rumor eh. Akala nila he's my boyfriend dahil nga nagkita kami 2 years ago sa cafe, near my penthouse.
Pinagalitan pa nga ako nila mama dahil nakikipag "date" raw ako kung kani-kanino ng hindi nila alam.
26 na ako ngayon pero kailangan ko pa ring magpaalam sa parents ko.
Well, hindi naman nakakasama sa'kin pagiging strict nila. In fact, mas nakakabuti pa nga dahil alam ko na they care about me kaya ganon sila.
Mas nakakabuti dahil para kung may mangyaring masama sa'kin (wag naman sana), alam nila kung saan ako hahanapin.
*Knock-knock*
"Who's there?" I said, asking to the person na kumakatok. "Janella." I can hear how annoyed her voice is.
Pagtripan ko kaya?
"Janella who?"
"Just open the door, Jane." Never, hangga't hindi ka naiinis.
"Wala namang Janella dyan. You should've said Jane, not Janella." Pinipigilan ko 'yung tawa ko.
Nang biglang nanahimik ang kabilang side ng pinto.
"Are you still there?"
"Who?" She answered.
"You." I answered back.
"You who?" Ha? Ano raw?
Napatawa nalang ako sa ka-cornyhan nya.
"Siraulo ka, ang corny mo! Mali ka naman eh!" I opened the door and found her smiling.
Natahimik kami for a second tapos we both cleared our throats. "Ehem! I- uhh--" seconds lang ang pagitan ng pagkasabi nyan.
"Kumain ka na?" This time, we both asked each other on time. "ikaw muna." Sabay nanaman.
"Are you copying me?" Wtf, bakit ba kami nagsasabay ngayon?
Tumigil ulit kaming dalawa for a second. Hinihintay ko syang magsalita pero hindi sya nagsasalita.
Baka hinihintay rin ako.
Thank goodness at nag-ring 'yung phone ko. "Wait lang ah." Paalam ko sakanya. "You can enter my room by the way." Saad ko sakanya habang naglalakad ako papunta sa kama ko para kunin ang phone ko.
She entered my room carefully. I saw how she walks carefully, bago ko tingnan kung sino 'yung natawag sa'kin.
I smiled a little.
I saw my manager's calling me.
Baka mangangamusta lang sa'kin dahil nga dapat may meeting kami ngayon na kasama kaming dalawa ni Jea.
Dun sa upcoming GL tv series ata 'yun or movie.
Or baka pagagalitan ako? Well, i'm pretty sure for about 10% na hindi ako pagagalitan dahil valid naman reason ko.
"Yes?" I answered the phone and ayan ang bungad ko. "How are you Jane? Are you alright na ba?" Sabi ko na nga ba di ako pagagalitan ni manager eh.
"Ayos na po ako. Ba't ka pala napatawag manager?" Alam ko kasi na paiikutin nya 'yung sasabihin nya bago nya sabihin 'yung dapat nyang sabihin.
I don't really like that, gusto ko straight-foward. Maybe that's also the reason why i liked Jea dati. She's so straight-forward na minsan torpe.
Minsan, hindi ko na rin naiintindihan sarili ko eh. Straight-forward na torpe? Ano raw?
"About sa upcoming gl movie nyo... Shoot nyo na next week and may 50% bad news ako for you." 50% bad news? Bakit hindi pa nya ni-100% eh bad news lang rin naman?
Sagarin na natin.
"Please manager, don't leave me hanging." I said with an annoyed voice. Napansin ko na napansin rin ako ni Jea kaya napatingin sya sa'kin at umupo sa tabi ko, dito sa kama.
"What is it?" Tanong nya.
Nag-wait sign ako sakanya.
Biglang inend ni manager 'yung call sa hindi ko malamang reason.
Meron ba akong dapat ikakaba?
I tried calling my manager back pero... "I'm sorry, you don't have enough load balance to make this call." I think Jea heard that and i also heard her giggle.
"What are you giggling about?" I rolled my eyes on her.
Kung alam nya lang kung gaano na kalapit matanggal ang mata ko kakaikot ko ng mata sakanya. Nakakaasar kasi sya minsan.
No, not minsan. Nakakaasar sya palagi.
She annoys me so freaking much.
"Nothing." Matipid nyang sagot habang nakangiti sa'kin. "What did your manager said?" Tanong nya naman sa'kin.
"Wala, bad news raw. 50% lang naman raw na bad news so hindi naman siguro ganon kalala." Sagot ko sakanya.
She looks worried kaya syempre i assured her. "Wala 'yun, dapat nga ako lang nagmumukhang worried ng ganyan diba? Ako 'yung makaka-recieve ng 50% bad news na 'yan. Relax." Para naman akong nagpapakalma ng girlfriend nito, jusmiyo marimar.
She smiled at me softly. At this point, hindi ko na alam ang mararamdaman ko. Kung magw-worry pa ba ako dun sa 50% na bad news na 'yun or i'll keep on comforting her about not to worry that dahil ang cute nya pag ngumingiti sya.
She looks like she's still the teenager Jea that i knew.
The soft and innocent one.
Ewan ko ba, ever since na nakita ko sya dun sa reunion parang nag-iba na rin aura at dating nya for me.
Naging mas fierce and bold na.
If you know what i mean.
I mean i like her aura ngayon, don't get me wrong. Pero mas bet ko pa rin 'yung noon dahil ang chill lang.
Ngayon kasi nakaka-intimidate ang aura nya.
And it excites me for some reasons na hindi ko rin alam kung ano.
"Jane? Are you okay? Why are you looking at me like that?" Shit, natulala ako sakanya.
Bakit ngayon pa na kaming dalawa lang rito sa kwarto ko?
"Jane, Janella, handa na ang gabihan." Sakto namang sumilip saamin dito sa kwarto si Manang Dory.
What a life saver.
Ay oo nga pala, i need to apologize to them dahil i shouted at them earlier.
Pagkaalis ni manang Dory, nagsalita uli si Jea. "The reason why i came here is, i need you to apologize to them." Mage-explain pa sana sya pero hindi ko na sya hinayaang mag-explain pa. I know what i did and alam ko rin na mali 'yun, that's why babawi ako mamaya sakanila.
Basta, ako na bahala dun kung pa'no ko sila babawian in a good way.
Sana lang talaga hindi ko makalimutang mag-apologize sakanila. Makakalimutin pa naman akong tao.
"I know. Just watch and learn." Mayabang kong sabi sakanya na may pakindat pa at smirk.
"We'll see about that." Saad nya habang sinasabayan akong maglakad palabas ng kwarto ko.
Nang nasa mesa na kami, napansin kong wala pa si mama at papa.
"Where are they?" Tanong ko. "Wala pa sila Ja-neh, sabi nila mal-late lang sila ng konti." Tumango-tango ako dahan-dahan pero bago pa umalis si manang Dory, nilakasan ko na loob ko at nag enhale exhale na ako.
Jea's laughing at me on the other hand.
Kaya mo 'to Jane, kaya mo 'to.
"Manang..." I finally called her.
Lumingon sya sa'kin. "Can you please call ate Emma and ate Karen? I have something to say."
Agad nya namang tinawag si ate Emma and ate Karen na mukhang nagtatampo nga talaga sa'kin. "Look, i'm sorry that i shouted earlier. I was just annoyed at Jea earlier." Napatingin sa'kin si Jea tapos hinampas ako sa braso.
"You're putting the blame on me?!" Galit nyang tanong sa'kin habang nakakunot nanaman ang kilay nya.
"Inaano ka na naman dyan?! Totoo naman ah!" I laughed at her and teasing her habang sina Manang Dory nanonood samin ng nakangiti.
Bumalik ang atensyon ko sakanila. Nags-sorry pa pala ako.
"Again, i'm sorry." I said with an apologizing look on my face. "Ayos lang 'yun, lahat naman tayo may bad days iha. Hinihiling lang namin na sana ganyan nalang kayo palagi ni Janella." Manang Dory said and smiled to the both of us.
I hope so too, manang. I hope so too.
"Do you want to join us?" Tanong ko sakanila. "Hindi na Jane---"
"No manang and ate's. Jane and i insist. Eat with us." They sat with us pero nasa harapan namin silang tatlo.
Kami ni Jea ang magkatabi.
"Well well well! You guys looks so good together!" Nsrinig ko ang natutuwang boses ni papa na paparating dito samin.
"Pa!" I smiled. He kissed me on my cheeks and he also did it to Jea.
Umupo silang dalawa ni mama, habang sina Manang Dory tumayo sa kinauupuan nila sa harapan namin.
"Oh, bakit kayo tumayo?" Tanong ni mama sakanila. "Eh kasi ma'am dito po pwesto nyo at maids lang po kami."
"Hindi lang kayo maids "lang", pamilya na rin namin kayo. Sa kabila kayo umupo. Sabay-sabay na tayong kumain." Ikinatuwa naman 'yun nina manang Dory, ate Emma at ate Karen kaya umupo ulit sila katabi ni mama.
Kami pa rin ang magkatabi ni Jea sa kabilang side habang ang side naman ni mama ay puno na nila manang Dory.
"Ma, how's work pala?" I asked. "Very busy actually. Me and your father don't think we can make it home by tomorrow. There's loads of work na nakatambak." I see. I think umuwi lang silang dalawa dito para ipaalam samin 'yan.
"Well okay, but i want you both na alagaan ang sarili even though busy sa work ha?" I said strictly na parang ako ang nanay nilang dalawa.
"Opo, nay." My father said sarcastically.
"Oo nga pala Ja-neh, Alex will be here tomorrow---"
"ALEX TILL?! MA! 3 YEARS NA KAMING HINDI NAGKIKITA! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT EARLIER PARA NAMAN NAKAPAG PREPARE AKO?!" Annoyed kong sabi kay mama pero hindi ako sumisigaw. Slight lang siguro. Shocked rin kasi ako.
"Relax, Ja-neh. Bukas pa naman 'yun---" i cutted her words off again by speaking. "But ma---"
"Can you let me finish Jane Florence?" Tinaasan na ako ng kilay ni mama kaya natahimik ako.
"He said na he'll be here by 5pm naman, so you still have time to prepare. Dito raw sya mag stay for one week dahil he's gonna be a part of the board soon ng company natin." Wow, there's a lot of surprises ngayong gabi.
"Who's Alex Till?" Tanong ni Jea out of confusion. "Alex, my friend."
"Ohhhhh that Alex!" Tinaasan nya rin ako ng kilay, nagtataka nga ako kung bakit eh.
"Oo nga pala Ja-neh, we'll be having a dinner tomorrow at 6pm, you better invite that woman that we bumped kanina!" Is my mother talking about Zoe? Oh god, please no.
"Sino?" Tanong ni papa. "Sino nga 'yun Ja-neh? Jo---"
"Zoe tita, Zoe Lopez." Sagot ni Jea. I was about to answer that pero inunahan nya ako.
Is that a good thing?
"Oh, Lopez rin?" Tanong ni papa. "Bakit pa, may kilala ba kayong Lopez?" Tanong ko kay papa bago ako uminom ng tubig. "Si Janella!" I choked on the water that i was drinking.
Buti at hindi ko nabuga sa katabi ko.
Hahawakan sana ako ni Jea habang nagtatanong sya. "Are you okay?"
I nodded.
She rolled her eyes on me with a disappointed look on her face.
Oo nga pala, Janella Maxine L. Salvador nga pala sya. Why haven't i noticed and remembered it? Ganon na ba talaga ako makakalimutin nowadays?
Sabagay, marami ring bumabagabag sa'kin and marami ring works kaya siguro nakalimutan.
Gusto ko sana mag apologize sakanya kaso baka lalo lang syang magalit kaya hindi na.
Hindi ko pinahalata na nakalimutan ko kahit alam kong nahalata na nya kanina.
---
KINABUKASAN, AS EXPECTED, mas busy ngayon ang mga tao dito sa bahay dahil sa pagdating ni Alex at ni Zoe. Ang aga palang pero pine-prepare na nila 'yung mga gagamitin nila mamayang tanghali. Sumilip kasi ako sa kitchen dahil iinom sana ako ng water. Kasunod naman si Jea na pumasok dito sa kitchen.
"Good morning Manang Dory, ate Karen and ate Emma." She said smiling. Inagaw nya sa'kin 'yung pitsel that i was pouring onto the glass.
Medyo natapon tuloy ibang water.
Jeez.
"Ako ba walang good morning?" I said flirting with her habang umiinom ako ng tubig sa glass ko na half empty.
Tinabig nya 'yung glass of water ko habang iniinom ko, and that's the reason why i spilled some onto my shirt.
"What the?!" I surprisingly said na medyo annoyed sa ginawa nya.
Shit that's cold!
"Sorry, didn't mean to. I must have meant it." She then walked out of the kitchen with a smirk on her face.
That annoying bitch!
Sya na nga nilalandi ko, aayaw pa ba sya? I mean, ako na 'to oh?
Jusmiyo marimar talaga.
Oh, i have to call Zoe pa nga pala. Nalimutan ko syang i-inform about sa event ngayon dahil nakatulog na agad ako pagdating ko sa kwarto ko.
I texted her.
"Come at my house by 5:30.
my mom invited you to have
dinner. ;)"
Seen.
I don't know why but i feel so much extra today. I feel like flirting. Ewan ko ba, tuwing darating nalang si Alex dito ganito ako lagi. I mean, extra lagi ganon.
"Why didn't you said
that to me last night?
i'm not prepared :("
Seen.
"Wear something formal
but not too formal, okay?
baka naman mamaya mag
gown ka dyan."
Seen.
I added a roll eyes emoji. She then reacted 'haha' on my message.
"Will do. See you later
Jane ;)"
Seen.
Oh my god, why did i send a wink emoji at her? I literally forgot that Jea and her are related. Silly me.
Anyways, i'm thinking what to wear. I want to wear something revealing pero ayoko naman na masapok ako ni mama mamaya.
She doesn't want to see me wearing something revealing. Kahit cleavage nga lang kita halos kurutin na ni mama ang buong pagkatao ko pag nakita nya akong nakaganon eh.
Ayoko namang magmukhang kagagaling ko lang sa simbahan sa sobrang balot na balot ko.
So ano kaya?
What energy would i give for today?
Nagulat nalang ako nang biglang tumawag ang manager ko sa'kin.
Lumabas na muna ako ng kitchen tapos umupo ako sa may upuan dito sa hapag kainan namin.
"Yes my dear manager?" I sweetly said. "Sorry, hindi na kita natawagan last night Jane, nawalan ako ng load." I see.
Nawala rin sa isip ko kagabi dahil chinika ako ni Jea sa kwarto eh.
"Oo nga pala, nawala sa isip ko. Anong 50% bad news ba kasi 'yun? 'yung paparating ba si Alex dito sa Pilipinas? I don't think that's a bad news." Inunahan ko na sya. Baka kasi ayun 'yung sinasabi nya.
"That's not the 50% bad news."
"Eh bakit kasi paputol-putol Manager? Hindi ba pwedeng maging straight-forward ka sa ganyan? Baka mamaya maubusan ka nanaman ng load nyan." Annoyed kong sabi sakanya.
"Janella's going back to the US."
---