THIRD PERSON
Nasa mall si Jho namimili ng bagong gamit ni Nolan and Bella for summer kasi tapos na si Nolan sa school so bakasyon na niya. As she was picking Nolan's clothes someone recognized her
"Ate Jho?" Nica
Upon Jho's first glance, she was surprised to see Nica, Nico's younger sister
"Oh Nica" Jho smiles at Nica
"Ate" Nica sabay yakap kay Jho
Niyakap pabalik ni Jho si Nica
"Kumusta kana? Si lola, kumusta na? Sino kasama mo rito?" Jho
"Ate Jho, wala na si lola" malungkot na saad ni Nica
Jho felt a surge of empathy for Nico's family's loss
"Wait, k-kailan pa?" Jho
"Two days ago, ate. Kaya ako lumabas kasi hindi ko kayang nakikita si lola na wala na" Nica
"S-si kuya mo, kumusta?" Jho
Jho knows how close Nico is to his lola kase
"Hindi namin siya masyadong nakakausap, ate. Laging tulala at tahimik" Nica
Labis na pag-aalala ang naramdaman ni Jho for Nico
Night time
NICA
At the memorial chapel
Omg nandito si ate Jho, I smiled at her at nag smile rin siya sa'kin. Tapos lumapit siya samin kila mom and dad
"Good evening, tito, tita, my condolences po" ate Jho
"Thank you, Jho" mom
Ngumiti lang si papa kay ate Jho. Tapos pumunta si ate Jho kay lola, nakita ko syang nagpunas ng luha niya. Tapos hindi rin nagtagal ay bumalik siya sa amin
"Upo ka, Jho, upo ka" mom
Nagtabi kami ni ate Jho hehe
"Bigyan mo nga 'ko tubig" sabi ni dad sa relative namin then binigay ni dad yung bottled water kay ate Jho
"Sayang po, hindi man lang ako nakapagpaalam" Jho
"Maiintindihan niya yun, Jho, wag kang mag-alala" mom
Then kinausap pa ni mom si ate Jho hanggang sa nag decide na si ate na umalis kasi gabi na, uuwi pa raw kasi siya sa Batangas. Mom and dad offered na sa bahay nalang siya mag sstay muna, but ate Jho refused
NICO
Hours ago, Nica texted me na nasa chapel daw si Jho nakikiramay. Pinalipas ko ng konting oras bago ako mag text ulit kay Nica, asking her kung nandon pa ba si Jho pero offline na siya. Siguro naman umalis na si Jho sa mga oras na 'to
Habang naglalakad ako sa gitna sa may aisle papasok ay saktong naglalakad naman sa kabilang gilid si Jho palabas. And there, our eyes met; nagkasundan kami ng tingin
Akala ko nakauwi na siya.
Tapos bigla kong naisip na naiwan ko yung phone ko sa sasakyan. Kaya isinantabi ko muna ang tinginan namin ni Jho at bumalik sa car ko
While I was walking to the car, isang boses ang tumawag sa pangalan ko. A voice that I long to hear.
"Nics" Jho
I did not bother to look back and got into my car. Kinakatok niya yung window ng shotgun seat, pero hinayaan ko lang muna siya. I then turned on the engine kasi mainit sa loob
Nico wag kang bibigay.
JHOANA
Biglang nagopen ng konti yung door sa may shotgun seat, kaya pumasok ako sa loob
I think it's been three months since the last time I was with Nico this close enough. Mula nung araw na yun hindi ko na siya nakausap pa
"I'm so sorry for your loss"
I stopped for a moment. Silence filled inside the car, where I could almost only hear my heartbeat. Para lang akong hangin dito dahil deretso lang siya ng tingin
"Kumusta ka na?"
There's still no response from him
"Ah hehe, okay? I think I should go"
"No" malumanay niyang sabi and finally put his gaze on me
"Not yet" Nico added
NICO
Hindi ko inaasahan na mangyayari 'to as in. The moment I saw Jho, I felt so relieved. Nailabas ko sa kanya lahat ng sakit na nararamdaman ko sa pagkawala ng lola ko. Only Jho knows how vulnerable I am when it comes to my lola
"Nag-iiyakan na tayo dito. Nababaliw na yata tayo" Jho chuckles trying to light up the mood
"Ikaw, Jho. Kumusta ka? I heard about what happened between you and Bea"
Her smiles slowly faded. Mabilis kong binigyan siya ng tissue, patulo na yung luha eh. At hindi nga ako nagkamali, ayun umiiyak na
"Sorry, sorry hehe" Jho
"It's ok"
"Masakit siya, sobra" Jho
Tahimik lang ako and waiting for her to speak up
"I never imagined na magagawa yun ni Bea sa'kin. Siguro may mga pagkukulang ako sa kanya kaya niya nagawa yon" Jho
"Pero hindi yon dahilan para gawin niya yun, Jho"
"Nakipaghiwalay ako kahit hindi ako sigurado. Hindi ko kasi kaya ang mamuhay kasama siya na alam kong may iba" Jho
Napailing nalang ako thinking of what Bea did to Jho
Anong ginawa mo Bea.
"Yung mga bata, Jho. Pano sila?"
"Kaya ko" Jho and then she started sobbing
I can't help it. Lumapit ako sa kanya coming from the driver's seat to shotgun's at niyakap. I hold her, feeling her tears soaking into my shirt, her body shaking with each sob. It's painful, but it's also strangely comforting.
"Ano man ang mangyari, saan ka man magpunta, I will always be there, right within your reach, Jho"
"I m...missed you" Jho sobs
I love you, Jho
"Jho? Magkikita pa ba tayo?"
A week later
BEATRIZ
I'm back in the Philippines
I'm with mom right now because I need a mother's care. And here she also told me everything she knew about my family. Now I know where to find them
"Thank you, mom. Thank you for letting me know"
"Sorry, anak, kung tinago ko sa'yo. Please forgive me" mom Det
"You don't owe me an apology, mom"
I tried asking mom what Jho was up to, pero wala na raw siyang alam aside sa bago niyang trabaho. And also they rarely see the kids pala, may pinakita nga si mom na picture ni Nolan and Bella ayun napa-iyak na naman ako
"Mom, I'm not giving up on Jho. And I see one last thing that could help me fix my family. I need to talk to this one person"
"Who?" mom
"Mom, wag na. I don't wanna stress you out"
"Bea, mas ma sstress ako pag 'di mo sasabihin" mom
"Okay okay, it's Nico"
Mom sighed
"Mag-ingat ka" mom
"Of course"
Suddenly, my phone rang. I checked it, and it's Caitlin who's calling, but I pressed the end button. I don't have time for her. It's my family who should be put first.
CHRISTINE (Caitlin's mother)
*toot toot toot*
Pinapatay ni Bea yung tawag ng anak ko
"Nak, hayaan mo na. Nandito naman ako eh, at saka si Kalel tapos si Clarkie may kalaro na agad yung apo ko hehe"
"Ma, parang hindi ko kaya" Cait
Kabwunan na kasi niya ngayon pero wala yatang kaalam-alam si Bea
"Kaya natin. Ganyan talaga pag pamilyadong tao"
"Nakalimutan na niya yatang may anak siya" Cait
NICO
*phone call*
"Nica ha, magbayad ka"
May pinabiling drink kasi si Nica sa SB, mag drive thru raw ako
"Ayoko. May utang ka pa sa'kin ah. Sige, bayaran mo muna utang mo sa'kin, kuya" Nica
"Hahaha sige na nga, quits nalang tayo"
Call ended
"Nico" someone called me
Lumingon ako at laking gulat ko nang makita ko si Bea. Susuntukin na naman ba ako neto?
"I want us to talk, yung maayos" Bea
Napatango nalang ako
"Sa labas?"
"Okay" Bea
~~~~~
A/N: I apologize for any grammar errors you may have noticed. :)