Ever After 4
"How's Skyline?"
"Nasa 38th floor na ang progress ng finishing, Sir."
"Good. Earlier than I expected. I'll be checking the Skyline site today. How about the SV Project?"
"Since approved na ang design na gawa nyo, we will start working on this project right after Skyline."
"When is the expected time to start for SV?"
"In two months, Sir."
"Alright. Good job. I'll call for another meeting after a month or before we start the SV Project. That's all everyone. You may now leave."
Isa isa ng nag-alisan ang board at ang heads ng mga projects ng company. I'm still a well-respected engineer and professionalism is on top of my priority. Hindi ako magiging highest paid engineer in the country and some part of the world for nothing. When it comes to work it's plain work. Pero may mga times parin syempre na tinatamad akong magtrabaho but these projects like Skyline and SV Project ay ang mga bagay na strict ako.
"I'm still not used to the Red dela Vega inside the conference room till now," Bianca said while she's busy getting all the papers she distributed during the meeting.
"Cool kase ko Biancs."
"I did not praise you, Sir."
"So what was it then?" I said smiling habang naglalakad palabas ng conference room. Nakasunod din sya sakin.
"It's plain observation," natawa na lang ako sa sagot nya. Dumeretso ako ng office ko at ganun din sya.
"I'll be out of the office the whole day, Biancs. Call me once urgent. Nasa Skyline lang ako."
"Alright Sir. Even if its on field it's considered work okay?"
"I know what you're about to say, Biancs. No need to remind me. Bye!"
She always reminds me not to flirt when in work. She's really something. Bumaba ako ng basement parking at kinuha na ang sasakyan ko. Ako lang ang may sports car na isang top executive. Madalas kasi kung hindi limo ang gamit nila eh mga tamed cars.
After an hour drive from the office I reached the Skyline. I just checked the floors and its progress. Halos tapos na sya and finishing na lang but since 50 floors to, inabot na rin ako ng maghapon checking on each floors. Mabilis naman tumakbo ang maghapon ko and before I knew it, its past 7pm already. Sumakay ako ng elevator at dumeretso ng rooftop. It's time.
"Hi Starr. How are you there? I badly miss you," natawa ko sa sarili ko. When I'm at Skyline and its nighttime dito ko nagpapalipas ng gabi talking to stars. Weird ba? When I'm here, I feel that I'm closer to her, to my dearest stars. When I look at those, I can see her.
"Three years na pala noh? Ang bilis ng panahon. When will I see you? Naiinip na nga ko. Kaw kasi hindi ka tumupad sa pangako mo."
My phone vibrated. When I look at the caller id number lang ang nagregister.
"Hello?"
"Hi Red. It's been a long time. It's me," I fell silent for about a minute when I heard that familiar voice. Di ko yan makakalimutan even after three years.
"Yes. Are you back here in the country?"
"Yes. For good."
"That's nice to hear. Kelan ka pa nakabalik?"
"Three days ago lang. Sorry for not keeping in touch."
"I understand."
"Are you free tonight? Let's have dinner," I glanced at my wristwatch.
"Sure. Where are you? I'll pick you up."
"No need. See me at Kiosk. Nasa Skyline ka daw sabi ng secretary mo? Malapit lang naman to dyan."
"Alright. I'll be there in 10 minutes. See you."
I smiled before leaving the Skyline. Since malapit lang ang Kiosk siguro wala pang 10 minutes nandun na ko. Wala din namang traffic kaya mabilis lang. I asked for her reservation at nakita kong andun na pala sya. I think she's already there ng tumawag sya sakin. I went to her table and hugged her tight.
"It's so nice to see you again, Red."
"Welcome back...Shen."
She left the country as well halos kasabay lang ng pag-alis ko din ng bansa a month after her death. Nagpaalam naman ako sa kanya pero yun na ang huling pag-uusap namin.
"How's Paris?" I asked right after our dinner was served.
"Great, and lots of things happened. Masaya dun at sobrang ganda. What happened when you fly to Australia back then?" she asked while slicing her steak.
"Okay naman," tipid kong sagot. Australia witnessed so many hardships I went through. Natahimik naman sya sa sagot ko.
"Red, I'm so sorry."
"For what?"
"For everything...I guess," naguguluhan ako sa pinagsosorry nya pero hindi na ko nagtanong pa. Baka tungkol lang to sa hindi nya pag reach out when she died. I don't know but let's just leave it that way.
"I don't wanna hear that word since she started hating that word either, Shen. So don't say that to me again."
"I just want to tell you even for once, Red. I guess I owe you one...really."
Natapos kaming magdinner at nagpasyang maglakad lakad na lang. Hininto ko ang kotse sa may bay at naupo sa bench near the seaside.
"I want to know how are you for the past three years," she said pagkaupo namin. She's looking at the bay at ganun din ako. This is the topic I don't want to open yet. Natatakot akong balikan ang lahat ng sakit.
"I became so miserable when she died that I almost killed myself thrice. Would that be enough?"
"R-Red!"
"Kaso siguro ayaw pa ni Starr na makasama ko so I failed. Kaya eto ko buhay na buhay pa rin." A laugh escaped from my lips.
"How can you joke something like that, Red? Of course she doesn't want you to do that."
"Hindi mo naman ako masisisi diba? She promised that she'll come back. Yes she did but she came back without life."
"I know she didn't want to leave you, Red. I sufferred too. Sobra din akong nasaktan sa pagkawala nya pero alam kong walang wala yun sa sakit na naramdaman mo."
"I know. We have our means of coping up."
"H-How are you living now, Red? Without her? I know how you love her way back then. Kahit noon pa na hindi mo pa matanggap sa sarili mo na mahal mo na sya. I was there and I helped you realized that. But now? Seeing you right now, it seems like...like you're over her."
"Since that day I started to fall for her I woke up expecting and wanting to see her face kahit pa hindi ko pa masabi na mahal ko sya because of Fia. And when she died without me telling her how much I love her, para na ring namatay ang puso ko kasama nya. You saw that did you? Kaya a year after her death, hindi ko alam kung pano magsisimula. Alam mo yung gumigising ako everyday maalala kong wala na kong dahilan para mabuhay? Isang taon akong miserable. And that third time I survived from my suicide attempt at buhay parin ako, I realized that she doesn't want me to die. So I tried another option. And this is what I am now, a casanova. But that doesn't mean na kinalimutan at binura ko na sya sa buhay ko. Everyday I'm still living as if she's still with me and I'm adopting what she likes and doesn't like. I can't live without her, Shen. Siguro I'm a year miserable literally but the succeeding years being like this aren't good enough either. Nothing's good enough without her."
"I don't know if I should be happy that you can't live without my bestfriend or sad that you still can't free yourself being tied up with her promise. I don't know how to feel, Red."
"All you need to do is to be happy I'm still alive. Waking up each day for her kahit wala na sya."
"I want to show you something tomorrow. Pick me up here." she handed me her business card. "You'll see when we get there."