Five hours travel later. . .
It's almost dark at medyo makulimlim pa ang panahon.
Here I am, standing outside the house na katabi lang ng tinirhan ni Twix noong mga panahong nagka-conflict sila ni King.
And yes. . . here I am, having the same dilemma as King had during those times.
Paano mo nga ba sisimulan and conversation sa taong ni hindi mo pala halos kilala besides the fact that you're in love with that person?
Paano mo kukumbinsihin ang isang tao na bumalik na bukod sa umalis na lang siya ng walang pasabi ay hindi mo pa sigurado kung nasa loob nga siya ng bahay na kanina mo pa tinitignan?
It's a simple house. . .and she'd been living here almost half of her life. It's too obvious na ayaw niyang mahanap siya ng kanyang ama dahil mas pinili niyang dito mag-stay kaysa magcheck-in sa hotel. . .considering that she's a rich man's daughter.
And how did she manage to support her living? I don't know. . .
There are too many things to know about her. . .too many things to discover. . .too many things na hindi ko alam tungkol sa kanya.
It was like having an affair with a ghost. . .
Pero wala akong pakialam kung sino pa siya, ang mahalaga ay masiguro kong nandito siya. . . so I can take her back to her father. . .to me.
But they need to talk.
Ilang Segundo pa ang nakalipas bago ko tinawid ang kalsada mula sa kabilang kalye kung saan ko ipinarada ang sasakyan.
Nasa tapat na ako ng gate na hindi ko alam kung kinapos sa height o talaga lang na masyado akong matangkad. Kitang-kita ko ang nasa kabilang panig ng gate, sarado ang main door.
Pinindot ko ang doorbell.
Wala akong narinig na kaluskos o mga yabag sa loob ng bahay.
I pressed again and again. . .
Wala pa ring sign na may tao sa loob.
Laglag ang mga balikat ko. Maybe she relocated her hiding place.
Madilim na ang paligid, kung may tao sa loob, naka-on na sana ang mga ilaw.
What if she just fell asleep?
Pinindot ko pa ang doorbell.
And for the last time, nothing happened.
"Ser, wala ho ang nakatira diyan sa ganitong oras."
Napalingon ako sa nagsalita. Isang maliit na ginang na medyo mataba ang pangangatawan, naka-duster ito at may akay na batang paslit, napadaan lang yata sa gawi ko. Sinubukan kong magtanong, sakaling may makuha akong clue.
"Kilala niyo ho ba ang nakatira rito?" tanong ko
Nag-isip siya sandali bago sumagot.
"Hindi ko siya kilala pero matagal na siyang nangungupahan diyan. Nakatira lang kami sa tapat niyan. Umalis siya noon pero bumalik. Wala siya sa ganitong oras, bago magdilim pa siya umaalis na may dalang gitara. Sa resort yata siya pumupunta, dati na siyang suma-sideline doon."
Nangunot ang noo ko. This one is an observer, it made me think na baka marami pang iba ang nakakabisado sa mga kilos ni Ruby. That way, she's not safe.
"Mga anong oras po kaya siya bumabalik?"
"Hindi ko alam ser, nakikita ko lang siya kapag lumalabas pero subukan mong pumunta sa resort at siguradong nandoon siya. Matanong ko lang ho ser, kaanu-ano niyo po ba ng dalaga riyan?" curious na tanong ng ale.
"Girlfriend ko ho, ikakasal na sana kami pero nagtampo siya at umalis. Susunduin ko ho sana siya, nag-aalala na kasi ang Daddy niya."
That part was entirely true.
She's my girlfriend.
Were supposed to marry.
And Robert is worried sick for his daughter, literally.
Napangiti ang ale at parang kumislap pa yata ang mga mata nito sa sinabi ko.
"Ay ka-gwapo naman ng nobyo niya. Bagay kayo ser. O siya, puntahan mo na lang siya doon, mauuna na kami." paalam niya habang nakangiti pa rin.
"Sige ho, maraming salamat." kaway ko sa kanila.
Sinulyapan ko ang bahay.
Resort. . .
There's only one resort na pinakamalapit dito. Iyon din ang resort kung saan kami nagpalipas ng gabi nang hindi na lumabas si King sa vacation house na tinirhan ni Twix.
The Sunshine Resort.
Dali-dali akong bumalik sa sasakyan at nag-drive papunta roon.
Pagkarating ay ipinark ko kaagad ang sasakyan at bumaba.
I can hear slight music from inside.
I know where she is.
Pumasok na ako at diretso ako sa resto-bar ng resort.
Crowded.
People are chattering and drinking and eating. Some party-goers flirting and talking for good times.
Hindi ganito karami ang tao noon.
Hindi ko mahagilap ang stage when suddenly, a spotlight revealed her direction.
The crowd automatically cheered at para bang siya lang talaga ang hinihintay nila.
I was sitting at the bar at nag-order ng whisky.
"See? It's worth the wait. She's pretty good, man!" narinig kong sabi ng isang lalaki sa may di-kalayuan, may mga kasama siyang tatlo pang kalalakihan.
"Pretty . . . yes"
"Do you think she's already taken?" tanong naman ng isa pang sa tingin ko ay foreigner dahil may accent ang pananalita nito.
"Been here for three days. I don't think so."
I'm gonna kill this guy. Tatlong araw na pala niyang inoobserbahan si Ruby.
I'm gonna kill all of them.
"Single or not, I'm interested."
Tumiim ang bagang ko at humigpit ang hawak ko sa baso. My fist tightened and my teeth gritted.
Makakapatay talaga ako ng tao. I will skin this one alive.
Right now, I'm thinking about killing him 100 times, within 20 minutes, in 100 different ways.
Akma na akong tatayo nang magsalita ang babaeng bartender.
"Sir, okay ka lang?" tanong niya na halatang nagpapa-cute.
Tzk. I don't have time for this.
Nilingon ko lang siya and gave her a darting glare.
Napahiya siguro siya at basta na lang ibinaling ang atensyon niya sa iba pang customers.
I didn't mean to be rude but I'm so pissed off. All I care about is that woman who's about to sing for everyone. That woman who had been men's topic all the while.
That woman, is my woman . . . and I swear to God, I'll rip that guy's limbs apart.
Tinignan ko ulit ang direksiyon ng mga lalaki kanina pero wala na sila roon.
Crap!
"Good Evening."
Boses iyon ni Ruby na umalingawngaw sa buong resto-bar. Nanahimik naman ang mga tao.
"This one is for those who are lost . . . and wanted to be found."
Sinimulan niyang tugtugin ang gitara.
'I can't sleep tonight
Wide awake and so confused
Everything's in line but I am bruised
I need a voice to echo
I need a light to get me home
I kinda need a hero, is it you?
The way she sang it makes me want to cross my way through the crowd and just hold her tight right there. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang emosyon sa pagkanta niya.
'I never see the forest for the trees
I could really use your melody
Baby, I'm a little blind
I think it's time for you to find me
Can you be my nightingale?
Sing to me, I know you're there
You can ease my sanity
Bring me please, send me to sleep
Say you'll be my nightingale
Damn it!
Gustong-gusto ko nang mahawakan siya ang just never let go. If only this goddamn crowd would let me pass. Kaunting-kaunti na lang ang natitira sa katinuan ko na huwag ipagtulakan ang mga tao para lang makarating ako sa kinaroroonan niya.
I can almost touch her but she's not close enough dahil makapal ang mga bulto ng mga tao ang nakaharang.
Nilagok ko ang natitirang laman ng whisky at nagpasalin ulit.
Hanggang sa natapos ang kanta ay nasa mini-bar lang ako at kasalukuyang nginangatngat ng frustration dahil ni hindi ko man lang malapitan ang taong ipinunta ko rito.
"Thank you . . . before I end it tonight, I'm gonna sing you a love song and I want to dedicate this one to the lovers and to those who are in love . . . and to the one I love."
I can see her little smile from here, at kitang-kita ko rin na hindi iyon umabot sa mga mata niya.
It was sadness. . .
She strummed the guitar in slow tune.
'Before I fall too fast
Kiss me quick, but make it last
So I can see how badly this will hurt me when you say goodbye
Keep it sweet, keep it slow
Let the future pass and don't let go
But tonight I could fall too soon under this beautiful moonlight
She closed her eyes, na para bang may ninanamnam siyang alaala.
Then I remembered the first time we kissed. That one quick kiss that made me go crazy, I kissed her again. It was heaven. That was the first time I knew my life will never be the same again without her.
'But you're so hypnotizing
You've got me laughing while I sing
You've got me smiling in my sleep
And I can see this unraveling
Your love is where I'm falling
So please don't catch me
I realized I've missed her much more than I thought. Kanina ko pa gustong magwala sa kinaroroonan ko but it's her voice . . . it's the one thing that calms my nerves.
'And if it's love, please don't break me
I'm giving up
So just catch me. . .
Her song ended and the crowd cheered.
"Thank you. . ." at akma na sana siyang tatayo para bumaba ng stage nang may umakyat na lalaki sa kinaroroonan niya and gave her a long-stemmed rose.
She smiled at the stranger and accepted it. Napakalawak ng ngiti niya and she seemed to like the gesture.
Jealous.
As if on cue, tumayo na ako at iniwan ang mini-bar. Nakababa na ng stage si Ruby and I'm walking straight ahead papunta sa kanya.
I was halfway across the room nang makita kong lapitan siya ng mga lalaking narinig kong nag-uusap kanina.
It's time to kill. . . and there are 100 ways for it.
I was ten steps away when Ruby saw me. Nakita ko ang gulat sa mukha niya, but her eyes went soft. . . longing. . . but dreaming.
"Z. . ." she uttered almost a whisper.
It made me weak. . . just hearing my name with her sweet voice.
Doon naman nadako ang paningin ng mga lalaki sa akin
I'm walking. . . I couldn't think straight.
Finally, nasa harapan ko na siya and I didn't waste any fuckin second to close our distance.
I heard gasps.
But the hell I care.
It felt like a decade ago since the last time I held her like this. . . to feel her like this.
My left arm around her waist, and my right on her nape. . . and my lips on hers.
Wala na akong pakialam kung anong nangyayari sa paligid namin. All I care about is her. . .just her.
She was kissing me back with the same amount of longingness as much as mine . . . but she had no idea how many mountains I feel like I can move them right now . . . how many stars I can pluck down from the sky.
We were still in a very passionate scene nang marinig naming ang palakpakan ng mga tao.
I was forced to end it . . . God, I wouldn't end it . . . but I have to.
Our eyes met while the crowd was roaring.
I leaned closer to her again, and whispered in her ear.
"Let's get out of here, Red. . ."
I felt her nod, at hawak-kamay naming nilisan ang lugar na iyon.