Gerald parked his car behind a blue Montero, which was already parked in front of the school. This is Carlie’s first day at her new job. He decided to show his support for her by bringing her to work.
“So are you ready, Sweety?” Gerald asked.
“Yup but very nervous.”
“Don’t be. I know you’ll do great. I’m sure your students will love you.”
“I sure hope so. Okay, I’m gonna go down na. ‘Wag ka na bumaba. I’ll walk up to the gate on my own, pampalakas ng loob. Ha… ha…ha!”
“Are you sure?”
“Very sure.”
“What time do you get off? Susunduin na lang kita?”
“I’m out by four.”
“Sige, hintayin mo lang ako. Susunduin kita.”
“Thanks. I’ll see you later. Bye. Love you,” sabi ni Carlie sabay halik kay Gerald.
Sinundan ng tanaw ni Gerald ang kasintahan hanggang makita na n’yang nakapasok na ito sa loob ng school premises. Nang aandar na sana s’ya ay napansin naman n’ya na bumukas ang passenger door ng sasakyang nasa unahan n’ya. Nagulat s’ya nang mapansin n’yang mukhang pamilyar ang mukha ng babaeng bumaba mula rito. His gaze followed the person as she walked towards the gate but was suddenly blocked by 3 other people who walked behind her. “S’ya ba ‘yun? Bakit parang kamukha n’ya? Mas mahaba lang ang buhok pero parang s’ya talaga ‘yun eh,” sabi n’ya sa sarili. “You’re just imagining things. Let it go.” Nagkibit-balikat na lamang s’ya at nagsimula nang paandarin ang kanyang sasakyan.
Nakapagsimula na ang klase ni Sarah sa Kinder class nang may biglang kumatok sa pinto ng classroom n’ya. Pagbukas n’ya ay nakatayo sa labas si Mrs. Padilla, ang school principal, at sa likod n’ya ay isa pang babae.
“Good morning Mrs. Padilla,” ang bati ni Sarah.
“Hi Teacher Sarah. I’m here to introduce to you the new teacher who will be taking over your class. Sarah meet Carlie Mendoza. Carlie this is Sarah Geronimo.”
Nagkamay ang dalawa at makalipas ang ilang minuto ilan pang mga bilin ay umalis na si Mrs. Padilla at pumasok naman sa loob ng classroom si Carlie. Ipinakilala muna ni Sarah ang bagong guro sa mga bata bago nagpatuloy sa pagtuturo. Sa loob ng isa’t kalahating oras pa ay tinuruan ni Sarah si Carlie ng mga dapat gawin sa klase, kung saan makikita at nakatago ang mga bagay-bagay at kung anu-ano pa.
Sarah filed her resignation 3 weeks ago. She has planned to take Early Childhood Development for more than 2 years and just recently she was able to enroll for the post graduate course. But to be able to accommodate her school schedule, she had to give up her current job and find another job that’s close to the university and one that would allow her to be a part-time teacher only. And now that everything’s settled, she had one more week to turn over everything to the new teacher.
The two had lunch together and started talking some more. Pinag-usapan nila kung bakit kinailangang magresign ni Sarah at ibang personal na mga bagay tungkol sa kanilang dalawa. At sa pagkekwentuhan nila ay may nalaman pa silang kaunti tungkol sa isa’t isa at kasama na rito ang pareho silang in a relationship na wala pang isang taon. Wala na silang klase sa hapon kaya’t nagtulong silang gumawa ng mga materials at teaching aids para sa klase kinabukasan. Habang nagtatrabaho ay patuloy pa rin ang kwentuhan ng dalawa.
“Siguro before your last day, let’s go out. Who knows baka matagalan pa bago tayo magkita ulit or baka hindi na nga eh,” sabi ni Carlie.
“Sige, game ako d’yan. You can bring your boyfriend and I’ll bring mine.”
“That’s a great idea. And speaking of boyfriend, he’s gonna pick me up later. I’ll introduce you to him.”
“Tamang-tama, susunduin rin ako ng boyfriend ko. May lakad ba kayo mamaya? Ngayon na tayo lumabas. Tutal nandito na rin naman tayong lahat eh. What do you say?”
“That’s a great idea!”
“Great! I know a place.”
A few minutes before 4 o’clock, dumating si Gerald at kasunod naman si Andrew. Sabay silang bumaba ng sasakyan at naglakad papunta sa gate. Nang makarating doon ay nagkatinginan sila and both recognized each other.
“Pare, Gerald. My girlfriend and I were at your restaurant last week,” pagbati ni Gerald habang inaabot ang kamay for a handshake.
“Oo pare, I remember you. May sinusundo ka dito sa school?”
“Yeah. I’m waiting for my girlfriend. She’s a teacher here. She just started today actually.”
“Really? What a small world. I’m here to pick up my girlfriend as well. Sarah has been teaching here for over a year already.”
Hindi maipaliwanag ni Gerald ang paglukso ng puso n’ya nang marinig ang pangalan ng dating kasintahan. Bigla n’yang naalala ang babaeng nakita n’ya kaninang umaga at lumakas ang hinala n’yang si Sarah nga iyon – his Sarah. Naputol ang kanyang pag-iisip nang marinig muli na nagsasalita si Andrew.
“O ‘eto na pala sila eh. Mukhang naging magkaibigan na ang mga girlfriends natin.”
Lumingon si Gerald sa direksyon kung saan nakatingin si Andrew at nagulat nang makita ang babaeng dating nagpaikot ng mundo n’ya. Para s’yang binuhusan ng napakalamig na tubig nang makitang nakikipagtawanan si Sarah kay Carlie. Nakatitig lamang s’ya sa kanila at hindi n’ya namalayang nakalapit na pala ang mga ito sa kanila.
Dahil nakikipagtawanan si Sarah kay Carlie habang naglalakad papunta sa gate, hindi n’ya napansin na naroon na pala si Andrew at may kasama ring naghihintay. Nagulat s’ya nang mas nakalapit na sila sa kanila ay mukha ni Gerald na parang namumutla ang tumambad sa kanya.
“Hi Sweety,” ang bati ni Carlie kay Gerald. “O bakit parang namumutla ka ‘ata? Okay ka lang ba?”
“Ah… o… oo. I’m fine,” ang sagot sa kanya ng kasintahan.
“Sweety, I’d like you to meet Sarah. Sarah, this is my boyfriend Gerald. S’ya ‘yung teacher na papalitan ko sa Kinder class.”
“Hi Gerald. It’s so nice to meet you. Parang kanina lang ay nabanggit ka sa akin ni Carlie,” ang sabi ni Sarah na umastang parang ngayon lang nakilala ang lalaki.
Nagulat man sa ikinilos ni Sarah, Gerald followed her lead. “Hi Sarah. It’s nice to meet you.”
Pagkatapos magsalita ni Gerald ay ibinaling naman ni Sarah ang pansin sa kanyang nobyo at sabay lapit dito. “Hi Baby. Kanina ka pa?”
“No, we just got here. Kami ni Gerald. Baby, sila ‘yung couple na pinagbigyan mo ng table mo last Friday sa restaurant.”
Bigla naman sumabat si Carlie sa usapan nang marinig ito. “Really? OMG Sarah, I think this is destiny. We are so meant to meet each other. Sabi ko na nga ba you look so familiar eh.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t recognize her,” ang sabi naman ni Andrew.
Wala sa loob ni Gerald ang pagsagot n’ya ng, “She’s really not good in remembering faces of people she just met.” Ikinagulat ito ng tatlong nakarinig sa kanya.
“Ang galing mo namang manghula Gerald,” ang biglang sagot ni Sarah para pagtakpan ang sinabing iyon ng lalaki. “Hindi talaga ako matandain sa mga bagong mukha especially kung hindi naman talaga naipakilala sa akin. Sorry Carlie ha.”
“Ano ka ba? Don’t worry about it. So ano, tuloy natin ang dinner?”
“What?” ang tanong ni Gerald.
“Sweety, nag-usap kasi kami ni Sarah kanina na magdouble date tayo. One week lang kasi kami magiging magkasama and after that ay resigned na s’ya. Last day na n’ya actually sa Friday. At since nandito na rin naman daw tayong lahat ay ngayon na lang tayo magdinner.”
“That’s a good idea. Tara, let’s go to Andreas. Pare, convoy na lang tayo ha,” ang sabi ni Andrew.
“Ah… si… sige. Susunod kami,” ang sagot naman ni Gerald.
“So, we’ll just see you there Carlie and Gerald ha,” sabi naman ni Sarah.
As he was driving, Gerald felt like everything is a blur. He could hear Carlie saying something beside him but he couldn’t quite make out what it was. Masyado s’yang nagulat at naguguluhan sa mga pangyayari. Simula nang “ipakilala” sa kanya si Sarah kanina ay parang nagkagulo ang laman ng isip at puso n’ya. Parang lahat ng nararamdaman at naiisip ay naglabu-labo nang lahat. Hindi n’ya alam kung anong gagawin. Sa isip-isip n’ya, “Why does she still have that effect on me? And why did she act as if she doesn’t know me?”
“Huy Gerald, hindi ka naman nakikinig eh,” ang sabi ni Carlie na may halong pagtatampo.
“Ha? Ano ‘yon?”
“Sabi ko Sarah and Andrew seem like really nice people ‘no?”
“Oo, mukha naman silang mababait.”
“What’s bothering you ba? Kanina ka pa ha.”
“May naiisip lang akong problema sa office. May tumawag kasi sa akin bago kita sinundo eh.”
“Ganun ba? Anything I can help you with?”
“Forget about it. Okay lang ako. So kwento ka pa kung anong nangyari sa ‘yo kanina sa school.”
At tuluy-tuloy na nga na nagkwento si Carlie. And this time, he tried really hard to pay attention to her.
Both couples arrived at the restaurant even before it opened. But since Andrew was with them, they were able to go inside even though it was still being set up. The waiters hurriedly arranged 1 table for them – the same table Carlie and Gerald occupied the other night. Carlie was seated on Sarah’s left while Andrew was to her right, which left Gerald to seat right across her. Andrew asked one of the waiters to get drinks for all them. And while waiting they started talking and getting to know each other. Naging masaya ang kanilang kwentuhan. Minsan ay napapansin ni Gerald si Sarah na tumitingin kay Andrew habang tumatawa. To him it looked so familiar but not exactly the same. Dati s’ya ang madalas na rason kung bakit nakangiti o masaya si Sarah. At kitang-kita n’ya ang kasiyahang ‘yon dahil sa kislap ng kanyang mga mata. Pero ngayon nakikita ni Gerald na kahit tumatawa ito ay parang kulang pa rin. Wala na ang kislap na ‘yun.
Lumipas pa ang kalahating oras at nagbukas na rin ang restaurant. Carlie excused herself for a while to go to the ladies’ room. At sakto rin namang may lumapit na waiter sa kanilang table upang tawagin si Andrew dahil may kailangan daw tignan sa kitchen. And just like that, they were left alone – with an awkward silence.
Noong una ay walang nagsasalita, pareho lamang silang nakayuko. Pero hindi nakatiis si Sarah kaya’t binasag n’ya ang katahimikang ito. “Kamusta ka na?”
“Mabuti naman. Ikaw?”
“Okay lang din.”
“Sabi ni Carlie nagresign ka na daw. Bakit?”
“I’m going back to school. I was finally able to enroll at the university for my M.A.”
“’Yung Early Childhood Development na gusting-gusto mong kunin noon?”
“Yeah.”
“Finally.”
“I know.”
A few minutes of silence followed.
“Why did you do that?” he finally said.
“Did what?”
“Why did you act is it’s our first time to meet?”
“Mabuti na ‘yon para wala nang masyadong tanong. Let’s start fresh. Panindigan na lang natin,” ang mahinang sagot ni Sarah.
“So ganun na lang pala talaga ‘yun? Kinalimutan mo na pala ang nangyari sa atin.”
“Please let’s not make things complicated. We’ve both moved on. I’m in a relationship and you are in a relationship. Carlie is a nice girl. Bagay kayo. At mukha namang napapasaya ka n’ya.”
“Eh ikaw, masaya ka ba?”
“Of course I am. Nagmove na ako Ge. Let’s leave it at that.”
Parang may kumurot si puso n’ya nang marinig ang dating tawag sa kanya ni Sarah. S’ya lang ang tumatawag sa kanya ng ganito. Kahit ang mga malalapit n’yang kaibigan ay hindi ganoon ang banggit sa kanyang pangalan. “Sige. But let me just say sorry about what happened. I didn’t mean to leave you like that.”
“Ge, please don’t. Please let’s just forget about it.”
“I tried…” hindi na natapos ni Gerald ang sasabihin dahil biglang nagsalita si Carlie.
“Forget about what? Magkakilala ba kayo?”
Nagkatinginan si Sarah at Gerald na halatang nagulat sa pagdating ni Carlie.