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“Zanjo! How could you?” Inis na inis si Millete. Pagkatapos ng isang mainit na sandali, magbibihis ito at iiwan siya? She was very aware of his reputation to women, but still she tried, matagal na kasi siyang may gusto rito. Effective and pa suplado image nito sa kanya.
Tinignan lang siya ng binata. Emotionless, ganun siya madalas, para sa kanya, mahina ang taong nagpapakita ng emosyon sa harap ng ibang tao.
“You knew that I don’t love women, I f*ck them, and you’re not an exemption.” Malamig niyang sabi, sabay suot ng t-shirt niya.
“Gago ka pala eh! Kaya walang tumatagal na babae sayo.”
Tinignan niya lang si Millette at umalis. Gusto niya ng sex, ibinigay naman niya. Anong problema niya ngayon na nakuha naman niya ang gusto niya. Millette is just one of those girls he bedded, no strings attach, in the first place, before they did that, they were all aware.
He just drove his car to his condo. He needs to wake up early, he has a flight to Gensan, ikakasal kasi ang pinsan niyang si Jay Craig. Woman! He never thought that JC will fall for a girl named Mavee, nung una, alam niyang ang pakay lang nito ay paghihiganti, ngayon magpapakasal na siya?
He smirked. Marriage.
Then he felt that sudden pain on his chest. The familiar feeling that until now he is experiencing.
*******
Zanjo was just staying outside the church while JC and Mavee were exchanging their stupid vows. Until now he couldn’t believe it, was there love between those two? Love never exist, people marry perhaps because of companionship. He didn’t want to witness again, another stupid vows. He bet, the two will still fight, and eventually will just separate ways. Just like the other couples he knew, just like JC’s Mom and Dad, like some people he knew too. Nothing is special about marriage. They will just waste their time and money.
He heard clapping of hands, signalling that the ceremony was finished, he’s sure that they will have their photo shoot, so he better stay here. He will just get bored inside.
He will just remember that part of his life.
He was once there…with Alondra.
“I am pregnant, Zanjo.” She cried when she said that.
“Don’t cry babe, that’s not a problem, I will marry you. Don’t worry.”
Napatingin ito sa kanya, siguro nga hindi ito makapaniwala na sa halos magdadalawang buwan nilang relasyon, pakakasalan niya ito.
The truth is, he loves her. He loves her so much that he is ready to give everything to her. Even his family name, he wanted to start a family with her. He will be a responsible father as he promised.
Nagsisimula pa lang siya sa kanyang negosyo, kumikita naman, hindi nga siya kasing yaman ng pinsan niyang si Jay Craig pero alam niyang sa kinikita niya, kaya niya ng buhayin ang magiging pamilya niya. Processed food business ang napili niyang pasukin, mas nakakabuting ganun dahil yun ang kinamulatan niya mula nang kupkupin siya ng mga Chou, ni Jasmine Chou, ang ina ni JC.
“Stop crying Babe, aasikasuhin natin agad ang kasal.” Then he kissed her.
Akala niya happy ending na, hindi pala. Dahil sa mismong araw ng kasal, sa mismong oras na magpapalitan na sila ng sumpaan ay biglang umatras ito.
“I’m sorry Zanjo, this is not right. I’m sorry, I’m in love with somebody else, at hindi ikaw ang ama ng baby ko.”
How he wished that it never happened, how he wished that he will simply disappear at that very moment. He thought that scenes like this will just be in stupid telenovelas, but he was wrong. She ran away, the next thing he knew, the wedding was off, he was alone in that church.
Few weeks later, he learned that Alondra was actually two months pregnant, and obviously, he was not the father, it was someone who’s richer than him. Kakabreak lang pala nito nung naging sila, at siya naman si tanga, nagpaloko sa isang manloloko.
Tsk! Women! Lahat naman ng mga yan, pare-pareho lang, hindi nga ba ang sabi ng Mama niya, babalikan siya nito nung iwan siya sa mga Chou? Anong nangyari, hindi na niya nakita ang anino nito magmula nun. Kaya siguro kaht papano nasa kay Calixto Chou pa rin ang simpatiya niya, kaya naman kasi ito naging ganun dahil sa mga naranasan sa buhay, somehow, pareho sila ng naging kapalaran.
“Zanjo, you are just here. Hinanap kita sa loob.” Si Tita Jasmine.
“I’m fine here, Tita. Alam mo naman ang mga scenes na ayaw ko.”
“Matagal na yun, kalimutan mo na. May mga bagay talaga na hindi para sa atin, may darating na para sa iyo, Zanjo. Maghintay ka lang. Look at Jay Craig, we knew that he never believed in marriage, but look at him now? Definitely, he’s happy with Mavee and their sons.”
Gusto niya sanang sabihin sa kaharap na sandali lang yan, soon they will separate, but he kept that himself, yun ang paniniwala niya simula nang nangyari yun, at alam niyang hindi siya maiintindihan ng mga nasa paligid niya.
After the wedding ceremony, they went to the reception and he then observed again another blah blah blah moment. For the sake of the Chou, he is still here. Malaki kasi ang naitulong nang mga ito sa kung sino siya ngayon, kung ano ang narating niya ngayon, kaya nga hindi niya mahindian ang mga ito. Kahit yung mga pinaggagagawa niya sa Gensan nung pinaiimbestigahan pa nito si Mavee na eventually naging asawa ni JC. Napailing siya, ang hirap paniwalaan minsan ng mga pangyayari.
He heard his cellphone ringing, he wondered why Dionne’s Mom is calling. Dionne is his only friend, his best friend since elementary, he is like a brother to him. The only person who showed love and friendship, of course including Jasmine Chou and her sons.
“Hello, Tita.” Narinig niyang umiiyak ito.
“Si Dionne.”
“Calm down, what happened to him?”
“He shot himself, we are here at the hospital.”
Halos paliparin niya ang kotse niya papunta sa hospital. Kanina lang kasal ang pinuntahan niya, ngayon hospital na, ang it is Dionne who’s there.
Naka three piece suit pa siya nung dumating. Agad siyang niyakap ng ina ni Dionne. “Where is he, Tita?”
“Nasa operating room. Zanjo, I never thought that this will happen. Okay naman siya before siya pumasok sa kuwarto, oo, mukha lang siyang malungkot. The next thing we knew, may pumutok na. My God, Zanjo!”
May hinala siya kung bakit iyon ginawa ng kaibigan. Pero kailangan niyang makasiguro.
“May problema po ba siya?”
“Same girl, Zanjo. Still it’s Jellaine. I can’t forgive her kapag may nangyaring masama sa anak ko.” Umiiyak pa rin ito.
JEllaine. Who the hell are you!
He never met that girl. The only thing he knew about her was Dionne met her at the bar one night. He was busy that night that he was not able to come. Ang alam niya, estudyante ito ito sa isang university. The last thing he knew about her was Dionne was giving her allowance and even paid his tuition fee the whole year! Ganun ka loko ang kaibigan sa babae. Hindi naman niya ito pinapakiaalaman kahit pa nga kakakilala pa lang nila. Dun ito masaya, besides, he’s old enough.
“Alam po ba ninyo saan nakatira ang Jellaine na yan?”
“Yun nga eh! Wala akong kaalam-alam sa kanya. Masyadong malihim si Dionne sa Jellaine na ito. Alam siguro niyang hindi ko magugustuhan.” Totoo naman yun, although nagkukuwento ito tungkol kay Jellaine, pero hindi pa rin niya ito naipakilala sa kanya.
“So, paano natin siya malolocate Tita. She should know what happened to Dionne.”
Bago pa siya nasagot ay lumabas na ang doctor.
*********
He was looking at the man lying on the bed. It’s been days, but still he doesn’t respond. Ang daming aparatung nakasaksak sa katawan niya, nakabalot ang ulo nito dahil sa tama ng bala. The doctors said na milagro pa raw at humihinga ito ngayon, but still kailangan pa ulit ng isa pang milagro para bumalik siya sa dati.
Sa dating Dionne na puno ng buhay.
Sa dating Dionne na walang iniisip kundi ang magsaya.
Sa dating kaibigan niya na madalas sinasabing tanggalin na niya ang galit niya, minsan lang tayong mabuhay, kailangan laging masaya.
Tama nga siya, minsan lang, pero ano ang nagyari?
Heto siya ngayon, comatose at hindi nila alam kung kailan magigising, o kung magising ba, anon a ang magiging buhay niya.
Yung minsan na sinasabi nito, sinayang lamang ng isang tao.
Ang iisang taong naging dahilan kung bakit siya nakaratay ngayon.
Jellaine Amber Yushiko!
Magbabayad ka!
************
Sana makaipon po ako ng maraming ideas para sa kuwentong ito, alang-alang kay Jellaine…wahahahah! At sana matapos ko siya ng maganda, katulad ko…
Salamat!
-Xian-