He was sitting in a log under the palm tree, looking at the calm ocean as he was deep in thought. He's been doing this everyday for nore than a month already. His mind was only filled with thoughts of that certain volleyball player, the beautiful team captain who captured his heart.
Since that fateful night, he did everything to keep the memories of her in his head. On his first night back in the beach, he walked along the shore and tried to recall the spot where they spent more time sitting side by side, enjoying the sound of the waves and kissing heatedly like two lovers in love. When he thought he found it, he smiled and dug a small hole which served as a marker. When the morning came, he asked his friends to help him carry a small log towards that spot. He said he wanted to have a place where he can sit comfortably as he enjoys the cool sea breeze. Little did they know, he was just creating a special place in the island as a remembrance of that special girl whom he thought by now has probably forgot about him if she wasn't even mad at him.
His heart constricts at the thought but he couldn't do anything about it. Ano nga naman ang magagawa niya eh nandito siya sa Boracay at malamang nasa Manila naman si Nicki. He could only hope that someday their paths would cross again, and that the universe may conspire and let them continue what they've already begun.
For three consecutive days after she left, he's been trying to look for her social media account but luck wasn't on his side. It's either a fan account in Facebook or just a page for all the players of their volleyball team. Even her friend Sheena doesn't have any contact number or couldn't be found on Messenger. He thought that maybe she has a different name on FB or baka super private account. Either way, wala siyang idea kaya naman hindi niya talaga mahanap. Nicomaine/Nicki Mendoza lang naman ang alam niyang name nito. Pati si Carlos di niya alam paano hahanapin dahil hindi naman niya nabanggit yung last name. He doesn't have any other way to reach her. He's so desperate to the point na kahit sana makakilala lang siya ng isang friend ni Nicki, para lang magtanong. Pero naisip din niya, sino ba namang matinong kaibigan ang basta basta magbibigay ng contact number ng friend niya lalo pa sa isang random guy diba? Malamang wala. Even with the resort she stayed in, they couldn't provide him details of her kasi nga it's the management's protocol to protect the privacy of their guests. Kaya hindi na niya pinilit pa. Wala na rin naman siyang magagawa.
So every night since then, while people busied themselves partying, he would walk along the shore reliving that moment when they traversed the shoreline holding hands and exchanging sweet nothings. He would stop on that same spot, sit on the log, close his eyes and breathe deeply as he remembers her pretty face, her beautiful set of mesmerizing doe eyes, her cute little nose, and her full supple lips that curve perfectly when she smiles. Hinayaan na lang niya ang sarili na mabuhay sa kakaunting memories na meron siya. At least pag naiisip niya si Nicki, napapangiti siya. That's all he's ever done during night time until today.
He told himself that today's gonna be different. Instead of just remembering her and the things they've done in a short period of time, he thought that today's gonna be the first day of his journey in finding her. Hindi na niya kayang hintayin pa ang tadhana. Tapos na siya sa kanyang pagmumukmok at panghihinayang. Kailangan na niyang lumaban. Kailangan niyang ipaglaban sa tadhana na hindi pa doon nagtatapos ang kwento nila ni Nicki. Hindi niya kayang tanggapin na hanggang Boracay lang ang lahat. Kaya naman kahit wala siyang kaalam-alam bukod sa pangalan at school ni Nicki, buo na ang loob niya. He will find her and he will explain everything to her.
Kaya maaga talaga siyang gumising at nagmamadali pa siyang nag-ayos ng sarili. Once done, he quickly made his way to the very same spot he's sitting on; his special place. He sat facing the ocean once again, inhaling the cool breeze of the morning, and waited for the sun to rise. Today, he decided to watch the sunrise with a heart full of hope and a mind determined to see her again. Looking at the sun as it peaks through the ocean, he watched in awe how the light slowly creeps in and turns the dark skies into a bright yellow shade. It was truly magnificent and it has always amazed him having this perfect view of the sun and beach. He softly whispered his wishes to the wind as he watched how his surroundings illuminated. He realized that as the sun rises to give light to a new day, today's also gonna be his new beginning. He smiled realizing that there's still hope. As long as the sun shines, he should never lose hope to find her. To see her again. He stayed there for a while even after the sun has risen just thinking positively about the days that will come. And that's how his cousin found him.
"Huy! Kuya RJ, kanina pa kita hinahanap. Ano na naman? Bakit tulala ka na naman dyan?" Josh said.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice Josh was already standing behind him until the latter tapped his shoulder.
"Susmaryosep Josh, ano ba?! Nangungulit ka na naman."
"Ikaw kasi tulala ka eh kanina pa ko nandito. Kanina pa kaya kita hinahanap. Katok ako ng katok sa room mo akala ko hindi ka pa gising, yun pala wala ka na dun. Mabuti na lang nakita ako ng isang staff natin sa resort at sinabi na lumabas ka nga raw ng maaga. Ayos na ba mga gamit mo?"
"Ah, oo, sorry. Ayos na naman yung gamit ko kagabi pa. Maaga lang talaga kong nagising ngayon. Wala akong magawa sa room kaya pumunta na lang ako dito para maglakad-lakad at magpahangin."
"Asus! Nagpalusot ka pa. Hindi mo naman ako maloloko Kuya dahil kahit di mo sabihin sa'min, alam ko si Ate Nicki na naman ba iniisip mo."
"Ha?"
"Hahahahaha! Bingi-bingihan?! Kuya RJ, obvious naman kasi eh. Kahit ayaw mong mag-open sa amin nila Kristoff alam naman namin na apektado ka. Tsaka ayan oh, yung mukha mo hindi maipinta sa lungkot. Miss mo na?"
He gave him a tight smile. Mukhang wala siyang maitatago sa mga kaibigan niya. Lalo na dito sa pinsan niya. And since today's gonna be different, he decided to come clean and answer him honestly of how he truly feels at the moment.
"Miss na miss. Sobra sobra. Alam mo ang daming tumatakbo sa isip ko eh. Ang dami kong tanong. Alam ko naman na mali, pero kasi Josh hindi ko lubos maisip kung bakit sa'kin nangyari yun. Paulit-ulit kong inaalala yung gabing yun para maisip ko kung may naagrabyado ba kong tao. Siguro ang laki ng kasalanan ko kay Lord kaya nangyari sa'kin yun. Iniisip ko rin nga na baka kailangan mangyari yun para mapabatid sa'kin na hindi talaga kami para sa isa'isa. Kakasimula pa lang ng kwento namin Josh eh. Actually, magsisimula pa lang sana pero wala eh. Tinapos na agad ng tadhana. Pero ayokong dito lang matapos ang lahat sa Boracay. Naniniwala ako na meron pang kasunod yung storya namin. Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero sa kanya ko pa lang naramdaman yung ganito eh. Kaya hindi ako makakapayag na hindi namin mapagpatuloy yung kwento naming dalawa."
"Grabe ka Kuya RJ, ang lakas talaga ng arrive sayo ni Ate Nicki. Mukhang sobrang tinamaan ka sa kanya eh. Ngayon lang kita nakitang nagkaganyan sa babae. Posible pala yung ganun kuya? Kasi kung tutuusin hindi mo pa naman talaga siya nakikilala ng maayos at saglit pa lang kayong nagkasama, pero hindi biro yang nararamdaman mo. Simula nung bumalik yun ng Manila, di na yata kita nakitang ngumiti ng maayos. Grabe yung epekto sayo nun ha."
"Ewan ko nga rin Josh. Totoo, ngayon ko lang talaga naramdaman yung ganito. Yung sobrang lakas ng kabog ng dibdib ko tuwing maiisip ko siya. Yung puso ko, siya lang yung hinahanap-hanap. Ang hirap Josh. Kasi ayaw ko siyang kalimutan, sa isip ko binubuhay ko yung konting sandali na masaya kami. Nandito pa rin siya eh." He placed his hand on his chest, above his heart, as he said that last line.
"Kaya ba pag gising mo siya agad ang hinanap mo nung umagang yun?"
"Oo Josh. Alam mo nangako kasi ako sa kanya eh. I promised her that i'll try my best to make her feel as if we're not apart. I promised to get to know her more deeply. Pero anong nangyari? Hindi ko natupad yung pangako ko."
"Pero hindi mo naman sinasadya yun, Kuya. Hindi naman siguro magagalit sayo si Ate Nicki. Pansin ko sa kanya mukhang mabait naman siya eh."
"Siguro tama ka, mabait siya talaga. Pero tingin ko ngayon iniisip nun na balewala lang yung nangyari sa'min. Baka nga kinalimutan na ko nun eh. Or kung hindi naman, baka galit na galit yun sa'kin dahil iniisip niyang pinaglaruan ko lang siya."
"Hindi naman siguro ganun si Ate Nicki. Ang maganda niyan maexplain mo talaga sa kanya kung anong nangyari. Tingin ko, maiintindihan ka din niya."
"Ang problema, paano ko ipapaliwanag eh wala nga kong contact? Hindi ko pa alam san ko hahagilapin yun."
"Kuya, don't worry. Pagdating natin sa Manila, tutulungan kita."
"Masyadong malaki ang Maynila, Josh."
"Kuya, nagtiwala ka lang, mahahanap natin siya. Magsimula tayo sa kung ano lang ang information na meron ka sa ngayon."
"Eh name lang naman niya yung alam ko, tsaka yung school niya, tsaka kung taga-saan siya. Pero salamat, Josh. Baliw na kung baliw pero hindi ako titigil hangga't hindi ko siya nakikita. I need to apologize to her."
"Wag ka mag-alala, Kuya, we will help you. Kasama mo kami nila Jerome at Kristoff. Mauuna lang naman yung flight natin pabalik, pero magkikita-kita pa rin naman tayo. Speaking of flight, halika na at baka hindi pa tayo umabot. Maunsyame pa ang paghahanap mo sa girlfriend mong hilaw."
Josh stood up already and turned to face his cousin. He saw RJ let out a tight smile with that banter before he stood up as he answered.
"Grabe ka sa girlfriend kong hilaw. Lika na nga, puro ka na kalokohan eh. Basta tutulungan niyo ko ha. Kailangan kong mag-explain sa kanya kaya dapat makita ko siya sa Manila. Hahanapin natin si Nicki ha."
"Yes, yes, yow! Promise yun, Kuya. Mahahanap natin yan. Paliliitin natin ang Maynila. Hahaha! Let's go, sago! Bilisan mo na dyan!" Josh started to walked back to the resort.
"Teka, one last!" RJ stood facing the ocean for the last time before they head back to Manila. He breathe deeply and looked at the waves as he whispered to the wind.
"Hindi sa pagtatapos ng summer na ito matatapos ang kwento natin Nicki. I'll find you and I'll do everything to make it up to you. Pangako yan. See you in Manila."
****************
A/N: Ayun na nga, pabalik na ng Manila si RJ at Josh. Mahanap kaya agad nila si Nicki? Ano kayang nangyari bakit nagkaganun?
Alam ko marami kayong tanong. Sana sabay-sabay natin abangan ang mga sagot sa tanong niyo habang sinusundan natin ang story ni Nicki at RJ in Manila.
Namiss ko kayong lahat! Thank you for reading!
Xoxo,
tinkybella16