Sa sobrang naiinis ako sa nararamdaman ko, dumeretso ako kanina ng supermarket, bumili ng dalawang dosena ng beer, bumili ng manok at dumiretso kanila Bry.
Bwisit eh.
Anong oras pa lang ba? Patingin ko sa orasan sa kotse ko, 2:30 pa lang ng hapon. 3 pm nung nakarating ako kina Bry.
Sinalubong niya naman ako papasok ng bahay nila. Good thing, kilala pa rin ako ng mga katulong nila.
"Uy Reena. Teka. Totoo ka ba? Umuwi ka?" namamanghang tanong niya.
"Oo, kahapon pa. Tara shot. Tawagin mo sina Jp at Mike." Yaya ko sa kaniya sabay deretso ng garden nila nung pigilan niya ako.
"Mas maayos sa rooftop. Dun na lang tayo. Ano yang dala mo? Kauuwi mo lang shot na agad?" reklamo niya pa. If I know namiss ako neto.
"Wag ka ngang umangal diyan. Akin na nga numbers nung dalawa at ako na tatawag. Bago ata gamit nila eh." sabi ko.
Binigay niya naman sa akin saka ko tinawagan yung dalawa. Binigay ko na sa kanya yung mga beer na hawak ko sa isang paper bag at yung manok. Natatakam ako sa manok eh. Walang hiya. Wala munang diet diet na nalalaman. Tss, I'm pissed.
Umakyat na ako sa rooftop. The view is nice from here. Antipolo kasi bahay netong si Bry. I like it here. Siya lang nakatira dito, iba bahay ng parents niya eh. Darating daw yung dalawa. 4 pm na nung dumating sila, ipitin ba ako sa yakap? Mga sira ulo para namang nabuhay ako sa pagkapatay sa yakap nila. But it's much appreciated. At least they missed me, pero si Kev at si Andy? Wow, mas gusto pa atang bumalik na ako ng New York eh, well... based from their facial expressions a while ago. Hindi ko naman choice ang umuwi in the first place.
Nandito na kami ngayon, naka round sa table. Si Jp, priniprito yung manok na dala ko, pinaayos din kasi ni Bry yung lutuan dito sa taas.
Picnic lang to eh?
"So Reena, bakit hindi ka man lang nagparamdam sa amin sa tatlong taon na yun?" –Mike
"Uhh? Busy." Dahilan ko naman. Alam kong hindi nila tanggap yung dahilan kong yun pero hinayaan na lang nila.
"May boyfriend ka na ba?" tanong ni Bry sabay inom sa beer niya.
"I didn't have time for those kind of things. Masyado akong naging busy sa majors ko." Sabi ko sa kanila.
"Eh? Wala bang pumorma sayo dun? Tanga naman ng mga yun? Pwede mag-apply?" nakangiting sabi ni Carlo na paparating. Yeah, I also called him.
Napatingin naman kami sa kanya.
"Hey," sabi ko sabay ngiti at hinalikan niya ako sa pisngi.
If you're wondering why I know him, I met him in New York. Small world, huh? He was one of the sponsors sa isang performance namin for charity work kaya ko siya nakilala. He's a good guy. We became friends and kept in touch.
"You didn't tell us you were that close?" Mike pointed us.
I just shrugged.
"How can you not be friends with a gorgeous girl like her, man?" Carlo said as he smiles and winked at me.
This guy is charming, ha ha.
"Have a seat." Alok ko sa kanya.
"Sa'n sina Kevin at Andy?" tanong naman ni Carlo nung makaupo na siya.
"Yeah. I wanna ask that too." Said Jp habang nilapag na sa table yung napritong chicken. Ooh la la.
Yummy...
"Do me the favour guys. Don't call them here." I tell them.
Ayoko ng magpaliguy-ligoy pa. Sus, kaya nga sila lang tinawag ko eh.
"I vote to that." Michael said sarcastically.
Then it comes back to me, what happened to him and Andy? I'm dead curious but I set aside the thought. I just wanna enjoy this night with them. I missed drinking with them.
"Well... never mind then? He wouldn't want me here anyway." Said Carlo
Thanks, Carlo.
"Yeah, sure. Cheers?" taas ni Jp ng bote niya.
"Cheers for Reena," sabat naman ni Mike.
"For me? Why?" I ask him...
"Well... for even going home. Parang wala ka na kasing balak umuwi noon eh." sagot ni Mike.
I smile my lopsided smile, "cheers then," alok ko.
We clink our bottles, and drink.
Gwapo pa rin tong mga gagong to eh.
"Don't you guys have any girlfriends, yet?" I ask all of them.
Nagkatinginan naman silang lahat except for Carlo, I know he has his girlfriend whom I haven't met yet.
"Inaantay ka kasi namin, Reena." Kantyaw naman ni Jp.
"Shut up," sita ko sa kanya ng medyo nakatawa. But I miss our bondings. Really missed.
Nakakaapat na bote na ako ng beer eh. I lay lowed on alcohol when I was in New York kaya medyo bumaba tolerance ko but it's just four bottles. I can drink a 5 tonight, maybe. We talked about things... certain things that have happened in the past years. They mentioned Andy's staying here but Mike shut them out. He doesn't wanna talk about her. Hindi naman nila binanggit si Kevin. Well, I thank them for that but...
I don't know what came into me but parang lumalakas yung loob ko and it just dawned on me to dial Kevin's number. I never deleted it and I was surprised to find out he still uses it after three years.
It's ringing. He doesn't answer at my first call kaya tinawagan ko ulit. After two rings, sinagot na niya. Tumayo muna ako mula sa table at nagpunta sa edge ng rooftop.
"Kevin Lim, who's this?" his tone is arrogant. Tss,
"It's me." Sabi ko lang and he didn't respond for like 30 seconds.
"Anong kailangan mo?" aroganteng tanong niya sa akin. Wow naman, nabobosesan niya pa ako. Hindi nga ako pinansin kanina eh. I'll deal with that tone of voice.
"Why are you such a jerk?" I scowl at him and he can't hide his amusement from his tone of voice.
Ha! Yeah, jerk.
"What do you want Reena?" ma-awtoridad na tanong niya sa akin.
"Nothing..." sabi ko sa kanya at huminga ng malalim. That word though, nothing.
We're saying nothing for like a minute or two.
"Didn't you miss me?" I ask him, my voice full of longing... hindi ko maitatago yun dahil miss na miss ko na talaga siya but he can't even greet me and ask me how I'm doing. He doesn't even care!
"Lasing ka ba? Nasa'n ka?" he asked me.
"Nope." I lie.
"Nasa'n ka?" ulit niya ng tanong at iniisip ko na yung kunot niya sa noo habang tinatanong niya yan. If there's even one.
"Why do you care?" singhal ko pa sa kanya.
"Reena." banta niya pa at yan ang huling nasabi niya at pinatayan ko na siya. Tss, you jerk.
Who are you to get angry with me? You won't even greet me!!! Ugh. I wanna shout! Seriously!
Bumalik na ako sa table at nilagay yung phone ko sa back pocket ng maong shorts na suot ko.
"Ayos ka lang?" may pag-aalalang tanong ni Bry.
"Yeah, I'm fine." I fake a smile.
Kevin... you are such an asshole. I sadly thought to myself.
It's past 9 in the evening and we're still here. Patuloy lang ako sa paginom. Pati sina Jp at Mike shot pa rin at medyo may tama na. Ako rin yata eh. Tsk. Si Bry at Carlo naman, pakonti konti lang ng inom.
Jp is the oldest one in the group but he always acts like he's the youngest, working student yan, masipag eh, ayaw niya raw kasing umasa sa ibang tao lalo na sa tatay niya. Bry is an easy-go-lucky kind of guy but he's preparing himself to take over the family business when the time comes, ayaw na muna daw niyang isipin yan ngayon, after all bilang na yung buwan niya. He's getting married in like a few months, it's arranged marriage. Nag e emote nga lang yan kanina tungkol doon eh. Mike is Bry's cousin, he doesn't care about business kaya lagi silang nagaaway ng tatay niya. And for Carlo, he's working for his stepdad's company, Kevin's dad. I know that for a fact because we've been talking since his trip to New York. He's opened up things to me –that they were best friends but it was ruined by a marriage that neither of them ever wanted. He told me about his status with Kevin, that he still hasn't warmed up to him. I can't blame anyone for that.
As for me? Well, I don't know.
I was disturbed from my thoughts when somebody grabbed me by the wrist.
Hindi ko alam kung nagha hallucinate lang ako o ano.
It's Kevin.