Chapter 55
A week after.
Dana's Point of View
Inhale. Exhale.
I'm here at Nof's house. Agenda? To make amends. I know i've been melodramatic last week. Last week was.. hell. It probably could be considered as one of the worst weeks of my life. Seriously. It was just a week. Seven days but it friggin' felt like a month.
Just as i was about to walk towards their gate, i saw Nof. She went out to jog, apparently.
"Uh, hi?" I sheepishly said. Come on, she slapped me last week pero ako pa yung nahihiya sa kanya! Something must be really wrong about me!
She seemed taken aback by my greeting because her jaw almost fell, "uh, DK.."
I again took a deep breath, gathering all my guts, "look, Nof. I'm here to say sorry," i said, "it's been a week and.." i hesitated to continue. It's hard to admit that i kinda missed her, "i miss you. The whole cold war really sucks. We belong to the same group but we avoid each other.. so yeah.. can we just go back to normal? I mean, it's been a week. Long excruciating week. Siguro naman, you already forgave me for what i did? I already explained, right?" I asked, taking my chances.
Smile slowly crossed her face, "thought you'd never ask," then she pulled me for a hug, "i was about to go to your house. Really. Sorry, DK. Just my stupid, impulsive self. Sorry," she said.
I smiled, "i hope you don't mind pero.. take a bath, will you? Kaka jog mo lang eh."
"Yeah right," she rolled her eyes.
We went inside her house. Apparently, may party mamaya sa school. Sem starter stuffs. Remember last sem? Yung carnival. Yeah. Jamie stuffs.. I can't believe it was just a sem. So many things had happened in a very short span of time! Jamie died, Ynna has HIV, Andy left.. and i became a mistress. Yeah. It was damn hard to admit at first but i can't change the fact that i am just like that. A mistress. Never once in my life i thought i'll become one. But who can ever tell, right? Because here i am, a living proof.
Since there's a party, a date is kinda required. Not required by the school but required by the society. And since Cyriel is going with Ynna, i'll go solo. I was really upset at first. Really upset. But then, ano bang magagawa ko kung maiinis ako? Wala naman di ba? Will it change the fact na hindi ako ang priority ni Cyriel? Hindi naman di ba? I'm already 19, turning 20 this December. I'm old enough to be rational over things.
"You ready?" tanong ni Nof after taking a bath.
I nodded, "Kila Kim daw tayo. She said her make up artists will come this afternoon. Dun na lang din daw tayo."
She nodded, "okay. Kunin ko lang yung dress ko."
Umakyat ulit siya sa kwarto niya. I don't know if i'm just selfish or what pero i'm kind of happy na single si Nof. I mean, yeah, i have Cyriel but he's not exclusive. In some ways, i feel lonely. Kim is with Clarence and Sara is with Dave, good thing Nof is single so i won't feel left alone.
"Ready to go?" I nodded then we drove to Kim's.
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Andy's Point of View
Boring.
Good thing about Miami? The beaches. Bad thing about it? Pilay ako!!
Nandito lang ako sa loob ng resthouse. Konti na lang talaga, makakabisado ko na yung reviewer ko. Isang linggo ko na talaga siyang binabasa. Nakaka bwisit din pala. I still have five months to review pero isang linggo pa lang, tinatamad na ako. Good to go, Guzman. Magiging top notcher ka kasi talaga sa lagay na 'yan!
Lumabas ako sa balcony. Apparently, over looking sa beach yung resthouse namin. Magkano kaya ang bili nila dito? Oh well, paki ko ba? Hahaha!
"Chicks," sabi ko. Eto talaga ang maganda sa Miami, girls in bikinis.
Nakita ko na ba si Dana na naka bikini?
Erase. Erase.
Walang Dana ngayong bakasyon.
Amanda Seyfried. Anne Curtis. Anne Hathaway. Dana Ferr--
Wala ka ng pag asa, Andy. (-_-)
Papasok na sana ako sa loob ng may tumama sa akin, "sorry!" Narinig kong may sumigaw.
Napatingin ako. Ang lakas naman pumalo nun, umabot pa dito.
Hinagis ko pabalik yung bola ng volleyball, "no problem."
Bumalik na lang ako sa sala tapos nanood ng movies. Tangna. Ang boring talaga dito!! Wala man lang ako makausap. Tch. Bumili kaya ako ng aso? Tangna, malala na ko. Kahit aso papatulan ko na, may makausap lang.
*door bell*
'Sht naman.'
Naglakad ako papunta sa pinto. Ang hirap pa din maglakad. Hindi ko kasi ginagamit yung crutches para mas mapadali yung recovery. Come on! Kailangan ko ng makalakad! Second step to moving on? Explore your choices. Araw araw na makakita ng babaeng naka bikini? Tangna, dude! Kailangan ko ng makalakad as soon as possible!!
"Uhm, hello?" sabi nung babae sa harap ko. Brunette.
Tinignan ko lang siya. Delikado. Kamukha na naman ni Dana. Bakit parang lahat ng babae nagiging kamukha ni Dana??
"Just want to say sorry for what happened--" hindi ko na siya pinatapos kasi pinagsaraduhan ko siya ng pinto. Right on her face. I had enough. Delikado yung mga ganung mukha.
Bumalik na lang ako sa sala at kumuha ng ice cream sa fridge. Kayo na lang ang kasama ko habang hindi pa ako nakakalakad.. Tinignan ko din yung supplies ko, kailangan ko na din mag grocery. Langya! Hirap mabuhay mag isa.
Natapos yung buong araw na wala akong ginagawa. Walangyang buhay 'to oh!! Naghahanap ako ng katahimikan nung nasa Pilipinas ako pero nung nandito ako, nakakagago yung katahimikan!
Nagpadeliver na lang ako ng pizza nung gabi. Tangna. Ang boring ng buhay ko. Ang boring ng araw ko. Konti na ang, magiging boring na din ako.
-kinabukasan-
"Morning," sabi ko. Tumawag si mom sa phone, "yeah. Ayos lang ako.. Hah?.. Yup, maggrocery ako mamaya.. Alright.. Punta ko jan next week, okay na siguro yung paa ko by that time?.. I'll see.. Bye, mom."
Tumawag na naman siya. Paranoid mom. Ever since nung sinabi ko sa kanya last week na break na kami ni Dana (ang hirap pa ding sabihin) akala niya suicidal ako. Para akong nasa suicidal watch. Honestly, ganun pa ako naging ka dependent kay Dana? Na sobrang hindi ko kakayanin na mawala siya to the point na mag suicide ako?? Halos lumipad siya papunta dito nung sinabi ko sa kanya. Tch. Parang bata pa ako. 21 na kaya ako. (._.) Ang tanda ko na. Hahaha!
Lumabas ako at sumakay sa sasakyan, "here goes nothing."
Nagagalaw ko naman yung paa ko kaya sa tingin ko wala namang problema kung magddrive ako. Kaysa naman sa mamatay ako sa gutom, magddrive na lang ako papunta sa Wal-Mart. Tch.
Tangna!! Kaya ko pa lang magdrive! Hahaha! Mukha akong tanga dito sa harap ng Wal-Mart.
Pumasok ako sa loob at nagsimula ng maggrocery. Siguro pang isang buwan na yung bibilin ko. Ayoko ng naggrocery. Parang bading lang eh. Psh.
Puro canned goods, junk foods, soda, frozen pizza, beer lang yung binili ko. Ano'ng magagawa ko? Living like a bachelor ako ngayon. Hindi ako magluluto. Asa. Para san pa ang takeouts at microwave? Haha! Iikot nga din ako mamaya para kumuha ng menus ng mga may takeout para hassle free na ako.
Nung papalabas na ako, "tanga!!" nasabi ko na lang sa sarili ko.
Hayop talaga!! Pano ko pupulutin yung mga canned goods na gumulong eh may cast pa yung paa ko?? Mamaya ako pa yung gumulong jan eh!! Langya talaga! Bakit ba kasi paper bags yung gamit dito? Bwisit!!
Nilagay ko muna sa trunk ng sasakyan yung ibang paper bags tapos dahan dahan akong naglakad para pulutin yung mga canned goods.
"Looks like we meet again, Mr. Grumpy?" napatingin ako sa nagsalita.
'Tangna,' Nabitawan ko yung hawak ko. Hanggang sa Miami ba naman, susundan ako ni Dana??
Hindi ko na pinulot yung ibang nalaglag tangna wag ng pansinin yun! Aalis na ko dito! Delikado na naman ako!!
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Kim's Point of View
"Boyfie?" I asked boyfie. Hmp! Hindi na naman niya ako pinapansin!!
He told me last week yung kay Cyriel. I honestly can't understand him!! He loves DK but he proritizes Ynna. What's the matter with him?? Naaawa na ako minsan kay DK. She still feels guilty about sa biglaang pag alis ni Andy tapos hindi pa sila in good terms ni Nof tapos biglang maddisappoint siya na hindi siya sasamahan ni Cyriel sa Sem starter? It really sucks to be her. Really.
Niyakap ko si boyfie, "hindi mo na talaga itutuloy yung sa annulment?"
He nodded, "bahala siya. Tss. Basta hindi muna ngayon. Payatot talaga 'yun."
Naiinis pa rin pala siya kay Ynna. Hahaha! First time kong makitang naiinis si boyfie. Lagi yang composed eh, pero nung nakausap niya si Ynna, lagi siyang agit. Ano kaya pinag usapan nilang dalawa?
He also told me na yung sakit ni Ynna yung pinakamagandang gawing reason para mapabilis yung annulment. Medyo mahina daw kasi na ground yung pinilit lang siya. Eh since ayaw pumayag ni Cyriel, nainis na lang si boyfie. I can totally understand him naman. Nakaka frustrate kasi siya talaga minsan. Nag give way na nga si Andy tapos parang nasasayang lang..
I kissed him, "gotta go. Sem starter later," i said then went out of his office.
I went back to our house kasi nandun si DK. She told me last time na makikipag ayos na siya kay Nof, and Nof also told me na gusto na niyang magsorry! Naghihintayan lang pala sila. Pero thank God. It was friggin' awkward last week!! Hindi sila nagpapansinan and all!! It almost drove me insane!
Nandun na sila sa sofa nung pagdating ko, "ready to play dress up game?"
"Hell yeah."
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Ynna's Point of View
"Do i look fine, mom?" I asked for the nth time.
"You look pretty, honey. Quit worrying, alright?" She said.
I can't help but feel worried. I know i don't look fine. The disease's starting to make me look horrible. The bruises on my arms were already very visible so i opted to wear dress with cardigan on top to cover those.
When the clock striked 7, i received a text.
From: Cyriel
Can't pick you up. See you there.
What did i tell you, Ynna? Don't get your hopes up.
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Dana's Point of View
"We're all set?" asked Kim.
We nodded. We look great. Really.
"Let's go?"
We were about to enter in her car when i remembered something, "fudge. I forgot my id."
"What?! Of all things, DK.."
We have this no id, no entry policy in St. Claire's. You really can't enter without your id. Swear.
"Daan muna tayo sa bahay niyo?" Nof offered.
I declined, "nope. You go there first. Susunod na lang ako," i said.
"You sure?"
I nodded, "yup. I'll be the one in red."
They went first to the party while i went home to get my id. Nung malapit na ako sa gate namin, i saw Cyriel. In tux. He looked.. amazing.
"What are you doing--" he didn't let me finish because he hugged me.
"Sorry for disappointing you again and again, Dana.." he whispered in my ears.
"What are you talking about?" i asked.
"Yung dito sa party. I'm sorry, Dan. I really want to take you there pero Ynna begged me. I'm sorry.." he said and kissed my temple.
I looked into his eyes, "wala lang yun, Cy. I can totally understand. She's sick so she's the priority. Okay lang talaga."
He shook his head, "you don't understand, Dana. She's not my priority. Ikaw lang. It's always you.. May sakit lang talaga siya kaya.. ganito. Look, i'm really, really sorry."
I smiled, "i already gave Andy up for us, Cy. What made you think na susuko ako just because of this party?"
I told him to reassure him that i'm fine, but instead of seeing him smile, i saw a hint of sadness on his face..