Jho POV
Yes, kami na Nico. I've been keeping this a secret for a long time. It's also one of the reason kung bakit hindi ako sumasama sa get together ng ALE. Even if I want to, kahit gustong gusto kong sumama sa kanila.
Nico courted me for about 8 months. I met him again a year ago. I don't know how but I remember, I bumped him sa mall then he wanted to treat and talk to me. He said he's sorry and all. I thought after that one meeting, everything will be done. But after a few days, someone was looking for me sa lobby ng office.
It was kinda weird cause really I didn't said, where I was working. I asked him how did he find me, he told that I said but honestly, I didn't say where I was, but he found me. He asked me for lunch and I said yes kasi wala naman akong ibang gagawain pa. He was around the block and decided to make a visit. Sakto daw naman na lunch.
So I only thought it's gonna be one lunch but it became a routine, it's either lunch or dinner then he's gonna drop me off sa building ng condo. Hanggang sa nasanay na ako for four months. Then one night, right we're having dinner, he asked and popped the question, if he can court me.
I left him at the restaurant.
I left him.
I left him because all those four months. I forgot about Bea. I forgot her all along, I forgot that I should visit her but I didn't. That's why I ran away and found myself in front of her...
It has been two years that day and I forgot about that, her death anniversary. I was busy, busy with Nico and work. I hated myself that time. I was crying in front of her. Then I felt someone tapped my back and it was Nico.
" I know you still love her and no one's gonna replace Bea ever. I know and always will but Jhoana let me love you. You've been sad all along and I want to make you happy. I'm not expecting anything in return, but if you'll let me. I'm gonna love you and court you forever." Nico
An idea came into my mind. That's why I let him to court me. That's why I kept it from the Team even sa pamilya ko. Dahil alam kong magagalit sila kapag nalaman nilang, pinapasok kong muli sa buhay ko si Nico.
But the thing is, no one pops out from nowhere and be back whenever they feel like. He's been gone the day Bea died and now he's back? Back for what? I'm feeling something but I cannot let myself be fooled by this guy again. So I promised myself that it's gonna be a secret between me and Bea's grave.
I need to know, why he was gone when Bea died.
~~~
I told it to team Besh and Maddie the story of why I did answer Nico. Cause for the past eight months of courting, he hasn't answered why he was gone for more than a year. Where he went and where did he go. Even Miguel and Kiefer, we don't know where they went after that. The rest of team understand my point of view.
Gets ko naman kung bakit umalis sina Jia, and I will talk to them throughly. I just don't want my plan be put to waste.
It's been three years and Bea's death hasn't been given enough justice. She just didn't die just like that.
Ate Ly talked to me and said give the three person time because eventually they'll come around. But I have decided not to tell them because I want this to be in a natural way.
I know the three of them really hate Nico and that would be also a good timing, hindi pwede na buong team eh biglang okay na lang kay Nico. We need some villains here. Kidding.
Team Besh and Maddie, asked me what my plan is. I told them to act naturally in front of Nico and ako na bahala sa iba. They all agree naman even though they are hesitant at first because everything is risky.
~~
We continued drinking after Nico left. He said that we're gonna have lunch tomorrow and he doesn't want to bother our get together. Di niya ba alam sinira na niya yung gabi dahil umalis yung tatlo. Hayyyy
I know Deanna would be super mad about this. Me and Nico baka sumusuka na yon pangalan pa lang ni Nico ang nababanggit.
~~
The following day.
I got a call from Lobby ng condo telling me that there's someone looking for me. A guy named Loel.
I did my morning routine and bumaba na sa condo.
There I saw a man. Loel De Leon
I hug him so tight. Namiss ko siya, pero mas miss ko pa din si Bea.
"Hi Lil Sis! It's been a while!" Loel
"Omg Kuya Loel you're back! Namiss kita!" Jho
"Yes! I asked Deanna kung saan kita makikita eh. Dapat kagabi pa pero wrong timing daw. Kaya ngayon na lang ako nagpunta." Loel
"You could have texted me para naman nakapagprepare ako." Jho
"Ano ka ba? Okay lang sanay naman na ako sa morning face mo, tumitira ka sa bahay remember? Hahahaha" Loel
"Grabe ka naman Kuya wag mo akong ibulgar hahaha! Anyway kelan ka dumating?" Jho
"Nung isang araw lang, I'm here for business until tomorrow tas aalis na din ako." Loel
"Hala ang bilis! Let's grab lunch my treat please please!!!" Jho
"Okay Lil Sis, I'll pick you up later? Uwi muna ako ah. See you later! Let's catch up! Here's my number." Loel
"Okay Kuya! See you!" Jho
We bid goodbyes and agad agad akong umakyat sa unit ko. Nakalimutan kong nandun nga pala ang team kasi nagsleep over sila di naman kami nalasing, nagkwentuhan lang kami at tamang reminisce at nanood ng lumang game.
Pagpasok na pagpasok ko sumigaw ako ng Good morning with all my energy. Dahil sobrang saya ko.
"Grabeng energy naman yan Ate Jho, ganyan ba talaga kapag inlove?" Ponggay
"Uy hindi ah!" Jho
"Eh bakit ang saya saya mo Ate Jho?" Yumi
"I talked to Kuya Loel awhile ago." Jho
"Really? Over the phone? He reached out?" Den
"No." Jho
"Eh paano?" Maddie
"Nasa baba siya kanina sa lobby. I got a call na may naghahanap daw sakin named Loel kaya agad agad akong bumaba." Jho
"He's back? For good?" Alyssa
"Sadly but no. He's here for business, gusto niya lang daw din talaga ako makita." Jho
"Wait help us out, Who's Loel?" Vanie
"Oh sorry! Kapatid siya ni Ate Bea niyo." Jho
"Oh that's why? So may lakad kayo?" Jaycel
"Yeah maglunch daw kami." Jho
"Wait eh di ba may date kayo ni Kuya Nico?" Yumi
"Oh shit! Oo nga pala ano? I'm gonna text him na lang na something came up." Jho
I did what I said. He agreed naman, he asked where am I going. Sabi ko business related lang.
Umuwi naman na ang ALE after that. Magprepare na daw ako and wag ko na daw sila alalahanin kasi malaki na sila. They are happy for me na I got to talk to Kuya Loel it's been like three years after Bea's. And I didn't have any communication from them. Kaya tuwang tuwa akong dumating siya.
~~
Lunch
Kuya Loel fetch me at exactly 11:30 he asked me where to eat but sabi ko siya na bahala. We drove to Macapagal. Kakain daw kami sa Dampa.
Oh Dampaaa... Bea's favorite place to eat.
I remember whenever monthsary or anniversary or something to celebrate dito siya lagi nagyayaya kumain. Ewan ko ba don, yaman yaman pero gusto yung mga ganitong kainan. Well I can't blame her mas gusto daw niya lutong bahay kesa lutong sossy.
Akala ko sa ibang restau kami kakain but we stopped at Aling Tonyang's Restaurant. Pinakaclassic at pinakamasarap na kainan dito.
There I saw Aling Tonya, busy sa kaha niya kaya pagbukas pa lang ng pinto eh. Niyakap ko siya agad.
"Uy Jhoana!!!! Bumalik ka!" Aling Tonya
"Hi Aling Tonya kumusta po kayo?" Jho
"Okay naman ako iha. Ikaw ba? Asan si Bea? Bakit hindi mo ata kasama ngayon?" Aling Tonya
"Uhm Aling Tonya, Bea died three years ago po." Jho
"Huh? Parang kakikita ko lang sa kanya ah...pero baka namalik mata lang ako. Nakakamiss rin kasi kakulitan non kaya siguro nakita ko siya" Aling Tonya
"Ma yang paningin mo hahaha, pasensya na Jho malabo na din kasi mata ni Mama." Marco
I remember Marco, he was also there that night. Thirdy's friend kaya nalaman din namin ni Bea tong kainan na to. Pag mamay-ari nila.
"Ay baka nga po. Bea died on a car accident po di na kayang irevive." Jho
"Anyway tama na sa lungkot. Yung favorite ni Bea is on the house. Okay? Upo na kayo ng kapatid ni Bea." Aling Tonya
Nagtaka ako kung bakit kilala niya si Kuya Loel pero baka naipakilala ni Bea.
Naupo na kami ni Kuya Loel and umorder ng pagkain.
"Kumusta ka naman Jhowjhow?" Loel
"Eto okay naman, kinakaya at kakayanin pa din. Ikaw Kuya? Tagal mong di nagparamdam sakin!" Jho
"Sorry na Jhow, nagpakabusy kami para di masyadong masakit. Heto okay lang, ikakasal na next year." Loel
"Woah! Who's the unlucky girl? Charot sinong maswerteng nilalang ang nagbihag sayo?" Jho
"Si Bianca." Loel
"Her name sounds familiar. Kilala ko ba siya?" Jho
"Maybe, friend din ni Bea. Na-love at first sight ako eh. Kaya din ako umuwi, I'm gonna talk to her parents." Loel
"Ah eh how about si Mom and Dad? Asan sila?" Jho
"Ayun busy sa business, bihira na din kaming magkita kita sa bahay. Alam mo na Bea's always been our source of happiness kahit matigas ulo non." Loel
"Miss ko na sila." Jho
"They miss you too Jho. Uuwi din yon hahahaha. I'm just gonna tell them na nagkita tayo." Loel
After a minute of talking pa dumating na pagkain namin. Magkagalit muna kami kasi di pa ako nag-aalmusal. Tanging alak pa lang ang laman ng tiyan ko.
We didn't talk much.
Then nagring phone ko.
📲: Nico napatawag ka?
📞: Where are you?
📲: Kumakain.
📞: Saan?
📲: Around Pasay. Why?
📞: Who are you with?
📲: Business Partner and a friend.
📞: Okay ingat. Let's have dinner later. Iloveyou
📲: Okay bye
"Who's that?" Loel
"Colleague lang kuya nagtatanong about sa work." Jho
"Okay, eatwell Jho. Let's finish this ah!!" Loel
"Ay ang dami nito ha pero sige fight!" Jho
Kumain lang kami ng kumain,kulang na lang food coma abutin naming dalawa.
I insist paying the food pero sabi niya siya na lang daw, isave ko na lang daw yon for the future. Weird flex but okay.
Hinatid niya na ako sa condo kasi kailangan niya pang magprepare kasi may dinner siya kasama ang pamilya ni Bianca.
Ako naman sa sobrang kabusugan parang gusto ko nang matulog. Nanood lang ako ng isang episode ng How to get away with Murder, para naman di ako bangungutin. Tas natulog na ako.
~~
4pm. My phone won't stop ringing. So I answered it.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Jho
"Ay sorry, naistorbo ko ba tulog mo?" Nico
"Ay ikaw pala, ano yon?" Jho
"I'm gonna pick you up by six,let's have dinner okay?" Nico
"Oh shoot! Okay see you later." Jho
"See you bye love!" Nico
Nagpantig tenga ko sa sinabi niya. No one will ever call me that not unless ikaw si Bea.
Kaya kahit tinatamad ako naligo uli ako at nag-ayos pero not that super ayos kasi wala namang mahalaga sa dinner na to.
~~
6pm.
Nico called me nasa baba na daw siya kaya bumaba na ako. There I saw him sa Hyundai Santa Fe car niya. Patiently waiting for me. Natagalan ako kasi di ko mahanap wallet ko.
Then pagkababa ko tinawag ako ng receptionist kasi nalaglag ko daw wallet ko. Buti na lang at dito lang sa condo nalaglag.
Nagbeso kaming dalawa ang inalalayan niya na ako papasok ng sasakyan.
"How's your day love? Kumusta yung business meeting mo?" Nico
"It went well. Naging masaya naman yung meeting ko. Ikaw?" Jho
"Okay lang din naman." Nico
And silence filled inside that car.
Nakarating na din kami sa restau na kakainan namin. Restaurant kung saan una kaming nagdate nung college.
"Remember this place?" Nico
"Yes." Jho
"Nice you have a sharp memory Jho hehe tara pasok na tayo sa loob the food is waiting." Nico
I scan the menu and order na. While waiting for the food to arrive. Nagdala naman ng red wine yung waiter.
"I like to celebrate that you and I are together again, after all nang pinagdaanan natin akalain mo yun magkakabalikan tayo." Nico
"Di ko din inakala." Jho
"Anyway Jho, a colleague of mine told me na you have lunch with Loel De Leon. Why didn't you tell me?" Nico
He's calm so far.
"There's nothing to say, it's just business." Jho
"And I don't want you doing business with them!" Nico
"What the hell? Are out of your mind? Don't tell me balik na naman tayo sa ganito whenever na nababanggit ang mga De Leon. Akala ko ba na naiintindihan mo" Jho
Aalis na sana ako nang hilahin niya ako.
"Jhoana Louisse stay, I'm sorry nadala lang ng selos." Nico
"You know I love Bea and always will be hindi mo matatanggal yon Nico." Jho
"I know and I'm sorry Jho. I'm sorry." Nico
"Let's just go home." Jho
Kahit hindi pa dumadating yung food eh umalis na kami. Nasira na mood ko eh. I think he's still the old Nico na nagagalit whenever na nababanggit ang mga De Leon. Fishy but still a good start.
Pagdating ko sa unit ko nakatanggap naman ako ng message kay Nico saying he was sorry. Pero tinamad ako magreply. I texted Ate Ly, what happened and they were shookt of what happened.
They told me to get some rest na and we'll deal with it tomorrow.
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Long update so VOTE guys! Thank you💙
I'll try to update asap. Thank you for patiently waiting. I promise, I'll finish this story.
CONGRATS TO ATENEO LADY EAGLES AS UAAP SEASON 81 WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPION