Chapter 30 - Ghost from the past
June 01, 2019
"Tinatanong ni Perci number mo." Tanong ni Mizzy habang nakatambay sila sa apartment ni Lee. "'Di ko binigay."
"Thanks." Ngumiti si Lee.
"Pero mago-sorry lang daw siya sa ginawa ng ex-girlfriend niya."
Napaisip si Lee at naalala ang nangyaring sampalan sa La Renta. Kahit wala na ang bakat sa mukha niya, nararamdaman niya pa rin ang sakit from that day kapag inaalala niya.
But it wasn't all for naught. Dahil kahit wala pa rin siyang napala sa pagkuha ng schedule kay Julius Javier, at least she was able to hear his side.
Napangiti na lang siya.
"Bakit?" Mizzy raised an eyebrow as Lee's smile disperses on her face. "Nagkita kayo ni Perseus?"
Tumango si Lee. Hindi na kasi niya ito naikwento sa kaibigan. Lee is too busy trying to find ways to save her job. Mabuti na lang, natapos ang linggo na hindi pa rin siya natatanggal.
"Anong ginawa sa'yo ng ex-girlfriend niya."
Doon lang niya naisalaysay ng buo sa kaibigan ang mga nangyari. Mula sa aksidenteng pagkikita nila habang inaantay ang secretary ni Julius Javier, hanggang sa biglang pagsampal sa kanya ng isang babae.
Of course, she omitted the fact that it was Odyssey who pried her away from harm.
"Loko pala 'yang babae na 'yan eh!" Lumapit pa si Mizzy para suriin ang mukha ni Lee kung may sugat ba ito. "Eh kung sabihin ko kaya kay Perci na duguan mukha mo nang makonsensya?"
"Grabe. Okay na ako."
"So anong sasabihin ko dito? Ang kulit eh."
"Wala sabihin mo okay na ako."
Nag-reply si Mizelea at nakareceive naman agad ng text pabalik na parang nakabantay si Perci sa cellphone nito.
"Ang sabi, Pakisabi kay ate Lee magkita naman kami for old time's sake. I promise hindi ko sasasabihin or dadalhin si kuya Odi kung ayaw niya. Pero sana pwede siyang makita sa Pink's sa may Shang ng mga 5pm bukas. I'll be waiting."
Natahimik si Lee.
"Aba't nagbigay ng time and date ang gago. Hindi muna itanong kung available ka?"
"Manang mana talaga yan kay..." Si Lee na mismo ang kusang tumigil sa pagsasalita.
"Mana kanino?" Mizzy probed as she smirked.
Lee just clears her throat as if nothing happened.
"Makapag-Tinder na nga muna." Iniba niya ang usapan at humarap sa cellphone. She randomly swiped some people left and right. Naging laro na nga lang ito sa kanya dahil hindi naman siya sumasagot sa mga nagcha-chat.
Mizzy immediately let go of the topic and didn't push it nang nakitang nagti-Tinder nga si Lee. Tinabihan na lang ito as profiles of different men shuffles.
Pero napatigil sila when a familiar face popped up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SIMON ODYSSEY LEE, 26
📍Less than a mile away
_______________________
Waiting for you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mizzy was then suddenly alert. Alam niyang nasa malapit lang si Odyssey para masagap siya ng Tinder ni Lee.
Habang kapansinpansin ang panginginig ng kamay ni Lee thinking, if Odi is still in Tinder, it meant he's still single. Pero ano 'yung sinasabi ni Julius noong isang gabi.
She has been assuring herself that it's all good if Odi and Danielle are together now, but she can't lie that it hasn't escaped her mind since then.
Hindi na siya nakatiis.
"B-bakit siya nandito? Hindi ba sila ni Danielle?" She bravely asked, to Mizzy's surprise.
"Hindi nga sila." She observed Lee's expression to decide if she should continue. Hindi nila masyadong napapagusapan ang kahit anong tungkol kay Odi so she's more than willing to say so many things now. She didn't dare ask why Lee's suddenly asking dahil ayaw niyang mabati ito.
"To be fair, meron talagang mga iba na may jowa na, pero may Tinder pa rin. Pero alam ko talaga, Danielle and Doc Odi are not an item. I just knew she somehow followed in Singapore— I'm not sure if she really followed pero basta, nagkasama sila sa isang school yata doon. And then they started showing up at reunions together, with Eli, of course. Pero hindi sila."
"Julius said... they kissed."
"Ha?" Natawa si Mizzy. "Pati sa'yo nakarating 'yang tsismis na 'yan? Parang hindi naman totoo. Sinasabi lang nila, kasi marami daw nakakita 'nung isang reunion. Unang reunion yata 'yun. Sobrang tagal na. Pero nandun naman ako parang hindi ko naman nakita. And knowing Odi, parang hindi naman ganun 'yung tao. If anything, parang umiiyak nga siya 'nun habang lasing kaya umiiwas ako kasi..."
Mizzy realized the severity of her words. Of course, if Odyssey deigned to cry in front of other people, it will be just because of Lee.
Napayuko na lang si Lee as she stands up to go to the bathroom.
November 11, 2016
Odyssey's birthday coincides with the batch's first reunion.
Ilang taon na ba mula since they graduated from high school? It has just been four years pero halos karamihan sa kanila, graduate na ng college. Ang iba naman nasa mga huling taon na rin ng pag-aaral.
Odi and Dani just came back from Singapore para lamang sa reunion na ito and the latter clearly knew how Odyssey had been really hopeful to see someone in here pero hindi dumating.
In fact, mag-isa lang si Mizzy na halatang iniiwasan din siya.
After some small talks, he went straight next to the mobile bar at doon na nanatili. Drinking his bladders out.
"Tama na 'yan." Suway ni Danielle nang makita ito but it was too late. Odyssey is clearly as drunk as a fish.
Back in Singapore, Odyssey made a very good job keeping himself together. Dahil na rin siguro sa pag-aaral at nasa ibang parte ng mundo, although there were lapses that he actually showed signs of longing, halos hindi naman ito naging lungo ng ganito.
But Danielle knew that going back here will bring back everything.
Their set of friends. Their world. Halos lahat siguro magpapaalala kay Odi nang dati. Kaya hindi niya naman ito masisi sa ginagawa nito ngayon.
"Halika na. Iuuwi na kita sa inyo." She supported him to walk.
It still gave her all the jitters. Odyssey has always distanced himself from other people even back in high school except for two special person. He has always drawn an impenetrable line around himself na si Lee at si Perci lang ang nakakapasok.
But ever since she left, this line even became more thicker than it already is. But sometimes, he allows her to cross this at times like this and she is more than happy that even though she knew it doesn't always happen, at least it still does.
Naglalakad sila sa hallway nang mahulog ang cellphone ni Odyssey mula sa bulsa. Agad niya itong kinuha nang makakita ng notification from an Lee Gabriel.
Apparently, albeit drunk, Odyssey was conscious enough to absorb what he's seeing. He immediately grabbed his cellphone thinking Lee actually sent him a birthday message.
She did. And she didn't at the same time.
Because it was actually an email routed from letter me later from the Lee 5 years ago.
Odyssey was already bawling his eyes out hindi pa man natatapos.
November 11, 2011
Dear Odyssey,
First of all, happy birthday! I'm so sorry, wala akong gift kasi natapon ko. Pero sobrang baliw mo! You bullied me again!
I'm writing this to be sent to you 5 year later dahil baka at this moment na nababasa mo ngayon ito, hindi ka pa rin nagpo-propose. Pero kung fiance na kita ngayon diyan sa future, o kaya asawa mo na ako, eh, don't read any further. Hahahaha!
Excuse me, I only rejected that ring, because we weren't even 18! I'm not belittling your financial capability because I really only wanted you in this lifetime. Hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi mo pa rin ako inaangkin ng buong-buo but if you want it, I'm willing to give everything to you. Ikaw lang naman eh! Hahahaha! Huwag mo 'tong papabasa sa iba o sa'kin sa future kasi nakakahiya! Pero mahal na mahal kita!
And I'm only thinking that even though I agree marrying you, we would have to wait until I'm 21 to not need parents consent. Kahit umabot tayo ng 18, at hindi pa rin payag sila papa, hindi rin tayo makakapagpakasal. Akala mo ba hindi ko naresearch 'to?
Kaya kung nahihiya kang tanungin ako ulit ngayon. Please please ask me now. Dahil pwede na! Papakasal na ako sa'yo, love.
I love you, today, and tomorrow, and all the tomorrows that this lifetime has.
I love you, forever.
Happy birthday at pakasal na tayo!
Lee
Sob was an understatement for Odyssey. Humagulgol siya sa mga nabasa.
Danielle can only hug him hanggang tumahan.
"Sinungaling... sinungaling..."
"Shhh..." Patuloy niya lang hinahaplos ang likod ni Odyssey hanggang tumigil din ito kinalaunan.
When she removed her embrace, she finds Odi in a slump. Like he's more drunk than before. Hindi na umiiyak pero parang hindi na kakayaning umalis sa kinatatayuan.
She's thankful that there's a wall that helps her support him.
"Odi? Kaya mo pa maglakad?"
But he is still listless. Like he's sleeping— his head fell straight into hers.
Their lips met.
*later*