Chapter 4: Let's Retrieve What Was Lost
Nagising ako at nakita na may araw na. I guess I really cried until I fell asleep last night. But it's weird, my eyes don't feel heavy at all.
I decided to still lie in my bed. Hay, kung pwede lang tumira sa kama habang buhay ay gagawin ko na.
But my moment was suddenly cut off ng bigla ko narinig ang boses ni mama."Jean!"I heard her voice outside the door, then she entered my room."Akala ko ba 9am pasok niyo ngayon?Mag 9 na!Late ka na!"
9?Kumunot naman ang noo ko.Pero hindi naman ganun kaaga ang practice namin. Nagmessage ba sila sa group kagabi?I checked for my phone at immediately fished it out from the bed and opened it.
What I saw left me startled. The date today was....Friday, February 14.
What the hell?Sira ba ang cellphone ko?O talagang bumalik ako sa nakaraan, 3 months ago?
Hindi.Impossible.
Bigla namang nagring ang cellphone ko. Who could possibly call me at this time?
There was no number on display and just my phone ringing. Ano 'to? Is this some kind of sick prank?
I carefully answered the call. "Hello?"
For a moment, there was silence. Then a woman's voice followed. "Hello, Jean. I have heard your prayers."
"Sino to?"I am really creeped out. She sounds like an adult. Who on earth would an adult like her prank on a teenage girl?
"Kalma. Mamaya ko na sasabihin sino ako. Pero makinig ka muna sakin. May good news ako."
Okay, she got me curious though. "Ano yon?"
"Kalma uli, okay? So makinig ka. Kagaya ng sinabi ko kanina, I heard your prayers. Your deepest desire. Your heart's wish. And I can grant that."
Ano ba sinasabi niya? "Okay. But uh, what is my wish, exactly?"
"Your wish...to change what happened TODAY."
I still could not think of what she's talking about."T-today?"
I heard her groan."I forgot, tatanga tanga pala ako dati. Today is February 14, right?"
I couldn't understand her but I answered."T-totoo na February 14 na uli ngayon?Pero paano yun nangyari?It doesn't make any sense-"
"You wished for a chance to redo things over, didn't you?"Napatahimik naman ako.
"I-I never wished for anything..."
"I see. That's why you've been suffering in silence for months and forcefully dragging your ass to school even though you just wanted to leave that place, just for that scholarship. And do I have to mention how you cried your heart out last night? You look pitiful, really."
I was startled."A-are you spying on me?Sino ka ba?Kaklase ba kita?Sinasabi ko sayo, itigil mo na tong prank na 'to!"
"Yung totoo?Grabe ikaw na nga tinutulungan. Nakakainis pala sarili ko dati, no wonder people were mean to me-"
"Ano bang pinagsasabi mo?"I really don't understand her!
"Okay, Jean. Makinig ka sakin. I am actually........."
Naghintay ako habang malakas na kumakabog ang dibdib ko.
"....I am actually, you."
"Anong sinabi mo?"Is she taking drugs as well?
"Believe me. I'm you.....from the future,Jean."
"A-ano?Nababaliw ka na talaga..."I laughed. I couldn't believe what this woman was saying.
"Want me to prove it?There's no harm in trying."
Napatigil naman ako sa sinabi niya. Is she serious? But then again, I want to try....
"Fine.Tell me something that I did, that I only knew."
"Shoot. I know so many. Hmm ano ba. How about that one time when you didn't attend your cousin's birthday party which you promised to attend to?You said you were sick, but actually, you were all set, but you were late and you were just too lazy to go through the traffic so you didn't go in the end."
Woah.Pano niya nalaman yon?Pero teka."My family knows about that."
"Fine fine. How about that time when you made a fake social media account and hitted on girls?"
"I...hey!I was young and really bored... anyway, that's one of my deepest secrets!Pero nasabi ko ata yan kay Pearl."
"Arte mo ah. Okay, how about....your first love?"
"Oh please, syempre alam ni Pearl mga crush ko-"
"No, I'm not talking about crushes. I'n talking about your really first love."
I stopped."And...and what about him?I told you before, alam ni Pearl yan, him and I talked, so I told Pearl I've moved on-"
"But you didn't really move on. Because he was your first love. You will always have strong feelings for him. Remember all those times that you were so jealous when he was with Pearl but instead you just gave off a smile and just eagerly cheered for her?That even though he is close to you sometimes, you're sad inside because he still feels really far. That's why you push everyone away, because up until now, you still have those feelings for-"
"Tama na."Pagtitigil ko. That could not drag any longer. I was really not in the mood to talk about it.
"So, do you believe me now?"
Bumuntong hininga ako."I still have trouble trusting strangers, okay? But, if this really is that day before everything went to shit, then I will do everything in making things right."
"Good."She said as if pleased."But one last thing, just a word of advice, don't ever leave Pearl again. That act will completely change everything."
"Of course!Di mo na kelangan sabihin yon sakin!"
"Good."She laughed."Well, best of luck to you, kiddo."And with that she ended the call.
"Hala!Teka-"San siya pumunta?Akala ko tutulungan niya ko!Guess I'm alone again...ugh.
Mabilis akong bumangon ng kama at kumilos.
***
When I arrived in school, sumalubong sakin ang nagkalat at makukulay na dekorasyon sa iba't ibang parte ng campus.
So, it really is February 14. Our school's foundation week....
Hindi parin ako makapaniwala. I just really went back to the day that changed my life, the day that changed everything. Kung ganoon, sa araw na 'to, mauulit ang lahat ng nangyari...
Umiling ako. This is no time to give in to negativity. If that mysterious woman is right, then this is my chance to alter what happened and completely change everything. Right. I will make sure that this time, everything ends right!
Naputol ang aking pagiisip nang maramdaman ko ang pagtatapik sa aking balikat. Agad akong lumingon.
"Jean!Andito ka lang pala!Kanina pa kaya kita hinahanap!Di ka sumasagot sa mga messages ko!Akala ko di ka na pupunta at magisa nalang ako ngayon..."
I was speechless. Pearl was standing in front of me again. She was smiling and being her cheerful self, completely opposite to the Pearl I last talked to and these few months...
Napansin naman niya na nakatitig lang ako sakanya at hindi nagsasalita."Huy.Teh okay ka lang?Bat kanina ka pa nakatanga diyan?"
I smiled. I missed her so much.
"Huy, di ka ba talaga magsasalita?Huy Jean!"
I chuckled."Sorry na. Wala pa akong kain eh....tara?"
Lumiwanag naman agad ang mukha niya."You can really read my mind!LET'S GO!"
As we ran and held hands while laughing, I stared at her again.
Pearl, I promise, this time, I will protect that smile of yours.
***
Kagaya nung nangyari nung araw na yon, Pearl and I went on to our date that day. We ate, bought cute things and had fun hanggat napagod kami. And, just like that day, this day also came to an end.
Well atleast, just the first part of it. Because the real thing starts now.
This was now the part when Pearl are on the way to the terminal to head home. But I know we won't be going home. In a few minutes, makikita na namin si Otep and the event that put my life into pieces will start. Kaya kailangan may plano ako, but I don't know the first thing to do.
"Huy Jean?Tahimik ka nanaman. Kanina ka pa bigla tumatahimik, alam mo yon? Okay ka lang ba?"Asked Pearl that cut my internal strategized planning.
"Um, oo. Sorry. Siguro...nagaalala lang ako dahil malapit na finals natin."Pagpapalusot ko.
"Sus!Wag mo na muna isipin yan, ako nga di ko iniisip yan e, ni hindi pa nga nagsisimula magaral at wala pa kong balak anytime soon."Sambit niya at tumawa.
"Haha.Yeah..."I'm way too worried about what's gonna happen next to kid around. The moment where Pearl and I will part finally came.
"Sige, Jean. Una na ko ah. Thank you so much for today! I'm really happy! Well, ingat sa biyahe pauwi!"Then she pulled me into a hug.
"U-uh yeah...i-ikaw din..."Sabi ko nalang, nang masilayan ko na si Otep. Oh no. What's the plan now, Jean?!
Humiwalay na si Pearl sakin."Hey, look. Si Otep ba yon?"
Too late. I just awkwardly replied to Pearl. "A-ah, o-oo nga...si Otep nga yon."
Wait, that's it. All of it happened because we got involved! So maybe, kung hindi kami makikialam, then hindi maglelead sa chain of events ang ginawa namin nung araw na yon. Tapos!
"Okay Pearl, let's just call the Police. It's for the better to not meddle with that."
"Jean, that poor woman is completely clueless that she's been robbed. At hahayaan mo ba talaga si Otep?What if he gets away with it, and it's all because we ignored it?"
"Pero Pearl-"
"JEAN! We cannot turn a blind eye to this. We're going!"
"Teka-"
"You go and stop Otep, hahabulin ko yung ale."Pearl said and immediately ran off to catch the lady. I guess I have no choice.
Walang gana akong lumapit kay Otep."Otep."
Agad siyang nagulat."J-Jean!H-hi???"
I just went straight to the point."Ninakaw mo yang wallet. Wag ka na magmaang maangan."
"H-ha."
"Halika na."Sambit ko at hinila uli siya.
"T-teka lang Jean!"
"IKAW BATA KA!UKINANGINAM KA NINAKAWAN MO PALA AKO-"Salubong uli nung matapang na ale saamin.
Seriously now, I have to think of a plan so that hindi kami masama ni Pearl doon sa mga pekeng pulis na mga adik na yon.
Agad ako lumapit kay Pearl."Pearl, wag na tayo sumama kung kailangan nila tayo as witness."
"Huh?Eh pwede ba yon?Bakit naman di tayo sasama-"
"Ano kasi eh, ayon!Papatayin ako nila papa at mama pag nakisama ako ng basta basta dito, oo, yari talaga ako pag nalaman nila nakealam ako. Kaya please, pauwiin mo na ako, umuwi na tayo."Pagpepeke ko ng dahilan.
"Hmm.Sige na nga.Di din ako sasama pag wala ka."
"Thank you, Pearl!"
"Anong nangyayari dito?"Lapit nung tanod na ngayo'y alam kong peke lang at kasama nila Otep. Matalim ko nalang itong tinignan.
Nagsalita yung ale."Eh ito pong kupal na to eh ninakawan ako, kung di dahil sa dalagang yon di ko pa malalaman..."
"Sige ho, tatawag na kami ng pulis. Maghintay nalang ho kayo muna diyan."
We waited for a few minutes and of course, the fake car arrived.
Huminto naman agad ang kotse sa harap namin. Maya maya pa ay bumukas na ang pinto.
Hinatid na namin ni Pearl si Otep sa sasakyan ng "Pulis" at nang makapasok siya ay inaya ko na agad si Pearl.
"Well then, tara na--"
"Sumama na ho kayo."Naramdaman ko nalang ang mga pares ng kamay na tumulak sakin papasok sa kotse.Pagkapasok na pagkapasok ko ay sumarado na agad ang pinto at narinig ko ang paglock nito. No. THIS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
"H-HOY!PALABASIN NIYO NA KAMI DITO NGAYON NA-"
"Andito na ba lahat?"
"Oo tol!"
"KUNG GANON LET'S ROCK!"
What-what just happened?
Did we just get kidnapped again?The main thing that I promised not to happen again?!