CHAPTER 20
CORA'S POV
“Why don't you stay for tonight, Jared? Medyo lumalalim na ang gabi at malayo pa ang uuwian mo,” Papa said.
Freiya sent me here. He insisted. It's fine with me though, aside from I have a fake gay boyfriend, I also have an instant Driver.
But, I could hardly believe that he gave me five Barbie earlier as his present for our First Monthsary that took place yesterday. Kinakailangan ko tuloy bumawi.
“Thank you po,” he replied.
I gestured him to come inside. Sumunod naman siya agad. We sat down on the couch, while Mama and Papa are sitting in front of us. Their smiles were sincere as their staring at me and Freiya.
Weird.
My sisters were busy, as in lahat sila. We all went here for a family gathering, but then they really can't set aside their responsibility in Papa's business. As anticipated, that's how responsible and obedient they are.
“I know that you just celebrated your fist monthsary yesterday, but Jared told us that it's been more than a year since you've known each other. So, have you ever thought of marriage?” Papa asked.
I swallow. I am extremely anxious at this monent, but I tried my all best to hide it. He's really so serious. God! I looked at Freiya. Halata namang hindi siya makapaniwala sa mga sinabi ni Papa.
But look how cute he is. Hindi niya alam kung saan siya titingin dala na rin siguro ng kaba, gulat, at hiya.
“Oo nga, mga anak, tumatanda na kayo. Mga ganyang edad dapat ay nagpapakasal na o kaya nama'y may anak na,” usal naman ni Mama.
D-Dapat may anak na? Si Mama naman masyadong nagmamadali!
Yes, when I and Silver are still together, I'd been persuading him that we should get married. But now that I am single, I realize I still have plenty of dreams to achieve. I haven't traveled the world yet and meet my Korean Idol, Park Seo Joon. So, I still don't want to tie the knot. Let me enjoy my life first.
“Alam mo si Paulie at Tanya, sabik na sabik na 'kong ikasal sila sa fiancé nila at magkaroon ng apo. Si Rosa naman at Jannica, mukhang malapit na ring ma-engage. Eh, kayo? Kailan kayo magse-settle?” dagdag pa ni Mama.
Nagkatinginan kami ni Freiya, asking for each other to lend a hand. I fake a laugh and have a glance at my parents.
“Pa, Ma, we wanted to enjoy our boyfriend-girlfriend stage. Makakahintay naman siguro ang kasal at... apo,” I said.
Gosh! This is so embarrassing!
“Oo na, sige. I'm not going to pressue you. Malaki na kayo at alam ni'yo na ang mga ginagawa ni'yong desisyon,” Papa said and manifested a wide smile.
He already knew how to listen and understand others. He now let me do what I want and follow my decisions. I feel so glad and relieved.
ZELLA'S POV
It's lunch break. Bitbit ko ang tray ng pagkain na inorder ko while I am looking for a seat to sit on. Masyadong occupied ang cafeteria ngayon. Hindi pa naman ito kalakihan at halos nandito ang mga aspiring Nurses at Doctors na rito nag OJT. Meron pang isang upuan na natitira, pero nakakahiya namang makisalo sa mga trainees. Hay, bahala na nga.
Maglalakad na sana ako papunta roon when someone overtakes. Huminto rin siya at lumingon sa akin.
“Ah, you can have that chair, Nurse Zella,” nakangiting aniya.
I shook my head, attempting to hide my introversion. “Hindi na, Doc, you can have it,” sabi ko at agad na akong tumalikod.
Nakakahiya! I looked so stressed and unsightly! Hindi ko pa naayos iyong buhok ko and I didn't do some retouch nang pumunta ako rito sa cafeteria. Kainis!
“Sa'n ka kakain?”
OMG! Hindi ko man lang napansin na sinusundan niya pala ako!
“Ahh...”
Pwede naman akong kumain doon sa station namin, kaso nandoon si Aaron at hinihintay ako. Tss! He wanted to talk, pero para saan pa? Guguluhin niya na naman ang buhay ko.
“My office is free, we can have our lunch there,” aniya.
Damn! I could actually feel how my heart palpitates so weird! My God, Doc!
“I also wanted to ask you about your best friend,” dagdag niya.
Huminto kami sa tapat ng elevator. Aaminin kong may kirot sa puso ko. He already knew that Cora is my best friend. Sabi niya, he stalked my Instagram account at nakita nga niya ang mga litrato namin ni Cora. Haay!
Wala na akong nagawa pa at sumunod na lang sa kanya habang naglalakad na kami papunta sa opisina niya. Pakiramdam ko ay nawalan ako ng gana, pero I have to look fine. Mamaya ay maghinala pa siya kung bigla kong tanggihan ang offer niya.
Inilapag niya sa mesa ang bitbit niyang tray at kinuha ang isang plastic chair. Inilagay niya iyon sa harap ng mesa niya and gestured me to sit. Naupo na rin siya sa swivel chair niya. Para tuloy akong pasyente niya ngayon at nandito ako for my monthly checkup dahil sa setup namin.
Tahimik lang kaming kumakain. I'm waiting for him to start the conversation. Nahihiya talaga ako at medyo nakakaramdam din ng selos. Haaay! Super mali. I love my best friend. Hindi dapat ako nagseselos that my crush wants to talk about her kaya ako nandito sa opisina niya.
“Ahh, I'll be candid with you, Nurse Zella, paano naging boyfriend ni Cora si Jared?”
I didn't know he's curious about that thing. Siguro he still has feelings for Cora? Wow! After ten long years, si Cora pa rin?
“Hmm, niligawan siya ni Jared?”
Well, I'm also not sure what will be my answer. Hindi ko pwedeng sabihin na lang that they're just in a fake relationship so he doesn't need to worry.
Bahagya naman siyang natawa. “I mean paano sila nagkita ulit?” tanong niya.
Hindi ko ipinahalata na nagulat ako. Nagkita ulit? Did Cora and Freiya met before?
“Ahh, maybe Cora didn't tell you what happened between them in the past,” muling usal niya.
Ano bang pinagsasabi nito? Nagkakilala lang naman si Cora at Freiya dahil si Freiya ang right gay ni Cora para sa revenge thingy niya. Anong what happened between them in the past? Anong alam nito na hindi ko alam?
“Let's drop it,” ngumiti siya at isinenyas ang pagkain ko. Hindi pa pala ako nangangalahati at malapit nang matapos ang 15 minutes lunch break ko.
“May free time ka pa ba ngayon? May gusto lang sana akong klaruhin,” tanong ko.
I badly wanted to talk with him again. I have a lot of questions running in my mind because of that past thingy he just mentioned.
“I actually have a hectic schedule, pero kung importante 'yan I can re-sched my meeting this 5 PM.”
“Ahh, 'wag na. Sa susunod na lang.”
Tumayo na ako at kinuha ang tray. Hindi ko pa nauubos ang pagkain ko, pero pakiramdam ko ay busog na ako na parang hindi.
“Aalis na po ako, Doc, salamat,” sabi ko.
Hindi ko na hinintay pa ang sasabihin niya at dali-dali na akong lumabas. Nawa'y umalis na rin si Aaron dahil ayokong dumagdag pa siya sa mga gumugulo sa isipan ko ngayon.
Pagkarating ko sa Nurse station ay laking pasasalamat ko na wala na roon si Aaron. Mayroon pa akong five minutes na natitira. I get my phone and open my Facebook account, then I click the search button and look for Freiya's account. Tiningnan ko ang mga old photos and posts niya, pero wala namang kakaiba.
Kailan kaya ang past na iyon? Anong year? Gosh!
Nagpatuloy ako sa pag-i-scroll hanggang sa narating ko iyong high school days na posts ni Freiya. Sa isang Christian school pala siya nag-aral dati. No wonder lalaking-lalaki ang itsura niya.
“Is this Gizelle?” tanong ko nang makita ko ang larawan nilang magka-akbay.
Binasa ko ang mga comments. Halos lahat sinasabi ang sweet nila at bagay na bagay sila. So, ibig sabihin mag-on sila rito? Woah! Hindi ko ito alam, ha. Sabagay, hindi rin naman ako tsismosa at nangingialam sa buhay pag-ibig ng iba dati.
Patuloy ko lang na binasa ang mga comments hanggang sa may nakita akong weird comment.
“Gizelle Beltran love Lexter Jared Asuncion? Ha?” usal kong muli.
Lexter Jared Asuncion? Asuncion...
Cora uttered that surname when we talked about her past relationship with Doc Troy. Ang sabi niya Doc Troy was in a relationship with this gay whom everyone called Barbie Asuncion from Saint Mary's Academy! Freiya was also from there, so iisa lang sila? OMG!
May time pa nga raw that this Barbie Asuncion went to our school and spread that Cora stole his boyfriend. Cora was then bullied because of that. Ang mga babaeng tinitingala siya noon ay bigla na lang siyang ni-look down, pero wala raw siyang pakialam. Wala raw siyang ninakaw, she had a clear conscience.
Doc Troy and Barbie broke up before he courted Cora. Hindi na rin naman daw nanggulo iyong Barbie, but she heard that gay despised her so much for stealing his first love.
Dalawang beses niya lang din daw nakita si Barbie. Galit siya rito for spreading fake news kaya hindi na siya nagsayang pa ng oras para makita o makausap ito.
Ibig sabihin they despised each other? Pero, mukhang nakalimutan na siya ni Cora. Si Freiya kaya? Kung naaalala pa niya si Cora, then why did he apply as Cora's gay boyfriend? So, baka hindi na rin.
I'm stuck between telling all of this to Cora or just remain silent. Baka kasi kapag sinabi ko ay biglang magalit si Cora at hindi na matutuloy pa ang revenge thingy niya. God! I don't want the Dragon to burst out again. Okay na ako sa Cora ngayon na marunong nang umintindi at may pakialam na sa iba. Pero, hindi ko kayang manahimik na lang. We don't hide secrets. Ugh! Ang hirap!
Pero, kapag nagkita-kita silang tatlo ay dalawa lang ang mangyayari, it's either everything's still fine after meeting again or war will occur. Gosh! I'm not yet ready for that. I choose the first-mentioned then.
CORA'S POV
It's past 10 PM when we're finally done talking about some stuff. Ang daming kasinungalingan ang nasabi namin ni Freiya. Guilt has been hitting on me, but I had to lie. Nararamdaman ko na rin naman that the end of my revenge is near to come. Konti na lang talaga.
“Cora.”
Nilingon ko naman agad si Rosa. Umupo ako at inilapag sa mesa ang tinempla kong kape. I'm not yet in my mood to sleep. Gusto ko munang mag isip-isip.
“Can we talk?” tanong niya.
“About what?” I asked her back while beaming a smile on my face.
I'm also excited that we're finally going to have a conversation as sisters na walang halong plastikan.
“About Jared, I know he's gay.”
Damn! I'm screwed.