I immediately stood up. Kasunod ko na si Cyclone na dala dala na ang mga gamit namin. Martine told me the bar they were in, saka na lamang daw niya ie explain kapag dumating ako.
Cyclone insisted na sasama siya, baka mapano daw ako sa daan. Hindi na ako nakipagtalo pa at hinayaan na lamang siya, when we reached the place nakita ko kaagad sa labas sila Hurricane.
Agad akong lumabas at lumapit, may mga bouncer and they're talking to smebody over the phone. Martine and Patty's hugging Barb sa isang side samantalang nakaupo si Hurricane sa may gilid. Casper's cursing, parang pinapagalitan ang boyfriend ko who's beside Eric.
Si Kenzo, if I am not mistaken, may kausap sa phone. They all looked so in trouble at the moment. Miguel's the first one to notice us.
"Chandy," he called kaya napatingin sila sa amin.
Hurricane's brows furrowed even more upon seeing me. He stood up, bumaba agad ang mga mata ko sa kamay niya. It was bleeding. His knuckles were bleeding.
What the hell happened?!
"Babe, why are you here?" He asked, voice a bit annoyed. He was about to walk towards me when I shook my head. My eyes focused on his injured hand.
"You're bleeding."
I looked up to meet his eyes. There's anger in it, his jaws were clenching hard as his eyes travelled to his hands then to the person behind me. Lumingon ako kung saan siya nakatingin, there I see Barb watching us.
I looked back to him, "What happened?"
Walang umimik. We were enveloped by awful silence, and I hate how his friends never bother to explain anything.. I hate how he stayed mum as he walked towards me, reaching for my hand.
"Let's go home."
"What happened, Hurricane?"
I heard someone sobbed, crying.
He closed his eyes, nang imulat niya yon hindi siya sakin nakatingin. He's looking past through me again. His eyes blaring with fire instantly turned soft. He gulped as he let go of my hand bago ako nilagpasan. I stood frozen on the spot, completely shock at his action.
What the hell was happening?
Dahan dahan akong lumingon, only to watch my boyfriend walking towards Barbara. My lips opened in disbelief as he cupped her face in front of me. In front of his friends.. like I wasn't here.. like none of us matter at the moment..
I can feel some eyes on me but I didn't bother to return any look from them. My face remained deadpanned as my full attention was on him and his best friend.
What the hell is happening?
"Hey, it's okay now. It's okay now, Barb. I'm sorry." I heard him soothing her, her tears were uncontrollable as she nodded, closing her eyes.
He enveloped her in his arms, like he's securing her from more harm. I can clearly see how tight his hug was. How he doesn't want to let go.. and I watched how she clung on him, finding haven in my boyfriend's embrace.
"I'm taking you home."
My eyes felt warm pero hindi pwede. Pinigilan ko ang luha ko. Ayokong umiyak. Hindi ko alam pero ayokong umiyak.
"No, we will take her home." Martine interjected, glancing worriedly at me. "We will take good care of her. You need to go home and rest, Hurri. Your girlfriend's here." Madiin niyang sinabe ang mga huling salita. Like she's waking some senses in him.
I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked at the man behind me, it was Cyclone. He gripped my shoulder gently, comforting me.. like he already knew I am in pain..
Yes.. I am hurting.
I patted Cy's hand, assuring him I'll be fine.
"What happened?" Cy asked Miguel.
He looked at me worriedly before glancing at Hurricane then back on me. "Napaaway e. May nangungulit kay Barb kanina sa loob, ayon sinuntok niya. The guy fought back of course. Pero napuruhan yong lalaki."
Dahil lang may nangulit kay Barb? Hindi ba niya kayang hilahin paalis si Barb without harming someone else?
"Who's the guy? Where's he now?"
"Ex ni Barb. Humihingi daw ng second chance, nambastos din daw. Umalis na yong lalaki."
Ex..
The information is too much..
I am trying to understand the situation.. of course, he'll hit him kung bastos..
"Hurricane, go now. I am okay." I heard Barbara's voice.
Hindi ko na sila inantay, dumiretso na ako sa loob ng kotse. Hindi ko pinansin ang pag-tawag ni Martine o ni Cyclone. Gusto ko ng umuwi. Gusto kong mapag-isa. Madami akong aaralin.. madami akong dapat isipin.. hindi lang to..
But when I am finally seated, pumatak na ang luha ko. Agad ko yong pinahiran. My lips were trembling hard, and I am fighting myself not to shed another tear. No..
Another one escaped, mabilis ko yong pinunasan. Pinikit ko na lamang ang mga mata ko. Sinusubukan pakalmahin ang sarili. Seconds later narinig kong bumukas ang pinto, I opened my eyes to see Cyclone. His jaw tightly clenched, his nose were flaring as he gripped the steering wheel then he looked at me.
"He's coming with us. Just say a word and we will leave him. We can go to the beach right now if gusto mo.. anywhere.. just say a word.." Paninigurado niya.
Dahan dahan akong umiling bago tumingin sa labas, papalakad na papunta sa amin si Hurricane.
"Do you have first aid kit here?" I asked in a weak voice.
"Sa backseat."
I nodded. Bumukas ang pinto sa backseat at pumasok siya. Hindi makatingin sakin. Ni hindi siya umiimik. I heaved a sigh bago lumabas ng passenger seat at pumunta sa backseat.. sa tabi niya.
He looks shit.
He looks troubled.
And my chest tightened.
"Babe.." he called, completely surprised na tinabihan ko siya sa backseat. Cyclone started the engine. Hindi ko magawang tignan si Cy. For some reason, nahihiya ako sa kaibigan ko.
Agad kong hinanap ang first aid, nasa may gilid lamang niya. Binuksan ko yon at kinuha ang kamay niya.
"Cy may mineral ka?"
Tahimik na inabot sakin ni Cy ang drinking bottle niya. Hindi ko inalis ang tingin at hawak ko sa kamay ni Hurricane. Ayoko siyang tignan sa mata.
I fished for my phone using my other hand and turned its flashlight on, "Hold this." I coldly ordered. Agad niyang sinunod at tinutok sa kamay niya.
I started cleansing his wound.. hindi naman malala, but of course it needs attention. Dahan dahan kong pinatakan ng betadine ang sugat niya after cleansing it with water. I can feel his eyes on me, watching me carefully.
"Cha.."
"You don't have to hurt someone in order to protect her.."
"I know.."
Then why are you hurting me?
I closed my eyes for a second to erase the sudden thought. I have to calm myself down. There's no good in letting my emotions gets ahead of me.
"He harassed her?"
He looked away. The atmosphere became heavier as he let another seconds passed.. his jaw was clenching hard I can almost hear his teeth gritting from anger.
"You're not allowed to hit someone, you're a law student." I weakly added.
"I know." His voice was dead tired.
"And yet you risked it all for her.."
"Babe, please.. not now.." he pleaded.
I nodded. Ayoko ng makadagdag pa sa nangyare sa kanya ngayon.
"I'm sorry.." he quietly said. I can feel his eyes boring on me.
"You should rest."
I said as I let go of his hand at inayos ang first aid kit ni Cy. My voice was too low and cold, I can't help it. After what he'd done kanina, lahat ng lakas sa katawan ko nawala.
Maybe it was petty for others, but seeing your boyfriend cupping some other girl's face and soothing her? I really don't know. It was too much for me.
The jealousy's eating me up again, and I never enjoyed the feeling.
"Are you mad?"
I looked at him coldly, his eyes etched with worry. Naramdaman ko ang paghawak niya sa kamay ko, gently squeezing it.
"I am."
"I'm sorry, Cha. Sorry talaga, hindi na'ko makikipag-away ulit." His voice were too sincere and apologetic. Kinuha niya ang mga kamay ko at hinawakan. "Love, sorry. I'm sorry. Hm?" he added, kissing my hand.
I looked away.. sa ibang bagay siya humihingi ng tawad, hindi sa bagay na mas nakasakit sakin.
He's apologizing for getting into trouble, not for hugging Barb in front of me.
Mababaw lang ba ako?
"Okay."
I answered.
We fell silent after, nauna akong ihatid ni Cy sa condo. Napatingin ako kay Hurricane nang hawakan niya ulit ang kamay ko, pababa na sana ako. "Hey, I'm sorry." He apologized again, sinusubukan hulihin ang mga mata ko.
Tumango lamang ako.
When it comes to Hurricane.. sobrang bilis kong ma drain.
Bumaba na ako at sinarhan ang pinto. Inantay ko silang makalayo bago dumiretso sa parking at sumakay sa sarili kong kotse.
I need my bestfriend.
**
"Did I wake you?"
Of course, I did. It's almost 1 in the morning and I came all the way here just to talk to her. All for my selfish reasons.
Ansel's already in her panjamas. Medyo magulo na ang buhok niya, obviously dahil kanina pa siya nakahiga. Tahimik na sa buong bahay nila. I'm glad nag-reply siya ng mag-text ako.
"You always do." She answered smiling nang mas lakihan ang bukas ng pinto. Pumasok ako at inantay lamang siya bago kami pumasok sa kwarto niya.
"Masama sayo mag-puyat." I blurted nang humiga ako sa kama niya. Ngumiti lamang siya bago humiga sa tabi ko, inaayos ang kumot namin.
"Ngayon lang ako magpu puyat. Ngayon ka lang ulit pumunta dito." She laughed. Guard, I missed hearing her laugh. "May exam ka bukas, dba?"
I heaved a sigh. Nakatingin lamang ako sa kisame niya. Nakapatay ang ilaw, tanging ilaw lang sa glow in the darks sa kisame niya ang nagsisilbing liwanag.
"Exam lang yon."
I heard her chuckling, "Wow ha. You changed."
"For the better?" I asked, still staring at the glow in the dark sticker.
There's a long silence that followed. Tunog lang ng aircon ang maingay and it's still comfortable. The silence between us still feels comfortable.
Until Ansel chose to break the stillness.
"What happened, Chandy?" her voice etched with worry.
Then Hurricane's face.. everything that happened earlier flashed in my mind.
"We were happy.. especially yesterday." I cleared my throat. If I were to look back on my old self, I swear, never ko naisip na darating ang time mago-open ako about my love life. But there's just really something with midnight and emotions.
"Yeah?"
I glanced at her before returning my eyes at the ceiling. "We were happy.. especially kapag kaming dalawa lang but.. Barb will always be there.. alam mo yon? I started having negative thoughts about their friendship and I hated it.. I hate the fact that I am jealous with Barbara.. kasi dapat hindi..
Huminga ako ng malalim bago mapait na napangiti.
"I'm just jealous. I don't know how to deal with it," I admitted.
Minulat ko ang mga mata ko para tumingin sa kanya ng hindi siya umimik. And with the help of the little light coming from the ceiling, I saw her smiled faintly.
"We don't always have to deal with our emotions Chandy, sometimes we just have to feel it. Savor it and don't fight it. It's okay. It's valid. Wag mo lang hahayaan malamon ka ng emotions mo."
"I don't know.."
"Hey, he's not making you feel like you're in a competition with another girl. Right?"
He's not..
I'm just jealous but he's not making me feel like that.. unintentionally, I must say.
"No." I barely hear my answer.
"Good. If he's treating you wrong, don't think, just go."
I heaved a sigh. "You don't have to tell me.. I know when to let go."
She chuckles, "Days like this happens.. mare realize mo na 'ah okay, walang fairytale na pure happiness lang'. Misunderstanding happens, conflicts are real and men are flawed so are we. And girls like Barbara exist okay? Yong kaisa isang babaeng di mo mapigilan di pag-selosan, gosh." Then she laughed, "Just be confident with his love for you."
"Do I have another choice?" I tried to jest.
"Love yourself."
We both fell silent again. Letting those words sink at the depths of our mind.
Tumagilid ako ng higa para mas maayos ko siyang makausap. Hindi ko kasi alam kailan ko ulit siya makikita, kelan ulit kami mag-kakasama ng ganito. Kanina, parang gusto ko lang mag-rant sa kanya pero ngayon gusto ko lang marinig boses niya.
I reached my hand and placed it on her tummy. Smiling.
"Do you remember five years ago?" she asked, breaking the silence again.
"Masyadong madaming nangyari five years ago, Ansel."
Her eyes moistened as it travelled at the ceiling, "I asked you where we will be after five years.."
The memory of us laying on the same bed years ago flashed. Two girls totally naive with big wild dreams.
"Our dreams changed.."
"Yeah.. we never expect any of this to happen.. you, having boy problems and me.. this.."
We both laughed. Hindi ko din alam ano ba ang nakakatawa pero sabay kaming tumatawa. Oh, those memories! I told her that night na after five years happily single pa din ako while she.. she travelled the world, juggling adventures and med school. We were both so sure sabay kaming magiging doctor. Kaming tatlo.
We both shed a tear, hindi ko alam kung dahil ba sa pag-tawa, o sa mga nangyayari ngayon or maybe from missing those carefree days..
"Five years.." she said, wiping tears off her face. "I'm really thankful, kahit ibang iba lahat ng nangyari sa inasahan natin.. at least, we still have each other. I don't have to face everything alone kasi you are here."
"Me too."
We both chuckle, I reached to shed another tears that fell from her eyes.
"And gosh, Cyclone! That guy, five years from now madami na daw siyang panganay."
We laughed again, reminiscing everything in our youth in the middle of the night.