Nicko just listened as Lee Ann cried. He wanted to comfort her but he didn't know what happened so he wasn't sure how. It took nearly fifteen minutes before Lee Ann finally stopped crying.
"Pupuntahan kita," Nicko said. "Magpapaalam lang ako kina Nanay."
"H'wag na. Anong oras na, o. Mag-aalala lang ako sa'yo habang nagbibiyahe ka. I just want to let the pain out..."
"Magbibihis lang ako—"
"Nicko, h'wag na nga. Masyado na kitang inaabala. Magkikita naman tayo sa Lunes. Sa school na lang tayo mag-usap."
"Friday pa lang ngayon, Lee. Matagal pa bago mag-Lunes. Besides, you wouldn't feel comfortable confiding to me there dahil maraming tao. I know you, you don't want to seem weak in front of other people."
Lee Ann wanly laughed.
"Ibababa ko muna itong telepono para makapagbihis ako at makapagpaalam."
"No. H'wag na—"
"Lee, anong klaseng kaibigan naman ako kung hindi kita kayang damayan ngayon? Anong klaseng tao naman ako kung pababayaan kitang umiyak mag-isa d'yan. Nararamdaman kong sobra kang nasasaktan or else you wouldn't even have opened up to me. Ni hindi mo nga yata sinabi 'yan sa mga Ate mo, eh, or else they wouldn't have left you by yourself."
"Nicko—"
"Wait for me, okay? And stop telling me that you don't need a friend right now kasi alam kong kailangan mo. Kahit sasabihin mong ayaw mo ay aalis pa rin ako para puntahan ka so you might as well give me your blessings."
She couldn't help but smile at his words. "Oo na. Mag-iingat ka sa pagmamaneho."
"Oo naman. See you."
"See you, Nicko."
Lee Ann wasn't sure if it was proper for Nicko to visit her. She wasn't sure if it was right to tell him about her and Nick's issues. But, she badly needed someone to talk to and she didn't want to get her sisters and their families involved.
Sasabihin ni Ate Alexa kay Kuya Alex 'tapos kakausapin ni Kuya Alex si Nick...and...and I'm not even sure if I am in a position where I could tell anyone about what happened to the baby...
She decided to take a bath and then change into a pair of gray capri pants and a white cotton shirt.
"That was fast..." she said out loud.
Had she been expecting Nick, she would have taken hours to get dressed because she would always exert so much effort to look her best. But, with Nicko, she could be herself.
"Miss Lee Ann..." She heard a knock on her door.
She pulled it open. "Hi, Manang Lalang."
"Nand'yan na po 'yung kaklase ninyo."
"Sige po. Bababa na po ako. Salamat po," she said before running down the stairs to meet her friend. "Nicko!" she happily said.
"Hi, Lee," he replied smiling. "Tara..." He took her hand in his.
"Saan tayo pupunta?"
"Drive-drive lang."
"Aba, marami ka yatang gas ngayon," she kidded.
"Nagbukas ako ng alkansya para sa'yo, Binibining Carbonel," he replied.
She laughed. "Gan'un? Dapat na ba akong makonsensya?"
"May gan'un ba sa magkaibigan?" he countered.
"Manang, labas po muna kami," she told the house help.
"Iingatan ko po 'tong alaga n'yo," Nicko said.
"Aba'y dapat lang," Manang Lalang replied with a smile. "Nicko, dahan-dahan lang sa pagmamaneho, ha. Mag-ingat kayo."
"Opo," she and Nicko chorused before they ran out the door.
"Bakit ba tayo tumatakbo, de Jesus?" Lee Ann asked laughing. "Saan ba itong pupuntahan natin at mukhang excited tayong makarating d'un?"
"Hindi ko nga rin alam, eh," he replied as they stopped beside a black Ford F-150.
"New ride?"
"Bagong sasakyan ng Kuya ko. Hiniram ko muna."
"Ahh..."
"Are you really okay, Lee?" Nicko asked.
She nodded. "Not right now but I will be..."
"Kayang-kaya mo 'yan."
"Alam ko. Pero, salamat pa rin..." she said.
He smiled. "At dahil malungkot ka ngayon ay mag-food trip tayo."
"Saan?"
"Saan mo ba gusto?"
"Tagaytay tayo."
"Sige ba."
"Wow, ha, talagang game na game ka d'yan? Alam mo ba kung ilang oras na biyahe 'yun?"
"Minsan ka lang humingi ng pabor sa akin, eh."
"Anong oras na ba?" She looked at her watch. "It's almost seven in the evening. Wala na tayong aabutang bukas na establishments d'un."
"Marami. Lalo na at weekend. Most of the restos and bars are open until three in the morning. 'Yung Starbucks nga d'un hanggang ala una, eh."
"Alam na alam, ah."
"May farm kami d'un. We sometimes spend the weekend there. Minsan isama kita during harvest time. Marami kaming pinya, langka, saging, at kape."
"Sige, just tell me para makapagpaalam ako kina Ate."
"O, halika na at nang gumaan-gaan naman 'yang sugatan mong puso."
"Parang ang layo ng Tagaytay, Nicko. Ayoko namang mapagod ka sa pagmamaneho."
"Okay. Pwede bang mag-suggest?"
"Oo naman."
"Let's head to Antipolo."
"Anong meron d'un?"
"Marami kayang overlooking bars at cafes d'un. Kami ng mga kapatid ko gumagawi d'un para lang magkuwentuhan. May restobar ang kapatid ni Tatay d'un."
"Parang makulay ang night life ko, ah, de Jesus," Lee Ann jestingly said.
Nicko chuckled. "Hindi naman." He opened and held the door for her and she got in.
"Thank you, Nicko Bentley de Jesus..."
"You're welcome, Lee Ann Carbonel,'' the young man replied before he jogged to the driver's side and slid in. "Seatbelt?"
"Nailagay ko na."
"Good. Let's go."
They talked about school, their families, anime, and the state of Lee Ann's heart.
"Pwede ka bang tanungin kung ano ang nangyari?" Nicko asked. "But, I am not obliging you to tell your story, ha, gusto ko lang na maliwanag 'yan."
"Alam ko, ikaw pa ba? Ikaw kaya ang pinaka-considerate na tao sa mundo..."
"So, anong nangyari?"
"It's his ex..."
"Si Precious Abueva?"
"Do you know her?"
"Well..."
"She miscarried," Lee told her friend. "I got a call from Nick telling me that he's in the hospital with her. And, I must be a lousy human being because although I was sad for the baby, I was mad at Nick for sounding so guilty and regretful. Ewan ko ba, Nicko, this must be our age gap talking."
"Maybe. But, let me just say that your feelings are valid."
"That sounds like something a mental health advocate would say on Twitter..." she kidded.
"Well then, you can consider me your mental health champion."
She laughed.
"Hindi ka maramot, Lee. Hindi ka rin masamang tao. Kahit sino ay masasaktan when the person they love acts like his or her heart is breaking over something that should have already been the past. 'Yun ngang alam mong hindi pa past ay nasasaktan ka na, how much more 'yung ini-expect mong tapos na pero parang hindi pa pala?"
She smiled at him. "You're a great friend, de Jesus."
"Sakit naman."
"Come on, don't tell me umaasa ka pa rin? Malapit na akong ikasal."
"At marami pang pwedeng mangyari. Pwede pang magbago ang isip mo."
"Don't waste your time—"
"I'm not. Time with you is always a time well spent."
"'Yan tayo, eh..." Lee Ann said laughing softly.
"What's running through your head right now?"
"That this is such a beautiful night and I am lucky to be spending it with a very special friend."
"No comment sa a very special friend."
"Nicko, h'wag na ako...maghiwalay man kami ni Nick o kung ano man ang mangyari sa amin, h'wag na ako because I am not worthy..."
"What do you mean?"
"You deserve someone...better..." she told him and something in the way she said the last word made his heart ache.
He slowed the car down. "Lee..."
"Yes?"
He wanted to say that he understood what she was trying to tell him. But, he couldn't bring himself to even give her a hint that he knew. "You're a magnificent person but it doesn't mean that you will never make a mistake. I am here for you regardless of the decisions you made, continue to make, and will be making..."
She stared at him.
"I see you, Lee. I see the splendent and sometimes lonely soul you hide behind your smiles. And although I admit that you are oftentimes the cause of my heart's erratic beating, you are more than your beautiful face. And I hope that when you look in the mirror, you will see the strong, bedazzling queen that I have always seen you as."
She closed her eyes as tears began to blur her vision.
"I don't want you to think that you are less just because of your choices. You are more than them, Lee. Don't let your decisions chain you to something that you want out of. You deserve to demand more if you think that you aren't getting what you're worth."
Copious tears ran down her face.
He groped for her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Basta nandito lang ako. Hindi mo kailangang ibalik 'yung pagmamahal na ibinibigay ko sa'yo dahil ibinibigay ko 'yun nang kusa. Hindi mo rin kailangang pilitin ang sarili mo na pantayan 'yung pagtingin ko sa'yo. Whatever you decide to do, do it for yourself."
She nodded sobbing.
"O, tama na iyak..." he said with a soft chuckle. "Imbes na gumaan 'yung pakiramdam mo ay parang lalo namang lumala..."
"Thank you..." she sincerely said. "Mahal kita, Nicko, bilang kaibigan. Walang halong kahit na ano 'yan. At katulad ng sinabi ko kanina, maghiwalay man kami ni Nick, you and I will remain just friends..."
"Todo-todo namang pangbabasted 'yan."
"Let's both be constant presence in each other's lives, de Jesus. Kahit kailan ayokong maghiwalay tayo."
"Biyaheng forever pala 'to," he joked.
"Parang gan'un," she replied laughing softly. "'Yung mga anak na lang natin siguro ang magpapatuloy ng kung ano man ang hindi natin sinimulan."
He laughed. "Ibig sabihin ipagkakasundo natin sila?"
"Hindi. But, if any of your children wants to marry any of mine, makakaasa ka na todo suporta ako dahil matalik na kaibigan ko ang tatay nila."
He smiled. Sadly. "You truly have a way of breaking my heart, Lee Ann Carbonel..."