Unforgotten [Baguio Series #5]

39

39:

Months later, I passed my Architectire Licensure Exam and it was the most relieving day of my life. Natapos na lahat ng anxious days ko, thinking if I'm going to passed ALE or not. I really thought that I will fail after years of studying.

The night after that, my friends and I went out together to celebrate our achievement, but then, Aika became emotional.

"Bakit ako pumasa?" she asked, crying.

And what's worst . . . she's completely sober because we just started drinking.

"Ayaw mo ba?" natatawang tanong ni Anna.

Wala ang mga lalaki kaya naman mas malaya kaming maging totoo sa isa't isa ngayon. Aika continued crying her heart out, nakikisabay sa lakas ng tugtog ng buong lugar para matabunan ang malakas na pag-iyak niya.

Hindi ko na rin napigilang umiyak, and then Anna too . . . and then Deli.

We all cried because it only means that Aika will be leaving us since she already passed her licensure examination. Mga ilang buwan na lang ang ilalagi niya rito sa Pilipinas, kasama kami, kaya hindi ko rin siya masisi kung bakit siya ganito.

"I'm sorry, I have to leave," she said in her broken voice.

"P'wede namang mag-Skype, 'wag ka ngang mag-sorry d'yan!" bulyaw sa kan'ya ni Deli.

Aika doesn't usually cry because of these reasons. Sawa na siyang iyakan ang pamilya niya noon kaya naman ang madalas na dahilan ng pag-iyak niya noon ay ang course namin at ang apprenticeship niya. Ngayon na lang ulit siya umiyak dahil sa pamilya niya.

"Ayaw kong umalis. Bakit ako pumasa?"

It broke our hearts a million times because it is the most vulnerable moment of Aika after years of being friends with her. She was never like this. In fact, magka-level nga sila ng pagiging optimistic ni Deli kaya kapag kami ni Anna ang down, they are both there to cheer us up.

Ngayong isa sa nagpapasaya sa amin ang malungkot at nasasaktan ngayon, wala kaming magawa kasi pamilya niya mismo ang kalaban niya.

Umuwi ako sa unit kasama si Aika at tumabi ako sa kan'yang matulog. She didn't hide her sadness to me after we get drunk. She didn't really make an effort to put a smile because she knew that she can't.

I hugged her and rubbed her back. "Don't worry. Malayo ka man, mag-uusap naman tayo palagi."

And because of that . . . she started crying again before she hugged me back. "Hindi ko kayang umalis. Wala kayo ro'n. Ayaw ko sa New Zealand."

She kept on crying and crying on my arms until she fell asleep. I didn't leave her side until I, myself, have fallen asleep too.

Kinabukasan, nagising ako na wala na siya sa tabi ko. Lumabas ako ng k'warto at nakita ko na suot niya ang paborito niyang satin spaghetti strap habang naka-messy bun ang buhok, nagluluto sa kusina.

"Ang aga mong gumising," sabi ko habang naglalakad papunta sa kusina.

Tumingin siya sa akin at ngumiti nang malawak. "Good morning! I cooked us breakfast!"

Seeing her smile now hurt me. Pinitik ko ang noo niya bago kumuha ng baso at sinalinan ng tubig mula sa water dispenser.

"Don't smile at me like that. You won't fool a Valdez."

She laughed before turning off the stove. "I'm really fine, actually. Siguro dahil naiiyak ko na lahat kagabi."

Isinalin niya ang niluto niyang fried rice sa bowl at ipinatong sa lamesa, bago lumapit sa akin. She smiled again--a genuine one.