NOSTALGIA (La Mémoire #1)

XXIX

XXIX
runaway

Bumundol ang kaba sa dibdib ko. Bumaliktad ang sikmura ko't nanlamig ang buong katawan ko. Panay pa rin ang salita ni Lyon ngunit hindi ko na ito marinig.

Sigurado ako. Ang itim na porselas sa kamay niya ngayon ang parehong bracelet na nakikita ko sa mga panaginip ko. Habang kaharap ko si Lyon, isa lang ang naiisip ko.

If he was the guy in my dreams, he could be the guy I was in love with. And I promised to marry him.

But why didn't he tell me? Bakit hindi niya ako tinulungang makaalala?

Libo-libo man ang katanungan sa isipan ko, wala ni isa ang isinatinig ko. Natatakot akong pagsisinungalingan lang ako nito. I realized I am alone in this. I have since I felt that everyone had their own version of the truths.

Even Lyon was selective when telling me about the past. If he was someone so important, he should have told me so. But he only told me he was a childhood friend. I knew there were some missing parts and no one would tell me that. Whatever is the truth, I will find that by myself.

"Lia?" I snapped back into reality when Lyon waved a hand in front of me.

"You seemed to doze off. Puyat ka ba?"

Hilaw akong ngumisi.

"Medyo. Maraming tinatapos na artwork."

"Oh, what are you working on?"

"Just a portrait, oil on canvas."

"Matrabaho nga 'yan. Alam mo, after college, you should have your own exhibit."

"Oo naman. I'll surely invite you to it. Gusto mo i-portrait pa kita."

"Sure. Magkano ba ang TF mo?" He grinned widely.

"Well, maybe I should price it higher since I'm talking to a Flavio.."

"Oh, wala bang best friend discount?"

I laughed and he did too. We talked of random things throughout lunch. Lyon has always made me comfortable. I don't really remember him or the stories he had told me, but I've always had a natural bond with him. He had always felt familiar.

During that lunch, I couldn't help but think, what if we were more than friends back then? Then Stav crossed my mind and I felt sick to the stomach. My chest felt heavy just by the thought of it. I couldn't bear to think of Lyon and me that way. Nasasaktan ako kapag iniisip kong masasaktan ko si Stav.

I had a few errands to run that day. Nakameeting ko ang ilang mga ka-groupmates ko para sa research namin. I also went to Elite, talked to my agent and fixed my schedule. May upcoming shoot kami para sa debut photos na ilalabas nila sa susunod na linggo.

"I rode the train!! Be proud of me. Kaunti lang pala ang laman kapag gabi na." I told Stav over the phone.

Nag-aya kasi itong makipagkita kanina. Ngunit nang malaman niyang ginabi na ako galing sa Elite, hindi na sana tutuloy kung hindi ko pa pinilit. I told him I'll be riding the train from Manila to Taguig so I could commute and see him faster.

Paglabas ko sa bagon ng train, natanaw ko na siyang nakatayo sa labas ng station.

I ran towards his slightly open arms and clashed on his chest. He abruptly wrapped me in a hug.

"I'm so tired," I murmured while my cheek was smashed against his hard chest.

Totoo namang pagod ako. Masyadong mahaba ang araw na ito ngunit nang magkita kami, parang napawi ang lahat ng iyon.