Rainy Season in Manila

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"I'll be seeing you soon again, Isel, ha?" Ngiti ni Ate Mallory sa akin. Niyakap pa ako nito nang napakahigpit at saka may binulong.

"You're choking her. Let her go," utos ni Bennett. Pinakawalan naman niya ako sa pagkayayakap at nanatili ang ngiti sa labi niya. Hindi ko naman alam kung anong isasagot do'n sa binulong niya sa akin kaya tumango na lamang ako. "We should leave now. The rain in manila won't wait for us to get to our home."

"Sabi ko nga..." Ngiwi ko pa.

"When are you coming back to Manila, ate?" tanong ni Bennett.

"Hm... hindi ko pa sigurado. Masyadong toxic pa sa Manila now so I think mag-stay muna ako rito ng ilang days or weeks. And I've watched the news, sa NCR dadaan ang bagyo. Siguro hindi kalakasan dito, so I better stayed here than in Manila. I'll let you know na lang."

"Call me, just don't barge there without telling me you'll come, get it?"

She make faces to him. "Bahala ka riyan. Basta pupunta ako kung kailan gusto ko."

He grunted and rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Come on, Sel. Let's go."

"Ingat kayo sa biyahe!"

"Thank you, ate! Just let your mom know na umalis na kami. Thank you ulit!"

"Of course, you are such a sweetheart, Isel. I hope to bond with you again soon."

"Okay, that's it. We're leaving."

Before Ate Mallory could do or say something, kinuha na ni Bennett and kamay ko saka niya ako hinatak papunta sa sasakyan niya. He's carrying my bag at iyong backpack naman niya ay dala na rin. Inilagay niya lang 'yon sa upuan sa likod at saka kami pumwesto sa harapan. I saw Ate Mallory wave at us when Bennett started driving his car away from the parking lot.

As soon as we left their home that I call a mansion, it felt weird for me to sit here in front rather than in the back. Cinema should be sitting here and not me, but because of what happened last night, it was chaos... I think. Good thing, his mom didn't find out about or it will just ruin the day for her. They just keep it to themselves and some people who witnessed Cinema's outburst.

"I hope we won't be trapped when we get back into Manila," Bennett muttered.

"Sana nga... sabi nga ni Tessa na medyo tumaas ang tubig do'n sa España."

"Stay in my condo if it's impossible to get through your dorm."

"Okay... pero siguro makalulusot naman tayo. Medyo malapit lang naman ang dorm ko sa condo mo."

"Okay," tipid nitong sagot sa akin. "We'll see."

Tumahimik na lang muli ako. Nagsasalita lang ako kapag may itatanong siya sa akin. This will be two-hour drive pabalik ng Manila. Alas y tres pa lamang ng hapon at panigurado by five or six ay makararating na rin kami ro'n.

Nakababagot iyong biyahe namin. Ni hindi rin magawang magpatugtog ni Bennett ng music. I tried to sleep it off and good thing, I've got to sleep, but unfortunately, pagkagising ko ay umuulan na lang.

"Manila na ba tayo?"

"Malapit na," simpleng sagot sa akin ni Bennett.

"Okay... ingat ka sa pagmamaneho," pagre-remind ko sa kanya.

Remembering what happened to him the other time it rained, nadisgrasya siya at feeling ko hindi ko na maiaalis sa isipin kong hindi siya maaksidente kung hindi dahil sa akin. We talked about it, but never the way Archie told it to me. Siya nagkwento sa akin kung anong nangyari, but Bennett chose to keep silent about it. Just like what happened last night, he's not talking no anybody. He just wanted to be alone, to be by himself. Siguro gano'ng tao lang talaga siya.