Leanna Clavelle | COMPLETED

Phase Twenty

Keanu's friends are fun to be with. Though they are way older than me and it was just our first time meeting, still they didn't make me feel like I was out of place. I had fun. They're like Kuya's to me.

Philander, Vesper, and Raviel were so loud, but Rajik is the loudest of them all, pero napansin kong silang dalawa ang mas close ni Keanu. Their personalities are really different from each other, but they still found friendship despite their differences.

Masaya akong umuwi sa gabing iyon. I didn't expect na makikita ko ang different side ni Keanu. Akala ko puro ka seryosohan lang ang alam niya buhay. You don't really judge the book by its cover; you have to go through all its pages to know what's within it.

"Keanu asked me if he could take you out. Mabuti naman at napapalapit na kayo sa isa't isa. Mabuti iyan at nang sa ganon ay hindi ka na mahirapan pa kapag naikasal na kayong dalawa."

Daddy's words from his call keep lingering inside my head. Akala ko walang makakasira sa masaya kong disposisyon ngayon pero nag kamali ako.

Naalala ko na naman kasi ang problema ko. Alam ko mabuting tao si Keanu pero hindi ko kasi siya makitang makakasama ko habang buhay. I like him as a person but not romantically because I already have someone in my heart now.

It's near midnight, and I'm still wide awake. Nakatulala lang akong naka tingin sa kesame. Paano ba naman kasi, hindi pa rin nag rereply si Gael sa mga text ko. Andami ko pang naiisip at feeling ko anytime, sasabog nalang itong utak ko.

I understand that he may be busy with his studies. But even if he is, he still gets to find some time to respond to my texts.

Lumipas ang ilang mga araw. Gael's now replying to my texts but he seems cold. Hindi ako mapakali kasi alam kong may problema. I wanted to talk to him but he had lots of errands to do the past few days.

At ngayon nandito na ulit si daddy dahil sa nalalapit kong graduation ay mas lalo akong nawalan ng pag-asang maka usap si Gael.

I keep wondering which part I messed up, but I can't think of anything. Kaya sobrang tuwa ko nang inaya niya akong mag dinner but my hope fell promptly because I had to decline it. We have already scheduled a family dinner tomorrow after my graduation.

Ako:

I'm so sorry. We have a family dinner after my graduation. Kaya okay lang ba na after dinner nalang namin. We can still celebrate naman diba?

Bagsak ang balikat kong nisend ang mesaheng iyon para kay Gael. I waited for his reply but I dozed up early. Umaga na nang mabasa ko ang kanyang reply.

Gael:

Okay, after your family dinner then.

Bumangon ako para maupo. Magtitipa na sana ng mensahe pero parang bumaliktad ang sikmura ako. Agad akong napatakbo sa c.r. na naduduwal. Halos yakapin ko na ang inidoro dahil parang pati bituka ko ay gusto nang lumabas.

I let myself rest for a while. Kung hindi lang ako kinatok ay baka nakatulog na ako sa loob ng c.r. It was Yaya Gilda, pinapatawag na kasi ako sa baba dahil nandiyan na raw ang makeup artist ko for today's graduation day.

"May sakit ka ba hija? Namumutla ka." Nag-aalang sabi ni Yaya Gilda.

She tried to check for my temperature but I shook my head.

"I'm okay yaya." I smiled to assure her.

"Pero hija—"

"Please Yaya, 'wag mo na sabihin sa kanila please." I held her with both hands "Pag-nalaman 'to ni Kuya baka hindi na ako maka attend sa graduation ko Yaya dahil baka sa hospital niya ako ipunta para mag pa check up." I chuckled. "Please yaya... I want to go up on the stage and receive my diploma." Pakiusap ko.