Her kind of Red Flag

Red II

Cheer didn't know where else to go. Ayaw nyang umuwi ng umiiyak. Ayaw nyang mag bar. Ayaw niyang pumunta sa mga kaybigan niya sa photography club dahil alam niyang sasabihan lamang siya ng mga ito ng "I told you so".

So she called her only hope.

"Z.."

Hindi niya naituloy ang sasabihin. Gustong gusto niyang humagulgol sa telepono pero ayaw niyang mag alala si Zeke.

"Hey. Napatawag ka?"

She felt an invisible lump in her throat. She couldn't take it anymore but she can't cry. Not until she has somewhere to go. So she forced her voice to come out.

"Ano.. wala lang. N..nasan ka?"

She can feel her voice breaking. Tinakpan niya ang bibig niya para hindi marinig ni Zeke ang mga hikbi niya.

"Something happened. Nasan ka? Susunduin kita."

As if on cue. The sobs she's been trying to supress came out of her. And unending tears flowed one by one with no intention of stopping.

"Z....*sob* wala na kami. Wala na kami, Z."

"Shh. Hey, stay calm, okay. Susunduin kita. Send me your location."

-

After 10 minutes. Zeke arrived. Nakita niya si Cheer na nakaupo sa gilid ng kalsada. Nakatungo ito at halatang umiiyak dahil sa paggalaw ng kanyang balikat.

Halo halong emosyon ang nararamdaman niya sa nakikita niya.

He was angry at Sean for breaking Cheer's heart. He was glad because finally, Cheer was out of that toxic relationship.
He was frustrated at himself for being glad.
But more than any of that, he was hurt.

Masakit na nakikita niya ang bestfriend niya na nasasaktan. The only girl he ever loved is in front of him, crying because of another guy.

Inalis niya ang mga iniisip niya at tumakbo papunta kay Cheer.

He sat down beside her and quietly waited for her to react.

Iniangat ni Cheer ang ulo niya at nakita niyang katabi niya na ang bestfriend niya. She actually knew it was him dahil kilalang kilala na niya ang amoy nito.

Zeke looked at her and smiled at her. Yung ngiting nagsasabi na, 'umiyak ka lang. andito lang ako' 

Cheer bursted to tears the moment she saw his smile. Niyakap niya ang kaybigan at umiyak sa dibdib nito.

"Ang tanga tanga ko talaga. Nangyari na to noon eh. Ilang beses ko na siyang nahuhuling may ibang babae. Pero ako tong si tanga, isang sorry lang bumabalik parin. Z...ang sakit sakit. Binigay ko naman lahat sakanya. Minahal ko siya ng buong buo. Bakit ganun? Nakukulangan pa ba siya? Bakit kaylangan niyang maghanap ng iba eh lagi naman akong nasa tabi niya? Ang sakit sakit, Z. Hindi ko na kaya. Pagod na pagod na ko."

Naramdaman niyang gumanti ng yakap ni Zeke. Hinahaplos nito ang buhok niya pero hindi ito nagsasalita.

She was thankful for that. Hindi pa siya handang makarinig ng sermon. Gusto lang niya ng makikinig. And Zeke knows that. Alam na alam nito kung anong kaylangan niya.

She freed herself from their hug and wiped her tears when she felt that nothing is coming out anymore. Tumayo na siya at inilahad ang kamay niya sa kaybigan.

"Pa sleep over ako ha."

Inabot ng lalaki ang kamay niya at mahinang tumawa.

"Hahaha. Sure. Ice cream?"

"Yes, please!!" Masigla niyang sabi at sumakay na sa sasakyan nito.

Nasa biyahe na sila pauwi sa bahay nila Zeke ng magsalita si Cheer.

"Thank you, Z. Tsaka sorry naabala pa kita."

"Really?" He asked sarcastically, raising his eyebrow. He sighed.

"Kahit kaylan di ka abala sakin. Para saan pa at bestfriend mo ko? I'm glad na ako ang hinihingan mo ng tulong whenever you need help. And I'll always be there for you. Always."

She looked at him and saw that he wasn't smiling. But he was giving off this calm aura, assuring her that he was honest about what he said.

She smiled to herself. "Sweet talaga ng bestfriend ko." She laughed and pinched his cheeks. Sinamaan naman siya nito ng tingin ng pabiro.

"Pero seriously. Thank you. Parang alam na alam mo lagi kung anong makakapagpagaan ng loob ko. I'm very grateful for that."

"That's because I do. Alam ko naman talaga kung anong gagawin para mapagaan ang loob mo. Sa dami ng pinagsamahan natin, I know you inside and out. So don't apologize for calling me when you need me. You're important to me. You're my bestfriend. And I'll do anything to make my bestfriend happy."

She didn't bother looking at his face. Alam niyang seryoso ito. She was very touched by what she just heard. Zeke isn't the type of guy to voice out his feelings just like that. Well, for other people, that is. Vocal si Zeke when it's her. But not like this. This is like a part of Zeke's heart that she's never seen before. Alam nila parehong importante sila sa isa't isa. But she never heard him say it out loud, unless he's teasing her.

Between the two of them, she was always the affectionate one. She never fails to make him feel appreciated. In fact, she always writes him a letter every Christmas. She writes about what she feels and how thankful she is that he is her bestfriend. And that he's important to her. It became her yearly ritual.

One day, Zeke asked her kung bakit hilig sya nitong bigyan ng liham.

"Because I want you to know na sobrang thankful ako na bestfriend kita. I don't want you to feel that I'm taking you for granted especially for all the things you've done for me. Gusto kong malaman mong naappreciate kita ng sobra."

And it's the truth. May mga kilala siyang magkakaybigan na hindi ganoon ka-vocal sa nararamdaman nila for their friends dahil hindi naman daw kaylangan. But for her, it's also important to let your friends know how much they mean to you.

Cheer snapped out of her thoughts when the car stopped.

Bumaba na sila ng sasakyan at dumiretso na sa kwarto ng Zeke.

"So...comfort anime?"

Natawa siya ng mahina. Talagang alam na alam nito ang gagawin.

Nahiga na siya sa kama ni Zeke. Binuksan ng lalaki ang tv at kaagad na hinanap ang paborito nilang palabas.

"Kuha lang akong ice cream. Mauna ka nang manuod."

"O-kaaay" masiglang sabi niya.

Dala dala ang isang pint ng ice cream at dalawang tubig, bumalik na si Zeke sa kwarto niya.

Unang bumungad sakanya ang natutulog na kaybigan habang nagpplay ang anime sa TV.

Pinatay niya na ang ilaw at ang TV, at bumaba para ibalik ang mga kinuha niya sa kusina at pumunta na sa guestroom.

Ilang sandali pa ay nakatulog na din siya.