What Comes After The Rain

WCATR 10: Behind Every Scar

CHAPTER 10 - BEHIND EVERY SCAR

My life has been eerily calm since that conference ended. It's been weeks since we came back from Baguio. I'm still cramming my backlogs, covering the assigned college days and my daily shift at the coffee shop.

Everything went back to normal. Yun nga lang, parang may nagbago. Even though I'm still doing my daily routine, I feel like something is missing—like there is a void. I just can't pinpoint where it is coming from.

As soon as I stepped through the clear glass entrance, I was greeted with the mouthwatering aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The amount of noise created by the customers reminded me just how popular this coffee shop where I work is. I made my way to the coffee bar at the end of the shop made of reclaimed wood.

"Kumusta, Rayne? Ang tagal nating hindi nag pang-abot, ah," binati ako ng barista namin na si Sir Richard. He was roughly in his mid to late thirties, wearing a button-up shirt and tie, cleaned cut, and shaved.

Tinanguhan ko siya bilang tugon. "Naging busy po sa school."

Bago pa siya muling magbukas ng topic ay lumapit na ako sa spot ko. The aged wooden floor creaked beneath me as I walked toward my spot. This particular coffee shop is not a cafe. It's a coffee shop, literally. We sell the finest coffee from all over the town.

It also has a book corner on the left-hand side of the shop where they can read or buy books. This place is an ideal place for students and employees to release stress. Kung kaya't kapag ganitong alas una ng tanghali sobrang dami na naming customer.

I was the one taking orders. I issue the receipt and move on to the next customer to ask for their order. The blackboard on the wall near the beverage menu with a memorable everyday quote written in chalk was made by me. I change it from day to day. Sa buong anim na oras na shift ko, (depende sa vacant sa school) iyon ang paulit-ulit kong ginagawa.

I was so accustomed to doing those tasks, like how I am used to covering college days alone. The TVOA office doesn't make me sad when I'm alone there. But after the conference, something happened inside of me that made me want everyone to be there.

This is one of the reasons why I don't want to get used to everyone's presence. It makes me feel like I'm behaving unreasonably. Siguro hindi naninibago lang ako. I wasn't supposed to feel this way.

I continued my day like how I usually finish it. Nang matapos ang shift ko ay dumiretso na kaagad ako sa waiting shed. While waiting for a tricycle to arrive, a group of motorcycles stopped in front of me. My eyebrows furrowed, but my lips curved into thin smiles when I realized who they were.

"Rayne! Omg, I missed you so much!"

Sa sobrang pagmamadali ni Ciqa na bumaba sa mio niya ay hindi na niya inalis ang kanyang helmet. She immediately hugged me.

Ynigo laughed a little, and he was the one who took off Ciqa's helmet. "Umayos ka naman, Trix."

"Ano na? Tara?" si Nash na kunwari ay naiinis pero nakasilay din sa labi niya ang isang matipid na ngiti.

"Saan tayo pupunta?" I asked, confused.

Binigyan ako ng malapad na ngiti ni Vash. "Celebration ng pub. Tara sa Lennon. Nag-aya sina Ynigo mag-Saturday Night. Magkakaraoke tayo."

I looked at my watch. It's still 4 pm. Maaga kasi akong nag-shift kanina since wala namang klase kundi ang isang GE lang namin. Kung magbabyahe kami ng Lennon makakarating kami doon ng mga 4:30, makakatuwi din ako ng maaga.

I nodded at Vash. Sa mio ni Ciqa ako umangkas. We drove off to Lennon, and after 30 mins, we arrived at Saturday Nights. The beat vibrates off the walls as we enter the admission doors. Loud conversations are taking place, and people are fighting to hear each other over the thundering music filling the whole place.