Hello, Co-Captain (Hello, #2)

94

After having her heart broken, akala ni Ianne ay hindi na niya muling ipagkakatiwala ang puso niya sa isang tao.

Falling in love was easy, but staying was a different story.

Sa dalawang relationship na na-experience niya, siya ang laging naiiwan. Both cheated on her, and sometimes, she would wonder if she was the problem.

"Oo, tanga ka minsan, pero 'di mo kasalanan na nag-cheat siya," said Elle after a week of her breakup with Mark.

Noong gabing nakipag-break si Mark sa kanya ay nakatulala lang siya. His words would not even sink in. They were together for more than a year, and everything went well . . . until that day. Bakit biglang naging gano'n? O baka naman matagal nang ganoon ang sitwasyon.

Her mind reeled. May nagawa ba siyang mali? Nagsawa na ba ito sa kanya? Nagkulang ba siya? Or was her way of showing her love too much? Was she not good enough?

She couldn't even sleep that night and what was worse was it would be her birthday in a few hours. The day she was supposed the happiest turned into one of her worst.

Ang maganda lang ay may three-day break dahil sa undas. Ayaw niyang makita siya ng coworkers at friends niya sa ganoong estado.

She celebrated her birthday in her room, crying. It was especially hard because her Mom was asking her what was wrong. Noong sinabi niya na break na sila ni Mark ay tumahimik lang ito at binigyan siya ng maraming pagkain na inihanda nito para sa kanya.

"Ikain mo na lang 'yan, 'nak. Makakarma rin 'yon."

Hindi niya tuloy alam kung matatawa siya o maiiyak. Still, it made her heart lighter.

Coworkers, former classmates, and friends greeted her all day. Somehow, it was funny because she was replying with smileys while her eyes were swollen. She was feeling a bit better but then one text pulled her back to the misery pit.

Happy birthday. I'm sorry.

Isang text lang mula kay Mark ay nagsimula na namang tumulo ang mga luha niya. Ang dami niyang gustong sabihin. Ang dami niyang gustong itanong. Gusto niyang magalit. Gusto niyang manumbat. But the pain of being abandoned triumphed that moment.

She turned off her phone and watched movies instead. Of course, Enchanted was the first on the list. That was her comfort movie since high school. Tuwing malungkot siya o may pinagdadaanan, iyon ang lagi niyang pinapanood. Somehow, the theme of true love and happy ever afters would calm her heart despite being unlucky when it comes to those.

Ganoon lang ang buhay niya sa tatlong araw na break. She would make herself busy during the day, watch series or movies at night, and cry when everyone's asleep.

A week after their breakup, she told her friends what happened in a light tone. Tinawanan niya na lang ang nangyari dahil ayaw na muna niyang umiyak. It was hard because she was still not over him, but at least she wasn't chasing desperately this time.

"Hay nako, 'pag talaga nakita ko 'yung hayop na 'yon, may kalalagyan siya," Elle ranted after hearing her story.

Tinawanan niya naman ito. "Makikipagsuntukan ka?"

"Dadalhin ko si Gray, bakit? Saka kukulamin ko siya," countered Elle.

"Sinasabi ko na nga ba't may lahi ka talagang mangkukulam!"

"Ito ba 'yung girl?" Cayleigh chimed in as she showed them her phone.

"Luh, bakit na-stalk mo agad?!"

Her friend shrugged. "Halata naman sa posts nila. Awayin ko ba silang dalawa?"

"Gaga ka, marunong ka bang mang-away?! Role ni Elle 'yan!"