Jack Of All Trades | COMPLETED

Chapter 27

Hindi ko na alam kung anong gagawin ko.

I was standing outside the airport with Lia. The flight attendants gave us the side-eye when they noticed that we didn't have anything with us. No baggage, pieces of jewelry, or anything luxurious, and yet we managed to snatch seats in the first-class area. Siguro naghinala sila pero hindi naman kami sinita.

We landed in New Zealand. The weather here is opposite than in the Philippines. Naka-itim na jacket ako tsaka slacks ngunit nararamdaman ko pa rin ang lamig kahit hindi pa naman winter season.

"Saan ka pupunta?" tanong ko kay Lia nang magsimula siyang maglakad.

She halted her steps before facing me. Akala ko sympathy ang nakalagay sa mga mata niya ngunit pakiramdam ko namamalik-mata lang ako. She would never feel pity for me. That's just way worse than her being condescending.

Napabuntong-hininga siya. "Astrid," she said. "I'm sorry."

Napatigil ako. Did she just... apologize? But what for?

Kumunot ang noo ko, nagkwe-kwestiyon kung bakit bigla-bigla na lang niya 'yon sinabi.

"My family is here," she said and I felt like my world stopped. "I'm sorry I have to leave you like this."

I couldn't respond. Parang awa mo na, Astrid, huwag kang umiyak.

Humigit ako ng malalim na hininga bago siya nginitian. I pretended I could handle everything when I was slowly panicking inside.

"It's okay," I patted her shoulder. "Ingat ka."

"I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for ruining it all for you."

I just smiled at that. Earlier, during our flight, I unconsciously opened up to Lia. Kinwento ko sa kaniya kung ano ang nangyari sa Italy. I thought she was going to make fun of me but for the first time, she looked like she was genuinely listening.

I didn't cry but my voice strained every time I talk about Loki. She seems like she regretted what she did, and honestly, it was a good enough apology to me. Nakikita ko naman sa mga mata niya na nagsisisi siya sa ginawa niya. 

Sabi niya, kung alam lang niya ang ginagawa ng agency, hindi na sana siya pupunta doon. She would've left to anywhere in the world as soon as they set her temporarily free to find me.

We understood each other. I never thought I would say this but I prefer Lia's presence more than anyone I know in the agency. It's just that... it did not occur to me that she might have a backup plan, that's why she badly wanted to book a flight here.

Ngayon na nandito na kami sa New Zealand, akala ko sabay namin ni Lia titiisin lahat. She's not the ideal partner but she is all I have right now. Walang iba na tutulong sa'min kung hindi kaming dalawa lang.

Kaya naman parang gumuho ang mundo ko nang sinabi ni Lia na nandito ang pamilya niya. May kukupkop sa kaniya dito samantalang ako... I don't have anyone here. Mag-isa lang ako.

I saw Lia turn her back on me before walking to a black SUV. Siguro mayaman rin ang pamilya niya dito. Unlike me, Lia joined the agency voluntarily. Hindi siya pinilit dahil pakiramdam niya, para sa kaniya talaga ang landas na 'to.

She's always been so competitive. Gusto niya gawin lahat na kaya niya. Not to mention, she studied Aeronautics which implies that she's loaded.

Before she went inside the car, she looked over her shoulder before waving me goodbye.

I swallowed the lump in my throat before idly waving back at her. I tried to hold my tears as long as I could, but when the SUV was out of sight, I broke down in front of the airport.