A NORMAL HUMAN being is subjected to make a mistake at least once in their life. No one is exempted to that fact. Not even Bella.
Mistakes, after all, are what makes one person human. Ito ang nagpapaalala sa atin that we, people, are not gods and we have limited capabilities; that we are not perfect and that we are bound to stumble as we journey in our own path called life. Bukod pa rito, our mistakes and other people's mistakes teach us things that are really relevant in our life; things that we won't learn just by studying in school.
A mistake can either be two things: unintentional just like how Raymond unintentionally made a mistake when he forgot about their anniversary or intentional just like how Bella intentionally escaped when she found out that Raymond is on their way to their house. Either way, whether the mistake is intentional or not, a mistake will never be right.
Bella knew how wrong it was to not confront Raymond knowing that her boyfriend wanted to fix things between them, but Bella was hurt---deeply hurt---that she could not confront him. She was afraid that she might just break down in front of the man he loves and she didn't want to appear weak. That is the reason why she didn't hesitate to escape and go with Chase, not knowing what they'll do in the Dau Bus Terminal.
Dau Bus Terminal is located at the corner of the City of Mabalacat. Para na rin itong nasa pagitan ng siyudad na ito at Angeles City. Dito nagpupunta ang mga pasahero kapag gusto nila lumuwas sa iba't ibang siyudad tulad ng Tarlac, Benguet, Manila, at iba pang lugar. Right now, Bella is sitting on one of the chairs there waiting for Chase.
She examined herself. She is wearing a white off-shoulder blouse, skinny tattered jeans, and flats. Hindi na siya nag-ayos ng buhok kung kaya ay nakalugay na lang ito. It was simple and she didn't take time thinking of her outfit dahil wala siyang ganang mag-ayos. She looked at the people around her while waiting, thinking if they can see how broken she is right now. Mayamaya ay isang tao ang umupo sa tabi niya. It was Chase.
He was wearing a pastel blue hoodie and from what Bella can see just below her neck, a white shirt underneath. It is matched with light gray skinny jeans and light-blue-and-white sneakers. She looked at his face and he was smiling at her. She didn't know why but she smiled back. Was it because of his outfit that she felt like she was refreshed or was there something more?
"Bakit tayo nandito?" Bella asked him, breaking the silence between them. "May pupuntahan ba tayo dito sa terminal na ito? Or mayroong susunduin? Alin doon?"
"None," he said and smiled. What he said next widened her eyes. "We're going to Baguio."
***
THEY WERE NOW sitting inside the bus and any moment now, their escapade would begin.
Bella didn't exactly know why she agreed on the idea of going to Baguio. However, if she really wanted to escape Raymond and everything, Chase's idea was not so bad at all. Not only could she escape her life for just a few hours but she can also be someone without anyone watching her every move.
"This is what I do in Canada," Chase explained to her as the bus made its way to the terminal exit. "Whenever I want a day off from my life, I would go to the train station and ride a train to the last station. Then, I would just sit there and watch other people. Sometimes, I'll listen to music to think. Sometimes, I'll talk to strangers. It was actually refreshing, and at the same time educational. As you look at them or talk to them, you discover their story and as you discover their story, you learn something, and the moment you go back home, you are not the same person anymore."
"Ito ba ang dahilan kaya dinala mo ako dito?" She looked at his brown eyes, which is also looking at hers. After that, a smile formed on his lips.
"You wanted to escape, and I happened to know how," Chase answered. "People might say that escaping is wrong, and it is. We all know that. But itong ginagawa natin, this is not escaping. Let's just say that this is the time you give to yourself as you prepare yourself from the problem you have on your plate right now. Si God nga, nagpahinga matapos gawin ang mundo, who are we humans to not need rest?"
BINABASA MO ANG
The Girl Who Cheated
Short Story"If loving you means defying the rules, I would be willing to break them just to be with you." Ever since she was a kid, Bella had always been fascinated with romantic love. For her, having someone to love is the best gift that a person can receive...
