Maybe This Time

Chapter 1

Charlie invited me sa graduation party nilang magkakaibigan. Kinakabahan ako at the same time excited, mabuti nalang din at may common friends kami. Matagal-tagal na rin nanliligaw si Charlie sa akin, buong senior year namin sa Uni. The reason why tumagal ng ganon even though I know in my heart na I really like her a lot is because I wanted to make sure na sincere s'ya. That she would be worthy of my trust and so far, hindi naman ako nabigo.

Kaya hindi na ako nag-abala bumili ng graduation gift. Tonight, I will make her the happiest girl in the world by giving her what she has earned, my trust and of course my yes.

"Ready?" tanong n'ya sabay ngiti, napaka cute talaga ng dimples n'ya.

"Yup" I said popping the p.

Tahimik lang kami sa byahe, madalas naman na ganito pero komportable naman kami. She knows that I like silence most of the time. One thing I appreciate about her is that she values and respects what I want. Of course I do the same to her naman, like when she's doing her art, ayaw n'ya ng pinapanood s'ya kapag ganon, so sasabayan ko lang ng pagbabasa at katahimikan and to us both, that's a day well spent.

We're most comfortable with each other's presence even without words. Pero syempre, we do talk a lot lalo na sa mga interests namin. We have a lot in common and we work out on our differences at the same time and I think that's what made us clicked.

"Ang lalim yata ng iniisip mo, are you perhaps, nervous?" She asked, eyes still on the road.

I smiled at her "A bit, but I'm more excited to meet more of your friends. Tsaka namiss ko rin sila Madz" I answered. We got a little busy before graduation halos hindi na kami nagkikita ng mga kaibigan ko.

Madz and Bree, sila ang common friends namin ni Charlie. Bree is Charlie's best friend's girlfriend, while Madz is best friend's with TJ, na once ko lang na-meet both. And now finally we have all the time in the world, and because later, I will put label on our relationship, I have to get to know more of her other friends too.

Charlie said there will be three more who will be coming.

--

After quite a traffic jam, we arrived about ten minutes late and Charlie is cursing, may multa raw kasi na five hundred pesos. Natawa ako, although she came from a well-off family (all of us, tho) mahalaga pa rin sa kanya ang bawat sentimo. One more reason to like her, she treats everyone as an equal. "You want me to pay instead?" I offered, kahit na alam kong hindi n'ya tatanggapin, doesn't hurt to try.

Her forehead creased "No." I nodded bago n'ya ako marahan na hilahin papasok ng condo.

Half expecting na hindi ganito kagulo yung daratnan ko but who am I kidding? Madz is here, talagang magulo. Isama mo pa si Bree na ubod ng daldal. There's two that I don't know na mukhang may seryosong usapan. One I think is Dash and the other is TJ.

Pero lahat sila natahimik when Charlie caught their attention. We're still holding hands. Madz and Bree eyeing me as if they're asking questions through some sort of telepathy. I shrugged, I will not ruin Charlie's right to tell them about us.

"Kaya pala late" the pale girl said, which I think si Dash? I'm not quite sure kasi nga once lang kami nagkita. She's smirking at Charlie.

"Tahimik muna," Charlie said and fake a cough before turning to me "well guys, I would like you all to meet," she then turn to them "the girl I've been courting for a long time, and I like her a lot and I will really really be happy if you will welcome her nicely"

I am about to tell my name when Bree squealed like mad "OMG! Miel! Ni hindi mo man lang kwinento sa amin!" She dashed forward engulfing me into a tight hug na dahilan ng pagkakakalas ng mga kamay namin ni Charlie, halos matumba kami sa pag atras ko ng maramdaman kong may natamaan kami. Someone came in right before I lose my balance sa bigat ni Bree!

That person is now holding both may arms a bit tight, she have big hands. "Bree bitaw na muna" I heard someone say kaya naman umalis na si Bree sa harap ko and then she smiled at the person behind me.

"Are you okay?" she asks politely. Hindi ko alam pero bakit parang ang lambing ng boses n'ya! Hindi ako agad nakasagot kaya naman she repeated the question. Hindi na naman ako nakasagot kasi Charlie pulled me.

She asked the same question I nodded slowly. Everyone is just watching, "Thanks Nikka, you just saved my girl" Charlie said. Habang ako naman hinarap yung bagong dating to say thank you too.

But then kung gaano kalambing yung boses n'ya ganon naman ka-cold yung aura ng mukha n'ya. She nods at Charlie and walked passed us to join the other. She headlocks Dash na tinawanan lang ni Bree. And everyone went on with the party. Habang ako tahimik lang na nakasunod kay Charlie.

--
The night is still young, Charlie and I answered pretty much all their questions.

"So last na 'to" TJ said "kailan mo balak sagutin 'to?" she pointed at Charlie while asking me.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero I subtly looked at Nikka's direction bago ako sumagot "Charlie will be the first one to know, sorry" I smiled and everyone showed their dismay at my answer. While Charlie just laughed at them.

--

We all decided to stay for the night, mga nakainom na rin kasi and we don't want to risk driving drunk. For some reason namamahay yata ako, I can't sleep. Charlie won this sofa bed for me against Dash who wants it for her and Bree. My mind wandered off to somewhere (someone). Are you okay? Her voice echoed in my head.

After minutes of tossing and turning I decided to go out the balcony only to see someone sleeping there. Babalik nalang sana ako when I heard her talk "I'm sorry"

Sinilip ko s'ya ng bahagya, her eyes are closed, nananaginip yata s'ya. The force is stronger kaya mas lumapit ako, I just stared at her face. Biglang kumunot ang kanyang noo and starts to speak again "I'm s-sorry" who is she apologizing to? At bakit parang may kung anong kirot sa dibdib when I see her serene face turn sad?

--
It was half passed twelve in the afternoon when I woke up. I heard murmurs from the dinning. Kinusot-kusot ko pa ang aking mga mata while walking towards them when Charlie grab me by my waist, leaning and whispers "Good morning pretty" into my ears. I smiled and then frown when I remembered that I did not give her my gift.

I was too preoccupied last night na nakalimutan ko! Should I do it now? Should I-- my thoughts are interrupted when Nikka walks in. She looks, sadder than last night. I can't take my eyes off of her. Kung di lang sa pagtawag ni Bree sa akin.

"Istorbo ka naman Bree!" reklamo ni Charlie "nagmomoment kami" I chuckled, parang bata. Maybe later nalang yung regalo. Kapag kaming dalawa nalang. We planned our solo graduation celebration, maybe that's the right timing I need.

Without distractions, just us.

Without Nikka...