Cold-Hearted

Five

Five

They were at La Monde Bar celebrating their victory party. Loud music, colorful lights, people dancing, getting drunk, Minzy isn't comfortable with this place. Nakaupo lang siya sa tabi habang pinagmamasdan ang paligid.

Habang si Gel at Lucien ay nag-uusap tungkol sa nawawalang model.

"Martina Reins." Banggit ni Gel sa pangalan ng babaeng model na bigla na lang naglaho at nagdala ng problema. They investigated her right before they came to the bar. Nalaman nila na binigyan ng pera ang babae para magback-out at sirain ang kanyang damit. "Mga tao talagang nabubulag sa pera."

"I know right. I want to rip that girl's face." Sabi ni Lucien at umirap pa.

"I want to rip Frish' face." Sabi pa ni Gel. Napabuntong-hininga na lang siya. Sa ngayon ay wala na siyang magagawa pa. All these years, what Gel learned is that Revenge is never the best thing, never the best option and never the best choice.

Kinalma na nila ang kanilang sarili bago bumalik sa kanilang table. Wala na doon ang mga kaibigan at ang naiwan na lang ay si Minzy at Harold na tahimik lang. Malaki ang pagitan ng dalawa at halatang hindi interesado sa isa't-isa. Nagpaalam si Lucien na hahanapin niya si Olivia kaya naiwan doon si Gel.

Umupo siya sa gitna ng dalawa pero mas malapit kay Minzy. Matalim na tiningnan ni Gel si Harold, at nagets naman kaagad ito ni Harold. Umalis siya leaving them behind.

"You're not enjoying the party." Napalingon si Minzy sa sinabi ni Gel. Tiningnan niya ang dalaga habang umiinom ng isang canned beer.

"Hindi kasi ako pumupunta sa mga lugar na ganito." Paliwanag ni Minzy. Hindi naman niya ito first time, her first time was when she was with her batchmates in college and she left immediately. Ngayon ay wala siyang choice kundi sundin ang sinabi ni Gel, she really wants to have an interview with them.

"Ako rin naman. I hate places like this. Pero noon 'yon. Ever since we went to Paris ay nasanay na ako." Napakunot ang kanyang noo dahil hindi niya mahanap ang dahilan kung bakit nagkwekwento si Gel ngayon sa kanya. Ni hindi nga sila close. Naisip niya na ito na ang chance na matanong ang mga bagay na bumabagabag sa isipan niya.

"Dahil sa Paris o dahil sa isang lalake?" That was the words that left her mouth. Pinukpok naman niya ang ulo niya dahil sa mga nasabi. She's really a clumsy talker.

"Smart girl." 'Yon lang ang nasabi ni Gel but Minzy took it as a yes.

"I've been in love and hurt once. But that didn't change me. I cried, but I moved on." Mahinang sabi ni Minzy. Gel knew that Minzy means something that's why she said that. Gel can't find a reason but she has that feeling that she wants to tell her everything.

"Maybe you didn't love him too much. Because I did. I loved him too much, too much that it fckng hurts when he left me." Gel closed her eyes as she said those things. It was in the past but the memory is still fresh. It keeps haunting her. All the memories, the questions, and the reasons. She took another can, opened it and drank it in continuous gulps.

"You still love him?" Minzy asked. Gel stopped a bit and laughed, it wasn't a happy laugh but a bitter one.

"No. After all he did and all the years. I guess actions are useless without words. He did those sweet things, he told me sweet words, he did tell me he love me. But curse him, and curse myself, I'v fallen too much and believed in his words. He said he loves me then he left me hanging. Jerk. I'm such a bozo." Gel said habang ngumingisi nang mapait. She badly wants to cry but she took a deep breath and said to herself that a bastard like him isn't worth Gelamine Arandela's tears.

"Who's the boy?" Minzy asked as she watch Gel open her 5th canned beer. The lady looks drunk already pero wala pa ring luha na lumalandas sa kanyang mata. She thought that Gel would cry, but she didn't. Maybe, just maybe, he didn't love the boy anymore. But why does it feel that she's still burdened by that memory?