Hidden Behind the Stars (Celestial Series #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

To return to the arms of the people who brings you nothing but comfortability was a different kind of feeling. It always taught me what longingness meant, and I learned it every time with my family and my friends, and sometimes, even though you missed those people a lot, when you wanted to say something or share them everything that happened in your life, you tend to not do it and just enjoy their presence and the moment. Sabi nila, kung kanino ka pa kumportable, kung sino pang mas matagal mong kilala, sa kanila ka pa tumatahimik.

In the car with Em, none of us has spoken, and the silence wasn't hurting me at all. It was hugging me actually na tanging ang gusto ko na lang gawin ay humiga o sumandal sa kaibigan ko. Pigil-pigil akong makatulog o kahit na pumikit man lang ang mga mata para umidlip. I missed so many moments with my best friend, and I would be ashamed to let go even of this simple memory.

A chuckle came out of Em's mouth. "Pwede ka naman matulog. Mukhang inaantok ka."

"Ayoko," sagot ko sa madiing boses. "Tagal kong hindi bumabyahe nang malayo. Gusto ko makita mga dadaanan natin."

It would've been better kung gabi kami babyahe, but travelling before the sun rises from the corner was no different at all. Malamig ang simoy ng hangin na pumapasok sa nakababang bintana na tumutulong din sa paghatak sa akin na matulog.

"Can you tell Shane to meet you? Nang hindi naghihinala na nandito na 'ko?" I asked as we crossed the boundary between the province and the city. "I want to surprise her."

"That'd be easy," she said. " Your sister has grown up. She became mature na."

"Kaya niya na umuwi mag-isa?"

Parehas kaming natawa. "Oo. Kung saan-saan na nga nakakarating kasi marunong na bumyahe mag-isa. Minsan, sa sobrang gala, magme-message sa akin para lang magpasundo dahil wala ng masakyan."

I mentally shook my head. Matured o pasaway? Sana hindi ang pangalawa.

"But she's more reliable," she added. "If you felt before na wala kang masasandalan dahil ikaw ang panganay na babae, don't be too hard on yourself. Hindi sa sinasabi kong iasa mo rin lahat sa iba, pero you should know that your sister is there for you. Nothing beats the comfort of your siblings."

I agreed. Hugging Shane when we were younger always washed away my worries.

Nagpakilala na naman ang abalang syudad kung saan maraming tao'y gising na sa ganitong oras pa lamang para kumilos para sa kanya-kanyang responsibilidad. In this world, it's hard to be alone. It's hard to endure everything alone. Kahit pa sabihin mong nasanay kang mag-isa, time comes when you'll be a bubble who'll suddenly burst out dahil hindi na kaya. It's hard especially if you're unstable, so you should at least learn how to express your burdens and fly freely or lightly. For years, that was what I was doing, and I was lucky to have my loved ones.

My phone suddenly rang, flashing Zayn's name on the screen. I clicked the answer button, and like us, there was a sound of the wind in the background.

"Stop tayo sa may Big Friday. Kain muna tayo ng agahan. Request din nila Tricia."

Tiningnan ko si Emerald na mukhang naghihintay din ng isasagot ko. Nang tumango siya ay sumang-ayon na rin ako sa sinabi ni Zayn.

We just grabbed a breakfast na madali kainin—pancake, waffles, and a coffee. Ang iba ay nag-order lang ng sandwiches at bumili rin ng take-out para habang nasa byahe. After eating, we bade goodbyes to one another and separated ways on the highway.

It was past six in the morning when we parked in Emerald's house that was located in a subdivision. Her two-storey house had a modern design and coated in white. The second floor's windows were high and extremely obvious from the outside. I could see one of the paintings hanging in the wall. She opened the gate and drove her car inside.