Missing Peace | COMPLETED

Chapter 26

April 7

"Saan tayo after class?"

Been hearing that pagkapasok pa lang namin ng university kaninang umaga, at iyan pa rin ang naririnig ko hanggang ngayon habang palabas na kami ni Daphnie ng building niya, dinaanan ko kasi siya dahil sabay lang naman ang tapos ng last class naming dalawa, though with different subjects and professor, of course.

We're sleepless dahil sa walang kasawa-sawang panonood ng movies kagabi sa unit ko, but thankfully, we woke up not so late kaya walang na-late sa amin sa klase, kahit pa mukhang dinaanan ng bagyo ang unit ko ngayon dahil iniwan na lang namin na ganoon lang para lang hindi kami ma-late apat.

We all decided kanina before we separate ways na sa unit naman ni Daphnie kami mag sleepover, pero syempre after we clean our mess sa unit ko. But before that, they want to gala raw muna dahil wala naman kaming ibang gagawin doon kundi ang manood ng movies plus the fact that we don't have much works to do na since patapos na ang school year.

Graduating na kami ni Daphnie while Lily and Millison still have years to spend here because of their program. Next stop namin ni Daphnie ang board exam at work.

And syempre, while doing that, hindi ko naman kakalimutan ang blog ko at ang pagiging writer ko, though sinasantabi ko muna iyon, kahit until makapag board exam lang ako.

Palagi namang nandiyan ang pagsusulat, hindi 'yan aalis. Ikaw lang ang hinihintay bumalik, kahit gaano katagal, kahit anong araw at pagkakataon.

Lily and Millison were still in class. Kalahating oras pa siguro bago matapos ang class ni Lily at si Millison naman ay halos ganoon lang din kaya we'll wait for them.

"Before that, saan muna natin sila hihintayin?" tanong na balik ko sa tanong ni Daphnie kanina. "We still have at least half an hour bago matapos ang last class ng dalawa."

"Saan ba pwede?" she spoke as she thought of a spot.

"The usual?" I suggested with concern voice dahil baka hindi siya pumayag.

Daphnie immediately rolled her eyes as she shook her head. "Ayoko roon, baka may makita tayong mga gago sa buhay."

Napailing na lang ako at tumawa sa isip ko. "Okay, then. You decide."

As much as possible, pinipilit kong huwag isipin si Raiker at ang nangyari the other day. And of course, hindi ko totally naiiwasan na huwag siyang isipin but I can lessen it with the help of distractions.

Grateful din ako sa circle of friends ko dahil hindi nila pinauulit-ulit iyon. They didn't even blame me. Lalo na si Daphnie. I know she's beyond pissed off. Galit siya. Pero ni isang beses hindi niya ako sinisi na ginago ako ni Raiker at hindi ko man lang nakita iyon.

Hindi siya nagsasalita masyado about doon, pero alam kong galit na galit ang pinsan ko. Sana nga lang hindi na rin ito umabot pa kay Kuya Davis. Ayokong pati si Kuya ay mag-alala sa akin at magalit kay Raiker, they are quite close pa naman.

"And now that I think of it, can we go to the library muna? I'll just browse some books. May hinahanap kasi ako, maybe they have one sa library." She smiled, pleasing me.

"Pa-graduate na tayo't lahat, tambayan mo pa rin ang library," natatawang sabi ko bilang pagpayag.

Just like what she suggested, sa library nga kami sa pumunta. We just tapped in our library card at nakapasok na agad kami.

Gaya ng palaging nangyayari pag nandito kami, Daphnie and I separate our ways. Dinala ko muna ang mga bag namin sa empty table I found before I browse books sa shelves habang ang pinsan ko naman ay dumiretso doon.

Malaki at malawak ang library ng university and syempre, maraming libro. I went to the shelf that is about literature. May classic novels dito na ginagamit for some courses about literary. And this will help me kill some time.

I saw Daphnie and she nods at me, saying pupunta na siya sa table. Tumango lang din ako. Mabilis naman niyang mahahanap ang table namin dahil nandoon na ang mga bag namin.

I was peacefully picking a book from the shelf, reading each title, feeling every spine of it with my fingertips when some asshole came.

"Love..."

Who would it be? No other than Raiker Lyron.

I am not that fool to not realize na sa kaniya galing ang bulaklak na nadatnan ko kanina sa may desk ko with a card saying 'Sorry, love'.

I thought hindi ko siya makikita today and I am so in favor with that. Wala siya sa mga klase namin kanina. Akala ko pa ay wala siyang mukhang walang maihaharap sa akin after what he did. And here he is right now, calling me how he called some other girl.

Hindi ko siya pinansin. Nagkunwari akong hindi ko siya narinig, na hindi ko siya napansin. Kinuha ko ang huling librong napasadahan ng dulo ng daliri ko just to escape that area.

"Wait, love..." muli niyang tawag, pagpigil niya sa akin mula sa paglalakad palayo sa kaniya.

My jaw clenched. I took a deep breath bago lumingon sa kaniya. "What do you want, Raiker? Ano pang kailangan mo sa akin? Aren't we done?"

"I just want to say sorry, for everything, Cams... And maybe you can forgive me? Please, love..."

I was about to speak when someone held onto my wrist and before I knew it, Daphnie started dragging me out of there.

"Let's go, Camberlie. May gago dito," she even said habang hinihila niya ako papunta sa table namin.

"Wait, Daphnie!" I heard Raiker called us habang hinahabol kami.

Daphnie immediately stop and I got scared for Raiker. Kapag galit ang pinsan ko, galit talaga siya. And as far as I know, galit pa rin si Daphnie kay Raiker, obviously.

"Daphnie, let it go. Tara na," I said at sinubukan siyang ayain pabalik sa table namin but she won't budge.

Nanatili siyang nakatayo at nakatingin sa gawi ni Raiker. Her jaw is clenching at humihigpit din ang hawak niya sa pulsuhan ko. This isn't good.

"Daphnie, remember this is a library and we're graduating student, we can't have a record, ha," muli kong paalala and for the nth time, hindi niya ako pinansin.

"Mister asshole, ano pa bang kailangan mo sa pinsan ko? Is the pain you've caused wasn't enough kaya lapit ka pa rin nang lapit?" may galit na wika ni Daphnie habang nakapukol ang masamang tingin kay Raiker.

"I'm here to make things right. I know I made-"

Raiker was cut off by my cousin. "Alam mo pala, e. Aware ka pala. So don't you ever come near my cousin dahil baka hindi kita matansya, Raiker."

"And to tell you what," she didn't let Raiker spoke again, as if ayaw na niyang marinig ang boses ng huli.

"I did want you for my cousin. You were good. I have felt something before na mayroong hindi tama but I ignore it dahil mukha namang ayos ka, masaya ang pinsan ko sa'yo, but at the end of the day, you're just an asshole who used my cousin." Daphnie laughed sarcastically.

Nakatitig lang ako sa pinsan ko. Her voice wasn't breaking but her eyes starts to water. "Nananahimik ang pinsan ko. She's living so good. She's living fine and alone, without you," panunumbat niya kay Raiker.

She sniffed, holding back her tears. "Then you came. Yes, she was so happy with you, was. Was. Because you ruined her afterwards."

Magkakahalong sakit, galit, at paninisi ang mata ni Daphnie. "We grew up together, Raiker. Ni hindi ko hinayaang inaasar 'yan ng iba naming pinsan since we were young." She chuckled with pain. "And heck, the bullies didn't even try to go near her. I'm protecting her my whole life, as she protects me too. Iningatan at inalagaan ng lahat si Cams, she's so precious to everyone at ikaw lang ang naglakas ng loob na saktan ang bestfriend ko."

Her tears start rolling down her cheeks, none stop. Nag uunahan pa ang mga iyon na pumatak. And I can't watch Daphnie crying because of me. I can't watch her in pain just because I'm in pain.

"Everyone may not see that, but her smile is not the same as it was before. Her eyes lost their sparks. Her laughs became plain. Her pain wasn't visible to anyone but it was there, inside her. And I know it will stay there for a long time."

Daphnie wiped her tears gracefully. "You ruined the sweetest and happiest girl I ever knew. At hinding hindi kita mapapatawad sa ginawa mo Raiker. Never."

She didn't waste any of her seconds anymore near Raiker. Tumalikod na siya at muling naglakad, and she's still not letting go of me, making me go with her.

Daphnie is the type of person who's tough but vulnerable to the people she cares for. She's not just my cousin, she's also my best friend.


In this chaotic world, I just need my best friend. I just need to heal with her.