Goodnight and Go

Chapter 93 - Riley

Andrei Sevyn's POV

Sevyn: Hi babe. Look.

Sabi ko as I showed her the view through facetime.

Vega: Wow. Saan yan? Asan ka?

Sevyn: Laguna, babe. I'm gonna visit my parents. Malapit na ako samin but I stopped by to show you this view. Dadalhin kita dito pag uwi mo.

Vega: Laguna's two hours away, diba? Buti nakapag drive ka. Wala ka na bang hangover?

Sevyn: Meron kanina babe. Nilublob ko lang yung mukha ko sa yelo kanina kaya nawala.

Nilapit ko yung mukha ko sa camera as if I'm whispering.

Sevyn: But I remember crying last night dahil mababaliw na ako sa sobrang pagkamiss sayo.

I rolled my eyes kaya tawang tawa siya. Then I pouted to kiss her through the phone.

Vega: Sige na, go to your parents na. Drive safely ha? Matutulog na rin ako.

Sevyn: Stay on the phone. I'll wait until you fall asleep.

Nagdadrive ako, pero pasulyap sulyap ako sa phone ko para panuorin si Vega na natutulog.

"Babe." Pagtawag ko sakanya in an attempt to wake her up before I drop the call. She just groaned and switched her position, at tinalikuran niya na yung phone niya.

Natawa nalang ako dahil ganyan din siya sa personal pag ginigising. Lalo pa akong natawa nung humilik na siya. Ayan na naman yung hilik niya na parang panlalaki. Haha. I miss my sleepy snoring grumpy girl.

"I love you, babe." Bulong ko before ending the call and walking to the front door.

I got into a fight with my parents a few months ago when they found out na araw araw akong umiinom. Malaki na ako but still, mahigpit sila when it comes to alcohol. Recently lang din kami naging okay when I greeted them for their wedding anniversary. Syempre humirit na yung mom ko na umuwi na ako so pinagbigyan ko na. Weekend naman.

"I'm home!" Sigaw ko as I entered the house. My mom ran to me with open arms and hugged me tight. Sumunod naman si dad so we did a group hug. "I'm sorry. Love you guys." Sabi ko as I kissed the top of my mom's head and I patted dad's back.

Sa tagal naming di nagkita at nag usap, we forgot to have merienda dahil dire-diretso yung kwentuhan namin.

"Are you hungry na, anak?"

"Actually, oo mom. Hehe."

"Buti naman. Yung hinanda ng mommy mo sayo parang may fiesta dito sa sobrang dami."

I laughed as mom held my arm and dragged me to the dining area. Dad wasn't kidding when he said parang may fiesta dahil napakarami talaga.

Naupo na kaming tatlo and I opened the table napkin and put it on my lap. "Wait, four plates? Is someone coming?" Tanong ko.

The doorbell rang.

Rinig ko yung pagbukas at pagsara ng pinto and I heard footsteeps approaching.

"She's here! Hi, hija!" Napalingon ako sa direksyon kung saan kumakaway si mama.

"Hi tito, tita..." She hesitated. "Hi, Andrei."

As I stared into her eyes, bumalik sakin ang lahat.

Riley Andrea Vela, my first love.

I met her in the summer of my senior year in college. Umuwi ako nun dito sa Laguna, tapos siya naman umuwi galing Australia kung saan siya lumaki. I spent every single day of my summer with her so we basically became best friends.

After 2 months, I needed to go back to Manila. Siya babalik na rin ng Australia kasi tapos na din yung break nila. We stayed in touch for a couple of weeks pero nawala din kasi mahirap yung magkaibang time zones, at pareho pa kami graduating kaya pareho kaming busy.

After more than a year, by some miracle, nagka-tagpo ulit kami ni Riley pero dito na sa Manila.

The moment I looked into her eyes again for the first time after a really long time, alam ko na sa sarili ko na I don't want to let her go again. Luckily, dito na din siya nagwowork sa Manila that time so I didn't need to worry about distance or time zones anymore.

Nag catch up kami, and we immediately picked up where we left off. Hindi nagtagal, niligawan ko na siya. I patiently waited for months na sagutin niya ako.

Nang sagutin niya na ako, I felt like the luckiest man in the world. Sure na sure ako nun na siya na yung pakakasalan ko kaya kahit first relationship ko, somehow naging automatic sakin na marunong akong mag mahal ng tama.

Naalala ko lagi niyang sinasabi na I'm too good to be true. Para daw akong galing sa libro or movie. Halos araw araw niya 'tong sinasabi sakin noon, may kasama pang kiss dahil napakaswerte niya daw sakin.

Pero siguro may hindi ako nagawa, o may nagawa akong mali. Kasi nagawa niya pa akong lokohin.

I clenched my fist as I remembered how I walked in her house and caught her having sex with a guy habang may hawak akong bouquet at teddy bear dahil 1st monthsary namin. Isu-surprise ko sana siya kasi sabi niya may sakit siya. Pero ako yung nasurprise nung araw na yun.

Ni hindi ko naisip na gulpihin yung lalaki dahil hinang hina ako. I remember how she hurriedly put her clothes back on para habulin ako. But when she faced me, wala na siya ibang nasabi kundi "Sorry". Eh ano namang magagawa nun?

This girl broke my heart and soul. I ended up breaking other people too because she broke me.

I reached for the glass of water in front of me to calm myself down dahil sobrang bigat na ng paghinga ko at ramdam kong may namumuo nang luha sa mata ko.

"Alam mo anak, your Tita Nina messaged me that Riley's back here in the Philippines again. Sakto uuwi ka so I asked her to come over dahil matagal na din kayo di nagkikita diba?" Sabi ni mom.

"Actually tita, nakita ko si Andrei kagabi sa bar."

Ipapahamak pa ako kay mama.

My mom clicked her tongue. "Andrei Sevyn. Araw araw na naman ba ang inom mo?"

I saw Riley's reaction from the corner of my eye. She knows she's the reason.

"Hindi na, mom. On special occasions lang. Umuwi kasi si Kevin."

"Fine. So tell me about last night."

"Wala." Tipid kong sagot.

"Oh. Nakita ko lang siya tita, we didn't really talk. He wasn't drunk naman po. I called him pero the music was too loud, di ata ako narinig." Pag a-attempt ni Riley na pagtakpan ako. She knows I was wasted when she saw me. At lumingon ako pag tawag niya, but I ignored her on purpose and I just walked away.

Dad cleared his throat. "So, how's life in Australia, Riley?"

Thank God dad changed the topic. I was able to survive dinner dahil puro buhay na ni Riley yung pinagusapan. I just focused on my food.

"I'll do the dishes, tita." Sabi ni Riley after dessert.

"Oh no, dear. Don't worry about that."

"I insist po tita."

"Alright. Andrei, anak. Tulungan mo si Riley, okay?" Sabi ni mom sabay halik sa pisngi ko. Si dad naman, kinindatan ako. "We'll wait for you guys sa garden."

Manhid ba 'tong mga magulang ko?

"I'll wash the dishes. Ikaw na lang mag dry." Sabi ni Riley.

We were completely silent for the first few minutes, but she eventually broke the silence.

"Ikaw yung sadya ko kaya umuwi ulit ako."

I scoffed. "Ah talaga ba? Bakit?"

"I'm sorry, Andrei."

"Nasabi mo na yan."

"But you still haven't forgiven me kaya paulit ulit ko parin sasabihin."

"Ano bang magagawa ng sorry?" I wiped the last plate and placed it on the counter. "Kahit ilang ulit pa yan Riley, hindi kita patatawarin."

Nakipagkwentuhan pa si Riley kay mom sa garden for a few minutes bago may bumusina sa labas.

"That's my driver, tita. I'll go na po. Thank you for dinner." Bumeso siya kay mom, then kay dad, then she looked at me.

"Si Andrei nalang maghahatid sayo sa gate, hija." Sabi ni mom. Napabuntong hininga nalang ako.

I walked Riley to the gate but maintained a distance from her.

"Bye, Andrei." Sabi niya as she opened the car door. Tumango lang ako. "I hope we can see each other again and sana makapag usap pa tayo next time."

"Nah." I said. Then I turned around and went back inside.

I stayed up late and waited for Vega to call.

Vega: Good mo- ba't nakasimangot?

Sevyn: Tagal mo kasi gumising. Alam mong miss na miss na kita, masyado kapa nagpapamiss.

Vega: Ay bawal na ba matulog, ha?

Sevyn: Bawal.

Vega: Pangit mo ngayon. Ano ba problema mo?

Sevyn: Wala 'to babe. Napagod lang siguro sa byahe.

Vega: Nasa manila ka na ulit?

Sevyn: Hindi pa, babe. Naglambing si mom, mag stay daw muna ako ng ilang araw. Nagtext na ako kay RJ na magfa-file ako ng leave.

Vega: Ang cute naman ng mom mo.

Sevyn: Mas cute ka. Miss na kita.

Vega: I miss you too, baby. Miss ko na din yung ngiti mo. Smile ka na.

I forced a smile pero di nakuntento si Vega kaya kung ano ano ginawa para mapatawa ako. Nag tagumpay naman siya.