Never/Forever (An Interactive Novel) by Jahric Lago

Episode 24: The Ex

Episode 24: The Ex

We released the hug and I breathed deeply. Dio and Charity looked at my expression. They felt how sad I was. I was smiling but I was oozing with gloominess. Suddenly, I felt an urge to do something crazy.

"I want to go see Albert!" I exclaimed.

"Ano ka ba, Ricky? Baliw ka ba?!?" Charity replied with an eyebrow raised.

"Cous, sasaktan mo lang ang sarili mo. Please, 'wag muna! Saka anong oras na malamang tulog na si Albert," dagdag pa ni Dio.

"No. I'm sorry but I need to see him for one last time," pagpupumilit ko. "Hindi niyo naman ako kailangang samahan. Dito lang kayo, drink beer, have fun. Dio, can I borrow your car?"

"Ang tigas talaga ng ulo mo!" singhal ni Charity. "At sa tingin mo papayagan ka namin? Papayagan ka naming mag-isa? Sige na! Sasamahan ka na namin but let this be the last one!"

I nodded with a smile on my face.

Dio drove us to Pasig City kung nasaan ang boarding house ni Albert. Nakaupo kaming dalawa ni Charity sa backseat. It didn't take us that long kasi malapit lang naman ang location ng bar kung saan kami nag-inom sa lugar nina Albert. In less than an hour, we arrived at our destination.

"Bago ka lumabas ng kotse at harapin 'yang si Albert, ayusin mo muna 'yang sarili mo. Hindi 'yong mukha kang lasing na naghabol sa ex," payo ni Charity.

"Which I am," I murmured.

"Tama! Tatanga-tatanga kasi, eh! Hays, o, ito pulbo at salamin, mag-ayos ka," sambit ni Charity.

"Cous, here, spray some of my perfume and take this mint para hindi ka amoy alak," Dio said, handing me a bottle of perfume and a mint.

I fixed myself. I was fidgety. I felt very nervous. Ngayon na lang ulit kasi kami magkikita ni Albert after a week of our breakup. Dio parked his car in front of Albert's boarding house. They both stayed in the car while I went out and walked towards the gate of the boarding house.

"Albert!!! Albert! Lumabas ka riyan! Mag-usap tayo, please!" sigaw ko na umalingangaw sa

katahimikan ng gabi. Ilang saglit pa ay may dumungaw sa pangalawang palapag ng boarding house habang kinukusot ang kaniyang mga mata . . . it was Albert. He immediately got up and went out of the gate to meet me.

"Ano'ng ginagawa mo rito, Albert?" he asked.

I looked in his eyes and I hugged him tightly. He returned the hug, tighter. As I felt his warm embrace and his every heartbeat, tears streamed down my face. I kept sobbing and sobbing. Hindi ma-explain ang nararamdaman ko. Masaya akong makayakap siyang muli pero nagdurugo ang aking puso dahil kailangang matapos ang aming dating relasyon na ang tanging dulot lang ay saya. I wanted this moment to last, his warm body squeezing into mine. But he suddenly let go.

"Ano ulit ang ginagawa mo rito? Dis-oras na ng gabi, Ricky," he said as I wiped the tears on my cheeks.

"I want to talk to you. I want . . ." I paused for a little while, "you back."

"Ricky, alam mo namang ang hirap ng sitwasyon natin ngayon. You broke up with me. Tapos . . ."

"Tapos ano? May bago ka na? Isang linggo pa lang ang nakalilipas, nakalimutan mo na ako! Pinalitan mo na ako!" I stood still, new tears were forming in my eyes.

"Gano'n ba akong tao, ha? 'Yan ang problema sa 'yo, mabilis kang magduda, mag-isip ng masasama sa akin! You always judge me! Hindi mo man lang ako hayaang makapagsalita, tapusin ang mga gusto kong sabihin!" reklamo niya.

"I-I'm sorry. I really am sorry," tears started rolling down my cheeks again.

Hinawakan niya ang mukha ko at pinunasan ang mga luhang patuloy pa rin ang pagpatak.

"'Wag ka na umiyak. Tahan na," he said softly this time.

After wiping my tears, he grabbed me and hugged me again.

"Sorry din, Ricky, ha. Pero alam na kasi ng mga magulang ko ang naging hiwalayan natin and they agreed that we separated. Sabi nil ana tama lang na magpahinga na tayo kung parehas lang tayong nasasakal sa relasyon nating puro tampuhan at away na lang."

I pulled away from him and got released from his hug.

"So, makikinig ka na lang sa kanila? Tatapusin na lang ba natin itong pagmamahalan ito? Hindi mo na ba ako mahal? That's it!" I said.

"This is not a question of love. Ako rin nahihirapan sa sitwasyon natin. Gusto ko rin munang makapag-isip, gusto ko ring makapag-isip ka muna. I still love you but it hurts."

"Ako rin, I still love you but it hurts," nagpatuloy ang pagbagsak ng aking mga luha.

*****

Pabalik na kami ng Maynila, Charity and I were at the backseat again. Nakasandal ako sa balikat ni Charity habang patuloy ang aking pagluha. They were both very comforting and they assured me that everything would be all right.

"I have a gift for you," Charity broke our silence in the car. Inilabas niya ang isang pillbox. "Ito ay ang Never/Forever pills."

"Para saan 'yan, Cous?" tanong ni Dio, habang nakatitig sa rearview mirror.

"Nakuha ko 'to sa isang manggaling na manggamot sa Quiapo at maaaring makatulong ito kay Ricky," Charity started explaining. "Ang orange caplet ay tinatawag na Never Pill and this will make you heal and move on. At ang green caplet naman ay ang Forever Pill which will make you hopeful for love."

I nodded.

"So, kaya niyang i-alter ang future?" Dio asked.

"These won't alter your present or future, but it will help you find people who can make your journey better and will help you ease the pain faster. Parang kapag masakit ang ulo mo, puwede mo namang hayaan na lang mawala ang sakit o puwede ka ring uminom ng Ibuprofen para mawala agad ang sakit. Gets niyo ba?" dagdag eksplenasyon ni Charity.

"I understood everything," I answered.

"You can only choose one pill from the two. So, Never Pill or Forever Pill?" Charity asked.

#1: Take the Forever Pill. (Go to Episode 8)

#2: Take the Never Pill. (Go to Episode 18)

#3: Take no pill. (Go to Episode 10)