[DIALOGUE]
< SOMEWHERE. EVENING. >
Pinagmasdan ni Evie ang sabay na pagtapak nila ni Jachin sa daan na tinatahak.
He was quiet. Unusually so.
Evie
Jachin?
Jachin
Hmm?
Evie
Ang tahimik mo. . .
Jachin frowned.
Jachin
Parang sinasabi mo namang hindi ako marunong manahimik.
Evie shrugged teasingly.
Jachin
Aba.
Evie
You are talkative. Even sa chat. Pero tahimik ka ngayon. Why?
The streetlights made Jachin's eyes shine, and to Evie, it was like looking at the twinkling stars.
Nang hindi ito sumagot, nagtanong siyang muli.
Evie
Is it about Lulu? I promise, she'll be there tomorrow to greet you.
Jachin
No. Not Lulu.
Evie
Sobrang cute niya 'no?
Tumango ito.
Jachin
Namimiss ko si Mila.
Evie's feet automatically stopped moving, making Jachin halt too.
The weight of what he said hung between the two of them.
Jachin
Sorry. . . Tara na.
Evie
No, it's okay. You can tell me.
Jachin took a deep breath and continued walking with Evie.
Jachin
Namimiss ko siya. Not—not the relationship itself, pero namimiss kong maging kumportable sa kanya. Namimiss kong kaya kong sabihin lahat ng bagay sa kanya. Namimiss kong makatanggap ng advice mula sa kanya.
Jachin
Yeah, Rigo is there, and best friend ko rin 'yon, pero si Mila—it's different with her. I'm different with her.
Jachin
Namimiss ko siya, sa lahat ng bahagi ng buhay ko.
Evie felt her heart clench.
Because truthfully? She wished he was different with her too.
Evie
I'm sure namimiss ka rin niya.
Jachin
Hirap pala 'no? Kapag best friend mo rin 'yong. . . nanakit sa 'yo. Nanakit? 'Di ko na alam kung tama pa ba 'yon.
Jachin
Parang nawalan rin ako ng kaibigan.
Evie glanced at Jachin's hand that was swinging freely and for a moment, she wanted to hold them and assure him that things will go back to the way it was.
But she, too, wasn't sure.
She wasn't sure if she could take away his pain enough for him to get through this.
Evie
Have you talked to her?
Umiling si Jachin at lumingon sa kanya.
Jachin
'Di pa ako ready. Hindi ko rin alam kung anong sasabihin ko.
Evie
Then—then maybe tell her you miss her?
Evie managed to choke out despite what she was feeling.
It was a little like feeling that someone's slipping from your grasp.
Evie
And then see where it goes?
Jachin
Maybe. . . but right now, 'di ko alam kung anong mararamdaman ko.
Jachin
Alam ko lang nangungulila ako. . . sa pagmamahal niya.
Evie could see and feel his heart breaking all over again.
And hers too.
Because she was trying to mend a heart she didn't break.
* * *
#ATSWHIwp
BINABASA MO ANG
as the stars would have it
Roman d'amourEvie Santandes was always the odd girl, and she was fine with it. Between caring for her three cats, all with different personalities, volunteering at a local veterinary clinic, and studying, she doesn't have much time on her hands. Not until she me...
