Rhythmic Laws (Law School Series 2)

21

a very short chapter from the same night<3

Tahimik ang kalsada sa daang tinatahaka naming dalawa. Galing lang kami sa ball, pagod na sa after party, pero napagdesisyunan naming magpahangin muna bago umuwi.

Nasa labas kami ngayon ng Knight Jaz Bar, sarado na ito kaya nakaupo lang kami sa tapat niya habang ang red and blue neon lights ay tumatama sa aming mga balat.

Seb took off his black suit and so does mine. We're both wearing only our white sleeves, changing color from the reflection of neon lights above us.

I remember this year so well before I released my album.

Seb passed his thesis, I'm about to finish law school and he's on his way to med school.

"How have you been?" I asked him.

"Passed the NMAT," he smiles.

Napatayo ako sa gulat, "really? Wow that's a great news, Seb!"

"Nakakakaba," he sighs.

"Ngayon ka pa kakabahan ngayon nasa med school ka na!"

"I know, I know... pero, iba pa rin 'to," I can read his face that he's really anxious about it.

"Seb, you can make it, I just know it," sinubukan ko siyang i-cheer up.

Umupo ulit ako sa tabi niya, this time, hinawakan niya na ang kamay ko.

Hinayaan ko lang siya at hinawakan ko rin siya pabalik, mas mahigpit sa pagkakahawak niya sa akin.

"Malapit na ang due month ni Janella," pagbabanggit ko. I told him about Janella before right after Allie knew about the pregnancy. "Natatakot ako,"

"If you need something, you can always call me," he assured.

Nanatiling tahimik ang paligid, wala nang darating, hindi na rin magbubukas ang bar.

Sa huling beses na pagpunta namin dito, ito ang natitirang alaala ko sa kaniya.

We became close friends. Minsan, nagkikita kami sa tuwing nagkakaayaan mga kaibigan niya o 'di kaya ang mga kaibigan ko na kaibigan niya rin. Pero kadalasan abala kami sa trabaho kaya nagkakaroon ng rason para hindi matuloy.

I still visit his Mom's house sometimes, tinuturuan ko rin kasi ang bunso niya na maggitara. His younger brother and I have been close ever since.

"Tara na?" tumayo ako at bumitaw sa kaniyang pagkakahawak.

Then suddenly, his voice whispers from the wind.

"Comeback to me, my love. You can always will,"

I forced to hide the cracked that suddenly opened inside my heart by showing a tear of smile.

"Let's catch our dreams, Seb," I said.

We walked back to his scooter and he put my helmet on before riding. The night is dark and cold when we're on our way back to the Star Entertainment building. My car was parked there so I asked him to take me back.

On our way, as the wind brushes through our skin, groups of fireworks began flashing over the sky, coming out from the building where the ball is being celebrated.

Napakayakap ako ng mahigpit sa kaniya at isinandal ang aking ulo sa kaniyang likuran. It's a hug that I stole one last time.

When Dom and all the guys who had broken my heart left me, I wished them all to die. I hope that they'll feel what I felt from the loneliness they gave, the betrayal, the pain, and unending memories of trauma.

But for Seb, I pray him all the best. I pray he becomes the kind of doctor he's been dreaming of. I hope he eats healthy, never gets sick, never gets tired from studying, when he's drunk, never gets a hangover, or when he's lonely, he'll have someone to comfort him, someone who will offer him the love he always gives.

This breakup never gave me fear the way it did years ago from my past relationship. It was never a feeling of forgetting him because I know he'll always be part of me.

I'll always hear him in the music I wrote, see him in every corner of the university where we both studied, taste him from the coffees we had from late night reviews, from the books we've read, from rain, from the rainbow, when I get back to Amsterdam, when I see him again... and remember him like how my heart never needs a command to beat.