Buong araw kong iniisip kung bakit ganoon ang pakiramdam namin? Alam kong wala na akong karapatan sa kaniya but it feels so strange na naiinis ako nung nalaman kong may mga nagiging date siya.
"Lala, manood tayo ng movie." Napatingin ako kay Ella and I tried to hide the thing bugging me. "Bakit ganiyan itsura mo?" She asked.
"What?"
"Inggit ka noh? Kasi may date si Jance ngayon." She said while smiling.
"I'm not jealous, okay? Walang rason para magselos ako."
Estella just stared at me as her smile faded away. She took my hand and told me everything that happened when I was gone.
"The day you left... Nalaman namin na hindi nakatulog si Jance, he was crying all night and wanted to stop you." She started. "He tried calling and messaging you but his phone died, the exact time that you left is also the time he drove to the airport. Nalaman namin kay Jake since Jance accidentally told him drunkenly. I think nakasakay ka na sa plane when Jance arrived but he was fighting everything and everyone para lang pigilan ka."
"Estella.."
"5 months... He tried moving on for 5 months but he couldn't. His cousin told him to use a dating app, he even considered Hyacinth's offer pero kinausap siya nina Oscar para hindi matuloy iyon." Estella paused the movie. "Jance still loves you, we see it in his eyes yesterday. The way he talked to you, the way he ordered for you and how he knows na ayaw mong minumura ka when Oscar cursed. Lala... He's still your Jance kulit."
I stared at her before pulling my hand away and talking.
"Kung totoo ang mga iyan bakit hindi niyo ako sinabihan?"
"Kabilin-bilinan ni Jance na huwag na huwag kang pagsasabihan nito. He pulled himself together and begged us not to tell you. He said that you were already loving manchester and he felt selfish if he told you to move back here to be with him."
"I would actually..."
"Ano?"
"I would.. run back here if he had asked me." I explained. "He was my only reason to stay here pero tinulak niya ako palayo. He wanted me to leave so bad kaya I don't know how to believe your story na he wanted me to stay. Imposible..."
"Lala, he wants you back. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko mapapatunayan pero he really does want you back."
Tumayo ako para kumuha ng pagkain and I returned to Ella.
"Manood na lang tayo." I suggested.
After a month of me staying here ay nakatanggap ako ng invitation for Jance's birthday. Private party siya and limited people were invited, napansin kong may unfamiliar name sa gilid ng pangalan ni Julian.
Cristi Ann Virtucio. Who was she? Girlfriend ni Jance?
The details stated na all black and white daw, I only had white clothes kaya nagpapasalamat ako na hindi ako hihiram kay Ella ng damit. Ang birthday ni Jance ay malapit sa school dati, doon sa may function hall.
Estella went shopping kaya sumama na ako. We were surprised to see Jance buying stuff as well.
"Aalis ka na ba, Jance? Papabantayan ko lang si Lala sa'yo. I need to get something."
"Ano ako bata?" I asked kaya natawa si Jance.
"Sige na, ako na ang bahala sa bebe na ito." He teased kaya tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "Makakapunta ka ba sa birthday ko?"
"Oo naman! Bibili pa nga ako ng gift mamaya eh. What do you want?" I asked while his facial hair moved as he smiled a little.
"Ikaw."
"Ako?" I asked kaya nawala ang ngiti niya.
"Sabi ko ilaw." He said kaya tumango ako. "Yung lamp para sa bahay, nasira yung akin."
"Okay, any particular design?" I asked but he shook his head. "Alright, ihahanap kita ng lamp mamaya."
"Samahan mo na rin ng jowa."
I kept a serious face as I remembered what Ella told me. Has he really moved on?
"Ano ka, chix?" I said kaya natawa kami. "Ella said something really stupid earlier."
"Palagi naman." Jance said kaya I pouted. "What did she say?"
"She said you tried to stop me from leaving, it's sounds so stupid right?"
"Why is it stupid?"
"Kasi you were my only reason to stay pero tinulak mo ako palayo. It's really hard to believe na you wanted me to stay."
"I did." I was about to ask him but Ella arrived and he left.
Kinagabihan ay may mga sinusubukan kaming mga hairstyle ni Estella. I went to church earlier and it felt so comforting.
"I saw a baby girl kanina." I said as Ella braided my hair. "Maria yung name niya, ang cute gusto ko rin."
"Pwede naman na. Go have a baby."
"Wala naman akong asawa eh and I want my first to be with my last."
"Your first? As in Jance Salazar?" She laughed kaya nasiko ko siya. "Pag ito nalaglag papalitan mo."
"Ay! Sorry, I forgot." I said kaya natawa siya. "Kelan ang due?"
"November." She answered.
After another month ay birthday na ni Jance. I wore my white dress, yung sinuot ko noong nag-date kami ni Jance. Baka hindi niya ito naaalala, sinuotan ako ni Estella ng ribbon sa ulo. Sumabay kasi ako sa kotse nila ni Oscar. Both of them wore black, Eric wore a black top with white pants.
"Nakisabay na lang ako natawag pang zebra." Eric complained beside me. "Balita ko hindi naka black or white si Jance."
"Hmph! Ano siya gold?!" Natawa si Oscar at hinarap ang asawa niya. "Tangina naka gold nga!?"
"Hey, huwag kang mag-mura magagalit si Jance." Eric said then looked at me.
We finally arrived and we went to look for Jance. Nakita ko ang family niya, all of them went to me immediately and asked questions.
"I'm fine po, kayo?" I asked and a girl suddenly appeared.
"Lalaina, this is Cristi my girlfriend." Julian introduced kaya napangiti ako. "Kayo na ba ulit ni Kuya?"
YOU ARE READING
The Tranquility in You
General FictionWARNING: Pls don't mind errors or typos, will edit once the story is finished. Tnx :P Lalaina is elegant, classy and smart. Men tend to fall for her "dalagang filipina" type of personality. For Lalaina, falling in love was pure and sacred. She doesn...
