He Was My Umbrella

74

We were on the way down, in the elevator.  I didn't want our stay to be long, so I just offered that we stay in his parents' house.

"Did you enjoy our overnight stay?" He asked me while closing the elevator doors.

"Of course. More than I wished for." I chuckled. "Also, can we drop by a store in Pasay? I'll just buy tarts for Dad."

Then, we got to the parking lot and then I got in the shotgun seat. Siya naman na ang laging nagd-drive, ayaw niya kasi ako maabala 'tsaka it makes him less of a gentleman. Natawa naman ako, 'tong taong ito talaga. Wala na akong mai-reklamo.

"Kids? Okay lang ba kayo diyan?" I looked at the backseats and pretended that there were kids there. "Tricia? Gregorio?" I laughed.

"What the heck, 'yon ipapangalan mo sa anak natin?!" His eyebrows furrowed.

"C'mon! I'm just kidding. Practice lang!" Inirapan ko siya.

I noticed na ang daming notifs sa phone niya, at hindi niya 'yon pinapansin. Hindi ko na lang din pinansin. Nagtingin-tingin ako sa paligid dahil isa ito sa mga paborito kong lugar. Payapa lang na nag-drive si Renz habang pinaglalaruan ang manibela. Minsan ay sumasabay din siya sa kanta sa radyo.

"Mahilig pala sa tarts si Tito?" tinaasan niya ako ng kilay.

"Uhm, saks lang. I mean tarts in general. Kasi dati noong nag-aaral pa 'ko, tuwing may chance ako na umuwi, lagi ako nadaan d'yan tapos ginagawa kong pasalubong sa kaniya. Wala, feeling ko lang na-miss niya." Nagkibit-balikat ako. "Alam mo naman ako, sentimental." I scoffed.

Nang makarating kami sa store na 'yon, ako na lang ang bumaba kasi binigyan ko na siya ng chance para sagutin 'yong mga notifications niya sa cellphone niya. Privacy, I respect that. Meanwhile, I entered the store and I saw someone familiar.

"Miss Adi!" Wendy, the store cashier recognized me. "Been a long time!"

"Hi, Wendy!" I greeted her with a smile. "Gosh, you still remember me." I sighed. Hindi ko in-expect na makikilala niya pa ako dahil hindi naman kami madalas magkita. Ang galing lang. Natuwa naman ako.

"Of course naman po. You're a regular customer," she giggled. "Buying tarts for your dad again po?" she asked.

"Oh, yes. For my fiancé, too." I blushed. May fiancé na ako! So surreal.

I picked the flavors blueberry, milk, and mango tarts. Dad loves mangoes, and Renzie loves milk flavored treats. I picked those and proceeded to the cashier. After that, I paid for it and then left Wendy a tip and said goodbye. I went out of the store and went inside the car.

Nang pumasok ako, nakita kong galit na galit si Renzo. Halos mag-usok na ang mga ilong dahil sa galit. Agad akong nagtaka sa kung ano'ng nangyari. Nakatingin lamang siya sa cellphone niya at hindi nagsasalita, ni hindi man lang tumingin sa akin.

"Bakit? Ano ang nangyari?" Agaran kong tanong.

Hindi niya ako sinagot at nag-drive paalis at nang mabilis.

"Answer me!" I shouted as he hit the brakes when we stopped on the red light.

"Fuck, Adi..."

"What?!"

He was raging mad. "Rai got..."

"Got what?!" I was so frustrated by his cliffhanging.

"Got fucking cheated on!"

What...?

I was stunned. Suddenly, everything flashed back in my mind. All of the things that happened... every single one of them. I was shook. I gulped. I said nothing. We both said nothing. We just stayed still, the red traffic light against the car's windshield.