Blueprints of a Life with you

14

"Tessa... you're joking, 'di ba?" I started tearing up as it hit me that Tessa wasn't joking.

"We were both drunk when it happened, Issang. At alam ko rin naman na hindi ako 'yung gusto niyang kasama habang ginagawa namin 'yon. She wasn't in love with me." Tessa held my hand. "I'm doing this for the sake of our friendship. Ayaw kong magkaroon ng problema ang barkada dahil sa nangyari sa amin ni Isla. It was just one night."

"But leaving the country is a bit..." I couldn't finish my sentence. Gusto ko lang umiyak at magmakaawa kay Tessa na huwag na siyang umalis. "Tess... Pati ba naman ikaw, lalayo! Si Sol, nagpakalayo na! Tapos ikaw naman ngayon!"

"Issa, it's a big opportunity for me. Matagal na nga akong dapat sumama kila Dad. Nag-stay lang ako rito dahil sa barkada at dahil kay Isla." Mapait siyang ngumiti. "I'm also scared of the possibility of it being a topic on strangers' tables. Lalo na't hindi pa alam ng parents ko na... I'm attracted to women. And you know naman how some people will react on this."

"Were you... in love with Isla?" I carefully asked. Tessa gave me an unknown reaction. "Tess..."

"It wasn't that deep, Issa. But I should leave before it gets deeper." She caressed my hair and smiled. "You'll understand it one day. Don't be like me. Enjoy your days with Phil. I know he won't disappoint you."

"Will you still come home here?"

"I'm not sure. Issa, I want you to do something for me. Please do not tell our friends about it. Kahit kay Isla. Kapag tinanong ka nila, sabihin mo lang na sinama ako nila Dad dahil magma-migrate na ako." She pulled me for a hug. I cried more when I felt how tight it was. "Si Phil mahalin mo. Si David suportahan mo. Si Jenna naman kaya niya sarili niya. At... Huwag mo na dagdagan pa ang sakit na nararamdaman ni Miah, ha?"

"Okay, I won't tease him... that much."

Tessa chuckled, "Hay, manhid ka nga." I didn't get that. But I couldn't ask her anything anymore.

"Tessa, just know that I support you. I accept you, and I am so happy that I get to know your story." Tessa started crying. "I hope you get to tell them your story one day. I'm sure they'll understand. And if they don't, it's your story anyway. They don't get to decide what'll happen to your story."

Tessa disappeared just like that. The whole group was disappointed but also sad about her sudden disappearance. Sa tuwing napapag-usapan si Tessa, na kay Isla ang atensyon ko. Well, Isla didn't seem to care that much. Or that was what I thought. Maybe it was really for the better that Tessa went away.

I couldn't label Isla as a red flag tho. Pareho naman silang lasing noong nangyari 'yon. And Tessa was well aware that Isla likes someone else. But I guess Tessa grabbed that chance to make Isla hers. Yet she didn't succeed and in the end, she had to leave with a broken heart.

It didn't take long for Isla to introduce her girlfriend to us. They were all shocked but as expected, they supported Isla and her girlfriend.

"Ah, right. Issa, you haven't met him, 'di ba? This is Alex. Kaibigan din namin. Madalas lang MIA." Pagpapakilala ni Miah sa isang morenong lalaki. Like the other men in the group, he was tall. I smiled and waved my hand at him. "Huwag mong susubukan na landiin 'yan si Issa, sinasabi ko sa 'yo, dudurugin ko mga buto mo."

"Inamo, pre," tumatawang tugon ni Alex. He went to me to make beso. "Hi, Issa. May maganda pala kaming kaibigan—"

Pabirong tinulak ni Miah si Alex sa dibdib. Alex was just laughing. He even winked at me! I glanced at Phil but he was just watching the two.