Mikha's POV:
Hindi ako makatulog, there's something about me being alone na hindi ko maipakali. Maloi's not around, she'll stay sa house nila for a couple of days dahil may sakit si tito it wasn't long when i realized na kailangan ko lumabas muna.
Next thing i know, i parked sa isang PUB where i know na makakapag inom ako kahit konti. Maloi doesn't want me to drink that much after na maging kami, everything that i had yung lifestyle ko before sa Cavite ay iniwan ko na din.
Umupo ako sa malapit sa counter and the bartender noticed me and smiled.
"The usual?"
Tumango ako at maya-maya he handed me a glass, i need this. This week nakakapagod ang lahat, it's exhausting plus my girlfriend is not around kaya parang i feel alone. The pub is not usually filled with people dahil medyo tago ito, but i guess tonight's different mukhang madami ang hindi makatulog na katulad ko.
After a few shots, i was about to stand up para mag CR when i saw a familiar face.... Aiah. She was with some girls, she was wearing a gray dress that suits her and her hair is just as it is. Hindi ko alam bakit bigla ako Kinabahan upon seeing her, ever since i saw her again hindi na siya maalis sa isip ko. I know that people hate being ghosted and i know na i was wrong about it pero, i just had a lot of things na inayos ko and hinabol ko after Mikel's death. It is truly devastating when someone you loved the most passed away in an untimely manner. I now know how she felt during the time na namatay si Jake.
Before pa ako makatayo, nakita na ako ni Aiah. She was shocked but she approached me nicely.
Next thing we know, asa labas kami ng Pub kung saan mas tahimik, everyone must be asleep around this area kasi tahimik only the music from the PUB yung nadidinig namin. Naka-sandal kami parehas sa kotse ko, i handed her a coffee.
"Thank you!" She accepted it with a smile.
It was a comfortable silence we were just drinking our coffee and even if none of us were talking, i loved the silence between us, it wasn't deafening not until she talked.
"How are you? Bakit wala si Maloi, asan siya?" I smile and answered. "I can't sleep, minds full of thoughts. She's not with me, umuwi siya kina tito kasi may sakit daw to." She stopped for a second and asked again "Anong mga naiisip mo?"
I simply smiled. "Good thoughts naman siguro, pagod lang ako. Plus Maloi is not around, i usually shrugged off yung mga ganito kapag andiyan siya sa tabi ko. I mean her presence is more than enough" she smiled and took a sip of her coffee. "ako din hindi makatulog" i looked at her, sure.. she was pretty with all of that make up but i can see the visible eye-bags sa mga mata niya. Mukhang hindi nga siya nakakatulog ng maayos.
"Why? Somethings bothering you?" She shook her head and smiled. "Mikha, everyday there's always something thats bothering me. Wala nang bago don" i give her a sympathetic look, alam ko sa sarili ko na she's still bothered about Jake's passing. It's been ages but i know grief it's traitor one day you're okay and another day.. you're not.
"Why did you suddenly left me?" She asked and sa pagkakataon na'to i met her eyes, it was waiting for an answer.
"I was devastated. Nang mamatay si Mikel, I didn't know how to even breathe kasi maski yun ayoko na gawin. I stopped talking to anyone, it was only Maloi who kept on coming sa bahay namin para iassure na im okay, hindi lang ikaw yung ghinost ko... i ghosted a lot of people. But with you, it's different i choose not to be with you during that time because you needed comfort Aiah, and I can't give you that kasi maski ako... kailangan ko ng comfort hindi naman sa alam ko na hindi mo'to mabibigay sakin pero, we both lost the most important person sa buhay natin. How can we even calm the storms na nararamdaman ng isa't isa kung we cannot even calm the storms inside us."
She stopped for a second, pakiramdam ko inaanalayze niya yung sagot ko. "You changed, huh? I think that's really essential when you lost someone. Magbabago at magbabago talaga ang tao" she said with a smile. "I changed kasi, i was in chaos for years. Took me some time to finally regain myself" she took a sip of her coffee and simply said " But we're still friends, right?" I smiled at her and said " Oo naman."
After that, we went inside and went back to our personal stuff. Sinamahan niya ang friends niya, habang ako i ordered a sandwich dahil hindi pa ako kumakain. It wasn't long ago, when i had the urge to go home, i paid and headed outside.
I noticed na umaambon, pinakiramdaman ko yung ambon nilabas ko kamay ko at hinayaan ko yung ambon na tumama sa palad ko, buti hindi kalakasan. I was about to open my car.. nang lumakas kaya dali-dali akong nag drive. Nauna na sila Aiah kanina, kaya wala na din sila, i remember she loves rain... i wonder if hanggang ngayon she still feels the same when its raining.
Habang binabaybay ko ang daan pauwi, i saw a familiar woman sa sideroad, basang basa siya and she was trying to fix something sa gulong niya.. it was AIAH. Without any second thoughts, nag park ako at kinuha ang payong ko.
"Aiah!" Pagsigaw ko sakanya, nagulat siya. Pinayungan ko siya and I checked her tires. "Aiah, wala na pag-asa to, may kakilala ako na pwede balikan tong kotse mo. Come with me!" Hesitant siya noong una pero, she eventually agreed. Pumunta kami sa kotse ko and akmang bubuksa niya ang passengers seat, the one thats beside the drivers seat nang pinigilan ko siya. "Aiah, sorry.. dito ka sa likod. Maloi doesn't want anyone to sit in there not unless her."
"Oh.. sorry!" Ani ni Aiah and i just smiled. Pinagbuksan ko siya nang pinto at pagkapasok ko sa driver's seat. I gave her some tissues. Tahimik ang byahe namin. Nang makarating kami sa bahay, i let her settle sa guess room while i check for old clothes.
"Eto nalang muna, bago lahat to.. pwede ko naman labhan yung dress mo, matutuyo din naman agad yan" pagkakuha niya ng damit ay agad siyang nagayos, hindi ko na kinakaya ang antok kaya nakatulog na ako habang inaantay siya.
Kinabukasan, i woke up early as usual. Kahit na pagod at puyat maaga ako nagigising I realized i have Aiah with me, pumunta ako sa guess room and i saw her tucked with blanket and she was still sleeping. Kagabi ko pa iniiwasan tignan yung mga mata niya but i can't... mga mata ni Mikel yun, hirap na hirap akong iwasan kasi bukod sa maganda ito, gusto ko din maramdaman ang presensya ng kapatid ko kahit kay Aiah manlang.
Bumaba na ako para mag prepare ng breakfast, maya-maya nang matapos ako i heard footsteps. Gising na siya..... she's beautiful.
"Good morning, thank you Mikha sa pagpapatuloy sakin dito" nakatulala ako sakanya, "mikha?" Napailing ako and i simply answered "Wala yun, i called yung kakilala ko na pwede umayos ng kotse mo. On the way na sila para kuhain, pwede ka dumiretso don after. Tuyo nadin damit mo you can check it sa likod and i will give you yung address nung mechanic" she smiled and said "Thank you"
Tahimik kaming kumakain, again.. kahit tahimik kami ay hindi naman ako nabobored. Nang natapos ay nag-ayos nadin si Aiah.
Hinatid ko siya sa labas nang bahay. "Thank you again ha, sorry kung naistorbo pa kita." Umiling lang ako "Para ka namang iba, wala yun!" She smiled and hugged me.... It was short but it was comforting may kakaibang aura si Aiah maski noon pa man, hindi ko ma explain pero kakaiba talaga siya. Nang makasakay sa taxi at makaalis, papasok na sana ako nang makita ko ang kotse ni Maloi, bumaba ito at agad akong niyakap.
"I missed you, hun" ani nito sa'kin. Mukhang wala pang maayos na tulog si Maloi, ilang araw din siyang nagbabantay kay tito dahil inuupdate niya ako from time to time. Pumasok na kami sa bahay at nakita niya ang kusina..
"Hun, may bisita ka? Bakit dalawa ang plate?" Shet... di ko pa naligpit yung pinagkainan namin ni Aiah. "ah, yes! Hun.. si Aiah, she was just there earlier." Nagulat naman ito sa sinabi ko "As in Ate Aiah?"
Tumango lamang ako bago sumagot "Nasiraan siya ng kotse, i saw her sa side road and i eventually stopped to help her sa sobrang lakas ng ulan dito ko na siya pinatuloy. Tahimik lang si Maloi at tumango sa akin. Selosa pa naman 'to, pero alam ko naman na pinagkakatiwalaan niya ako. Sana nga, tama ako.