Mirae

Kapitulo 9

Kapitulo 9

Cycle

"Reto na lang kita sa kakilala ko, matagal ka nang crush no'n."

There was something about being heartbroken that drives people to replace others quickly. Why was that? Was that the sole way to move one? Was finding another match the only way to dissolve the love for the former? Maybe. After all, when you stay still while heartbroken, no matter how much you try on your own, you might end up in a circular pattern of denying, crying, and wishing.

Adiel looks at his friend, Khian, and thought about the offer. "Hindi ko kailangan ng bago."

Khian smirks. "E, hanggang kailan ka magmumukmok dito?"

The boys were in Adiel's house right now, in his room, trying to find ways for Adiel to go back to his old self. It had been three months since Adiel saw the council president with Cyra. Nothing changed between Cyra and him, but simultaneously, everything did.

He never got to court the teenage girl. Sobrang panghihina ang naramdaman niya dahil sa nakita no'ng araw na 'yon. Bukod do'n, parang nawalan din siya ng best friend. Adiel became closed off with his friends, even his family, after being heartbroken. Until now, his grief for his dead heart was overpowering any emotion he had left.

Pakiramdam niya, hindi na matatapos ang sakit at pangungulila na nararanasan niya.

"I'm fine, I'm just tired from school, kaya ayaw ko lumabas masiyado," paliwanag ni Adiel.

"Ulol, 'wag mo kaming lokohin," kontra ni Dory.

Umismid ang binata sa kaibigan at umiling. "Umalis na kayo, 'di ako lalabas ngayon," ani Adiel.

"E 'di, we'll stay here na lang," salita ni Khian bago isara ang pinto ng kuwarto ni Adiel.

A little taken aback, Adiel stares at his friends who are now in his PC area, trying to find a film to watch. He thinks about what he can do to make them leave, he is in no mood to socialize.

"Ito na lang," he hears Dory's words before seeing a film pop up on his desktop monitor's screen.

Khian looks back at Adiel and says, "gutom na 'ko, paggawa ka meriyenda."

Suddenly, Adiel's ideas of trying to make his friends leave vanish after Khian's request—a better term would probably be demand— is heard. Adiel laughs loudly and goes out of the room, the two other boys look at each other confusingly and just make themselves comfortable before playing the film.

Adiel went to the kitchen and asked his family's helped to make meriyenda while still laughing a bit. Pati si Manay ay takang tinitigan ang binata habang tumatango sa utos nito.

"Ayos ka lang ba, 'nak?" tanong ni Manay.

Smiling, Adiel replies, "I'm okay, Manay. Don't worry."

"Okay na ba kayo ni Cyra?"

In less than a second, his smile turns to a line. "Ayos naman kami, Manay. 'Wag mo na isipin 'yon."

Of course, Manay could never not care about the teenage boy. She was another grandmother figure to him, she cared no matter how much he told her not to worry.

Adiel walked back to his room and stared at the air when he was on the last step of the staircase.

We're okay, Adiel reminded himself. Heartbroken ako, pero ayos kami bilang magkaibigan.

When people are brokenhearted, talking to themselves is also a constant ritual. Reminding their hearts that everything was okay or will be alright in time. As if the words were warm blankets that wrap around their numb hearts.