Double Take

Chapter 38

This is the last chapter of the story. Next update will be the epilogue. Thank you so much for sailing with my baby Rael and Benj in this roller coaster journey :)

Closure

Sinundan ko siya ng tingin habang naglalakad siya palayo. I was still contemplating on whether I would follow him or just let him be when I saw him stopped walking. Napatuwid ako sa pagkakatayo nang makitang hinarang siya ni Greg kaya siya napatigil sa paglalakad. The latter whispered something to him but he only shook his head.

Kuryoso, mabilis akong lumapit. Ano naman kayang pinag-uusapan ng dalawang 'to? Can't they talk in a normal way? Bakit may pabulong-bulong pang nalalaman? Oo, medyo maingay dito sa bar pero pwedi namang i-type sa cellphone, ah?

Greg's eyes widened when he saw me up close. Pero hindi gaya noon na para siyang tutang naduduwag lagi sa presensiya ko, halatang malakas na ang loob niya ngayon sa pangiti-ngiti niya sa akin.

"Benj! Kumusta?" Bati nito. "Long time no see!"

Ediwow.

"Muntik na kitang hindi makilala! Hindi ko kasi suot salamin ko!"

Sino bang nagtatanong?

"I heard you're an engineer now?"

I wanted to scoff but I stopped myself. Lalo na't hinarap na rin ako ni Rael na suot-suot pa rin ang masamang tingin sa akin. Kaya imbes na gumawa na naman ng bagay na ikasisindak ni Greg, nginitian ko na lamang ito sabay tipid na tango.

Lumipat ang tingin ni Rael sa kanya at saglit na nagtagal bago mabilis na ibinalik sa akin. His angry eyes bore on me like daggers before he started walking away again. Napakamot ako sa kilay at kaagad na sumunod. Ano na naman bang ginawa ko?

Behave na nga ako, eh!

"Where are you going? Uuwi ka na?" I asked curiously as I tailed behind him. May iilang tumatawag sa amin pero parehas kaming walang pinapansin. Ako, dahil naghihintay sa sagot niya at hinahabol siya. At siya, ay dahil nagmamadaling maglakad, gusto akong iwan. "Your friend is still there. Iiwan mo?"

Marahas niya akong hinarap. Muntik na niya akong mabangga dahil sa biglaan niyang galaw. Mabilis akong nagtaas ng dalawang kamay kahit na bahagya akong natatawa. Why is he suddenly so mad?

"Ah, so you remember that he's my friend?" he fired, his tone is already on the edge. He sounds frustrated and borderline jealous. Pero hindi naman kasi siya seloso kaya imposible rin.

Mabilis akong nagmaang-maangan. "Ay, hindi ba? Kapatid mo?"

He didn't answer.

Ibinaba ko ang mga kamay ko at hinintay ang malutong niyang mura. I can feel it coming. The way his eyes flared with so much anger right now, I just know that he would say those two words, or worst, shout it to my face. My eyes moved down to his lips, anticipating for it, but instead of cursing me like what I'm expecting, he again turned his back on me and proceeded on resuming his exit.

I chuckled at myself. Tang ina. Bakit mas lalo yatang gumwapo 'tong ex ko? Siguro... pinaghandaan niya 'tong pag-uwi ko no?

"Teka, sandali..." I couldn't help but chuckle. "Mag-usap muna tayo, hmm?"

Hindi siya sumagot. I sighed heavily.

My strides slowed down when I realized that he probably wants to be alone right now. Halatang iniiwasan niya ako at ayaw na makausap. It's obvious that his patience on me is running thin and I have no plans of stretching it beyond endurance. Baka masuntok na niya talaga ako. Kalalabas ko lang ng ospital. I can't take a punch right now.