S U A D E L A

28

TW: R-18
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"May lakad pa ako," Suadela said. "Kayo na bahala rito," and pointed at Castor standing beside her.

"Ingat." Everyone on the table chorused as some of them waved at Suadela.

Suadela glanced at Castor, "Alis na ko."

Castor nodded and smiled a little. His eyes were swollen and red, but his aura was brighter than it had been earlier. Crying might have helped him. The two of them already had their closure, too.

"Sige," Suadela turned her back and reached for her phone. Alas-siyete na. Malabong umabot siya ng saktong alas-otso sa Tummy Rush kaya mabuti pang magsabi na siya kay Luan na mahuhuli siya ng ilang minuto.

"Suadela!"

Kunot-noong tumigil sa paglabas ng coffee shop si Suadela at nalingunan si July na nagmamadaling lumapit sakanya.

"Nakalimutan kong sabihin sayo. Nakita namin si Luan sa library kanina. Hinahanap ka."

"Huh? Anong oras?" takang tanong niya. Bakit siya hahanapin nito doon? Nagtext siya dito.

"Mga alas-sais. Mukha ngang nagulat nung sinabi kong nagpunta ka rito."

Suadela immediately checked her phone. Her chest thumped hard when she saw Luan's texts and missed calls. Then, she saw it...

May pupuntahan lang ako saglit. Magkita nalang tayo sa Tummy Rush.

Not delivered.

Fuck!

Without saying goodbye to July, Suadela hurriedly left the coffee shop.

Hindi natanggap ni Luan ang text niya! Lakad-takbo ang ginawa niya papunta sa taxi bay ngunit muling napamura nang makitang mahaba ang pila doon at walang taxi!

Suadela rushed to the highway to hail a taxi as she dialled Luan's number. To her annoyance, the call had not connected yet when her phone suddenly died! It did not even budge when she pressed the power button. Empty battery!

She was getting desperate and impatient when she finally succeeded to catch a taxi.

"Sa Shuei University po!"

During the ride, she still tried to turn on her phone. At kapag minamalas talaga siya ayaw non magbukas. Napabalikwas siya sa upuan nang bigla bumuhos ang malakas na ulan.

Fuck...

What's happening?

Ang kaninang mabagal na pag-usad nila dala ng rush hour ay mas lalong bumagal nang dahil sa ulan. Dala ng pagkainip ay ipinasya ni Suadela na bumaba na ng taxi. Tutal sa tantya niya ay mga nasa dalawangpu't minuto nalang ang layo nila sa SU. Pwede na niyang lakarin iyon. Matapos siguraduhin na hindi mababasa ang phone niya ay bumaba na siya ng taxi at sinugod ang ulan.

Tinakbo niya ang daan papuntang SU. Pinagtitinginan pa siya dahil bukod tangi siya lang ang sumugod sa ulan habang ang karamihan ng mga walang payong ay nagpapatila sa gilid.

Suadela didn't care about people staring at her. She was worried, thinking that Luan was waiting for her in this bad weather. He can't be still there, right? The best thing for him to do was to go back to his apartment since it was near and wait for her call or message. Yeah, no one in his right mind would wait for more than four hours and stay still in this sudden downpour.

Pagdating sa labas ng main gate ay bahagya siyang nakahinga na maluwag nang hindi makita si Luan doon. Sarado na ang buong campus at ang lamp post sa entrance at exit gate na lang ang natitirang bukas na ilaw.