Those Three Words

Day 6.2

Ara? Krystal? Ba't ako lang mag-isa dito sa kweba? Sa'n na ba 'yung dalawang 'yun eh umuulan yata sa labas... Teka, ba't may barko dun? Totoo ba 'to? Nahanap na nila kami? Ara!!! Daks!!!

Ma-re-rescue na tayo! Makakauwi na tayo!

Krystal! Nasa'n na ba kayo? Teka, sina Cams ba 'yun?

Cienne! Cams! Hey! Nandito ako!

Ara? Ba't nandoon si Ara?

Daks! Daks! Huy! Ba't niyo ako iniwan?

Nandito pa ako oh?

Daks!

Ba't ganun? Nakatingin lang sa'kin si Ara.

Uy Daks! Magsalita ka naman!

Teka lang. Daks! Ba't nagsisitalunan 'yung mga tao sa dagat?

Kumibo ka naman!

Daks! Tumalon ka na!

Nasusunog ang barko!

Daks!

BOOM!

Mika woke up soaked in her own sweat…

Tinanghali na siya ng gising. She could feel her eyes and the skin around it swelling. She never cried so hard until last dawn. Sitting up, she noticed that she was the only one in the cave. M stood up and wandered her sight outside. It was still morning. The smell of the sea comforted her. She saw Krystal and Ara at the shore. To her, it seemed that they were having a serious conversation. Ara gave Krystal a hug. Mika was about to step outside when she realized something…

Mika: Shoot! Nagkasagutan nga pala kami ni Ara kagabi. Pano na ‘to? Ano ang sasabihin ko sa kaniya? Isip, Mika! Isip!

She’s tried to come up with the right words to say to Ara.

Mika: Maglalakad ako papunta dun. Tapos tatapikin ko siya sa likod tapos sasabihin ko… Ara, a- … Ay shoot! Ano ba. Pano ko ba to sasabihin sa kaniya! Hmmm? Ahhh! Lord! Tulong!

She was still phasing back and forth inside the cave.

Mika: Ito… Daks, sana naintindihan mo na kung bakit ko nagawa ‘yun. Oo. Inaamin ko. Naging tanga ako. At higit pa dun naging… naging pabaya ako sa feelings mo… Hindi. Hindi! Dapat ito nalang… Kung nasaktan man kita, hindi ko sinasadya. I was so stupid to think that it wouldn’t affect you that much. That… That what I did would hurt you this much. Tapos… Tapos… I didn’t realize that I was risking our friendship. At kahit bali-baliktarin man ang mundo, ako pa rin ang mali. ‘Cause I did the worst mistake of taking my best friend’s feelings for granted. And… and… You don't deserve a friend like that.

She stopped and stood. She made up her mind. It was the best explanation she could make to win her best friend’s trust again, she thought. She mumbled it again and started walking through the cave’s entrance…

Just when she thought she could see the two still sitting on the shore, she was surprised by Ara, standing in front of her. And for a couple of seconds, they just stood there looking at each other’s eyes.