Call
Hanggang paguwi ay di ko makalimutan yung nangyari sa isang bar na pinuntahan namin. Paulit ulit na nagrereplay sa utak ko yung itsura nung babae. I keep on repeating to myself that she's not Juliet. Nakakairita.
"Take it easy bro." sambit ni Brian pagkatapos niyang ihinto ang sasakyan sa tapat ng apartment ko.
"I'm fine."
"Parang hindi."
"Fuck you. Next time na magbabar tayo dun sa walang babae."
"Pwede ba yun?"
"No. That's why I'm encouraging you to build your own bar."
"Gago ka talaga. Lahat ng plano mo para lang sa ikabubuti mo."
"It's getting late. Baka hanapin ka na ng tatay mo. Baba na ko."
Sinarado ko ang pinto ng sasakyan ni Brian pagkalabas ko. May gusto pa siyang sabihin pero wala na akong pakialam. This night is finally over for me. Sa tingin ko naman ay naitindihan na iyon ni Brian dahil hindi niya na din binuksan ang bintana ng kotse niya para magpaalam sakin.
Sa sobrang pagod at inis ay hindi ko na nagawang magbihis at magtoothbrush. Diretso akong humiga sa kama ko pagkatapos kong alisin ang sapatos ko. Papikit na sana ako nang may bigla akong napansing nailaw sa dingding ko. I thought I was hallucinating but there's really a dim light on my wall.
That's her painting. Glow in the dark ang painting na ibinigay sa'kin ni Juliet.
Napabalikwas ako sa pagkakahiga at inayos ang tingin sa painting. I can't believe na ngayon ko lang napansin 'to. Parang mas nabuhay ang painting ni Juliet sa madilim. Mas makikita mo ang nga kulay sa palibot at agaw tingin ang dalawang tao sa gitna ng simbahan. Shit. Ang ganda.
I never been stunned my whole life. Ngayon lang. At sa hindi ko pa kilalang tao. I'm thrilled seeing her painting even though I don't really have the right to call it mine. Hinawakan ko ang painting niya. Am I too selfish kung aangkinin ko 'to?
Natulog na ko pagkatapos non. I'm still feeling shit after what happened.
Natanggap ko ang reply ni Juliet anim na araw pagkatapos kong ibigay yung akin. That means na tigatlong araw kami naghihintay bago dumating yung mga reply namin sa isa't isa. Ganun din naman kapag package I'm starting to get bored because of waiting.
"Dear Joshua,
The last sentences in your last letter leave me thinking kung anong ibig mong sabihin. Is there any lies behind these letters? Are you tired of this set up? If that's the case, maybe we can talk through phone? We can stop this if you want. Do you want me to stop Joshua? It saddens me knowing that might be your decision. I don't want this to stop Joshua. I don't want this to end. If there's more than just this letters, then let it be. Let us talk. Kung ayaw mo dito then we can talk through our lips. You can say it all out loud. I'm not forcing you to continue this but I don't want to let you go. Nobody wants to be left hanging in the end Joshua. Not me.
Love,
Juliet"
Sa dulo ng sulat ay may nakalagay na numero at may nakasulat na
"This is my number in case you have erased it. I hope you didn't."
Tiningnan ko ang mga numero. This is her number. I was thinking if I should call her pero baka makahalata siya sa boses ko kaya tinext ko na lang siya.
"I didn't erased it Juliet. I'm sorry kung pinagisip kita ng kung anu-ano sa last letter ko. Maybe I'm just out of my mind that day. I'm so sorry if you think that I might leave you hanging in the end.The answer is no Juliet. I won't leave you. Don't be anxious about it. We can continue writing but not as often as we used to. We can continue texting if that's okay with you? I hope you're okay. :) This is my new number.
Joshua."
Ibababa ko na sana sa mesa yung cellphone ko para maligo kaso bigla siyang tumawag. What the hell. What the hell. Gusto kong ibaba yung phone pero baka kung ano na namang isipin niya kaya sinagot ko ito. Shit.
Sinagot ko pero hindi ako nagsasalita. Hindi ko din marinig ang boses niya sa kabilang linya.
Mga limang segundo kaming tahimik.
"Hello?" sambit ng isang mahinghing tinig.
"Hello? Joshua? Naririnig mo ba ko?" tanong niya.
"Yes." sagot ko. Lumunok ako at baka ubuhin ako.
"Are you busy?"
"Ah no no." kinamot ko ang ulo sa kaba.
"You sure? Do you have work today?"
"Ah mamaya pa."
"Did you received my letter already? I'm sorry if this is a bit awkward for the both of us."
"It's alright. Akala ko kasi hindi ka tatawag maliligo na sana ako."
"Hmm. I'm sorry kung ang aga aga tumawag ako eh kasi-"
Biglang naputol yung sinasabi niya. Shit. Tiningnan ko ang cellphone ko. Shit. I'm lowbat. Tumakbo ako papunta sa power supply at chinarge ang cellphone. What the fuck? Hindi naman to lowbat kanina ah! Shit shit. Baka magalit si Juliet. Agad kong binuksan ito at ako na mismo yung tumawag sa kanya. Agad niya itong sinagot.
"Sorry. I was out of battery. I'm sorry Juliet."
"Woah easy there. Tumakbo ka ba? Hinihingal ka ata eh? Haha. Calm down. It's okay." narinig kong ngumiti siya sa kabilang linya.
"I'm sorry what was that again? Ano yung huli mong sinabi bago maputol?"
"Alin dun? Haha. Nakalimutan ko na. Anyway, how was my painting?"
"What am I supposed to say? It's beautiful Juliet." ngumiti ako na parang tanga.
"Are you smiling? I hope you like it."
"Yeah! I never thought that it was a glow in the dark painting! You're so good Juliet."
"Pati yung painting mo! Grabe ang galing mo Joshua."
"It's nothing compared to you." then I smiled.
"I have a lot of work to do today maybe we can talk to each other some time later?"
"Yeah. Sure sure."
"Thank you for returning my call."
"It's perfectly okay Juliet."
"Pwede mo akong tawaging Julie kung gusto mo. Ikaw anong gusto mong itawag sayo?"
Hindi ko kaagad siya nasagot.
"Hello? Still there?"
"Yes yes. I'm still here."
"So what should I call you?"
"Call me Creus."
BINABASA MO ANG
Letters to Joshua
Romance"There's a man at the other side of the road. A broken man with a lost soul enticed by a lady with a spirit of a burning coal. There she is, the lady at the end of that road. A discreet lady who screams through her letters waiting for someone to rea...
