decoding the boys ✔️

34 - truth

Eventually, lumipat ako sa seaside near the mall. I bought a bucket of smirnoff to destress. I'd been here for two hours now.

May umiyak na bata sa 'di kalayuan. I wandered my gaze to them. The little girl was crying dahil inagaw ng sister niya yung doll niya.

I smiled a little.

How nice it is to be a kid. Walang problema, walang iniisip. They're in their own little world, away from the complications ng mundo. Sobrang iba sa buhay ng mga adults.

I turned back to the crashing waves. Malakas ang hangin at lumilipad ang buhok ko sa likod ko.

After finishing my third bottle, I checked my phone.

10 PM.

Maaga pa. I could still kill some time. Mamaya na ako uuwi.

I put my phone back to my lap, staring at a contact number. RCG. Kanina ko pa siya naaalala.

Without actually thinking, I felt my fingers typing a message.

Me:

I miss you today :(

I sipped from my beer again. Napapabilis ang pag-inom ko.

My phone vibrated. Racel replied after five minutes.

RCG:

Where are you?

Napangiti ako sa sagot niya.

Me:

Somewhere out there. :p

I took another sip and chuckled at my reply. Ewan ko ba kung bakit ko siya t-in-ext. Mag-aalala lang 'to, e.

I grinned when my thoughts were confirmed not a minute after.

RCG calling . . .

See? He was calling now.

Nakangisi ako nang sumagot.

"Where are you?" Racel started. I could detect the concern in his voice.

"Secret."

"Javee," he warned.

"Guess."

"Nasaan ka nga?" This time his voice was firmer. No playfulness at all.

"Secret nga."

"Sinong kasama mo?"

"Me, myself, and I," I joked.

"Are you..." Racel paused. "Are you drinking?"

"Maybe. Had a couple of beers."

"Stay there. I'll get you."

Then he dropped the call.

I panicked muna until I realized imposible naman 'yon. How would he find me, hindi naman ako nagbigay ng details. I was obviously just messing around.

Racel was still texting me kung nasaan ako but I said nothing forthcoming. I even told him not to come and find me. Ayokong magpunta siya dito. I didn't want him to see me in this state.

Though I was confident naman na hindi niya ako mahahanap. For all he knew, I could be everywhere. Dito, sa restaurant nila or sa Tagaytay. Malabo talaga.

After I finished my first bucket, I went to the mall to eat dinner. I stayed there for a while, contemplating kung uuwi na ba ako or if I wanted to have another bucket. Ayoko pa kasing umuwi. I was still sober. I didn't wanna be this sober when I get home para makatulog kagad ako.