To the Moon and Back

KABANATA 6

"Somebody owes me a burger." nilingong agad ni Luna ang boses mula kay Daphne na nakadunhae mula sa likod ng kinauupuan niya.
Hindi pa man nakakapagbihis kagabi, tinawagan na agad ni Luna ang kaibigan.
"Daphne... you won't believe this!" excited nitong ibinulalas.
Daphne groaned on the other end of the line, she must've been in the middle of deep sleep, she muat've absentmindedly picked up the noisy phone.
"Daph?" tanong nito.
She groaned again. Louder even.
"OK, let's just meet tomorrow at Percy's OK?"
Another groan made it's way from another end. And Luna took it as a "yes".
And she must've heard it well enough. Dahil nandito siya ngayon sa Percy's Burgers.
"Daph..." she beamed excitedly. Sisinghap-singhap ito habang pinapaupo si Daphne.
"Daphne, alam mo bang nag-" bago pa man nito matapos ang sasabihin ay nagsalita na ang kaibigan.
"Alam kong nagsayaw kayo!" she said matter-of-factly.
Tinapunan naman siya nito ng nagtatakang tingin. Nagtataka kung paano nalaman nito.
"P-p-pa'no mo nalaman?" utal-utal nitong tanong.
"Duh! I was there!" she rolled her eyes and she crossed her arms. She huffed proudly as if seeing that scene was something to be proud of.
"Nando'n ka?" hapos lumuwa ang mata nito sa gulat sa mga naririnig.
"Oo nga, I saw it, I heard it!" mariing usal nito.
"B-b-but how?" para itong isdang inalis sa tubig, hindi mapirmi ang nguso niya kakasinghap, nalulunod sa mga pasabog ng kaibigan.
"Pagkatapos kong mag-CR, I saw a man chasing another man, 'tapos nagtago 'yung hinahabol na lalaki sa hideout natin, to which the humahabol na guy failed to see. Then I thought baka rapist 'yon and my heart raced wildly so I ran to get to our hideout as fast as I can, and just before I shout for help, nakita kong nag-uusap kayo. And that was when I knew he was Mr. Teacher. So I headed near to evesdrop." she explained without breathing.
Tinitigan lang siya ng kaibigan. She didn't say a word. She doesn't really care kung may nakakita sa precious moment nila ni Aries, in fact she was thankful for her friend for never leaving her alone, even in the times when she really has to be alone.
"Sorry, ok? Pero I just can't help but watch you! I'm so proud of you!" nagagalak nitong sabi habang ikinukuyom ang parehong kamay ni Luna sa loob ng sa kanya.
Luna's eyes started to smile. Then her lips. She was happy.
"Edi wala na pala akong kailangang ikuwento ngayon?" she teased her, raising her eyebrows and twitching her lips.
"Pero may kailangan kang ilibre!" ganti nito kay Luna. Tunatapunan ito ng mas mapang-asar na itsura.
"OK, my treat! For pushing me to my limits, you deserve a cup of gravy!" natatawang biro nito rito.
"Gravy? I deserve a double burger, bucket of fries and choco shake!" angil naman nito.
"Sige na, ako na rin ang o-order, hiyang-hiya naman ako sa 'yo!" she finally gave in.
"Very good!" pahabol pang hirit nito.

"SO TELL ME, nagkaroon ba ng closure?" tanong ni Daphne habang pumapapak ng french fries.
"You said you heard it?" nagtataka namang tanong nito havang dinadagdagan ng mayo at kechup ang burger na nilalantakan.
"Duh Luna! Siyempre hindi ko na narinig 'yung mga pinag-usapan niyo sa kotse. Unless you didn't talk the whole drive home. Did you?" biglang tumaas ang kanang kilay nito, hinihintay ang sagot ng kaibigan.
"Well... we talked." she casually answered.
"O, so nagkaroon nga ng closure?"
"Nope." matipid nitong sabi habang ngumunguya.
"What? You were supposed to have a closure!" madiin nitong ipinunto kay Luna.
"Sorry, mission unaccomplished." mapang-asar nitong ganti habang ikinikibit ang mga balikat.
"Arg!"
"Sabi mo naman pwede maging friends 'diba?"
"We both know that your intention is way more than just friends!"
"Daphne, he said he'll wait for me!"
"Luna, he said he'll wait for you to become his land buddy, hindi asawa!" she instantly turned serious about it, she cares so much for Luna.
"Daphne, I felt it, pwedeng 'yun 'yung sinabi niya but I knew there was something behind it." she retorts seriously. Her eyes were flickering.
"Luna!"
"Daphne!"
"What if you're wrong?"
"What if I'm right?"
Daphbe knows that she can't beat Luna, so she just rolled her eyes and sipped on her Coke.
"Don't worry Daph."
She just stared at her.
"So you got no closure." it wasn't a question. It was a statement.
"No." sagot naman nito.
She sighed.
"But I got something else." mabilis na habol Luna.
"What? A baby?" she was overacting.
"Agad-agad? No!" she said.
"Eh ano?" kumunot ang noo nito.
"I got his number!" she huffed proudly.
Bumukas-sara ang bibig ni Daphne, hindi alam ang sasabihin.
"What are you waiting for? Call him... NOW!" puno ng excitement ang boses nito makalipas ang ilang saglit.
"Not now. I'll call him when we are alone!" marahan nitong sinabi, bawat salita'y may diin.
"Hmmp! Slutty b*tch!" she rolledd her eyes.
"Alam mo, let's just drop it, ililibre na lang kita sa Hair and Nail Imporium. It's make-over time! tinapunan siya nito ng ngiting puno ng galak.
Tuluyan naman nang nawala ang pangamba sa mata ni Daphne. Siguro nga, alam na ni Luna ang ginagawa niya. At siguro nga, hindi na niya kailangang isipin iyon nang masyado.
She curved her lips into a smile and her face brightened right away. The gray mood has vanished in an instant.
"Sabi mo 'yan ah!" she finally said.
"Naman! Marami pa 'kong utang-na-loob na dapat bayaran!"
Then they both bursted into hysterical laughters, tears of joy welling by their eyelids.