The Devil Who Danced At Midnight

h u m a l i n g

humaling

(n.) extreme fondness

xxx

I'm so glad that you agreed to have lunch with me. I needed a breather din, 'no.

Ano ka ba, okay lang. Teacher pa rin naman kita.

So how does it feel like? Having a kid on your own? I just needed someone's point of view. I'd be marrying in a year and I should be ready.

O-okay lang naman. Tawang pilit. Medyo mahirap kasi... mag-isa lang ako.

It's a good thing Rj's with me, right? What do you think of him, Maine?

He's.. good.

I heard you're blocmates before?

Y-yes.

How was he?

H-ha?

I mean, maybe he's different before. Kasi nu'ng nakilala ko sya, he's... different.

Anong different?

I'll tell you later.

He's... good at everything.

OMG. May pagka-GC sya, 'no?

Oo.

Lagi nya kasi 'yung dine-deny! Tawa. Halata naman e. Sobrang ayos nya sa gamit tapos nu'ng nadanggi ko lang 'yung small flower pot sa desk nya, nagalit na sya sa 'kin.

Oo... ganu'n nga sya.

What about the girls he liked? Sorry, ha. I'm asking too much. Si Rj kasi... parang divided sa dalawa 'yung buhay nya. Before and after college. I met him after college, and that was the life I knew. Sobrang... kilalang-kilala ko na sya noon. I was with him the whole time. Pero now that we're on our way to marriage, parang gusto ko pa syang makilala. I'm so happy that you're here with me.

He likes... smart girls.

Tawang malakas. I know, right! I was way, way out of his league. Hindi naman sa bobo ako pero hindi ko talaga sya maabot. Minsan, nagjojoke sya tapos hindi ko nage-gets and he would just shake his head and call me stupid. Nagsosorry naman ako agad after, but in our first few years as acquaintances, parang ang weird kasi hindi talaga kami click. Wala rin kaming pagkakaparehas.

Ba...ka naman meron, kaya kayo magkasama ngayon.

He was so hard to love, Maine. Really. I continuously ask myself why. Why ba nagtitiyaga ako sa lalaking 'to? I'm not the prettiest but I absolutely deserve someone better. He was a wreck. I was no heroine.

B-but... you managed to stay.

I know! And when he learned to love again... god, Maine, it was immeasurable. Tell me more about college! Ikaw ba? He hasn't mentioned you e.

I had Caius in my last... year. Kaya hindi ako gumraduate.

Oh, I'm sorry! Takip sa bibig. I'm so sorry, Maine.

Ano ka ba, hindi naman 'yun kasorry-sorry. Hindi naman... sa nahihiya akong may anak na ako. I just don't tell people about my son because I don't think it's their business.

I really think you're one of the strongest people I know, Maine. So if I'm not... nangingialam ng sobra, can I ask about his father?

Katahimikan.