"ANO?! Anong nangyari?" Cienne shouted from the other line. I called her the night of the confrontation between myself and Thomas.
I just want to tell someone of what happened earlier. My parents and grandparents are all helpful but they're too careful of me. I wanted to talk to Mika but I don't want to disturb her honeymoon. So I decided to talk to Cienne, either one of the bullies I could tell anything naman.
I relayed the whole story to my friend as she listens quietly.
"It was all my fault. I shouldn't have brought him here," I sighed.
"Ara, hindi mo naman alam na mangyayari yun. Malay mo bang chismoso pala yung si Torres, nakikinig sa usapan ng may usapan. At baka oras naman na talagang malaman ni Thomas," Cienne said.
"Hindi ko alam Cienne. Baka kunin niya si Ty sakin. Sinabi niyang magfa-file siya for primary custody," I reported.
"Ara alam mong hindi ganyan si Thomas. At baka nasabi niya lang yun kasi ang tigas ng ulo mo," Cienne reasoned.
"Pero panu kung gawin niya nga," I said. One can't take the worry out of me.
"Hindi nga, kung magco-compromise ka. Babae, isipin mo nga, matalino ka. Alam na ni Thomas na siya ang ama ng anak mo, ano sa tingin mo ang gusto niya, sa pagkakakilala mo kay Thomas," Cienne trying to make me think.
But the problem is, I can't think. My brain would not go on duty. My heart is overwhelmed and my brain wouldn't help.
"Hindi ko alam," I just said.
"Ara naisip mo man lang ba na baka, baka lang naman, gusto ni Thomas na makasama din ang anak niya. At baka gusto lang niyang magkaroon ng time with Tyrone and not totally take your son away from you," Cienne said. "Baka gusto lang mag-share."
"At bakit ko gagawin yun? Wala siyang ginawa para sa anak ko," I said with the emphasis.
"Bakit? Binigyan mo ba ng pagkakataon?" she retorted.
"Niloko niya ko," I immediately countered.
"Okay pinagsisisihan ko ng sinabi kong matalino ka," she said. "Pero baka lang naman. Try mo lang na pakinggan si Thomas. Yung totoong pakikinig. Maybe it's time to really know his side of the story. You'll be amazed how everything will be clearer when you know the whole story," Cienne said.
"Ayoko," I said.
"Bakit nga?"
"I don't want anything from him, even his explanation," I stubbornly said.
"Eh di magdusa ka diyan," Cienne said. "Babae, sabihin mo nga sakin, mahal mo pa yung Torres?"
"NO!" I immediately answered. What kind of question is that?
"Oh eh bakit ang bitter mo? Sobrang tagal na nung nagyari, Ara. Mag-eexplain lang naman si Torres, para may closure lang at maayos na yung sitwasyon niyo sa anak niyo," she said.
"Hindi ganun kadali yun Cienne," I said.
"Kasi hindi ka pa nakapag-move on," she answered.
"Fine. Hindi na kung hindi, eh nasaktan ako, sobra sobra. Anong magagawa ko?" she said.
"Naiintidinhan naman kita, Ara. Okay lang yan kung ikaw lang. Eh may anak ka, may anak kayo. Hindi lang ang sarili mo ang kinokonsidera ngayon," Cienne said.
"Tyrone can live without his father," I said.
"Said you. Ano kayang sasabihin ng anak mo kapag lumaki na yan. Ara, please, para sa anak mo at sa sarili mo, buksan mo na yang puso't isip mo," she said. I can sense that she is already frustrated of me.
