Crumbled

Twenty One.

"Boss, baka mabutas na yung bote sa kakapunas mo at baka bukas na rin tayo matapos."

"Ha?"

"Tisoy, may hangover ka pa ba sa Ilocos? Two days ago pa kayo nakauwi, parang bangag bangag ka pa rin. Five minutes mo nang pinapunasan yung isang bote ng wine, may pito pang natitira. Anong oras pa tayo matatapos?"

"Ang ingay mo, Kenneth. Teka, nasaan na ba si Nico? Tanghali na ah."

"Hindi ko alam eh. Nandun pa yata sa kanila. Parang nasabi nya kagabi na half day yata sya ngayon."

"Ganon? Teka, ikaw na nga muna dito. Puntahan ko muna si Nico."

"Si Nico ba talaga ang pupuntahan mo?"

"Ungas ka. Oo, si Nico."

Then he got up and walked his way back to his car to drive to the Mendoza's. Kenneth was right. Since they got home two days ago, he's been a little off. He couldn't focus, he couldn't think straight.

How could he?

How will he be able to focus when she's always in his mind. And that night..

The night when she did not give him any answer.

She didn't say no, but she didn't say yes, either. For him, that was even more confusing. After he asked her if they could start over, she simply gave her a smile that didn't even reached her eyes, then she kissed him.

She kissed him with everything she's got and they ended up in bed making love the entire night. The next day, everything was normal. She was smiling, she held back his hand whenever he reach for hers first, she kisses back whenever he does it. It was bliss, it was.. okay.

But she never said anything about what he asked for. He thought he doesn't have any right to squeeze the answer out of her because it was his fault they needed to start over in the first place. Maybe she needs time and giving it to her is the least he could do.

He just hope that she could have at least said something. Maine will be going back to London in a week and it's freaking him out. They also haven't seen each other since they got back home.

Although, alam nya na isang salita lang naman ang gusto nyang marinig galing kay Maine. Kung nagsalita man ito and it wasn't the same thing he wanted to hear, what he will feel then and what he feels now will probably be just the same.

When he arrived at the Mendoza's, he stayed inside the car for a few minutes. He really went there for Nico as he was planning to invite him for a drink kahit napakaaga pa. He needs it. But now that he's already there, he just realized how much he missed her. Parang gusto nyang tumakbo papunta sa kwarto ni Maine, take her, and run away with her again. It was as if things are completely different kapag wala sila sa Marilog.

He heaved a sigh and composed himself before he got out of the car. Tita Helen was in the front door when he got there.

"Hi, Tita. Good morning po. Si Nico?"

"Good morning din, hijo. Nako, umalis sila Nico eh."

"Sila po?"

"Oo, sinamahan nya kasi si Menggay. Maaga silang umalis papuntang airport."

"Airport? Bakit po? Umalis na si Maine?"

"Ah hindi. Dadating kasi yung kasamahan ni Maine sa London. Magbabakasyon dito tapos sasabayan na si Maine pauwi."

"Kasamahan sa London? Sino daw po?"

"Yung si ano.. Si.. Ano nga ba ulit yung pangalan nun? Si kwan.. Si.."