Only Ever After

Kabanata 20

Kabanata 20

Matapos naming magpahinga muli ni Liham ay diretso biyahe agad kami, mabilis naman kaming nakarating sa La Mayor, agad na naligo at nagbihis si Liham para dumiretso agad sa kanyang trabaho.

Tila abala lang ako sa kanya sa aking pakiramdam, at first, ayoko muna siyang payagan na magtrabaho agad dahil kagagaling lang niya sa sakit but he said that he already rested enough and that he must go to work for living.

Meanwhile, I am looking at myself. What am I doing? Nothing...

I suddenly felt useless and worthless and all the less that could be me. Nagbuntong hininga na lang ako habang nakatitig sa kisame, nakahiga ako ngayon sa kama.

Hindi ko pa rin maiwasang maalala lahat ng nangyari sa loob ng isang araw kahapon, it felt surreal and I missed the feeling of Liham's sweetness and the nature alone, I missed being with him in a place where it's only us.

Liham successfully conducted a date with me, it was my first date actually, probably him too. Hindi ko maiwasang matuwa, Liham and I shared something for the first time and it was our first experience as well.

Somehow, it felt like Liham and I had tightened the knots of our strings together, masaya naman ako dahil doon. Dahil wala akong magawa, I decided to call Lessy. Muntik ko nang nakalimutan ang best friend ko! Marami pa akong ikekwento sa kanya!

How I missed her! I miss Lessy so much!

Sa ikatatlong ring ay sumagot siya, "and here I am thinking you've already forgotten your best friend because of my brother." Iyon ang mga unang salitang sinabi niya.

Napangiti naman ako, "Lessy, marami akong gustong sabihin sa iyo! Pero bago iyon, kumusta? Sorry if madalang na lang akong tumatawag."

"It's okay! Wala rin naman akong oras dahil sa commercial shooting, Mimi panoorin mo ako sa TV! As in now na! Pinapalabas na iyong commercial ko!"

Gaya ng sabi niya ay binuksan ko ang telebisyon, may flat screen TV si Liham sa kwarto niya na nakadikit sa pader at saktong nasa tabi ko lang ang remote kaya hindi na ako nahirapan pa.

"Wala naman." Sabi ko kay Lessy nang nabuksan ko na ang telebisyon.

I heard her sigh, "tapos na!"

"Aw. Sayang."

"So? May baby bump ka na ba?"

Hindi ko maiwasang mabulol, "baby bump agad? Wala pa naman akong ilang buwan na buntis! Of course my tummy is flat yet!"

"Kailan mo balak magpa-checkup?"

Natigilan ako doon. Hindi ko man lang naisip iyon. Narinig ko ang buntong hininga ni Lessy, "don't tell me you forgot to consider that? My, gosh!"

"I think Liham will be the one to schedule my first checkup." Sagot ko sa kanya. "We had a date yesterday."

Biglang tumili si Lessy, "talaga? Saan?"

"Secret." I grinned, "day off mo ngayon, right?"

"Yes! So I have all the time in the world to hear your story!"

"Then come here." I invited, "I mean, I miss you so much!"

"Teka, asan ka ba? You're not with Kuya in his office?" She sounded curious. She gasped. "Don't tell me-"

"Yes, I'm fired. It's a long story. Akala ko nagkukwento si Liham sa iyo."

"Hah? Si Kuya? Magkukwento? Asa!" I heard Lessy mumble something that I didn't understand, "anyways, sige. Pupuntahan kita dyan sa mansion ni Kuya."