"Who's CJ?"
"CJ? Yung co-host ko ba?" He nodded his headed "Ahh. Si Jay. He used to be my professor in college. We were... friends."
Pero habang nagaayos, ikwinento ko na rin sa kanya yung dati sa amin ni Jay. There's no use in hiding naman, besides he's completely fine with it.
"Still no improvement. It's always traffic in campus every Friday." Mga thirty minutes na kaming nakahinto dito waiting for a parking space.
"You can go first if you want to. You'll be late for your call time, babe. Don't worry, I know which way to go." I planted a kiss on his cheek before getting off the car.
Tunaw na ata makeup ko noong nakarating ako sa pavilion. "Ate Annieeeee!" My makeup artist during my college days. "I miss you! I'm still fashionably late." We laughed our way to the backstage.
Nagkwentuhan kami ni Ate Annie while she's retouching my look. Namiss ko 'to. Very much.
"Oh. Andito na pala si Sir Jay."
Parang huminto lahat. It's been years since I last saw him.
It's just funny, di na ako nasanay. He always shows up after years of not being visible.
Pero hindi na ako nagulat. After meeting his dad in Germany, narealize kong magtatagpo at magtatagpo talaga kami. Our dads are both in the same field and they're quite close. I have nowhere to go.
Nowhere to go but to James.
"Hi Ate Annie." Mano niya dito kay ate. "Oh, hi Elle. Welcome back. You ready for later?"
"Never been this ready."
I was so happy. Seeing all the familiar faces and the chikas on stage or not.
Still the same team I used to work with.
"James! Come here. Pakilala kita sa friends ko." He sat with some of the staff near the stage kaya not much talk went on.
"Hi Guys!" They looked very shocked noong tinawag ko sila. "Been a long time. This is James, my boyfriend. And James this is Serena and Sophia, my friends." James offered his hand for a handshake.
"James... Davidson?" Takang takang pagtatanong ni Serena. Tumango naman etong si James.
"Sophia, Bea, remember nung di ko nagawa yung part ko sa paper?" We nodded. Who would forget?! Muntik kami madelay if di nasolusyonan yung paper. "It was James' fault."
"Ha?" Sabay naming tanong ni Sophia.
"I am a very big fan. Remember when I told you na, I heard a guy singing only to find out it was one of the people I idolize kaya I stayed? Si James yun. He was drunk singing that day. And I fucking can't believe you're dating him now!"
Seeing Serena's face earned a laugh from all of us. A lot of catching up happened; Sophia having her first baby and Serena opening up a new business.
"Uy! Sir Jay! Tagal na natin di nagkita ah? Miss ka namin!" These girls called on him because he was our favorite professor. And siguro huling pagkikita nitong mga 'to, I think five or six years ago.
After a few minutes ng catching up nila. He turned to us, "Mind introducing me to your steady?"
"Ha. You don't use the word steady here in Manila do you, Jay? So, James, this is Jay. And Jay, this is James, my boyfriend."
They exchanged their hellos before someone dropped a bomb.
"I didn't thought that Elle would be interested in dating a nutter."
And just in time, we were called on back to end the program.
"What the fuck was that, Jay?! Anong problema mo?" I was trying my best not to shout pagdating sa backstage.
"He's a nutter, he's a maniac."
"Can you please stop using those words? Wala ka sa London at lalong lalo na wala dito si James. Wala kang dapat lamangan." He just faced me then shrugged his shoulder. "Hindi mo siya kilala, okay?! Ni hindi mo nga alam surname niya tapos sasabihin mo yan? Isipin mo na lang, is that how a professor and a doctor should act around people who knows him as one?! You should be bloody ashamed of yourself!"
"Remember back in the pub at London?" He was trying to stay composed even though ako wala na akong paki how angry I look like. "If I'm not mistaken and I know I'm not, siya yung nanghahatak sa'yo palabas dun. You could've been molested that night. You were too drunk, you won't be able to remember."
"I remember everything Jay! Oo, hindi ko alam na siya yun pero diba sinabi ko naman na, he was trying to pull me away from those people na talagang gago. Like you. Super gago mo Jay. I remember everything that night. I wasn't too drunk. I remember everything." Pati yung sakit.
"Don't you ever tell me that I was too drunk. Oo, I was drunk, pero not to not remember what happened that night. It is going to be like, I am going to be old, but I'm never going to forget what happened tonight."
He was just staring at me. Waiting on what I'm going to say.
"And please, I'm really disappointed. Hindi mo siya kilala. I considered you as my friend and as a lover, and that is how you treat him. Wala ka namang alam eh."
"Yun ang akala mo, Elle." Sambit niya with the coldness in his voice and hurt in his eyes. "Ikaw ang walang alam."
"You never let me in, Jay. Kaya wala akong alam, because you never let me enter in that life of yours. You never ever did!" This is such an amazing comeback. "I love him more than anything right now. I'd be glad to know and hear that you're hurting upon hearing that statement."
I grabbed my purse and started strutting towards the door. His voice echoed through my ears.
"I want you to be happy. That's why I'm going to say that it pains me to hear that you love him so much."
