Gravity

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Sumalampak ako sa sariling kama pagtapos tanggalin ang sandals na suot. I closed my eyes and tried to focus my mind on something else.

Ilang araw nang wala sa isipan ko si Arkin. I didn't know that it would only take a simple thing for me to remember him. Ayoko na. Ayoko na talaga.

Sinabi ko na sa sarili ko na hindi na dapat pa akong mangialam. Arkin clearly chose Jucylle. She's obviously second to none. I shouldn't compete for love because it would definitely come for me. And I shouldn't force something to happen, I shouldn't fight what was supposed to be. Or else, this would all go back to square one. And I'd be hurt just the same.

I decided to take a bath just to clear my mind. Madali ang ginawa kong pagligo dahil humahapdi ang sugat sa aking tuhod. I still had to removed the gauze to clean my wounds. Bababa nalang siguro ako para magpalagay ulit sa nurse.

Nagbihis ako ng isang spaghetti strap at pajama. Tama lang ang desisyon kong magdala noon kahit isa lang. Maybe I had sensed this one coming.

Nahiga ako sa kama pagtapos. I checked my phone. May mga missed calls na naman doon. A dozen of messages popped-up.

"Anak, how are you doing?"

Ang kay daddy lang ang aking binuksan. I composed a message for him. Binanggit ko roon ang pagkakahulog ko sa dagat. I also opened one of my social media accounts. Nagulat ako sa nakita.

Olivia fell-off a boat in Palawan

Dagsa ang mga taong nagtanong kung ayos lang ba ako. Halos magulat ako dahil sunod-sunod ang pagdating ng mga notifications. Inisa-isa ko iyon. I even saw a picture of me na tinutulungang makatayo. This was sure as hell humiliating!

Natigil ako sa pagbabasa nang makarinig ng katok mula sa pintuan. I checked the time, it's 10 in the evening, who the hell would dare come to me at this hour?

I walked to my door. Binuksan ko ang pintuan at nakita si Ran Dane na nakatayo sa labas. Kumunot ang aking noo.

"What?" Tanong ko rito. He eyed me from head to toe. Excuse me?

He was still wearing the clothes he wore in the dinner. Mukhang katatapos lang yata ng mga taong kumain ng hapunan. Perhaps, they had a little drink?

"I wanted to know if you're okay." Sambit nito sa akin. His eyes softened a bit.

"Of course, I'm okay." Sagot ko. Tila hindi siya naniwala sa sinabi ko. Nagkamot pa siya ng batok.

Lasing kaya ito?

"Well, I just saw you cry." He pointed at my eye na para bang ngayon ako umiiyak sa kanyang harapan.

"Ran Dane, are you drunk?" Tanong ko dito. He immediately shook his head.

"Nope. I was just worried sick to know you still haven't moved on." Salita niya sa akin.

I looked away. Ano naman ngayon kung ganoon? Why did it concern him? Dahil siya ay naka-move on na sa mga pangyayari at ako ay hindi pa kahit dalawang taon na ang nakalipas?

It must be easy for men to get over anything! Palibhasa kay Ran Dane ay nakuha niya ang gusto niya noon. He must be lucky to call Jucylle his wife before. Eh ako? Wala naman akong pinanghahawakan. I chose to believe that there was something when obviously, there was none. It was just some wishful thinking, an insane delusion.

"Look, Ran Dane, I don't want to have a talk with you. I just want to rest." Napapagod kong sabi. I didn't want to cry in front of him!

He took a step back.