Somebody Waiting

Panlima-dos

Richard

I look at her and the world seem to stop at her stare on its expanse. I saw all the emotions on her eyes but happiness.

Tonight she poured herself out in bare to me. I guess this is much easier to do with a stranger knowing that this fool knows nothing about. Kala lang nya, may alam kaya ako.

'Alam mo ba kung gano kasaket? Ang sakit- saket! Gusto mo saktan na lang kita!' Litanya nya habang umiiyak.

Naloloka na ata to.

'Whoah!' Ilag ko. 'Bat pati ako damay dyan?' Sabi ko sabay kunot ng noo.

Kung anu-ano pa ang pinagsasabi nya habang umiiyak na parang nawawala sa katinuan.

Ako ba kausap nito o may mga nilalang na di ko nakikita?

'Alam mo yung feeling na sinuntok ka na sa baga, tinadyakan ka pa sa atay. Kinuha balun-balunan mo tapos pinagbuhol-buhol na parang ribbon yung small at large intestine sa tyan mo then inikot pa sa sobrang sadista sa puso mo? Tapos..tapos..'

'Tapos patay ka na.' Dedma kong tuloy sa sinasabi nya.

She stopped. Hay finally! But no, I was about to laugh about her stoic face when her shouting voice became a whisper.

Silence.

After a full minute she continued her monologue while staring blankly on the road where I found her after she disappeared from the scene earlier.

'Si Sam yung unang nagparamdam sakin na may nakakaintindi sakin, na may kasama ako, na may kakampi ako.' She sigh at the memory.

'That day he stopped from his tracks just to comfort a crying girl whose world was crushed by the people she trusts most. He is my bestfriend bago pa man kina L.A at Pat. Ako at si Sam. Kaming dalawa simula nung elementary palang. We are inseperable that people are teasing us na darating yung araw na magiging kami at magpapakasal kami. He even made me feel that we got a chance hanggang nakilala nya si Pat. Tsk.' Pinunasan nya ang nangingilid na luha sa kanyang mga mata at nagpatuloy.

'Ako may kasalanan nun eh. Sobrang wala akong lakas ng loob na ipahayag or iparamdam yung feelings ko for him, kase nga di ba di ako showy, natanong nga nya minsan dati kung ano sya sakin. Alam mo kung anong sinagot ko?' Tumigil sya at tumingin sakin.

'Hindi.' Sagot ko.

'Sabi ko sa kanya, kaibigan.
Magkaibigan tayo. Di ba ang engot lang? So ayun na nga. Nasan na ba ko?' Kunot na noo nyang tanong.

Lasing ba to?

'Nandun ka na sa ikaw may kasalanan..' Sagot ko.

She looked straight again, back to her emo zone then continued with her story.

'E di gumawa ako ng letter. Di ba nga duwag ako kaya yung ka-seatmate ko na si Pat ang pinakisuyuan kong mag-abot nung sulat. Ang mahal kaya nung stationary na ginamit ko dun!' Dabog nya.

You know what, I'm starting to tear up kaso bumalik ulit dahil sa comment nya sa pagbili ng mamahalin na stationary! Hay.

'Then ayun, the inevitable happened, they met. Parang nakapagbayad ata sila ng meralco kaya nung naglapat ang mga mata nila sa isa't-isa may spark na! Nawala na sa isip ni Pat yung letter ko...lahat ng feelings ko nabalewala kasi sobrang enjoy na enjoy nila yung isa't-isa. Excited pa naman ako kinabukasan kase feeling ko Sam will come running towards me. I imagined him hugging me, lifting me up on the air 360. But to my surprise, I saw them whispering sweet nothings to each other at the cafeteria of our school...'

She stared at me again with tearful eyes. Pulang-pula na ilong mo. I thought to myself.

'Pat saw me looking at them. She excuse herself from Sam's embrace and came towards me. She gave me the letter and asked nonchalantly what's inside it kasi she forgot to give it to him. Syempre artista, nagsinungaling ako. Sabi ko, 'Ay angry letter ko sa kanya yan, di ko mabigay ng personal kasi baka basahin nya agad makutusan pa ko'. Oh di ba ang best actress ko? That day tumakbo ulit ako kagaya nung una kong nakita si Sam. Under that mango tree pinunit ko yung letter na yun tapos iyak lang ako ng iyak.'

I remembered...

...that was the first time I saw her.

'Can I hug you?' I blurt out without thinking.

We looked at each other for good two minutes before she nodded. And before I knew it I am embracing her tightly. She held on to me like she's holding on for her dear life.

Wag ka nang umiyak...

Tama na...

There, as the stars as my witness I closed my eyes tightly to prevent the tears in falling down.

Pwede bang alagaan kita?

'Bakit hindi ako? Sana ako na lang!' She shouted in between heaves of crying.

'You want him back?' Hindi ko na namang iniisip na sinabi.

'Huh?' Gulat nyang sabi sabay hinto sa kanyang iyak.

'I said, do you want him back?'

She noded on my shoulder.

'Paano?' She asks with craking voice.

A/N: TWITTER: @batkayoganyan

Anyare kaya sa kasal? Hahaha.