Somebody Waiting

Labing-Lima

Sometimes it’s hard to say no when you really mean yes, it’s hard to close your eyes when you really want to see, it’s hard to forget when you really can’t and the hardest is to go when you really want to stay. –unknown

Yellow.
That is my favourite song amongst all their songs. I use to sing it to Sam when we were in highschool nung tinanong nya ako kung anong song ko for him. Sasabihin ko sana ‘friend of mine’ kaso parang ang shunga naman ng datingan ko nun, halatang-halata bes!
So sinabi ko na lang yung totoo. ‘My song for you?hmmm.. Yellow nung coldplay’ to which he grinned. I don’t know what’s that for pero medyo nanliit ako. Feeling ko in a way nagtapat ako sa kanya…

Pero may Pat na sya at ako nandun sa sulok nanlilimos ng atensyon nya.

Tumulo ang mga luha ko nang hindi ko namamalayan, parang ang tagal na pala pero nandito pa rin ako tagasalo ng atensyong nabaling lang sakin nung nawala si Pat sa buhay nya.

Nilapat ko ang kamay sa puso para pakinggan ito, what happened? I asked myself. Bakit hindi na sya kumakabog like it used to?

Sam looked at me and said, ‘Do you remember that? That’s your song for me di ba?’ his eyes hoping. I nodded but I feel an ache, my heart is yearning for someone else and it’s not the person I’m looking at.

I turned and saw him.

Richard.

It’s not butterflies I feel as I look at him. Ano ba to? Tanong ko.

Our eyes are looking on each other for a long time.

Bat ganun parang ngayon ko lang sya nakita ulit after a million years.

Siguro sobrang na-miss ko talaga sya.
‘Chard, okey ka lang?’ I asked him kasi para syang estatwa na hindi gumagalaw.

Then it happened.

After I told him na may parang tumatawag sa kanya and we scanned the area to know who is it, someone tapped him on the shoulder  and to my surprise nag-hug sila. Hindi basta hug ah..matagal saka mahigpit na hug.

Ano to?!?

Huminga ka bes. Sabi ko na lang sa sarili.

Gulp.

I feel a lump in my throat. Bat parang huminto yata ang daloy ng dugo ko? Who’s this? Bakit kailangan talaga nakayakap ng mahigpit?

‘Hey Dave, kamusta ka na?!’ Sabi ni Tukmol na parang masayang-masaya na makita kung sino man to.

Heller, pwede bumitaw…

‘How are you? Ang tagal mong di nagparamdam ah.’ Dugtong nito at yes, finally, bumitaw na rin.

Ngumiti lang yung Dave. Dave ba yun? Then to my surprise pinisil nya ng madiin yung pisngi ni Chard.

Oy! Ako lang pumipisil dyan!

Pag-aangkin mo te? Tanong ng boses sa utak ko.

Bakit ba?! Sagot ko naman sa kanya.
I cleared my throat, nakakahiya naman sa inyo nandito ako oh. Mukha namang nakahalata yung dalawa kaya napatingin sila sa amin.

‘Oh yes, ah Raine, Sam, I’d like you to meet Dave, she’s my…’ putol nito sabay tingin sa katabi nya. Aba teka, ngayon ko lang napansing naka-angla pa yung kamay nitong si Ricardo sa balikat nya ah.

On the outside I look Okey pero wag mo ng tangkaing tignan what’s going on inside me dahil rated SPG.

‘…Are you comfortable ba na sabihin sa kanila?’ Tanong ni Chard dito.

‘Hmmm.. Usap muna tayo kasi hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin ako kumportable.’ Sagot nung babaeng argh…never mind. Raine, mabait ka, remember…

Ok fine. That’s it. Actually, wala naman talaga silang ginagawang masama eh kaso kilala ko si Richard, he’s not comfortable with female’s attention towards him let alone have them come near him na sobra kalapit. Well, I’m obviously the exception. Kala ko dati he’s a womanizer or pa-fall pero hindi pala, sobrang manong niya. Tsaka…tsaka…I know this woman could be special kaso bes yung heart ko, what’s happening???

‘Raine, Raine…’ Tinatawag pala ako ni Sam.

‘Oh yes, bakit?’

‘I think we should get going. Mag-dinner pa tayo.’

‘huh?’

‘Let’s have dinner. That’s the plan di ba?’

Teka, eh paano si Chard???

‘Si Chard paano?’

‘Don’t worry about him, saka mukhang may kasama na naman sya oh.’ He said that made me look at Richard and Dave who’s now busy throwing banters to each other. Kurot ng kurot si Richard dito na parang naasar naman yung babae. My brows furrowed. Nope, not gonna leave them alone!

‘Hey, Richard, alis na kami ni Raine ah.’ Paalam ni Sam.

No!!!!

‘Ah, ganun ba? Sige, pakihatid na lang ng maayos si Raine.’ Sagot ni Tukmol.

Aba pinapamigay mo na ko huh!

‘Oy teddy bear san tayo?’ Sabi ni tukmol sa katabi nya.

Teddy bear???!!! Ok, hindi ako hina-high blood. Hindi, I repeat.

‘Basta libre mo eh…’ Sagot naman nito at kinurot ulit ang pisngi ni Ricardo.

‘Nga pala, wala akong tutuluyan dito sa maynila. Sa inyo muna ko tutuloy ah?’ Tanong nito.

What?!! Iha alam ba yan ng nanay mo? Bakit kung kani-kanino ka nakikitulog!
I cleared my throat.

‘Ehem, hindi ba weird if sayo sya magstay?’ kunwaring inosente kong komento.

‘Dave, Dave right? Tutal mag-isa naman ako sa unit na ni-rerent ko, would you like to bed space with me?’ Mahinahon kong offer na may kasamang pangbest actress na drama.

Syempre kunwari concern.

Inayos nito ang suot na salamin. Ngumiti sa akin at pagkatapos ay tumingin din kay Ricardo.

‘Ah talaga Raine? Ok sana kaso…’ she scooped her hands around his shoulder and nonchalantly say,
‘Gusto ko makasama  si Teddy bear Richard ko eh. Sobrang na-miss ko to. ‘
My world shattered. Nakanganga yata ako sa sobrang pagka-forward nitong magsalita.

Pwede sama rin ako?

‘Raine, pabayaan mo na sila…tara na.’ Inis na sabi ni Sam at hinila ako palayo.

Mallows…

I said as they totally disappear from my sight.