Loving Universe // EDITING

Nine ♥

Its you

"Bakit iyan lang ang inorder niyo?" I asked ng dumating ang pagkain at tig-iisa lang silang rice and fried chicken. "Diba gutom kayo! I can pay for more."

"Babayaran ka namin diba? Ito lang ang kaya naming bayaran." Sabi ni Walter.

"No! I said I'll treat you so y'all don't have to pay me pa." Sabi ko, busog na ako kaya nagpabili nalang ako ng sundae.

"Kakakilala palang natin pero alam na naming mabait kang tao, ayaw ka naming abusuhin." Sabi ni Matthew.

"Okay.. Hindi ko na ipipilit, but tell me if you are all still hungry." Pagkatapos ko sabihin iyon ay kasabay naman non ang pag-ring ng cellphone ko.

Mason is calling.

Hindi ko iyon pinansin at kinain ang sundae sa harap ko.

"Sino yan? Boyfriend?" Tanong ni Qino.

"Bestfriend." Tipid kong sabi, medyo nakakairita ang pag-riring kaya dinampot ko iyon at dinecline ang pangalawang tawag.

"Bakit ayaw mong sagutin? Maganda ba yan?" Tanong ni Riley, tumingin pa siya kay Qino at ngumisi.

"He's a guy, I just don't feel like talking to him right now.." Sabi ko and I saw Riley's disappointed face.

"Face him, Universe, diba sabi mo nga, bestfriend mo siya, ayusin niyo yang away niyo." Sabi ni Walter.

He got a point so tumayo ako at lumabas, sumenyas naman ako sila at tumango lang sila, ilang tawag pa ang nangyari ng makarating ako sa parking lot.

"Hello.." I started.

"Nasan ka? Bakit ka umalis, I wanted you to stay.. Why are you angry?" Sabi niya sa isang kalmadong boses.

Because you are selfish! Naiinis ako sayo kasi alam kong pag sinabi mong sayo lang ako ay magiging sayo lang talaga ako, ramdam ko na kaonting padyak nalang ay bibigay na ako so kailangan ko ng unahan ang sarili ko, I'm scared I'll break a wall and break a freaking rule once again.

"I'm done with you, Mason.. I said I need space from you, leave me alone." I stuttered, mahirap iyong sabihin dahil gusto ko talaga siyang makasama but I'm not going to let myself look like a coward who can't stand on her own.

"No you don't! Listen to me.. I care about you, Universe."

"Really? If you really care about me you will let me decide on my own because this is my life! You have no say on who I hang out with! You don't need care about me, maybe you just need to care about someone else! Hindi mo na ako kailangan, kasi may iba ka ng kasama dyan! Magkakagirlfriend ka na kaya makakalimutan mo na ako!" I sobbed.

"Why would you say that? That I don't care about you? All my life, Universe! Ikaw palagi ang inaalala ko tapos sasabihin mo sakin yan? Its always you in my mind, all over me, its you!" He shouted, mas lalo akong napaiyak, I wiped my tears from my cheeks.

"I'm hanging up-"

"No! Don't dare hang this up.." Sabi niya mula galit na tono na unting unti umamo. "U.. Where are you? Let's fix this, we're bestfriends, we can make this all work out, you are my life! I can't imagine a day without you, please.. I'm sorry! Sorry kung selfish ako, sorry sa mga inaasal ko, I know that I did hurt you.. When I should be the one protecting you." Sabi niya, natigil ako sa iyak, now I'm the one feeling guilty.

"Mason, let's just fix this tomorrow or next week, I'm still recovering.. I want to rest." Hindi lang sa pagiging selfish mo pati narin ang mga larawan sa utak ko na magkasama kayong dalawa ni Elisa.

"I'm sorry." Huli niyang sabi bago ko ibaba ang linya.

And again, I cried. Tinakpan ko ng dalawang kamay ko ang mukha ko, I've seen this kind of thing sa mga movie, I cried but I never thought it will hurt this much, to the point na sumisikip ang dibdib mo, yung mapapaiyak ka ng walang tigil, yung gusto mo siyang yakapin pero hindi mo magawa because you're not in the place to do it.

Wala na akong mukhang ihaharap sa apat kaya sumakay na ako sa sasakyan para umuwi, I wish I'll see them again, I'll let the fate decide for it.

"Anak, I'm sorry but I'll be out of the country the whole week, inatake sa puso ang daddy ni Marco, he's still recovering." Nanlaki ang mata ko sa balita ni Papa.

"What? Kamusta naman po si Marco? At bakit ka aalis ng bansa?"

"Dapat ay siya ang pupunta roon but now that he's unstable, I'll do it, I won't let him down, Anak, kaibigan ko na siya mula bata palang kami, kahit na marami kaming hindi pagkakaintindihan ay tutulungan ko siya, he's a very kind man." Sabi ni Papa, I compared my situation to my father's situation, we're same, we treasure both of our bestfriends.

"Saang hospital po ba? Para makabisita ako, I'll pray for him, Pa." Sabi ko at agad akong niyakap ni Papa.

"My secretary will send the information to you. I'll miss you, anak!" Sabi niya at inamoy ang aking buhok.

"I'll miss you too, Pa, is it okay kung mag-out of town ako, since dalawang buwan nalang bago mag-pasukan." Sabi ko at bumitaw siya sa yakap.

"Kasama si Mason?" He asked, napalunok naman ako sa tanong na iyon.

"I'm still not sure about it, he's busy po."

"About what?"

"He said last week, medyo matumal ang benta ng kanilang shop dahil sa isang issue na kinakalat sa internet, kailangan pa nila gumawa ng paraan para don, now that his sisters are going to a expensive school in Manila, at tatlo palang ang shop nila rito, they still need to expand their business." Paliwanag ko.

"Oh, then you'll go alone?" Tanong niya.

"I think so.." Sagot ko at ngumiti si Papa.

"I'll try to help the Estrabao's." Sabi ni Papa at humalik sa aking noo.

Umakyat na ako saaking kwarto, I think Cebu will work for me, mukhang kailangan ko ng magbook online, traveling alone is one of my bucket list too so I think it will help me a lot.

Pagkatapos mag-shower ay kinuha ko ang macbook ko to book an airplane ticket and hotel, I think three days and two nights? Tapos ay sa Bohol naman? What about Singapore or Hongkong? Mas masaya siguro sa ibang bansa kapag may kasama. I'll set the date next week.