In another lifetime

TWENTY THREE

Who would have thought that a broken car can fix a broken heart. Talagang mahirap mawari ang tadhana, sometimes it gives you all the shit in life but when it chooses to become generous it'll be worth it.

Noong graduation ni Mia, ginawa ko ang lahat para hindi kami mag-usap, kahit na kinukulit n'ya ako noon na gusto n'ya makita si Yael. She said, she wanted to say goodbye to him. Hindi naman sa ayaw ko makausap si Yael, it's more of, nahihiya ako, anong sasabihin ko sa kanya? Sinaktan ko s'ya, I really don't know where to start.

Pero sadyang mapaglaro ang pagkakataon, here we are, together after a long time of running away, he found me.

Napansin n'ya ata na malalim ang iniisip ko kaya kinuha n'ya ang kamay ko at hinalikan, "Anong iniisip mo?" tanong n'ya.

"Na kung paanong ikaw pa rin talaga ang ibinibigay sa akin ng tadhana" I saw him smile, whilst his eyes were fixed on the road, kinuha na ng towing truck yung kotse ko. Good thing may connections si Yael sa towing company nearby kaya hindi ako nag-aalala na machop-chop yung kotse ko.

"Because I prayed hard enough" he said, it's just a simple answer and yet the effect was too much, I can clearly hear my heart beating widely. Sobrang nakakakilig lang. I've never thought I will be able to hear sweet words from him again. Thank you Lord, for answering Yael's prayer. "Kinilig ka 'no?" pang-aasar n'ya, syempre he's my Yael, asahan ko na na may kasamang lambing ng pang-aasar.

"Wala kang patunay" sagot ko tsaka ko kinagat yung kamay n'ya. Tawa naman s'ya ng tawa. Ang saya lang, sana hindi na mabawi pa ito. I promise to not let him go again.

He insisted on waiting, sabi n'ya lilibutin n'ya ang Uni while waiting, sabi ko kasi okay lang naman ako, kasi diba baka naman may iba s'yang appointment. He said mas importante daw ako sa kahit ano pa. Hindi ko alam kung dahil sa tagal ng panahon namin hindi magkasama o sadyang nasa dugo n'ya ang pagiging sweet talker.

Hindi ko tuloy maiwasang hindi mapangiti, napansin ata noong isang co-teacher ko at nilapitan ako, "Uy sinong nagpapangiti sa'yo?" she's a Filipino too, "Yung wallpaper mo ba? Si Baby Pandesal?" natatawa pa rin ako sa binansag n'ya kay Yael. She saw me one time noong nag-stalk ako sa IG ni Yael, natapat kasi na may update s'yang galing sa gym, topless so ayon. Pero yung wallpaper ko, yung kauna-unahan naming photo together, sa Batangas.

I nodded, "He's waiting outside, pakilala kita mamaya" bigla naman s'ya tumili kaya agad kong tinakpan yung bibig n'ya, nagtinginan tuloy yung iba namin kasama dito sa faculty. Ang ingay talaga nito! "Keep it down will ya" sabi ko tsaka ngumisi.

"Hindi na s'ya picture lang, he's real na, pwede patingin ng pandesal n'ya?"

"Off limits" I said. Ipinagdadamot ko na ngayon si Yael. He's mine and mine alone.

"Damot!" tapos hinampas n'ya ako, natawa nalang ako. "But seriously, I'm so happy for you" tsaka n'ya ako niyakap.

"Thank you, Mich"

When I'm satisfied sa computation of grades at matapos kong ma-email ang data agad-agad akong nagshutdown ng pc ko, hindi naman sa atat akong makita si Yael, pero baka nainip na s'ya. "Mich una na ako lumabas, I'll meet you sa parking area" may sinasabi pa s'ya pero agad akong tumakbo palabas, hindi ko na tuloy naintindihan.

I ran as fast as I could, tapos wala s'ya doon. The car's empty, where did he go? Baka kaya naligaw na 'yon? Ang laki pa naman ng Uni na'to. I'm contemplating kung hihintayin ko ba s'ya or hahanapin, I don't have his phone number yet. Baka kasi magkasalisi kami. So I settled in sa pavement malapit sa car park, sumalampak ako doon.

I'm biting may fingers, anxious, my God Yael nasaan ka ba? I'm waiting here for good 30 minutes. Nagtext na rin si Mich sabi n'ya next time ko nalang s'ya ipakilala sinundo kasi s'ya ng asawa n'ya.

I'm starting to get teary eyed, nag-aalala akong natatakot. So many scenerios are on my mind right now.

"You give me hope," may biglang kumanta sa speaker ng Uni, pero imbes na magulat, bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. I know the voice so well. "The strength , the will to keep on" he continued, nagsimula na akong maiyak.

Pagdating sa ibang part ng kanta before ng chorus iba na yung kumakanta kaya naman lumingap-lingap na ako, then I saw him holding a boquet of blue roses, walking towards me, smiling sweetly, nang makarating s'ya sa harap ko, "It's your smile, your face your lips that I miss,those sweet little eyes that stare at me and make me stay, I'm with you through all the way" he's singing in front of me while crying.

I wiped every tear he shed, "Anong pauso 'to?" sabi ko, pero ang totoo ito na ata ang pinakamasayang araw ng buhay ko.

He chuckled, "I love you," he held my hand with his free hand, "I'm so inlove with you Amethy, hindi ko na nga nakikita ang mga araw ng wala ka sa tabi ko, hindi ko na kaya kung mawawala ka pa ulit sa akin, I'll die. Hindi ko alam kung anong ginawa mo sa akin pero ikaw lang talaga, nag-iisa ka"

Sobrang swerte ko naman, anong bang ginawa ko sa past life ko at binigyan ako ng isang katulad n'ya, "I'm all yours now, I won't go anywhere, I'm here to stay, I love you much"

Bigla s'yang lumuhod, "I intend to give this to you six years ago, then shit happened, but I love you so much and waiting was just a phase I had to face, and thank God! Finally, nasa finish line na ako, I'm with you again" I'm speechless.

"Amethy Nicole, will you be my Mrs. Madrid? I won't take no for an answer, because I swear I'm gonna ask you over and over hangga't sa-" I bend towards him, aimed for his lips.

"The answer is yes, it's always been a fucking yes!"