We Just Are (GU #1.5)

20 : rift

I was still staring at Slade when I heard a whimper from Jasper. Parang doon ko pa lang pumasok sa isipan ko ang nangyari. Agad kong tinapunan ng tingin si Jasper at nilapitan ang kinaroroonan nito. I helped him stood up. I even asked him. "Jasper, are you okay?"

That was when Slade snarled. "Really, Celestine?"

I looked up at him, trying to make him see what the situation is. Na mali ang iniisip niya kay Jasper. But Slade just kept on staring at me hard. Kaya naman nagpaliwanag na ako. "Slade, mali 'yang iniisip mo. Si Jasper 'to—"

"Jasper?" he repeated. "You mean, your ex-boyfriend?"

"And my bestfriend too!" I shot back. I was aware that my voice raised a bit. I just couldn't help it. For a long time, I didn't witness Slade do some violence. But now, he just did. And he did it to a wrong person.

Alam ko na ang nadatnan niya kanina ay maaaring mali sa kanyang paningin, pero dapat sa ngayon ay sapat na ang tiwalang meron siya sa akin para makuha niya munang magtanong, o hayaan akong makapagpaliwanag bago gumawa ng kung ano.

"I'm sorry, dude, if you got it wrong," singit ni Jasper. "But we were not doing anything, really. My mother just died," he stopped and I knew how hard it was for him to talk about it but he still did. Dahil gusto nitong linawin ang issue kay Slade. Tumingin ako kay Slade at nakitang may nag-iba sa ekspresyon ng mukha niya pagkatapos marinig ang nangyari sa Mommy ni Jasper. But he was still not talking, still in his silent mode. Jasper continued, "Your girlfriend was just comforting me."

Hindi pa rin sumasagot si Slade pagkatapos noon. Basta lang blangkong nakatingin kay Jasper pero nang lumaon ay iniwas na rin niya ang tingin at ipinokus iyon sa pader sa gilid.

Jasper turned to me. "I'll just visit you in another time, Celestine."

Another snort from Slade. At alam ko na ngayon ay issue na rin sa kanya ang pagtawag sa akin ni Jasper sa buong pangalan ko.

I chose not to mind him at the moment and asked Jasper once again, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Pinagmasdan ko ang pasa nito sa pisngi. It looked like it was getting terrible as time passed by.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered, moved close to me and whispered. "How about you, are you going to be okay here?"

Jasper was worrying about me because of Slade. At nauunawaan ko kung bakit niya natanong iyon. He just witnessed how was Slade earlier and even got a taste of it. Saglit akong tumingin sa direksyon ni Slade at nakitang nasa gilid pa rin ang mga mata niya.

I was not sure if he heard what Jasper said. Pero kung oo, tila wala 'ata siyang naging reaksyon doon.

Hinarap ko muli si Jasper saka tumango. "Yes, I'll be fine," I told him softly.

"Okay then, I'll go," sabi nito't hinila na ang kamay sa hawak ko.

"I'll get going, dude," paalam ni Jasper kay Slade. "I hope I get to talk to you properly next time."

But again, Jasper got nothing from Slade. A heavy sigh from Jasper before he walked to my door, opened it and left.

At naiwan kami ni Slade sa isang nakakabinging katahimikan na hindi nagtagal dahil nagtanong na ako. "What's that, Slade?"

Tinapatan na niya ang tingin ko. "Should I be the one asking you that? What's that, Celestine?"

I always loved hearing my name from Slade's lips. But right now, I couldn't bear it. 'Yun paraan ng pagkabanggit niya sa pangalan ko. It sounded wrong. Like there was a mixture of disdain and censure hanging on it.