The Art of Detachment (Book 1)

9:03 AM, Unused Classroom, Saturday, Int.

Look at this. You have to obey the rule of thirds -

Ginagago mo ba ako? I took Communication Arts.

Sorry, sorry. Just reminding you.

Just sit there and answer my questions. Parang gago. 

Prepared na ba question mo?

Hindi pa.

Maine!

'Wag control freak, Alden. I need to see you sitting there, completely silent. I have to stare at your eyes and ask you with honest feelings. Girl, hindi lang ikaw ang artista rito. Ako rin.

Okay, okay, direk.

Don't sound sarcastic.

Okay na ba 'yung upo ko? Check the light. Check if I have enough head room for cinematic bars, I need that in editing -

Shut up!

Okay, okay. Just making sure.

Sit.

I am sitting.

I could see that.

Is it recording?

Yes.

Good.

Yup.

What's the question?

Correction: questions, Alden. Questions.

O..kay.

Kailan?

Ang?

Kailan mo naisip na ayaw mo na?

Maine.. I..

Yeah, you could think about your answer. No need to rush.

Naisip ko nu'ng... pakiramdam ko wala na ako sa mga pangarap mo.

Okay.

Alam mo 'yun? We... built our dreams together. You're gonna marry me. I'm gonna marry you. We're gonna buy a house. May second floor, because you've got this weird obsession about stairs when you were a kid. We'd have a dog. Okay, dogs, because you love them so much you don't see me at all when we pass by one.

And suddenly, it's just.. you. Your house, your stairs. Your dog.

Yourself.

When did I ever make you feel like that?

Two years ago before our dreadful day, when we almost broke up. Ramdam ko na, pansin ko na. Sabi ko, nagbabago ka lang talaga because you're growing... old. Or up. I don't know. Natural lang na magbago ka. But then... they say you have to see yourself in the eyes of your lover, don't they? 

Tapos hindi mo na nakita 'yung sarili mo sa'kin.

Oo.

Nu'ng eighth year natin, bakit mo 'ko binalikan?

Because you asked.

I asked you in our tenth year. Again and again. I chased after you kahit wala sa personality ko. I went batshit crazy.

Yes. You did.

But it wasn't enough?

It wasn't.

I wasn't enough?

No.

Then what?

What you feel for me isn't enough.

Oh. I made you feel that?

Yes.

Sorry.

Okay. Wala na?

Wala pa.

Stop the recording, sayang ang battery.

Tsaka tayo.

Tayo?

Sayang tayo.

//

to be continued