ZWCS#5: Beautiful Goodbye

Chapter Five

"Rosas are you okay?"

Napaangat ang tingin niya kay Cassidy nang marinig niya ang tinig nito. Alangan siyang tumango at ngumiti.

"Are you sure? You don't seem to be okay." Nag-aalala paring sabi nito bago naupo sa tabi niya. "Come on, spill it. What's wrong?"

"Cass, I honestly don't know..." She heaved a sigh and closed the book she'd been holding for hours.

"Is it about... Alexus?" Maingat nitong tanong.

"How'd you know?"

Kumibit ang balikat nito. "Well, I don't think someone will bug your thoughts this crazy other than Alexus."

Muli siyang napahugot ng napakalalim na hininga. "This is crazy indeed."

"So may problema nga kayo?"

"Wala." Naiiling niyang sagot.

"Eh, anong meron?" Kumunot ang noo nito.

"Wala. Wala. Wala. Paano kaming magkakaproblema eh hindi naman kami nag-uusap." Napakamot siya sakanyang sentido. "I honestly don't know if the problem is in me, Cassidy. I mean it's been rolling for almost a month. He's not texting me. He's not calling. He's not showing up! I really don't know what's up with him."

"Oh, okay. Relax ka lang. baka naman busy lang siya?"

"You know me, Cass. Bago pa maintindihan ng iba, naunawaan ko na. Lalo pa't si Alexus ang pinag-uusapan." She said. "And don't you think that's the first idea I will ever consider as an excuse? Naisip ko na iyan, na maybe he's loaded with school works. Isama pa ang basketball tryouts and stuff. Ayokong maka-abala kaya hindi ko siya kinukulit kahit pa naninibago ako."

"Rosas, maybe you're just overthinking things. Or you know, becoming a bit emotional. May mga ganyang phase naman talaga tayong mga babae-"

"You don't understand, Cass. I've been with Alexus for years, I've loved that man and have known him. Iniisip kong busy siya, na sa sobrang busy niya hindi na niya magawang mag-good morning sakin. I was thinking of a very reasonable reason para makuha niyang hindi ako itext ng buong araw. I was even thinking that he's that busy to spare me a minute to even asked me if I'm okay? If I already took my lunch? If I'm missing him? Because damn! I miss him! So much!"

Mahinang natawa si Cassidy samantalang siya at napaungol sa labis na prustrasyong nadarama.

"There's no such word as busy, para kay Alexus. Sa buong panahon na kasama ko siya, he always find time. Pero ngayon? You know what my gut feel is telling me, Cassidy?"

"What?" She frowned again.

"That he's kinda avoiding me. That he's deliberately shoving me off. And let's not play games, Cassidy. Alam mo kung sadya kang iniiwasan ng tao o hindi. And too bad, iyon ang siyang nararamdaman ko. That my boyfriend is definitely avoiding me."

"Paano mo naman nasabi yan? Baka naman nag-overthink ka lang. Or baka kasi hindi ka busy, kaya iniisip mo wala siyang oras sayo kasi ikaw marami ka masyadong time para sakanya-"

"Yun din ang nasa isip ko. But I do my own observations, Cass. I texted him out of the blue, he replied quickly. Meaning, he's not busy. Agad niyang nabasa ang text ko. He's on his phone. May time siya. Sadyang hindi niya lang ako kinakausap." She blew an air irritably. "Kung ayaw niya kong kausap, kung ayaw niya na sakin, sabihin niya! Hindi iyong ganito na nagmumukha akong tanga. Why I feel so low! And it's been going on for almost a month now."

"Well that's a serious case, mag-usap kaya kayo?" Cassidy suggested. "Kayo lang din naman ni Lex ang makaka-ayos niyang issue niyo. And diba, as I remembered it right ikaw ang laging nag-papayo kay Gift at Lance dati noong sila pa na walang bagay ang hindi madadaan sa maayos na usapan? So yeah, kausapin mo si Lexus."