Hello, Travis

Bye, Travis | Chapter 8

The Chapter 8






Does everyone deserve happy ending?



Or are there only selected couples who'll last?



What will happen for those who wish to have happy endings but was not granted?



Will they just accept it and leave it as it is?



Unfair.




“Then I saw her coming for the street and. . .”





I stared at her while she makes fun of her childhood memories. She giggles every time she remembers silly moments. I have to smile for I'm seeing an angel before me, an angel full of happiness and life.



Two weeks na ang nakakalipas simula na gawin namin 'to. We don't have any relationship. Ayaw niya. It's better this way, she said. Hindi na ako nakipagtalo.



Whatever relationship we have. . .



Masaya ako.





“And then Rica and Khris---”



“I love you.” I cut in.




Her eyes widen. Now that's very hilarious. Ang cute niya. I let out a laugh. She started hitting me. She's too shy showing her emotions. Sinubukan kong hawakan ang kamay niya para patigilin siyang hampasin ako.



“Why are you being random?” She chuckled, realizing how stupid she looks.



“I'm not. I'm just stating what I feel.”



Her cheeks turn red, once more.



“Nakakainis ka!” she's hitting me again. Ganyan daw talaga siya kiligin e. “You're having fun teasing me, huh?”



“Sort of.” I laughed.



“Ah ganun!” Hinampas niya ako sa balikat tapos tumayo siya at naglakad palayo.




Tamo 'to.



Nilalambing lang e. =___=




Pero imbes na mainis, mas natuwa pa ako.



Pikon niya ano?





Tumayo na ako at inayos ang pinagkainan namin. Hinabol ko siya para masabayan siya sa paglakad. She looked at me as I intertwined her hand into mine. I smiled, that weird electricity never fades.



“Tutugtog kayo ulit?” I nodded. Last week, na-hire kami sa isang bar para tumugtog every saturday night para sa bar nila. Kasama ko sina Khris at ibang tropa. “Sama ako?”



“Gusto mo?”



“Yeah.” She pouted her lips. Kahit gusto ko, hindi naman pede. “Please?”




Nag-puppy eyes na naman 'tong Koreanang 'to.




=_____=





“You're not skipping your sched again.” I warned her. She loves to skip her meetings with her doctor. Pasaway e. Sumimangot naman siya. “Norilae. . .”




Alam niya kasi kung anong ayaw ko e.



Babaeng talaga 'to.




“Pag natapos, sunod ka.” I sighed, sign of my defeat. Ngumiti naman siya, and that made me smile too.




Umakyat kami sa kwarto niya. Pinagmasdan ko ang buong loob ng kwarto niya. There were weird looking things, may cabinet for countless medicines and most of the colors are white. It resembles a hospital room.



“Dun tayo.”



Tinuro niya 'yung balcony ng kwarto niya, tumango lang ako at pumunta dun. Nahuli siya dahil kinuha pa niya ang gitara niya. Umupo ako dun sa isang upuan habang dun siya sa rocking chair.




“Oras ko na ba para kantahan si Travis?” She asked, looking at the sun, that's about to set.



“Maaga pa. May two hours pa.”



She pouted her lips again.



I chuckled.



“But I think, she can sing right now.” Ngumiti naman siya. Tu-tugtog na sana siya nung bigla ko siyang pinigilan at inagaw ang gitara niya. “Pero, let me sing for my not-unknown-anymore caller.”




Bigla siyang tumawa. Tumango naman siya.




“Everytime I think I'm closer to the heart of what it means to know of who I am. . . I think I've finally found a better place to start, but no one seems to understand.” I started playing. “I need to try to get to where you are. Could it be you're not that far?”




She gave me a sincere smile.




“You're the voice I hear inside my head, the reason that I'm singing. I need to find you. . . I gotta find you.” I looked down when she started looking at me seriously. Nagiinit ang tenga ko. “You're the missing piece I need, the song inside of me. I need to find you. . . I gotta find you.”





But I already find her, right?



Andito na siya.



Sa harapan ko.




“Travis.” I looked at her when she called out my name. “I--I love you.”




I froze.




“So much.”



Halos mabitawan ko ang gitara niya nung narinig ko 'yun. I never heard such a sweet voice. It sounded wonderful. My heart pounds uncontrollably like I've been chase by those monsters in Temple Run. No kidding.



Like I've been running endlessly.




But I'm very happy.




“I love you, Travis.” Without any hesitation, I kiss her. Letting her know that I love her back. I do. I do love her.














I let her rest before leaving her room. Lumabas ako ng kwarto at hinanap si Khris para makaalis na kami papuntang bar. I found him talking to someone over the phone. When I met his gaze, dun niya agad binaba ang phone niya.



“Tara.” Iniwas na niya ang tingin niya sakin at dire-diretsong lumabas. Is there something wrong?



Or am I hallucinating that I just saw tear on his cheek?





Nakadating kami ng bar at ginawa ang trabaho namin. Me on guitar and vocals, Khris on drums, George on bass guitar and Tom on lead guitar. This is our second time to play on stage at buti naman nagiging okay.



Pansin naming lahat ang pagiging tahimik ni Khris. But we chose not to bother him. Kasi alam namin na dalawa lang ang posibleng dahilan. It's either Lyra. . . or it has something to deal with Norilae.



At sana hindi 'yung last option.




Tumambay muna kaming lahat matapos naming tumugtog kasi daw "It's friday night and we should have fun and get drunk." Sinabayan ko nalang ang trip nila. May kasayaw na si Tom and George. Looks like they're getting laid tonight?



Mga playboy.





Naiwan kami ni Khris sa table. At ang nakakapgtaka, tahimik lang siyang nagpapakalasing. Gusto kong magtanong pero natatakot ako sa isasagot niya.




“So what's up?” He suddenly asked.



“Anong what's up?”



“Kayong dalawa ni Nolae?”



Ewan pero bigla akong kinabahan.



“O--okay lang kami.”



“Dating na ba 'to?” I chuckled for I thought it was a joke. Pero mukhang hindi. Seryoso ang mukha ni Khris.



“Ayaw niya ng commitment.”



Tahimik lang kaming dalawa.



Ininom ko ang laman ng boteng hawak ko.



Masakit.





“Okay lang naman e. Naiintindihan ko kung bakit.” Oo, naiintindihan ko. Mas madali 'to. Less hassle. Walang dapat intindihin. Ayun 'yung point niya. Pero in some aspects, nasasaktan talaga ako. Dahil nagkakaroon ako ng limitations.



Limitations na panghimasukan siya.



Limitations para alagaan siya.




“That's good.”



Good?




“Good? Anong ibig mong sabihin?” I really find it ridiculous. Bakit mukhang gusto pa niya ang naging status naming dalawa ni Norilae?



“Kasi kung kayo. . .” he said then drank up his beer. “I'll force you to break up with her.”




What the?



“Anong kahibangan 'to, Khris?” I frankly asked him.



“Don't ask me that, Travis.”




He called me Travis.



He's serious.



“What the hell is going on, Khris.”



“I want to ask you that.” He smirked. “Why didn't you tell me she's skipping medications?”



Ano?



Hindi ko alam 'yun!



“Ha? Ang alam ko she only skipped once!”



“Oh really? But why the hell did she stop seeing her doctor last last week?” I froze. Wala akong alam. Di ba lagi niyang kasama si Lyra? Ba-bakit ganun?



“Hindi ko--”



“Too late now.” He looked up like he's stopping something to happen. “She's getting worse.”






I wish everyone deserves happy ending.



No failed marriages.



No more yearning for happy love.



No more sacrifices.



No more crying.



Happiness.



Life.



I beg for it.