Change [Ricci Rivero, Completed]

Kabanata XVI

Just when I thought I was going ti be spared from those typical life stories where in the lady falls in love with her man when it was too late, I wasn't.

I decided to open my eyes dahil nagulat ako na baka nabanggit ko nga talaga ng malakas. Syempre, 1 week and 2 days palang ang nakakaraan kaya for sure fresh yan pa sa utak niya kung ganon nga.

I did, only to find out that it was Donny who was waking me up habang nasa loob parin ako ng chapel with a worried look on my face. I checked the time, it was only 11:38 am. Shit, was that all a dream, yung nandito siya? Uso pala ang umagang bangungot, ako ang unang biktima.

"Panaginip nanaman? Tangina." I said at the verge of breaking down.

"I'm sorry. Was it a bad dream?" Donny asked as I nod. "What happened?"

"I lost him" I finally cried, walang humpay "Donny, I.."

"Alex, you should calm down"

"You know, I never asked for anyone's help about this. I've always wanted to feel na I'm special para sa isang tao pero... pero at the same time? I wanted to hide from everyone kasi alam kong madami nanamang magsasabing 'uy bakit ikaw eh he deserves better?' 'hindi ka naman kagandahan bakit ikaw ang nagustuhan ni Ricci?'. I know, people know na friends kami but more than that? I think di nila matatanggap. Me too, I didn't intend this to happen. I even stopped him from doing things for me pero syempre di siya makikinig sa akin." sabi ko as I wipe a tear away. "Donny, I tried. Trust me, I tried. Nanduon na ako? Sayang naman eh.." pagigil kong iyak ng madahan kay Donny na tinago ako sa zip hoodie niya.

"Alex, you know. Lets put it this way okay? Maybe this is part of God's plan. I believe it is, kasi kung hindi, ang labo naman. Maybe this was an eye opener, Alex. Humingi ka ng sign diba? Malay mo, these happenings are signs in which you should ponder para maprocess mo na at malaman kung anong sagot. Baka talagang nanalo na si Ricci.. sa puso mo. Maybe he's worth it, at ikaw lang ang makakaidentify niyan." he told me.

"Alam mo, I thought you were Ricci when I heard you kanina. Akala ko totoo."

"You see, when you get caught up with a person, he's all you'll ever see. Sa paligid mo, kahit saan ka lumingon, siya lang ang makikita mo. Sucks lang for your part kasi----"

"SHHHHHH!"

"What happened ba?" he asked.

"Wala siyang calls, text or pasuyo man lang tungkol sa whereabouts niya. When I ask Brent naman and the others, they avoid my questions and start another topic"

"Di mo alam kung nasaan siya?"

"Yeah. Its been a week." sabi ko habang pinupunasan ang huling mga luha na lumabas sa mata ko. "I tried naman to reach out kasi imposibleng he isn't online when he has his phone glued to him. Ang imposible lang kasi na hindi niya mabasa lahat. Its either he's ignoring it or something must've happened na hindi parin nakakarating sa amin."

I stopped crying, siguro kasi finally I had someone to rage all of my feelings at.

Sa mga sumunod na minuto, silence enveloped the place, as if wala kami dito. May hinahanap kasi si Donny sa Twitter and di ko naman maintindihan kung ano.

"Alex, look." pakita niya sa akin "here's a photo from today, kasama siya with a fan sa campus. 'tong isa, with friend. Sa campus 'to diba?

"Yeah. Agno."

"Sino yung babaeng kasama? Do you know her?"

"Yeah. Veronica." I rolled my eyes dahil sa lahat ng nangyayari. I was dressing up pa naman for the past days kasi baka bigla siyang magpop up sa kung saang part ng La Salle, tapos ganito.