Fate and Coincidences

Otcho -- First Heartbreak

Louise’s POV.

For the first time in such a long time, nakita kong muli ang ngiti sa mga labi ng bestfriend ko. Ngiting hindi nanggaling sa kaibigan o pamilya niya. Kundi ngiting dulot ng isang lalaking halos First Name lang ang alam niya. Ang weird di ba? May sasabihin akong sikreto sa inyo. Ito ang bahagi ng kwento ni Ysa na kaming dalawa lang yata ang nakakaalam. Even her parents don’t know about this. Over protective kasi ang parents ni Ysa sa kanya. Kaya ayaw niyang bigyan ang mga ito ng alalahanin.

My bestfriend had her heart broken two years ago. Oo, tama ang narinig niyo. Hindi man obvious, once in her life, naging broken hearted ang kaibigan ko. Nagmahal kasi siya ng maling tao. It was a young love that didn’t turn out well. Oo, Ysa happened to be one of the strongest person I have ever known. Not everyone can handle a break-up really well especially when you were as young as 16 years old. Young love indeed. Here’s what happened.

“Hey friend, what’s wrong? Tulala ka nanaman diyan.” Tanong ko kay Ysa habang nasa swing kami sa isang park malapit sa school. Pag may pinagdadaanan ang isa sa amin, siguradong dito ang punta namin. Sariwa kasi ang hangin. Kanina ko pa kasi napapansin na tahimik ang bestfreind ko. She’s not in her usual self.

“He broke up with me.”

“What?! You mean Joshua broke up with you? What happened? Parang nung isang araw lang nag celebrate pa kayo ng 6th monthsary nyo ha. Tell me. Anong nangyari?”

“He told me that I was too nerdy for him. He couldn’t stand me anymore daw because I have spent more time with my books than with him. Tell me Lou. Masama ba na bigyan ko ng mas malaking atensyon ang pag-aaral ko? Before we entered this relationship I made it clear to him na mas priority ko ang pag-aaral ko. Can he not understand that?”

“Besi, consider this break-up a blessing in disguise. Ayaw mo nun, you’ll have more time to study and to spend time with your family. Most importantly, we’ll have more time na ngayon na mag bookstore-hopping. Di, ba mas masaya naman yun kaysa sa mga boring dates nyo?”

“Correction Besi. Never pa kaming nagdate. Nakakatawa nga eh. We’ve been together for half a year pero never pa kaming nag date. I always prefer to have lunch sa bahay. You know what hurts most? Wala pang isang lingo kaming break, may bago na siya agad. Ang bilis niya naman akong pinalitan. Hindi man lang niya sinunod ang three-month rule after break-up.”

“Anong three-month rule yan? Sa’n mo naman yan nakuha?”

“Narbasa ko yata yan somewhere. Sabi kasi nila, you have to remain single for at least three months after your break up. That is to give yourself a time to heal and be ready for another relationship. Welll, I guess it doesn’t really apply to everyone. Most especially to him.”

“Okay lang yan besi. Maybe hindi pa talaga time na pumasok kayo sa isang pangmatagalan at seryosong relasyon. If you’re meant to be together, fate and destiny will find a way to bring you back.”

“Naks naman Lou. Been there? Pero alam mo Besi, tama ka. Maybe this young love isn’t really for us. At kahit papano, may mali din naman ako. Pumasok ako sa isang relasyon ng hindi ready. Hindi ko talaga kayang i-sacrifice ang studies ko for the sake of other things. I don’t want to disappoint my parents.”

Yan naman ang gusto ko sa bestfriend ko. She knows her priorities well enough at a young age.

“Ice cream tayo Ysa. My treat. Double Dutch? J”

“Wow naman. May advantage rin pala ang pagiging heartbroken ko. I get you to treat me. Once in a bluemoon lang naman kung mangyari yan. J”

“Minsan lang to Besi. Kaya lubos-lubusin mo na. Let’s go.”

At umalis na kami papunta sa malapit na ice cream parlor. Nakangiti na kahit papano si Ysa. Pero alam kong nasasaktan parin siya. Alam ko dahil matagal ko na siya kaibigan. Alam ko na kung pa’no basahin ang mga emosyong hindi niya sinasabi. Ayaw niya kasing pinag-aalala ang iba kaya mas prefer niya na lang tumahimik minsan kahit na nasasaktan na siya. Kahit sabihin nating kaya naman niya ihandle ang nangyari. Ang strong kaya ng bestfriend ko. But still, that wasl her first heartbreak. If first love never dies, expect that first heartbreak always hurts the most.