All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you.
- -
May rules pang nilalaman. Aish.
I looked back at him and smiled. "Gusto kong malaman. Ano 'yon?"
He didn't look convinced, not one bit. And it was obvious. Ipinakita pa niya ang signature bitch face niya. I swear, mukha talaga siyang bitch na lalaki.
"Rule number one," itinaas niya ang kamay niya. At gaya ng dating nangyari, parang magic na biglang nag-appear doon ang papel ng kasunduan namin. "Bawal kang magkwento tungkol sa misyong ito. Sa lumang panahon man 'yan o sa kasalukuyan. Kahit kanino. Kahit sino. Kahit kay Jean. Bawal. There's no exception to the rule."
"Rule number two," he took a step forward after reading whatever's on the paper. "Bawal ka nang umulit."
Huh?
"Isang beses lang kitang dadalhin sa past mo. This is your only shot. Kung may gusto ka pang balikan, maghanap ka ng ibang time traveler. Though I doubt na may mahahanap ka dahil panigurado hindi na uli ito mangyayari sa 'yo. Time travelers rarely get missions with the same person."
Ramdam kong kumabog ng malakas ang puso ko dahil doon. Isa lang ang ibig sabihin no'n Ara. Gawin mo ang lahat para mabago ang kapalaran mo. Bumawi ka sa mga pagkakamali mo. Baguhin mo ang nangyari sa inyo ni Jean bago pa maging huli ang lahat. It's now or never.
"Rule number three," seryoso na sana ako ngunit na-distract na naman ako ng paglapit nito. Paano kasi, kada magsasalita siya ay hahakbang siya palapit sa kintatayuan ko. 'Yong totoo. "Take care of the necklace," sabay turo niya sa kwentas na hanggang ngayon ay hawak ko pa rin sa kamay ko.
"Of course when you go there, I will not always be around. Kaya binigyan kita ng gan'yan para magkaroon tayo ng communication. You can communicate with me through that. Gaya ng ginawa mong pagtawag sa 'kin dito sa pamamagitan niyan. So don't lose that. Kapag nawala 'yan, hindi kita mahahanap at hindi mo rin ako mahahanap. If I'm not mistaken, nabanggit ko na rin sa 'yo ang tungkol dito kagabi at no'ng araw na naglasing ka."
"Yup, I remember that."
"Good. Now let's proceed to rule number four," ambang aatras na sana ako pero buti't hindi na ito umabante. "There's no limit to how many days you're going to stay there. But if you have already accomplished the goal, kailangan mo nang umalis."
I felt my lips form a soft smile. "And the goal of the mission is to correct everything, right?"
Saglit siyang natahimik. "Y-yeah."
"Okay, noted. P-pero teka, anong mangyayari kung hindi na ako umalis sa panahong 'yon?"
"You'll have to face the consequences. You see in every rule you break, there is a consequence."
"Anong consequence?" alanganing tanong ko. Puta, bakit ako biglang natakot?
"Depende kay Tanda."
Great, he's mentioning a certain 'Tanda' again.
"Sino ba kasi 'yang Tandang 'yan na palagi mong nababanggit?" sabi ko at pagkatapos ay tumingala sa itaas. Tumingala din kasi siya sa langit no'ng binanggit niya 'yon dati.
His lips curled up into a smirk. "A human like you doesn't need to know that."
Edi wow. "Fine, I won't ask. Kunsabagay, wala naman siyang kinalaman sa misyong 'to."
He cleared his throat, "Rule number five . . ."
"Rule number five?"
He swallowed when I met his gaze. It's like something inside him snapped.
"Ano ang rule number five?" ulit ko.
Umiiling-iling siya. "Rule number five is not important."
"Okay! Now that we're done with the rules, baka pwedeng magsimula na tayo?" masiglang sabi ko sa kanya, sabay ngiti.
Ewan ko, pero nanumbalik bigla ang sigla sa katawan ko pagkatapos marinig lahat niyon. The thought of him coming back to me makes me really happy. Ngayon pa lang ay tumatalon na ang puso ko sa saya. Though inaamin ko, magkahalong kaba at saya ang nararamdaman ko. Kaba, dahil manunumbalik uli ang mga mapapait na alaala. Saya, dahil alam kong mapapalitan ng mas magandang mga alaala ang mga mapapait na alaalang 'yon.
A confident smirk was plastered on his face as he took another step forward. Tulad ng ginawa niya sa park no'n, may inilabas uli siyang puting card at binasa niya 'yon. "Date: June 3, 2011. Time: 2:00 pm."
'Yong date na sinabi niya, parehas sa date ngayon. Ang pinagkaiba lang ay ang taon. And honestly, I don't remember much about it. It could be just an ordinary day six years ago. But one thing's for sure. I'm going back on that day, six years ago.
"You're now travelling back, Ara."
My breath hitched. My heart started beating furiously. I immediately closed my eyes, my heart beat increasing every second as I imagined what would happen in the next few minutes . . . when I would see Jean again.
Binalot ng katahimikan ang buong paligid. Until it was interrupted by a familiar sound. A very familiar sound. Pumikit pa ako ng mas mariin. Kaliwa't kanan ay may naririnig akong mga boses. Mga boses ng iba't ibang tao. Habang tumatagal ay umiingay.
It felt so familiar, like I was in a classroom. Shit, hindi kaya nandito na ako? Oh my fvcking gosh, Ara!
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