EASE | unique salonga

FOUR

...

Time's running out
She knew this must
eventually come to an end
Because dreams are not
meant to last

Soon, she must wake
But before that happens,
She will ask for more
. . . Which was probably
Her biggest mistake

...

This is your only chance, Isla.

I turned my phone off and hailed a taxi. My hands clenched around the phone tightly as the we drove through the streets of Naga. "Please, please, please don't let him be gone yet." I whispered to myself.

The taxi drives a little slower and I fight the urge to scream at the driver. I sighed in relief when I finally saw the cafè a few blocks down.

These few blocks felt like light years and I swear I stopped breathing when I saw the mass amount of fans waiting outside who were being held back by the employees of the cafè.

Sa lahat ng lugar na pwedeng puntahan niya, nandito si Unique. He's actually here. Pinagtagpo nanaman kaming dalawa.

Nahihirapan na akong huminga, pakiramdam ko nababaliw na ako. Binayadan ko ang taxi driver at nagmamadaling bumaba ng taxi. Ngayong nandito na ako, may isa pang problema . . . Paano ako makakapasok?

Huminga ako ng malalim at pinakalma ang sarili. Kapag nagkunwari siguro akong mature na adult, baka papasukin nila ako. Kung mapapaniwala ko sila.

I walk around the group of fans and before I can get in, someone stopped me. "Sorry miss, hindi ka namin pwedeng papasukin ngayon." A tall man says sympathetically.

                         "At bakit naman hindi? Closed na po ba kayo?" I ask sweetly.                         

                         "Miss, meroon po kasing importanteng tao sa loob at iniiwasan namin na —" Mag-eexplain pa sana siya ng pinigilan siya ng isa pang lalake, na i-coconclude ko na ang owner ng Cafè dahil may badge sa t-shirt niya kung saan nakasulat ang posisyon na yun.

                         "Anton, papasukin niyo na siya. Mukhang hindi niya naman yun kilala."

                         "Salamat po." Nginitian ko silang dalawa at pumasok na sa cafe.

Napakaganda ng cafe, magandang lugar ito para makapag unwind at mag-relax, o para magbasa basa ng mga libro. Naintindihan ko agad kung bakit ito pinili ni Unique na puntahan. Tumingin ako sa paligid, hindi lang si Unique ang nandito. Meron ding mga ibang costumers. Pero nasaan siya?

Naglakad lakad at umikot ako sa loob, chineck ko isa isa ang mga costumer sa bawat table.

Nandun siya, nag-iisa.

Naka-upo siya sa likod, sa isang sulok. He stared at his cup of coffee blankly. My feet moves towards him before I even knew I was walking. He doesn't even notice me until I sat at the chair in front of him.

" . . . Unique?"

He blinks and looks at me in the eye.
A few expressions crossed his face but shock was the most evident. And anger.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito, Isla?" He snaps. He remembers my name. "Sinusundan mo ba ako? Paano ka nakapasok dito?!"

"Sorry . . . I'm just . . . Natatakot lang ako para sayo, okay? Huminahon ka please." I said calmly, regarding his crazed expression. "Nag-aalala ako para sayo.

Tinignan niya ako sa mata. "Hindi kita kailangan, Isla."

"A-alam ko . . ." Bulong ko. "Pero . . . Sabihin mo lang sakin na may ibang nakakaalam, na meroong tumutulong sayo . . . Hinding hindi na kita papakialaman, I'll leave you alone, I swear. Just assure me that you're okay."

Unique's expression softens at my words. "Do yourself a favour. Tumigil ka na. Kung ano man ang nakita mo . . . It doesn't matter. Us meeting was a mistake. You're just a fan. Na sumusunod ng sumusunod sakin." He paused, his expression hardening again. "Kaya pwede bang umalis ka na bago ko tawagin ang security?"

Parang tumigil ang mundo ko sa mga sinabi niya. Hindi ako makagalaw sa kinakatayuan ko, hindi ko magalaw ang mga labi ko para magsalita. Grabe ang naramdaman kong sakit at pagkapahiya. Pakiramdam ko hindi na ako makahinga.

"I'm sorry —"

Everything turns black.
And when I finally wake up, I'm in bed. With my laptop in front of me. Nanaginip lang ako. Napatawa ako. Ang impossible naman talaga ng mga nangyari sa panaginip ko ... Except dun sa part na pinagtatabuyan ako ni Unique at irereport niya ako sa security.

Bago ko ma shutdown ang laptop ko, nakita ko na may three new notifications. Three new followers.

Two of them were random people...
And the third one made me gasp.

@uniquetsalonga is now following you!