Archetype

Chapter 29: BE BRAVE

"Uy! Tulala ka ata dyan!" She pushed me slightly making me lose my balance. Buti nalang mabilis siya at nahila agad ako pabalik.

"Baka gusto mo akong patayin." We both let out a little chuckle. Nandito kasi kami sa balcony ng second floor watching our teammates. It's too hot to join them there at the seashore.

"O.A. mo, you'll just get bruises lang naman." Gizelle gave my arm soft punches. She's being hyper again. "So bakit ang layo ng lipad ng isip mo? She's right there lang, oh." She asked while pointing our teammates, specifically Bea.

"Wala naman. Happy lang ako na magkakasama na ulit tayo. Yung hindi dahil sa training." It was a half-lie actually. I'm still bother about my colloquy with Maddie. But I'm really happy for the team though.

She raised her right brow. "Too early for your senti."

"Grabe ka naman!" Our conversation goes like that, teasing each other until we decided to settle ourselves on our bed for our afternoon nap.

What happened with me and Maddie awhile ago? About that, nothing much make sense except the fact that she knew I love Bea and she wants me to take care of her.

Just like the usual, I counted the wide silence.

Isa. Dalawa. Tatlo.

Pero ako lang rin ng pumutol nito.

"Anong meron sa inyo ni Bea?" I don't know where my guts are coming from. I just hope na mapanindigan ko ito hanggang dulo.

"Anong meron samin ni Bea?" She repeats my question as if she's thinking carefully. The way her eyes twinkle is like a student reciting to her terror professor who wants to impress and express at the same time. "Honestly, hindi ko rin alam, eh." But she failed just like that.

And it hit me. Si Maddie, she acts like everything is fine. That everything in her life are falling into places. That she's perfect. But reality says the otherwise.

Everyone's busy admiring her, seeing all those nice things she has. But, if we didn't look at the larger picture, if we look closely on the detials, she's having a hard time too.

"Ikaw. You love her, right?" And her question astounded me. How am I suppose to answer her with her question?

"You love her." Sinundan niya agad ito ng statement na parang siguradong-sigurado siya. "The way you look at her. The way you act if she's with you." She chuckles kahit walang nakakatawa.

"Maddie..." Ewan ko pero yun lang ang kaya kong sabihin.

Maddie made a long exhale. "Take care of her, Jho. You guys are investing a lot. And take this from me, malaki ang mawawala if hahayaan mo siyang malayo sayo."

She's about to stand up and leave me, but I stopped her. "Maddie, wait lang." She flashes a smile again, her sophisticated kind of smile. In just few minutes, her elegance and grace showed up again. "Di ba, may something sa inyo ni Bea? Hindi ko rin alam kung ano pero alam kong higit pa yon sa pagkakaibigan. Bakit mo sinasabi sakin 'to?"

Inayos niya ang shades na kanina niya pa hawak at inilagay ito sa mga mata niya. "Nothing much is clear between me and Bea. We're friends, still friends. Now, I just want nothing, but my friend's happiness." And like everybody else. Like Bea, she walks away without making things clear for me.