Nagyoyosi na naman sya sa ilalim ng puno. Kung dati ay kung saan-saan sya tumitingin, ngayon ay sa iisang tao lang nakatuon ang kanyang pansin-kay Julie. It's been days since she cried about the death of her pet but until now, it seemed to him that she wasn't done grieving yet. Matamlay ito at halos di ngumingiti. She had also become unusually quiet and always wore a sad, empty look on her face. Hindi na rin nya naririnig ang makatawag-pansing halakhak nito. Most of all, hindi na rin ito kusang lumalapit sa kanya gaya ng dati.
Somehow he felt that her sadness over her pet's death was a bit too much. He had pets that came and went but he never really got to the point where he cried because of them dahilan para magtaka sya kung bakit ganun na lang ang attachment ng dalaga sa alaga nito.
Ang weird mo lang talaga, Julie.
Not having the 'normal' Julie around is a break from a routine. Hindi na nya ito nilalapitan at inaasar dahil takot syang baka mag-breakdown ito. Hindi na rin nya napapakinggan ang mga bibong kwento nito tuwing sabay-sabay silang kumakain ng lunch. Hindi na rin nya nakikita kung paano namumula ang pisngi nito tuwing tinatamaan ito ng mga banat nya. Wala na rin ang dating pag-uusap nila tungkol sa kahit anong bagay na pumapasok sa mga isip nila. Nagpakawala sya ng hingang-malalim.
I feel weird.
.....
She went on with her routine, trying to drown her sadness with the pile of assigments waiting to be finished. Alam nyang marami ang naninibago sa kanya. She had caught her teammates throw secret worried glances at her. Alam nyang ramdam nila ang lungkot nya. She felt a little bit guilty, having to carry this dark, sorrowful aura at the volunteer site. She knew that what the team needed were enthusiasm and cheerfulness. Somehow she felt that she was the total contradiction. She had tried to cheer herself up para naman makabawi but try as she might, mas nangingibaw pa rin talaga ang lungkot na nararamdaman nya.
She had spoken with her dad a lot of times thru Skype since Ruffian died.
Jules, he's very old. He needed to rest. Naalala pa nyang sabi ng daddy nya. It was her dad who advised her not to go home for Ruffian's 'burial'.
Jules, coming home will just rub salt to the wound. Let go.
Naiintindihan nya ang daddy nya. He had always been the least sentimental sa pamilya nila. At palaging sinasabi nito na manang-mana sya sa mommy nya na 'drama queen'. Muli ay nakadama sya ng lungkot nang maalala ang mommy nya. Ruffian had been the last birthday gift that she got from her mom before she died kaya kakaiba ang attachment nya dito.
I miss you, mom. I miss you, Ruffian. Oh God. Nababaliw na ata ako.
She wiped her tears and continued working.
Ahem.
She looked up as she heard that familiar throat-clearing. Alam na nya kung kanino ito nanggaling.
Nakatayo si Elmo sa harapan nya. Tahimik lang ito habang nakatingin sa kanya. On 'normal' days, she would have felt that familiar heart-thumping whenever he's around dahil alam nyang may binabalak na naman itong kalokohan. But there was something about the look he wore on his face that puzzled her. For the first time, he was smiling at her but not with his signiture lopsided flirtatious, teasing smile. Tiningnan lang nya ito habang hinihintay ang sasabihin nito.
Kumusta ka na, Julie? Seryosong tanong nito na di pa rin inaalis ang tingin sa kanya.
She faked a smile.
Ok na. Sana. Tipid naman nyang sagot, wishing that her voice won't crack dahil parang nararamdaman nyang tila maiiyak na naman sya.
Ngumiti ulit ito sa kanya, this time a very gentle, comforting smile-ang klase ng ngiti na matagal na nyang hinintay na ibibigay nito sa kanya. But she silently gasped when he reached out and offered his hand to her, still smiling.
Come with me, Julie. Labas tayo.
