"Soulmate"

"Soulmate" (Chapter 2)

As soon as I saw her…in the veranda…looking over the backyard of their ancestral

home…alam ko…sobrang malungkot siya…Julie and I have been friends for years

now…I met her in a friend’s party…I asked her to go out on a date with me…we did date

but after three months…we called it quits…

Di ko alam bakit di kami nagtagal…ang akala nya kasi lagi akong nambababae…ang di

niya alam…sa lahat ng mga naka-date ko…sa kanya lang ako nagtagal…nang di

tumitingin sa iba…nang di nag-iisip na maghanap ng fling or one-night stand…ewan

ko…there is something about her that tames me…mesmerizes me…captures me…

“Hey, tama nang iyak…intindihin mo na lang ang mama mo, pretty…”

She looked at me…tears flowing on her cheeks…using my thumb, I tried to wipe the

tears…she forced a smile and said,

“You know me, Moe…I don’t cry easily, right? Through the years, I am being

strong…since we became friends, alam mo yan…kaso pag si Mama…”

“Ssssh….stop it, Jules…I know…I know…”

I then put my arm around her and let her head rest on my shoulder…we are now both

looking over the backyard….which features huge mango trees…I then came up with a better

idea…

“Pretty…sabi nila, the best way to mend a broken heart is to find someone who can actually

fill what you need…”

“So…what are you trying to say?”

Tila ba nagtataka siyang tumingin sa akin…her brows furrowed…forehead creased…

“Hmmm…alam kong malungkot ka…I can make you happy tonight…”

She then gave me that disgusted look and gave me a whack…

“Gago ka talaga, Magalona! Sarap mong gulpihin!”

“Aray! Aray! Nagsusuggest lang yung tao, concerned nga eh! Hahaha!”

“Concerned your ass!” Patuloy pa din nya kong hinahampas…sumakit na din ang braso ko

at nagulo ang bangs…

“Hey, hey, nagbibiro lang…lika nga dito…hug na lang kita…”

As soon as she stopped…napansin kong muli na namang tumulo ang luha nya…she is

hurt…she was hurt years ago…by him….and seeing her mom now…makes it doubly

harder…

I then moved closer and hugged her…she is my friend after all…what happened in our past

no longer matters…she needs me…and as I hear her muffled sobs…all I can do was to give

her a shoulder to cry on…

“Don’t worry pretty…bukas, ha-huntingin natin ang soulmate mo…nang matapos

na’to…”

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The roads are newer…again. Visiting Sam’s old place is difficult. Hirap pala if you have to

retrace those steps…ang hirap nang may unfinished business. Good thing Moe is with

me…kahit ganito ang lokong ito…maasahan din..

“Dito na tayo, Mokong.”

I stopped the car. We got off and we are again in an unfamiliar ground. This home, as

compared to Julie’s was…how should I put it- simple…a bungalow. In the front yard, you

can sense that they have kids as residents too…littered were toys and garden hoses….also,

parked was a White sedan and we can almost hear the laughter of kids playing and

chattering.

“Pretty, sure ka? Ready ka na to face him?”

“Yeah…siya naman ang sumulat di ba? Why should I worry?”

She answered confidently. But deep inside…I knew….she is afraid…a bit weakened.

I pressed the doorbell and a woman, in her mid-20’s approached us…dressed in simple shirt

and shorts, her hair in a messy bun…it’s not hard to think that this woman could be…

“Sinong hanap nyo?” She asked us while opening the gate. She then halted…looked at

Julie…but seemed not surprised…

“Debbie?”

“Jules.”

A few seconds of silence….they just stared and looking at them both…I am no longer sure if

this encounter is a good idea…

“Andyan ba siya…”

“Buti dumating ka na….tagal ka na niyang hinihintay.”