Pagkatapos nila magpahinga, tinext ni Dzi si Ella para sabihing magkita silang lahat sa isang Restaurant ngayong tanghali. Hinintay naman ni Ella gumising sa pagkaiglip ang dalawa saka sinabihan.
"Pupunta tayo sa Restaurant, tinext ako ni Ate Dzi na dun tayo manananghalian." Sambit ni Ella nang bumangon ang dalawa mula sa kanilang kama, tumango ang dalawa tapos si Ella naman ay pumasok sa CR para magbihis.
Habang nasa loob si Ella, tahimik na umupo ang dalawa sa kanilang kama at hindi magkaharap sa isa't isa. Todo pigil ni Den sa paglingon kay Alyssa na busy magtype sa kanyang phone. Paglabas ni Ella ay si Den naman ang pumasok at sunod naman si Alyssa.
"Ang tahimik po." Umaalingasaw na sabi ni Sarah nang mapansin ang katahimikan sa kanilang lahat habang kumakain, kumunot noo siya dahil walang nagsalita.
Magkahiwalay ang pwesto ni Den at Aly, si Ella ang nasa pagitan nilang dalawa. Maski ang tatlong yun ay hindi kumikibo at tutok sa kanilang kinakain.
"Sensya na, gutom kasi." Sambit ni Mae na ngumunguya at nakahawak sa kanyang tiyan, sinabayan lang niya talaga si Sarah kasi alam nila kung sino ang hindi umiimik.
"Wala yata tao dito eh." Sarkastikong sabi ni Fille at tinginan silang lahat maliban kay Alyssa at Denden.
"Wala nga." Asar ni Ella tapos tumingin si Alyssa at Denden, "Meron na." Asar niya ulit tapos ngumisi ang lahat samantalang sumimangot naman si Alyssa at bumalik ulit sa kain si Denden.
Tumahimik ulit saglit bago magsalita si Dzi, "Gala tayo after, sayang yung lamig." Suhestiyon niya na sinangayunan ng iba.
"Malamig naman talaga dito." Alaska ni Ella at tumawa, huminto ito matapos batukan ni Den na dahilan para mabilaukan. Agad siyang inabutan ng tubig tapos ininom niya din, sumama ang tingin nito kay Den at binelatan.
"Pilosopo kasi. Hahaha!" Sabi ni Gretch at humagalpak sa tawa, kinurot siya sa braso ni Fille, "Biro lang eh!" Inis niyang sabi at si Fille naman ang tumawa.
"Yes naman! Nagkakamabutihan na ulit!" Namula ang dalawa sa sinabi ni A.
After lunch, they went to Mines View Park and Gretch brings her own guitar. All of them formed a circle upon sitting on the picnic's carpet. Ella borrowed Gretch's guitar and started strumming to a song.
"Ehem! Para po sa mga BH." Ella said before finally strumming to the song, she stopped strumming and said, "Pasensya na din sa boses, iikliin ko lang yung kanta." Suddenly, they all looked at her with uncertainty. They are yet to see her sing and she's gonna do it now.
"Go Ells!" They all said and she smiled.
"I've made up my mind, don't need to think it over. If I'm wrong I am right, don't need to look no further. This ain't lust, I know this is love."
As soon as she sang the first few sentences, Alyssa and Den stared at her while she sings. Both are having thoughts on what happened recently to them.
Mae, who is in love with Ella also patches up and listens to her singing.
"But if I tell the world, I'll never say enough 'cause it was not said to you. And that's exactly what I need to do if I'm in love with you."
Alyssa was unsure if Ella's hitting someone with the song but she felt that she is the one being referred to, she confirms it with Ella's look on her. Alyssa did not only listen but she understood what the song meant.
Mae's face turned sad because she has been eager to tell her how she felt but is too coward to do so.
"Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements, even if it leads nowhere? Or would it be a waste even if I knew my place. Should I leave it there? Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements, even if it leads nowhere?"
Those words struck her, Alyssa bows her head down to hide her tears that are starting to flow and wipes it. Although she has been avoiding Den for the whole month, there's still a part of her that misses Den but the reason why she keeps avoiding is because of the pain Den has caused her.
And Alyssa wants to forget that pain.
Unknowingly, Den is also looking at her. Den cannot avoid being hurt, she knows Alyssa is trying to forget about what happened.
"Ly! Ikaw naman tumugtog." Ella said and tries to hand the guitar to her, Alyssa shooks her head by saying no. "Isa lang." Ella pleads and Alyssa grabs the guitar with no other choice.
"Mae." Tasha pats Mae at her shoulder to keep herself calm, then focuses their attention to Alyssa who is arranging the tune.
When Alyssa is done arranging and positioning the guitar to where she feels comfortable, Gretch gives her a signal and she starts strumming.
"I've known you all my life, you are a friend of mine. I know this is how it's gonna be. I've loved you then and I love you still you're a friend of mine. Now, I know friends are all we ever could be."
Everyone noticed how Alyssa improved her singing talent. Kung noon ay halos mabingi ang tenga nila sa kanta niyang Burn, pantig na pantig naman sila sa kanyang boses ngayon. Den also smiles though Alyssa was not looking at her, that smile quickly turns into frown upon enduring the meaning of the song and how Alyssa expresses her feelings through singing with full emotion.
"You tell me things I've never known, I shown you love you've never shown. But then again, when you cry I'm always at your side. You tell me 'bout the love you've had, I listen very eagerly."
Alyssa felt her eyes tingling and she's about to cry. She lays out a slight smile to avoid her tears from falling.
"But deep inside you'll never see this feeling of emptiness, it makes me feel sad. But then again, then again, then again... I'm glad."
A round of applause was given and Ella whistled to her nice performance. But, Alyssa is glad even though she and Den didn't work out. I guess, it's better this way. She thought after finishing the song.
"Magbati na ulit kayo."
It is only Ella and Alyssa right now, the other girls went for a stroll around the place after having their mini picnic.
"Bati naman kami ah." Alyssa said. She didn't break her friendship with Den, she's just avoiding her for one obvious reason.
Ella crosses her arms, "Bati? Iniiwasan mo kaya, gusto ka pa nga kausapin ni Den."
Alyssa thought something about what Ella said, "Hindi ako handa, let me get over this first." She actually wants to say that she is finally giving up hoping for something to be real but changes her mind.
Yet, Ella is good at reading her Bestfriend's mind, "Sus, sumusuko ka lang eh." She gasped and Alyssa could not say a word.
Silence.
"Ano pa ba magagawa ko? Umamin naman ako at walang nangyari, ang gusto ko lang naman ay umamin." Alyssa finally speaks, she looks afar and noticed the girls are coming back.
"Umamin? Ibig sabihin, walang expectations? Bakit ka nasasaktan?" Ella bombards again some emotional-hitting questions that made Alyssa sighed.
"Siyempre, kaakibat nun ay sakit. Hindi ko nga lang inexpect na ganito kasakit." Alyssa pointed out to her heart that is in deep pain, she was about to speak again when she saw Den is already in front of them. Alyssa stands up and turns her back around to walk away when Den holds her right arm to make her stop.
"Let's talk."
BINABASA MO ANG
In Your Eyes
Hayran KurguDennise is a Freshman from Ateneo, she is a good natured lady who is a Volleyball Player from CSA. She hates brats. Specifically, she hates Alyssa Valdez. Alyssa is a Freshman from the same University, the complete opposite of Dennise. Why? Stubborn...
