11:11pm

Chapter 8

After the office hours, I went to Jho's office to check if she already leave. We never had a time to catch up every after office hours because I immediately go to Jia. That's the routine.

Habang palihim na sumisilip sa pintuan niya, may nagsalita sa likod ko, "Uh, what are you doing?"

"Nothing. Tinitignan lang si Jho. Pero parang wala na, did you noticed her?" I said while still looking inside Jho's office.

"Hmm, makikita mo siguro siya pag humarap ka dito"

Wait, that voice..

"Jho!" I said shockingly.

"Ikaw ha, bat mo ko sinisilip? Di ka nalang kumatok!" 

I have to make an excuse, "May sasabihin kasi ako"

"Ano yun?"

"You will start working with Marci tomorrow" I said which is true naman. Pero parang ayoko na ituloy.

"Okay. Yung lang?" 

"Yes, I have to go." Sabi ko sakanya.

"Okay, ingat ka. Babye" Akala ko yun lang yun but she leaned closer to me and kissed my cheeks.

Shit, I feel that my cheeks are now burning, my heart skipped a beat, "B-bye"

--

"Hello Ji! I miss you so much!" I said while placing the bouquet of sunflowers to Jia's grave.

I began telling stories to Jia, what I have done these last days and why did I missed days in going to her grave. Masyadong na drained yung katawan ko nun eh. Halos one week rin akong hindi nakadalaw sakaniya.

"Galit ka ba sakin?" I asked her. Well, she's there in heaven, she can see everything that's happening with me. I bet she knows that... that i'm starting to like Jho.

"Ji, you know I love you so much, right? Hindi nawawala yun kahit anong mangyari. But..." I stopped for a while because I felt that someone is walking to reach my destination.

Good thing I stopped, I turned my back and saw Jobok.

"Bok!!!" I said and hugged him. "Hindi na ko nakakadalaw sainyo, pasensya na"

"Okay lang ate. Alam ko namang di mo ipagpapalit si Ate Jia kahit kanino kahit di mo na kami nakikita" he confidently said.

This is what I mean. Ji's family is very close to me. I don't know if they can accept me if I'll say it to them that I'm starting to like someone. I feel like I'm stuck with their hands.

"Diba ate? Kahit naman wala na sya, siya pa rin gusto at mahal mo?" Bumalik ako sa ulirat ko nang magsalita ulit so Jobok.

I release my fake smile, "Oo naman. Walang makakapalit kay Jia. Ganon kalakas tama ko sa ate mo"

"Alam ko ate, naninigurado lang"

'Sana nga, Bok. Sana nga'

--

At 11:30, I decided to go home. Hinatid ko na rin si Jobok sa bahay nila. And when I got home, I fixed myself and ready now to sleep but I can't. Nagpalipat-lipat na ko ng pwesto pero kahit 1% na antok hindi dumadapo. Siguro dahil na rin ito sa sinabi ni Maddie. Tapos dagdag mo pa yung sinabi ni Jobok. Gulo gulo naman ng buhay ko.

I remembered Jho, sabi nya kasi one time, lagi daw syang hirap makatulog.

I reach for my phone and dialed Jho's number.

"Hello?" Jho started.

"Hi, Jho. Did I disturbed you?"

"No, not really. As usual, I can't sleep" she chuckled.

"Same tho" 

"Bat di ka makatulog?"

'Naiisip kasi kita'

"Uhm, I don't know. Ikaw?"

"Lagi naman akong di makatulog ng maaga"

We talked about random things. Medyo dinadapuan na rin ako ng antok kasi halos isang oras na kaming mag-kausap.

"Jho, na-inlove ka na ba?" I blurted out.

She chuckled, "Bat mo naman natanong?"

"Wala lang. Just answer it nalang"

"Many times"

"Hanggang ngayon?"

"Oo, hanggang ngayon" she answered that made me sad. Ang tanga ko naman kasi. Umaasa ako, ni hindi ko nga magawang umamin sakaniya.

Magpapapaalam na sana ako pero siya naman ang nagtanong.

"Bei, may chance ba na mahulog ka ulit?"

"Mahulog?" I gulped.

"O-oo, mahulog"

"You mean, to fall inlove again?"

"Yea, ganun na nga"

Sasabihin ko sanang, oo, ang laki ng chance pero bigla kong naisip si Jobok. Yung sinabi nya sa akin kanina. Umaasa siya na kahit anong mangyayari ay si Jia pa rin ang mamahalin ko. Kahit na ang totoo ay nararamdaman ko na na nahuhulog na ako ng tuluyan kay Jho. Iniisip kasi nila na when I fell inlove again, mababaliwala na lahat ng pinagsamahan namin ni Jia. Mawawalan na ng parte sa puso ko si Jia, which is not true. She'll remain here. Even if... im starting to fall inlove again.

"Wala kasi I never fell out of love to Jia naman" i answered.

"What do you mean?"

"I love Jia so much and I don't see myself falling into someone else"

"Ah.. Kahit konti, wala talaga?" Narinig ko ang pagkalungkot sa boses ni Jho.

'As much as I wanted to tell you that I'm starting to love every part of you, I can't Jho'

"Wala talaga" i released a fake laugh, "Bakit mo naman natanong?"

"Wala, nagtanong ka rin kanina eh" she said "Sige na bei, inaantok na ako eh. Good night"

Sasagot pa sana ako kaso binaba niya na.

Tama nga siguro si Maddie, gusto rin ako ni Jho.

I sighed.

'Kung alam mo lang Jho, kung alam mo lang'