Thru These Tears (SharDon)

01

Sharlene

babe, you're free today right? let's go out? I miss you

An hour turned two, turned three, yet there's no response from him. It's been a while since they last went out and she badly misses him. Their schedules for the past months has been contradicting with one another.

She understands it alright, but this has always been the scenario for so long now. She's always seeking his time. She's always the one to initiate for them to go out. She's... almost begging for his time, for his attention.

She decided to go online to kill time. Today's her free day, too and she chose to stay home just in case Donny would call her and plan to go out with her. But it seems like he's enjoying his time with some other people.

There, on his Instagram stories, a video of him and some of his co-stars, including her for their upcoming film captioned above anything else. Bigla ay tumulo ang mga luha niya.

Above anything else.

So I am no longer important to him, huh? She thought to herself as she wiped the tears from her face. Masakit kasi wala na talagang oras ito para sa kanya. Masakit kasi unti-unti, nawawala na ang Donny na minahal niya.

Ang Donny na gagawa ng paraan para lang makalabas sila. Ang Donny na, kahit pagod galing sa mga taping, tatawag at magte-text pa rin sa kanya. Ang Donny na palaging inaalala siya. Ang Donny na palagi siyang inuuna. Ang Donny na mahal na mahal siya.

Nag-desisyon siyang tawagan ito ngunit hindi man lang nito sinasagot. Tinawagan niya rin ang bahay nito, nagba bakasakaling matagal na iyong video na iyon at ngayon niya lang pinost. Ngunit nang ang kasambahay nito ang sumagot at sinabing lumabas ito, lalo lamang siyang nasaktan at nakakaramdam ng pagka wasak.

After a few minutes staring into nothing, her phone rang. She was hoping that it's Donny, but the caller ID indicated that it's Nash. Her good childhoold bestfriend.

Hello, Shar. Are you free right now?

Bungad nito sa kanya. She wanted to say no. Still hoping like a fool that Donny would call her. That he would take her out, but who is she kidding? Ni ang pagsagot sa kanyang texts at tawag hindi nito magawa, ang lumabas pa kaya ang kasama siya?

"Hi Nash. Yes, free ako ngayon. Wala naman akong gagawin. Bakit?"

Really? Wala kayong lakad ni Donny?

"Ah wala. Busy din kasi siya kaya hindi rin kami makakalabas"

Pagsisinungaling niya. She can't tell him that Donny's not responding to her calls and texts. Paniguradong pupuntahan niya ito't kokomprontahin. Ayaw niyang mag-away ang dalawa dahil sakanya. Ayaw niya ring mapasama ang imahe ni Donny sa matalik na kaibigan.

Andre and I are quite near your place. Catch up lang since it's been a while since lumabas tayo. Susunod si Nikki. Maybe you want to join us? Sunduin ka namin diyan ngayon.

"Okay, sige. Mag-aayos na ako"

Yun lang at tinapos na niya ang tawag at nag-ayos na. She just wore her usual get-up, t-shirt, jeans and a pair of sneakers. Applied light make-up and she's ready to go.

She was enjoying herself— at least that's what she tries to believe. She laughs along with them and sometimes would joke but still feels empty. And she's not the only one who notices it. Ilang beses niyang nahuli si Nash na nakatingin sa kanya, tila inoobserbahan ang kilos at mga salita niya. His eyes secretly asks if she's truly okay, which she will just smile in return.