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《Present Life》
August 10, 2022
Thursday | 11:23pm
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Pinunasan ni Laureen ang huling table sa area na naka-assign sa kanya. Tahimik na ang buong bar, sarado na, at silang mga crew na lang ang natira.
May kanya-kanya silang ginagawa.
Si Trace na inaayos ang stage. Si Yuen na nagpupunas din ng mga mesa sa kabilang side. Si Cleo na busy sa pag-check ng expiration dates ng mga bote.
"Sir Lorenzo, these bottles are gonna be expired tomorrow na. What should we do with this?"
Napalingon si Laureen kay Cleo, hawak ang dalawang malalaking bote ng beer, habang may dalawa pang nakapatong sa mesa. She's staring at Sir Lorenzo, waiting for his answer.
"Either take it home... or drink it here," he answered.
Agad namang lumiwanag ang mukha ni Cleo.
"Really? We can drink it here?"
"Yeah. Just make sure to clean after."
"OMG!" Pinagkasya ni Cleo ang apat na bote sa kamay niya at nagmadaling pumunta sa isang table.
"Who's willing to join me?" excited niyang tanong.
Agad namang umupo si Yuen sa tabi niya dahilan para mapangiwi si Cleo. "Duh! Not you. Go home na nga baka mairita lang ako."
"Damot mo. Hindi naman sayo 'yan."
"Whatever!"
Napalingon sila kay Laureen nang makiupo rin ito sa table kung nasan sila.
"Oh my gosh, sissy! I would LOVE to drink with you!" halos sumabog ang boses ni Cleo sa excitement.
"You'll drink?" Trace asked as he stood beside Laureen.
"Why not?" maikling sagot niya. Kumibit-balikat si Trace bago naupo rin sa tabi niya. Mukhang tapos na nga silang lahat sa trabaho.
And for once, they allowed themselves to just... sit, relax and breathe.
Hindi naman talaga madalas uminom si Laureen.
But tonight felt different.
Sa dami ng nangyari, pakiramdam niya hindi siya makakatulog nang maayos mamayang gabi. Masyadong magulo ang isip niya.
Too many thoughts, too many feelings she couldn't even explain. She needed something to quiet it down. Something like... alcohol.
At simula nang mapadpad siya sa bar na 'to, there was this strange, unshakable feeling.
Na parang... hindi na siya bago rito.
Pakiramdam niya, matagal niya na silang kilala.
The way they talk, the way they look at her, even the way they move around her, everything felt familiar.
BINABASA MO ANG
The Life That Echoes
FantasySome love don't end. They linger-soft, distant, and aching like echoes that refuse to fade. Lorenzo once had a love that felt like forever. Annys was his home, his future, his everything. Until death took her too soon, leaving behind a silence he n...
