My Serendipity

Kabanata 13

Xavia

Manila felt nostalgic. I never knew coming back home can give me escape too.

"Xavia! You're finally home!" dad welcomed me with open arms. Binaba ko naman mga gamit ko para yakapin si Daddy pabalik. Lumapit rin mga kapatid ko at si mommy sa akin.

I saw the concerned look of my brother at me. I smiled at him to show that I am fine.

Wala namang kasalanan si Theo dito. I shouldn't hate him nor hold grudges. It was my own expectations hurt me. Kung magkabalikan man si Theo at Vina, I am happy for him. 

Nagpahinga muna ako ng dumating ako sa kwarto. My room feels new to me too! Nakasanayan ko na ang kwarto ko sa isla. Kung saan tanaw na tanaw ko sa bintana ang malinaw na dagat.

Afternoon when I woke up, I received calls from my cousins. Asking me to go out later and celebrate. Pumayag naman ako para hindi ako masaktan dito sa loob ng kwarto. I never knew I will be sad like this when I arrived at Manila. Akala ko kapag bumalik na ako dito I am very refresh and new. Ganoon lang rin pala.

Jaira knocked on my door. Pumasok naman ito na may dalang pagkain.

"Xavia." she called me. I took a bite from the cookie she prepared for me.

"Sinabihan kayo ni Kuya Brett?" tanong ko. Kumunot naman ang noo niya.

"Huh? Bakit may nangyari ba?" tanong nito.

I told him last night not to tell my siblings about what happened. I don't want them to go hysterical without knowing the whole story. At tsaka, walang kasalanan si Theo dito kung bakit ito ang nangyari sa akin. I even asked Kuya Brett to remain cool with Theodore.

"Huh?" tanging na sagot ko dito. Kunot noo naman ang kapatid ko sa akin.

"Xavia, may nangyari ba sa isla?" 

"Wala, Jaira." if she is not asking about Theodore, then why their is concern on her face? At tsaka kay Kuya Pio kanina? Bakit ganoon ang titig nila sa akin?

"You didn't tell us." sabi nito. "We guess wala na kaming magagawa. We want to support you always, Via. You know that." dagdag niya. Hindi ko naman maintindihan ang gustong ipahiwatig ng aking kapatid sa akin.

"Last night we have talked about it. If you and Vander decided to be back together, we have--"

"Who will go back to whom, Jaira?" I cut her. Nakakunot naman ang noo kong tumingin sa kanya. Binaba ko naman ang cookie na kinakain ko. 

"You and Vander, Via. No need to hide it from us! We already saw what he posted on facebook." she added and made my jaw drop.

What the hell is going on?

I hurriedly took my phone and log in my facebook account. Hindi na ako masyadong babad sa social medias when I went to the island. Idagdag na rin para makalayo ako sa mga toxi na tao sa social media.

"Ano ba ang sinasabi mo, Jaira." tiningnan ko naman ang kapatid ko na binuksan rin ang cellphone niya.

I saw hundreds of notifications. The first picture appeared on my timelines was a screenshot of me and Vander's video chat. Nakangiti ako doon. As far as I can remember, this was taken three months before we broke up!

I miss you.

What the hell!

"What?! Baliw ba siya!" I hissed. 

"Huh? Hindi kayo nagkabalikan?" tanong ni Jaira na dumungaw sa cellphone ko para tingnan ulit ang litrato na nakita nila.

Vander is crazy! How dare him post a photo of us! Pa issue siya!

I scanned the people who reacted on the photo and what shocked me most is that Theodore Augustus Custodio reacted wow on the photo.

This photo was uploaded last December 24! I never saw this coming!

I chatted Vander and asked him to delete the photo because this is a total bullshit.

Xavia Angelique Hernandez: How dare you upload such thing?

Vander Flores: Xav, we need to talk. Nakauwi ka na ba ng Manila?

Xavia Angelique Hernandez: Delete the photo! It's bullshit, Vander.

And the idiot just fucking seen my reply!

I reported the photo and asked Jaira to report it too. Lumabas siya ng kwarto to call Kuya Pio at inis na inis naman ang kapatid kong pumasok ng kwarto.

"Hindi kasi kayo nagtanong sakin! You should've called me na meron siyang inupload!" inis kong sabi sa kanilang dalawa.

"We wanted too, Via. But we felt tired dealing with this kind of crap." Kuya Pio answered. Maraming accounts na ang nag report sa photo and I was waiting for the photo to bug down already.

"Why don't you comment on the photo, Xavia?" Jaira suggested.

"That's childish." I answered. My sister just rolled her eyes on me.

"Wow. You sound like a grown up woman. Ilang buwan ka lang naman sa isla." sagot nito sa akin at inirapan ulit ako. Hindi ko na siya sinagot pa.

I wanted to chat or text Theo to clarify things but what I witness last night backfired my decision. Maybe they are both happily celebrating holidays at the Island. Thinking about them having fun or what the hell they must be doing to catch things up can fuel anger inside me. Kahit alam kong wala naman akong karapatan para magalit sa kanila, I can't help it. Bakit pa ba kasi pumunta si Vina ng isla? For what? To reconcile with Theodore after she cheated on him? Wow. The guts.

I don't know if I can say I did fell in love with Theo. Maybe I sure did. But that love was blurry, you can't see what's really going on.

"The picture is already gone." Jaira said after two hours.

"Thank you, Jai." sabi ko.

Gusto kong sabihin sa kapatid ko ang nangyari sa isla pero ayaw kong i-judge nila si Theo basi sa sinabi ko. Theodore is very far from Vander. Vander is a boy, while Theo is a man.

I wore a red cami top and black high-waisted jeans. I paired it with my red stilettos. I put some light make up at si Jaira naman ang nag curl ng buhok ko.

This is my first time going out after being hidden in the island! I never knew I will miss this night life. Babalik at babalik rin pala ako sa mga bagay na nakasanay ko noon bago ako napadpad sa isla.

"Babalik ka pa ba ng isla? You seems fine, Via." Jaira said while curling my hair. Naglalagay naman ako ng foundation sa mukha ko.

"I don't know, Jai. But that island mean so much for me." I said without bitterness of what happened.  

"Gusto mo doon tayo kapag mag birthday ka? Kuya Brett would love it." 

"Uuwi siya dito sa 31." pag-iiba ko.

I am not planning to spend my birthday there. Hindi ko alam kung tama bang bumalik pa doon. The main goal why I went there is to move on with Vander and to be healed. I think maayos na rin naman ako. Pwede na sigurong wag bumalik doon. Wala naman akong babalikan pa doon. My cousin and his family will go here naman.

I will surely miss the island, the bayan, the people who are very bubbly and approachable, the sound of the waves, the white sand, Kuya Brett, Ate Faith, Blythe, Brix, people who became my friends. I will surely miss wearing bandeau and shorts while my hair is bun, missing the water activities, the falls. I will surely miss T---

I tilted my head. Stop with that kind of thought, Xavia. They might be showing how much they miss each other right now.

"You're done." sabi ni Jaira at nilagay sa harap ang buhok ko na inayos niya. I put red lipstick to finish my look for tonight.

I stared at the mirror and smiled for myself.

That's right, Xavia. It wasn't him who healed you, it was you who healed yourself. Remember that always.