BPH UNTOLD: BACKSTAGE SECRETS

《SECRET # 7: SOMEONE KNOWS WHERE I WENT TONIGHT》

"Shouldn't we start?" A now grumpy Anthon asked for the nth time. "Gutom na ako."

"Pupunta ba talaga sya o hindi?" Kael asked Daeniel while feeling the bandaged wound on his face. "Hindi na sya nagpakita since that night.."

"Pinilit ko naman syang bumalik. Kaso hindi talaga nagpapilit. Sabi ko pa nga may explanation naman siya kung nasaan siya nung gabing 'yon, and besides..." Dae hesitated. "May theory naman ako.."

"Sigurado ka ba talaga dun?" Fourth asked.

"Yun yung narinig ko. Namin."

"Look, can you stop that? Impossible. May sakit na nga yung tao, pinagdududahan mo pa," Kael said, in defense of his girlfriend's twin brother.

"Pero tumakas siya sa ospital nung gabing yun. Sabi nya may misyon pa siyang dapat tapusin!" Dae insisted.

"It could be for another reason."

"Ah basta, alam ko yung narinig ko. Kelangan ko nalang maghanap ng pruweba."

"Magsasayang ka lang ng panahon. Kasi you know, if there's anyone who would most likely do this to me, it would be that jerk, Thirdy," Kael said, half-glancing at Fourth. "Remember?"

"Wala naman na akong balita kay Kuya. Since nung araw na na-expel siya sa High Hopes."

"Yeah, yeah who'd forget that day Kael? That was also the day you and Andy finally made ends meet, right?" Anthon recalled. "But before we all play detective here, where the hell is Andy? I bet he isn't coming, so we better start rehearsing without him. My tummy here is getting impatient."

Dae decided to give up on his theory. He sighed and said, "Sige na. Ako nalang magtuturo kay Andy kung sakaling may baguhin tayo sa choreo. Pero subukan kong tawagan siya for the last time."

"Ako na," Kael offered.

***

"Bro nakikinig ka ba?" Andy asked, ignoring the vibrating phone in his back pocket. He was now seriously starting to wonder if he made the right decision to talk about things with Hero over coffee. His friend seemed very sympathetic on the phone last night. But now, it was a total opposite. "Bat napapangiti ka pa ata dyan?"

"Ha? Wala may naalala lang ako bigla. So ano na nga? Nagakataon din na may white paint ka sa mukha?" Hero replied, with a smirk. "Lame."

"Bakit? Nagbihis payaso rin kasi ako nun. Para sa birthday party ng kaibigan ng kapatid ko. Kaya nagkataon lang talaga."

"Alam mo, Andy, tayo-tayo lang naman eh. Aminin mo na kasi. Ikaw ba yung sumaksak kay Kael?" He asked darkly.

"Ano?" Andy was taken aback. "Ruru, naman. Naglalabas na nga ako nga sama ng loob dito o. Tas ganyan ka pa. Hindi nga ako."

Hero laughed. "Relax! Biro lang!" Then he added, "Tsaka pwede bang wag mo na akong tawagin sa nickname na yan? Nakakadiri. Ikaw kaya ang tawagin kong? Ano..ano nga yun?"

"Bat nagiging ulyanin ka na? Andoy!" Andy snickered. "Oo nga noh? Parang ang sagwa na nga pakinggan."

"Sabi sa'yo eh," he replied, smirking. "Uh, Andy, pasensya na ha pero kailangan ko na pala talagamg umalis. May pupuntahan pa ako eh."

"Ganun ba? Sige, bro, salamat talaga sa oras." He reached out to clasp his friend's hand. And when they did, Andy felt the roughness of his scars.

Hero looked at Andy. His eyes were telling him not to say anything. "Walang problema, bro. Mauna na ako."

Andy watched his friend until he drove away with his motorcycle. He stayed longer on the cafe, even after he finished his iced coffee. He enjoyed the fast-paced internet connection that he couldn't fully enjoy at their condo. What with five of them using the wifi at the same time? Through his peripheral vision, Andy suddenly saw someone approaching him. He looked up and needed to squint harder to recognize the guy who just propped himself opposite him.