In Time With You

EIGHT: CLUTCH

Hindi mapakali si Sangria sa sobrang kaba, nanlalamig siya at parang may mga paru-parong lumilipad sa sikmura niya. Hindi naman siya pasmado at mas lalong hindi mainit ang panahon ngunit parang gripo kung pagpawisan ang kamay niya.

Huminga siya ng malalim. "Relax, Ria. Kaya mo 'to. Kaya mo 'to. Huuu!" pagkausap niya sa sarili habang pilit na pinakakalma ang nagwawala niyang sistema.

She inhaled and exhaled once more. And looked at the stairs, nakatayo siya ngayon sa gitna ng hallway, mayroon siyang hinihintay—si Del.

It was the last day of classes at bukas ay graduation na kaya naman nag-ipon siyang sangkaterbang lakas ng loob para sa sandaling ito. Well, sort of. The original plan was,After four long years, finally. Ipagtatapat na niya kay Del ang nararamdaman niya but he learned something about him and her plan changed. Sinet-up niya si Del upang ito ang magtapat sa babaeng gusto nito—si Raq.

Raq was inside the classroom, she wrote a note to her pretending to be Del. And she slightly confessed to her. She also asked Raq to meet Del at their classroom.

Halos ng buong eskuwelahan alam yata ang wagas na paghanga niya para dito, pero mali naman silang lahat—dahil mas higit pa sa matinding paghanga ang nararamdaman niya para kay Del.

Mahal niya ito.

Call her crazy and obsessed pero iyon ang isinisigaw ng puso niya, si Del. And she loved him enough to help him to be happy.

Lumakas lalo ang tambol sa kanyang dibdib nang makarinig siya ng mga yabag, and she was right. Paakyat na nga si Del, she readied herself and crossed her fingers behind her back.

Tila nagulat si Del pagkakita sa kanya "Oh, Ria, akala ko may graduation practice ngayon sa gym?" tanong nito nang makabawi.

"Someone's waiting for you inside Del, go tell her how you feel."Nangingig na ang boses niya, at kapag hindi pa siguro siya umalis doon, baka naglupasay na siya sa kaiiyak sa harapan nito o di kaya pinigilan niya at siya na lamang ang umamin dito.

Talagang papatak na ang mga luha niya kaya hindi na niya hinintay na makasagot ito o makapasok sa classroom kung saan nag-aantay si Raq. Dali dalisiyang tumakbo sa ibabang floor.

Sumandal siya sa may pinto ng isang saradong classroom, ngunit dahil sobrang nanlalambot ang tuhod niya, dumausdos siya pababa. At kasabay niyon, ang mga luha niya ay nag-unahang pumatak.

She waited for that moment to happen for so long, she thought it would be a magical one, but the magic faded out and what's left is her never ending tears and a severely broken young heart.

She was crouched on the wall beside the door, napaangat sya ng tingin nang may maramdaman siyang tumapat sa kanya. And there he was, with his smiling eyes full of mischief.

"Iyakin, bukas pa graduation." He gently teased.

And then he sat beside him and scooted closer to her. "Sandal ka, okay lang." Piper offered his shoulder for her to cry on and she did.

The faint light from the small window adjacent to the bed was probably the reason Ria woke up. And as soon as she opened her eyes, she felt her head buzzed and heavy.

It took a while bago niya nakayanang bumangon. She lightly touched her forehead and then faced the right side of the twin-sized bed. It was empty, and as if no one besides her has occupied it. Wala na rin doon ang isang unan, imbes ay nakalagay iyon sa ulunan ng katabing sofa. Del must have slept there.

She felt relief but at the same time some sort of uneasiness. Unlike what people say, kadalasan ay naalala naman ng mga lasing ang ginagawa nila. And in her case, yes, she can clearly remember the things she did and... said.