Where I Want To Be (2b published)

CHAPTER 9 - And Now...

"And! He has the gull to say that he loves me!?!"

"Actually, it's true."

"Huh?!"

"You do call out Dario's name when you sleep."

"Eh?!"

Kasalukuyan kaming nasa bar ng best friend kong si Bea, at eto ako, naglalabas ng sama ng loob habang may kumakantang sintonado sa background ng 'My Way'.

"Kasalanan lahat ito ni Sir Dario eh! Ni 'di ko alam kung ano'ng ginagawa n'ya sa panaginip ko! Malamang binubugbog ko s'ya dahil sa pakikielam n'ya pati sa relasyon namin ni Adan!!!" tinungga ko ang non-alchoholic cocktail na inorder sa akin ni Bea. "

"Alam mo Jason, buti nalang maingay dito sa bar, kundi nalaman na ng buong mundo na nag eemote ka about your gay relationship."

"Eh, kasi naman yang Sir Dario na yan eh, hindi pa ko lubayan! At si Adan naman... si Adan..." bigla akong naiyak.

"Ano ba yan, low alchohol na nga pinili ko nagwawala ka pa rin."

"My lovey-dovey newly-wed live with Adan... nausog nanaman!"

"Augh! Please Jason, kinikilabutan ako sa 'yo."

"Ano pa ba sinasabi ko pag nag s-sleep talk ako? Pangalan lang ba ni Sir? Eh, si Adan? Tinatawag ko rin ba si Adan?"

"Well, yeah, mostly some disgusting nonsense... but sometimes you would call Dario and you would cry in your sleep."

"What!?! I don't believe that!"

"Then don't!"

"I refuse to believe it! Why would I cry for that stupid big –"

"Hey that's my drink!"

...

"Hey? are you awake?"

"Adan?!"

Napatayo ako bigla at napayuko uli sa sobrang sakit ng ulo ko.

"Dahan-dahan, mukhang may hang-over ka." binigyan ako ni Adan ng baso ng tubig at paracetamol. "'Di ba sabi ko 'wag kang iinom? Kita mo tuloy-"

Niyakap ko s'ya ng mahigpit kahit pa umiikot ang mundo ko. Ayaw ko syang bitiwan, ayaw ko syang pakawalan.

"Jason..." sabi n'ya, hindi s'ya gumagalaw.

"Sandali lang." sabi ko. "I only want to hold you." he took a deep breath and hugged me back. "I love you." sabi ko sa kanya. "I love you so much Adan... I love you so much..."

"I know, Jason, I love you too." sagot n'ya.

"This is okay, right? I can still hug you, right? I can still come here to be with you?"

"It's okay, I am still your boyfriend, after all, remember?"

"Then I won't let go...I'm never letting go."

Well, eventually I had to let go, of course. And on that faithfull day... on our first day to Maybunga University, ang una kong ginawa ay hanapin si Sir Dario. Which was not as easy as it seems. Classes started on Wednesday. Puro seminars about the school rules at acquaintance party ang pinuntahan namin ni Bea, and finally, on Friday, I was able to find – and talk to the Dean of the College of Engineering.

"Sir, good afternoon, I'm a freshman here, my name is Jason Alphonso from the Mechanical Engineering department..." pakilala ko.

"Ah yes, my secretary told me about you, sabi n'ya you had something important to ask me?" nakangiting sagot sa akin ng dean. "Pasensya na ha, fina-finalize pa kasi namin ang ilang schedules kaya ngayon lang ako nakabalik sa main office."

"Yes sir, itatanong ko lang po sana kung may professor dito na Sir Dario ang pangalan?" nagmamadali kong tanong.

"Sir Dario?"

"Yes Sir, Math teacher po s'ya... Ferdinand Dario po ang name n'ya?"

"Ah, yes, yes... Professor Ferdinand Dario..."

"So, nandito po s'ya? Pano ko po kaya s'ya ma co-contact?"

"Ah, actually, that's the problem, hindi rin namin s'ya ma-contact ourselves," sagot ng Dean, "You see, he's no longer in the University, quite the tragedy, actually, after what happened..."

Hindi ko na narinig ang ibang sinabi ng dean. Nagpintig ang tenga ko sa salitang 'he's no longer in the University'. It took all my will power not to cry out in anger.

At ngayon, a day after that event, natupad din sa wakas ang pinapangarap kong happily married life! After kong ipagluto ng masarap na breakfast si Adan, eh inaya ko syang maligo. Ahem, of course we didn't just take a bath. After that, diretso naman kami sa bedroom, at hindi kami lumabas hanggang kinabukasan, and after magbabad sa tub, lumabas naman kami para mag date.

Ah... This is how I plan to live the rest of our lives together! Soon I'll be an engineer, and of course Adan has his bakery. He currently has 5 branches with the 6th one along the way, but we promise to keep all our weekends open so we can have time alone together.

Later, we went to Adan's favorite bar to meet his friends.

"Adan! Long time no see!" tawag sa kanya ng isang matangkad na binabaeng nakasuot ng glittery red gown. "Good thing you made it!"

"Kamusta na, Dana?" bati ni Adan habang nakakapit sa braso ko. "You guys remember my boyfriend, Jason?" tumalon ang puso ko sa tuwa nang ipinakilala n'ya ako.

"So, finally, legal na kayo?" tanong ni San. Adan simply smiled proudly. Matagal na naming napatawad ang 'joke' na ginawa sakin ni San dati.

"Anyway, he just got into MaybungaUniversity," sabi niya.

"Uyyy, schoolmate!" sabi ni Dana, "Ano'ng course?"

"Mechanical Engineering." sagot ko.

"Wow! Matalino ang nasungkit mo sister!" sabi ni Dana.

"Ano nga pala ang course mo?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"BS Biology lang naman, majoring in Physiology and Neurolgy." pagmamalaking sagot ni Dana.

"Actually, this is Dana's graduation party." sabi sa akin ni Adan.

"Buti nga at naisama ka na rin n'ya sa wakas!" sabi ni Dana. "Naaalala ko nung una ka n'yang ipakilala samin, ang liit mo pa noon, ngayon nakakatakot ka nang lokohin!" nagtawanan kami sa sinabi ni Dana.

"Anyway, congratulation," iniba ko ang usapan. "so, brain surgeon ka na pala?" tanong ko.

"Hopefully, after I pass the board." sagot ni Dana. "so, did you meet your old math teacher?" biglang sabi n'ya.

Napatingin ako kay Adan na umiwas ng tingin sa akin. Mukhang alam ko na kung kanino galing ang brochure na nakuha n'ya kung saan.

"Actually, wala na pala s'ya doon," sagot ko. "eto kasing si Adan, kung anu-ano naiisip eh."

"Sinong Math teacher?" tanong ni San.

"Wala." sagot ni Adan na namumula.

"Ah, tama, naalala ko nga, nabalita dati, namatay daw ang mag-ina n'ya sa isang vehicular accident." sabi ni Dana.

Natahimik ako at napatingin kay Adan. Nakatitig din s'ya sa akin, nanlalaki ang mga mata.

"Oh, no you don't!" agad kong sinabi sa kanya! "Don't you dare put another stupid idea in your head!"

"What?" tanong ni San na ayaw naiiwan sa intriga. "What happened?!"

"Wala naman akong sinabi ha?" sagot ni Adan, napaka obvious na pilit ang ngiti n'ya. "At 'di naman yun ang pinunta natin dito." tumawag s'ya ng waiter na agad lumapit sa amin, "I'll be paying for the drinks," Adan announced, "Just order what you want."