The One For Me (For EDITING)

ELEVEN

DANNY~

I went to Gacal residence because Kathleen told me na kunin ang kanyang charger kasi nakalimutan nya ito last night.

Malapit na ako sa kanila when I saw two people walking. I slowed down my car and I noticed it was Estelle, she's with Apollo. I opened my window at sinabi ko na sumabay na sila. Estelle was very excited when Apollo told me they want to walk lang. And I saw na parang ang sama ng tingin ni Estelle kay Apollo. I chuckled, mga bata talaga. Sabi ko na aalis na ako at biglang inakbayan ni Apollo si Estelle, which is weird. Well I didnt mind it nalang.

Nang makarating na ako sa bahay nila, I looked for Ford. I asked for the charger. He invites me to have dinner muna sa kanila but I was full kasi kakatapos lang ng meeting ko with some customer. Nagpaalam na ako sa kanila.

When I was about to enter in my car, I heard someone weeping. Hinanap ko kung sino. I saw a figure at the back of my car, nilapitan ko. And it was Estelle. She's crying so hard. I approached her, when she saw me, she immediately wiped her tears and smiled.

"Kuya Tanda. Ano pong ginagawa mo dito?" Sabi nya.

Grabe ang batang to. She still manages to have that smile on her face even though she's crying. I asked her what's the problem. Pero she told me na wala daw.

"Are you sure? Then why are you crying if wala? Ano yan arte arte lang?" Sabi ko while laughing.

She just laughed. And while laughing, tears starts to fall down from her cheeks. Naaawa ako sa kanya. Why is she crying? Sinong nagpaiyak sa kanya?

"Hey, bata? Whats the problem. Come here nga." Sabi ko at tinabihan ko sya.

Lalo syang umiyak. Nako, ano ba to. What will I do? And suddenly may naisip akong pwedeng makapagpagaan ng loob nya.

"Sama ka sa akin. May ipapakita ako sayo." Sabi ko.

"Ano po yun? Next time nalang po, baka hinahanap na ako nina mama." Sabi nya.

"I'll text your kuya nalang. Wait." Sabi ko at tinext kuya Ford nya.

Ipinaalam ko sya at buti naman pumayag kuya nya. Sasabihin nalang daw ni Ford sa mama so that she dont have to worry anymore. I told her na payag na kuya nya. Sumama sya sa akin. Im gonna take her to a place na sobrang important for me. Nakarating na kami. Bumaba kami at umakyat. It was a little hill, it was not crowded and maybe only a little can appreciate this place.

"We're here." I said.

"Wow. Ang ganda naman dito Kuya Tanda. Ang fresh ng hangin. Napaka peaceful. At kitang kita mo ang moon and stars. Pati yung city medyo makikita mo na. Amazing." Sabi nya.

"Feeling better?"

"Opo. Madalas ka dito?"

"I only go here if I want to be alone, to loosen up, and to reminisce. This place is so special to me. Tingin ng iba this is a boring and nonsense place, but this hill is more than just that. Well nevermind, you wont understand anyway."

She looked at me. I'm sure she'll ask. But Im not yet ready to talk about it, kahit kanino. I dont want them to catch me off guard.

"Kuya Tanda, everything will be alright. If ano man ang nangyari Im sure God has a plan for it. If you want to share it andito ako para makinig. Pero if ayaw mo pag usapan, okay lang din. Hihi." Sabi nya and then she smiled.

She didnt ask? Most people kasi nowadays will ask what happened, when, why, how. But this girl beside me, just told me that everything will be alright. It makes me happy because theres a one person who is concern rather than be curious about it.

"You want to drink? Wait, I'll get some." Sabi ko.

She yelled na ayaw nya daw kasi hindi daw sya umiinom. Natawa ako because she thought Im gonna let her drink an alcoholic beverage.

"Akala mo beer ano? Haha. Bata talaga. Here, have some pepsi. This is my favorite." I handed it to her.

"Sorry po kuya tanda, akala ko kasi papainumin mo ako ng beer. Ready na ready ka po ah?" Sabi nya.

"Yeah. Im ready talaga. My plan kasi is after I get the charger at your house I'm going here. To have some fresh air."

"May problem ka kuya?"

"Wala naman bata, I just want to relax. Looks like youre the one who have a problem. You can tell it to me. Cmon."

"Si Apollo po kase, naiinis ako sa kanya. Binastos ka nya kanina. Nakakahiya. At nagagalit sya kapag may nakakaclose akong iba. Sinabihan nya ako na wala daw makakapalit sa posisyon nya sa buhay ko which is unfair kasi kapag sya hindi ako nagrereklamo kapag may kasama syang iba. Kahit na inuuna nya ang iba okay lang sa akin." She said and tears are falling down from her cheeks again.

"Its because you like him? Dont you?" I told her.

Nabigla sya sa nasabi ko. Tiningnan nya ako. I looked at her too. She cant speak up. Ang tagal bago sya nakasagot.

"How can you tell ba kuya kapag gusto mo ang isang tao?" She asked me.

"What makes them happy makes you happy too, even though it hurts you. Is that how you feel?" I asked.

Matagal nanaman syang nakasagot. She lied down on the grass. Closed her eyes. I looked at her, ang ganda nya. Napaka effortless ng beauty. I can really remember her from Estelle. Maybe thats why my heart is beating so fast whenever Estelle is around. She opened her eyes and looked at the stars and moon.

"Maybe kuya tanda. I dont know, malabo. Pero isa lang alam ko, kapag masaya si Apollo, masaya na rin ako. Alam mo kuya para akong moon and the other girls are stars." She said while looking at the sky.

"Why is that?" I asked her.

"Because Apollo loves the stars. Sabi nya na there is this star na nakikita nya palagi na nagshashine out sa other stars and he told me na yun ang magiging the one nya. And its impossible na maging ako yun. Why? Kasi sabi nya na ako daw yun moon. And I'll be the one to guide that star na para daw sa kanya. At moon daw ako kasi ako daw ang nagpapaliwanag ng buhay nya kapag dumidilim ito." She said and her voice is shaking.

"Isnt that a good thing?" I asked her.

"Good thing naman. But the bad thing is, hanggang doon lang. I will never be that star na hinihintay nyang dumating sa buhay nya. Oo, andyan ako lagi sa kanya. Cheering him up all the time. Being the best friend I could possibly be. Kulang na nga lang bigyan ako ng 'World's best bestfriend' award pero gaya ng moon, I will always have that side na hinding hindi mapapansin ni Apollo." And she breaks down.

I stand up, I told her to stand up too. Nang makatayo na sya I shared to her kung ano ang ginagawa ko kapag may heartache ako.

"You shout it out to the world. Shout as loud as you can. Let the stars, moon and the whole universe know what you feel because after all, they wont judge you."

At first ayaw nya pa, I just kept quiet. Until a moment later bigla syang sumigaw ng napakalakas.

"ANG UNFAIR UNFAIR MO!!!!!!! BUTI PA ANG IBA NAPAPANSIN MO!!!! PERO BAKIT AKO HINDI MO MAPANSIN!!! HINDI NAMAN AKO NAGKAKAGANITO DATI AH! PERO SIMULA NUNG NAGKAKILALA KAYO NG KOLEEN NA YUN EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED!!! BINABALEWALA MO NA ANG BESTFRIEND MO! ANG BESTFRIEND MONG MAY GUSTO SAYO!!!!"

After she shouted, umiyak sya ng grabe. I let her be that way muna. After she had composed herself I told her that pain is just temporary and that she'll have someone who will love her the way she wants to be loved. And I think that made her feel much better.

Maya maya, I told her we must go home na because its getting late. When we arrived at their house I said goodbye but suddenly lumapit sya sa akin at niyakap nya ako bigla. Her hug is so tight. I can feel her warmth. And for the first time after the long years Ive been miserable, I feel safe. The same way I feel back then with her.

"Thank you Kuya Tanda." She said.

"Youre always welcome, Marisse." I said softly, that only me can hear.