"Uy Kisses, magsstart na" AC
"Sino ba hinahanap mo? Bat di ka mapakali kanina pa?" Sue
"Nakaupo na sila tito and tita sa loob. Wag mo na hanapin" Maymay
"Eh hindi naman sila hinahanap ko."
"Eh sino?" Edward
"Marcus?"
Palingad lingad pa rin ang mata ko sa paligid.
"Si Marcus?? Andito lang yun kanina ah" Sue
"Marcus!" I yelled without answering Sue
I saw Marcus sa crowd and I immediately went to him.
"Where is he?" I asked
"Hindi ko alam Kisses. Kanina pa din namin sya tinetext at tinatawagan."
Bumalik ako sa linya namin dahil magsstart na ang graduation march. Asan na ba sya? Imposibleng malate yun kasi never pa yun nalate.
Nagsimula ang graduation ceremony without any sign of Donny Pangilinan. I kept looking sa side ng mga boys pero wala talaga siya. I texted him habang nagppresent ng mga diplomas.
Where are you? Presentation of diplomas na.
I looked at the direction of Marcus then he signalled there's no Donny yet.
Nagaalala na ako. Imposibleng makalimutan nya to. It's our effin graduation day at if ever man makalimutan nya to, imposibleng di sya iremind ng parents nya or ng mga kapatid nya. Hay please reply Dons...
"Kisses, malapit ka ng tawagin" Maymay whispered
Ako na pala. Wala na talaga ako sa sarili ko. Even when I went up on stage, siya pa rin nasa isip ko.
Natapos ang ceremony nang walang Donny na dumating.
After Grad Dinner
8pm
Nasa isang table lang kami ng barkada. Ayaw ko na sana umattend dito kaso sinundo nila ako sa bahay. No choice ako kundi sumama.
"Kisses, ok ka lang ba?" AC
I just smiled weakly.
"Wala na tayo dapat pake kung bat di sya umattend okay??" Maymay
"May, I'm sure Kisses is still worried" Edward
"Sus. Eh may pake ba sya nung nagkakasakit kaibigan natin nang dahil sakanya? May pake ba sya ngayon? Asan sya?!" Sue
Nakatulala lang ako sa pagkain ko. Wala akong marinig sa paligid. Maingay pero wala ako maintindihan.
"Donny has a reason"
Napalingon ako sa taong bagong dating sa table namin. It was Marcus.
"Tito Anthony finally replied to me, Kisses. Kaya daw hindi nakaattend si Donny ay dahil nagkalagnat daw"
Nagkalagnat? Pinalampas nya ang grad namin dahil sa lagnat? Knowing Donny, hindi basta basta yun umaabsent kahit ang taas na ng lagnat nya. I remember one time na sobrang taas ng lagnat nya pero pinilit nya pa rin pumasok dahil may importanteng event sa school.
I don't know but it just doesn't feel right. Bat di man lang sya nagreply sakin? Bat di nya man lang sinabi na di sya makakapunta?
After ng dinner, nagpahatid na ako kay Marcus dahil gusto ko na magpahinga. Pinipigilan pa sana nila ako dahil may program pa at clubbing after kaso nakita ata nila na wala talaga ako sa mood.
"I know what Donny did last night" Marcus said while driving
"He was so happy, Kisses and I can say, when you came in this morning, you were so happy too."
"Yes, I was. Panandaliang saya lang pala yun" I said
"I know what you're thinking Kisses. Hindi kaya ni Donny saktan ka"
"But he already did it once right? Pwede nya ulit akong iwan ng basta basta"
"I know...but as I've said, he was so happy last night. He was on the phone with me while he was driving home. Sabi nya he finally decided na ipaglaban ka, na hindi ka nya iiwan, na he'll make things right dahil mahal na mahal ka nya"
My heart breaks, my tears fell just by hearing that.
"Ok, let's go with that then but let's say, di nya ako pinuntahan kagabi, bat nya pinalagpas ang graduation? Eh we were all looking forward to this day tapos di sya pupunta..."
"You don't think tito is telling the truth?" He asked
"I don't know...Something doesn't really feel right Marcus and I'm scared"
He pulled up the car. I started crying. Nandito na pala kami sa tapat ng bahay namin.
"Shh Kiss"
He patted my head then hugged me.
"I'm scared Marcus, I'm scared...I don't even know why"
"I know Kisses, and I'm here, I'll help you. I'll find out the real reason behind this. For now, rest"
I wiped my tears and slowly nodded. I am really thankful to Marcus, para ko na syang totoong kapatid. Hindi lang kinakapatid.
Pumasok ako ng bahay. Nagbihis at nahiga sa kama. I stared at my phone for quite a long time, hoping na may magtetext pero wala so I texted him...and again..and again hanggang sa napagod ako at nakatulog.
Dons
Dons, please reply.
Sabi ni tito kay Marcus, kaya raw di ka nakapunta kanina dahil ang taas ng lagnat mo. Pahinga ka ah. Eat right. Stay hydrated.
Donny, I miss you! Reply ka naman oh.
Hoy. Isa. Pag di ka talaga nagreply, kakalimutan ko na yung usapan natin kagabi.
Donnyyyyyy....
Love?
Di ka pa rin nagrereply sa love? ☹️
Hoy donato naman kasi ehhhh, pinagaalala mo talaga ako....
Please reply to me kapag gumaling ka na, maghihintay ako.
Maghihintay ako...
