Philippines
February 2017
Thirdy woke up with a really bad headache and unknown surroundings. He didn't even know sinong naguwi sakanya. After a few minutes, he remembered the room, this is Bea's room but she's not beside him so he fish his phone under the pillows and dialed his girlfriend's number. The other side of the bed seems so clean,
"baka mamaya Bea did some errands" he thought
Bea's phone is cannot be reached so he stood up and pumunta kay Loel. He knocked and Loel just shouted "Bukas yan"
"Bro, pa hangover soup ka naman" sabay higa ni Thirdy sa maayos na kama ni Loel nakatingin lang si Loel sakanya habang nagttoothbrush ito.
"Saan si Bea? Hindi nagpaalam or baka nagpaalam sobrang himbing lang ng tulog ko"
When Loel's done brushing his teeth tyaka siya sumagot.
"I'll cook you hangover soup" malungkot na sabi ni Loel
"Yon! Thank you! "
"Go take a bath. Kuha ka ng old clothes ko dyan" Utos ni Loel
And Thirdy just followed what his friend said.
pagkatapos maligo ni Thirdy he wore his borrowed clothes and fold his dirty ones.
Habang nagtutupi he saw an envelope with his name on sa bedside table.
Love,
I don't want to see you in pain. Seeing you last night breaks me more than you could ever imagine. I know you don't say that much when you're sober but you're already dying inside. Believe me when I say that I know how it feels to not talk about what you're going through just because you love the person.
Don't settle for less just because you love me. You deserve the world.
-Beatriz
Thirdy couldn't believe what he just read. He kept the letter with the envelope and put it in his pocket.
He goes down and saw Loel making soup.
"She went to Mission pala." Thirdy said napalingon naman si Loel
"Are you okay?" He worriedly ask
"She didn't broke up with me naman ata. She didn't say sa letter" He said while he prepares the bowls and spoon para kainan nilang dalawa.
"She told me she did break up on you kanina before she left" Loel said
"Ohhhh ikaw naghatid sa airport?"
"No. Dad did and he's sad. They fought pa nga ata. He'll go daw sa resto later eh"
"Oh okay I don't know if i'll go sa resto later eh"
"Huh? You won't check them?"
"I'll ask updates nalang. I wanna watch Chef's Table and eat ice cream eh"
"Drama boi" Loel teased and when the soup is already done, he served it and tap his buddy's back.
They are eating quietly when Thirdy broke the silence
"Kasalanan ko ata"
"Ang alin?" Loel asked
"I was so drunk that I am so honest. I told her how I really felt about this set up. How hurt I am na wala siyang plans to live here, how painful it is to hear na parang wala siyang future plans with me" Loel stared at his friend with concern.
"I hate her when she ghost pero I hate her more now because she left you" Loel admitted
"Don't hate her. Kung hindi ako naglasing baka she's still here."
Hindi na nagsalit si Loel
"South Sudan right?" He asked
"No. Please No, Thirdy! Sinasabi ko sayo! Don't fucking go there. She needs to know also na mahal mo ang sarili ko. Let her. Babalik din yan. Pustahan 2 months. She'll call you na"
"Nah. She'll never do that."
"Pustahan oh. 5K" Hamon ni Loel
"G" Thirdy said and smirked
________________________________
Of course Thirdy wished that he really did watch Chef's Table and just eat a pint of ice cream pero nah The Grid is so busy that the Chefs needed to call him for help.
Lugi man sa lovelife, his business is really booming.
"Oh asan kambal mo?" Tukso ni Kristine kay Thirdy habang naglalakad papasok ng kitchen.
"Huh? Si Dani? They're on the mall. Flight na nila pabalik Amsterdam bukas"
"No, Chef! Si Ma'am Bea! Hindi kayo mapaghiwalay eh" Natatawang sabi ni Kristine
"We broke up" Walang emosyong sabi ni Thirdy at dumiretso na sa kitchen, naiwan naman si Kristine sa gitna ng restaurant na nakanganga sa balita ng boss niya.
When the restaurant is already closing, hindi pinapatay ni Thirdy ang ilaw sa staff and he said he'll stay muna.
Everyone said goodbye and when Thirdy is left alone he gets beer on the fridge and starts making a pudding, the pudding that Bea does back in NY.
He followed everything that Bea did and when he puts it in the freezer, he touched the "express freeze" button and umupo sa isang lamesa sa kitchen. Ininom niya yung beer habang naghihintay.
He fetched his phone sa pocket niya and texted Zel
"How is she?" but Zel didn't reply
"Nasa mission. malamang busy" he thought
He set an alarm after an hour to allow the pudding to be cold so when his phone buzzes he stood up get the pudding he made and taste it
"Putangina hindi ko talaga makuha" out of his frustration, hinagis niya yung bowl of pudding and all of the emotions he's hiding for the whole day is out.
"Bakit ba pati ikaw hindi ko makuha" he said while sobbing
"Lord, akin nalang anghel ko please. Hindi ko na kaya yung sakit" he shouted
He continues to cry the whole night thinking
"Sabi mo I deserve the world, eh putangina, you are my universe!"
