"Oh, okay na Tin? 'Di ka na badvibes?" I looked at Kuya Thom. A tear escaped from my eye, I immediately wiped it off.
"Yes. Okay na." I smiled at him. "Thank you." I thanked as I hugged him from the side. We continued on eating our ice creams silently. We were at Bonifacio Global City sa may amphitheater sitting on the cold steps. I had a bad day today and I'm really thankful na whenever I have a bad one they're always there to cheer me up. In this case, Kuya Thom's here to cheer me up. The one who really always cheers me up kasi is having a dilemma at the moment and sabi niya naghihintay siya for something. So si Kuya Thom nalang tinawagan ko to cheer me up. We drove to BGC kasi they all know, he knows, na I like chilling and unwinding in places like this. I don't know maybe favorite place ko tin tong BGC. I love Ayala Malls because they always have spots na maraming puno and grass where you can chill. It's like a mini park in their malls. Kuya Thom bought me ice cream pa from cold stone! Babawi nalang ako next time dito kay Kuya Thom.
"Do you still think of her?" I asked. It took him a couple of seconds to answer.
"Everyday." He simply answered. I looked at him, looking somewhere far like he's waiting for someone to appear out of nowhere. Alam naman niya kung sino yung tinutukoy ko. I smiled as I went back on concentrating on my ice cream.
"I miss her." He said, out-of-the-blue. Napatingin ako sakaniya, he's still looking somewhere far while eating his ice cream.
"Sometimes, I kinda hate you. Ang unfair mo." I said at napalingon siya sakin with a questioning look.
"May girlfriend ka, pero mahal mo siya? Cheating on your girlfriend? Two-timing?" I frowned. Napatingin ulit siya sa malayo, siguro thinking about what I said. A few seconds later tumingin ulit siya sakin, unable to speak. Siguro he doesn't know what to say, naguilty naman ako.
"S-sorry kuya, you don't need to answer me, I mean, hindi ko na dapat sinabi or tinanong yun. Sorry--" He cut me off.
"I broke up with her already." He smiled weakly at me.
"Ano?" Nanlaki ang mata ko sa narinig ko. He looked away from me kaya hinarap ko yung mukha niya sakin. "Seryoso?" I asked, he nodded. "Kelan pa?"
"Matagal na. I just kept mum about it." He said and I hugged him. "It was a personal decision and it's about what I feel inside and it's our relationship so I decided to keep it between us nalang. We're still friends though."
"I see." I said.
"It's too late though. She loves another person na." Sigh, drama hits. Umalis ako sa pagkakayakap sakaniya.
"Alam mo, when you love someone you have to be brave. Brave enough para sabihin na mahal mo siya or brave enough to see them love someone else." I said and smiled at him.
"Yung love niyo is like a sunburn." I said at napatingin siya sakin with a smirk.
"Ed Sheeran." Sabi niya, napangiti naman ako.
"You know me too well." I said and we both chuckled.
"Nahh. I just love Ed Sheeran lang din." He teased and I glared at him at natawa siya. "Of course I know you love Ed Sheeran. Araw araw mo pinapakinggan kaya." I laughed.
"I tried to find her in her ngaeh." Bumalik siya sa pagiging serious mode. "Which I realized, na mali pala. Whenever I look into her eyes, eyes niya yung nakikita ko. Siya pa rin eh. Siya talaga." He said as I listened intently to him.
"Lumayo ako, we drifted apart. Pero ngayon, god I want her here beside me." Pagpapatuloy niya. I can see the sadness in Kuya Thom's eyes. His longing for her, for Ate Ara. Yes, I said that right, her long time love Ate Ara. I knew too well na their love for each other never faded, and I guess I was right. Isang malaking kaso nga lang ng bad timing ang love story nila.
"Kayo din naman kasi. Ang labo niyo na nga, you guys never tried pa rin. you never even like talked about what could be between the two of you. Hindi niyo thinink through ang mga bagay. Tapos kapag magkalayo kayo, kapag nasasaktan, you long for each other. Parang tanga." Sabi ko at natawa kami parehas. Yes, I knew about them. Lagi kasi sila nagkekwento sakin of what happened or di kaya nagpapakwento ako. They shared din naman haha. I guess they really trust me enough.
"What's funny nga eh." He chuckled. "She was mine and I was hers kahit na hindi namin sinasabi sa isa't-isa na we love each other." Napangiti naman ako.
"Alam mo kuya, People say I love you all the time. When they say, 'take an umbrella, it's raining', 'Call or text me when you get home', 'balik ka agad', 'uy! mauntog ka!', or kahit sa simpleng 'ingat!'. There are hundreds of ways of wording it. You just have to listen for it kuya." I said and smiled at him.
Ginulo naman niya yung buhok ko. "Ang dami mo talagang alam Tin." We chuckled.
"Ako pa!" Pagmamayabang ko.
"Pero bakit sunburn?" Tanong niya.
"You scarred each other and left each other hanging. Like a sunburn." Sabi ko.
"Sinabi mo lang yung lyrics eh." Natawa naman ako.
"Hmm... kasi diba yung sunburn, masakit siya, parang kayo, nasaktan kayo, masakit. It leaves a mark. To remind you of the memories you had. Diba kapag nagsiswimming parang kapag may sunburn ka bakas siya na sobrang nagenjoy ka magswimming? Ganun din sa love. Bakas siya na nagenjoy kayo pero masakit diba. Basta!" We chuckled. "Tapos diba after magbabalat yung sunburn? Unti-unting mawawala? Kasi you need to start anew. Past is past. Now decision niyo na if saan kayo pupunta to start again. Would you risk getting another sunburn? or poprotektahan nalang yung skin mo but not be happy?" I said as I finished my speech. "I-set aside natin ang sunblock." I added and we both laughed.
"Well, I would risk getting another sunburn for my sunshine." He said and smiled at me.
"Ayon yon eh!" I teased. "Eh paano? Taken na yon." I frowned. "You don't wanna ruin a relationship?" I asked, nakita ko namang nalungkot siya kaya I tried tickling him. "Achuchu, ang drama." He chuckled.
"Ganito nalang," Sabi ko at tumingin siya sakin. "Just tell her how much you love her. Just tell her. That's what's important naman. For her to know." He nodded.
"Now, it's her choice na kung sino pipiliin niya. She's confused too. Parang ikaw before." I said as I stood up. "So tara?" Yaya ko.
"San tayo pupunta?" He asked. I rolled my eyes.
"Saan pa ba edi sakaniya! Sasabihin mo!"
"Ngayon na? Agad-agad?"
"Hindi. Bukas. Para i-regret mo." Natawa naman siya. "Ano na? Ako ba magd-drive?" Hinila ko siya patayo.
"G. Let's go." He smiled as we ran to his car and drove off to our dorm where she's waiting. Waiting for a sign to show up so she'd finally make her decision. I hope this is the sign she's asking for. And I hope she chooses well.
