If someone would ask me to recall everything that happened, I'm pretty sure even the smallest unimportant details won't be left behind. Yes, it was all vivid like everything just happened yesterday. Too vivid.
How many weeks had passed again? 4 weeks? 5 weeks? Ah! I'm starting to lost count. Days flew too fast yet too slow and I'm actually starting to doubt everything... that maybe it was just all a dream. That maybe she was just a girl in my dream that I wanted to restore inside my memory forever. But no.
It was all real.
And yes, that day... changed everything.
August 02, 2020
"Once again, welcome to Basco Batanes Miss De Leon. Enjoy your stay!"
The lady who escorted me to my hotel room said bago siya nakangiting lumabas ng room ko. I didn't even managed to say anything back because until now hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala.
Am I really in Batanes?
It felt so weird. I mean, maybe because pagod ako sa byahe and I haven't sleep pa. Or maybe because until now hindi pa rin nagsisink in na parang hours ago lang I was only lying on my bed, until that one impulsive decision last night led me here... and now I am alone... in Batanes.
My thoughts were cut off when my phone vibrated inside my pocket. It was a text message from a friend.
What? U're in Batanes? R u
serious de leon?!
A chuckle escaped from my mouth tsaka ako natatawang nagreply.
I'm dead serious Pongs. Do u
want me to send a selfie pa rn
para maniwala ka?
Totoo nga?! But how about
ur bday?
What's with my bday? 😏
Wow
Gaano ka-impulsive, Bea?
Napailing ako at natawa. I turned off my phone tsaka ibinalik yon sa pocket ko.
I took a deep breathe.
Aaminin ko, to be alone in an unfamiliar place is a little scary. But there's no turning back. I'm already here.
Paninindigan ko 'to.
Gaano nga ba ka-impulsive, Bea?
I took a very deep breathe again. It took a little bit long before I exhaled.
"Sobrang impulsive." I said to myself, hindi ko alam kung para saan at bakit ako ngumiti bigla but suddenly, I felt excited.
Paglabas ko ng hotel, I was greeted with a fresh Batanes air... I wouldn't even compare it with the air I grew up with in Manila. Masyadong malayo kung ikukumpara.
Basco is just small town... but now, where to go? I suddenly felt lost. Wala akong idea kung saan ako pupunta. I still have an hour pa before I go to the port for my Sabtang tour. So what now, Universe?
Maybe I should get some snack na lang muna?
Luckily, there was a small convenient store nearby. I'm not hungry naman talaga but a light snack wouldn't be a problem naman.
I was greeted with a very quiet store. Since wala pa naman akong gagawin, I took my time just walking around the aisles bago ako nagdecide na kumuha ng chips and a bottled water. I smiled to the lady at the counter who kindly greeted me before taking the chips and water. I immediately handed her my card naman for the payment.
