Next Door

Chapter 13

"Jia!"

Maddie shouted that made me look at her surprisingly. Si Jia? Tanong ko sarili habang nakatitig ako sa kanya. Wala sa isip kong nilagay ang bote sa lamesa na hawak ko kanina pa.

I breathe slowly even my heart abnormally beats so fast to the point that I can't even manage to explain.

Nandito si Jia? Tanong ko ulit sa sarili. I just feel that my body trembling without any reason. I know to myself that I've already moved on about our past but why do I have to feel this way?

Titignan ko sana yung direction kung saan si Maddie nakatingin when she said something that cause me.

"Beh, si jia oh." Maddie pointed Jia's direction. Oh! I knew it. Di na kailangan pang tignan.

"Yeah, I know. I clearly heard you mads."

I rolled my eyes in silent while raising my eyebrows but she just chuckles and pointed her eyes to Jia's direction again.

"Ji! come over here!"

Maddie shouted as she waves her hand. I just rolled my eyes of Maddie's 'ka plastikan' thing.

I know that she's not that kind of plastic person but when it comes to Jia she would easily change her appetite especially those moments when Jia broke up with me without exact reason. She hate Jia so much.

I can really felt the concern of Maddie those time. Well, she's my best friend since then and what friends suppose to do in times of emergency, diba? Edi aawayan niya yung taong nanakit sa'yo at gagawin ang lahat para lang gumaan yung pakiramdam mo. That's the best thing of Maddie, she would never let you alone, she would never let you cry and she'll always be there in times of 'need a friend'.

But, as what as I witness right now she really changed so much. I thought she would never change her hate treat towards Jia.

"Hi Jia."

Maddie greeted Jia formally as she came closer to us at niyakap ito ng mahigpit.

"Musta kana?" Maddie asked Jia after they broke the hug.

"Hmm... Okay, lang?" Jia answered into Maddie's question doubtedly.

But Maddie seems like she's not satisfied of Jia's answer and still managed to asked a question.

"Sino kasama mo dito?" Maddie asked another question.

"Ako lang para naman maiba." Sagot ni Jia na parang hindi comfortable sa kanyang sagot.

Nakikinig lang ako sa kanila habang nakaupo hanggang sa may tumapik sa aking balikat. Tumingin ako sa kanila nang napansin ko si Jia.

Matapos ang mahigit tatlong taong pagmomove-on heto na naman siya showing herself in front of me sa di inaakalang pagkakataon.

Well, ang malaga ay yung okay na ako ngayon. Kahit hindi kami nagkaroon ng closure before tanggap ko na and I don't have plan to bring up that thoughts right now.

I let past remained on the past and I really don't want to make an issue about that. I'm done with her and I'm done everything about us.

"Hi."

I greeted her unemotionally as I stood up to hug her as a formal way of greetings but my eyes became bigger the moment I saw jhoana at Jia's back.

My heart suddenly feel the aches and I really don't know what to do right now but I need to remain myself calm and act like nothing's happened between us.

But how she's with Jia? Alam na kaya niya? Does Jia told her everything dahilan para pumarito din siya? Seriously?

Oh! Ang laki ata ng eyebags niya. Yung mata niya na parang ang puyat. Kahit pinipilit niya itong pinapagana ramdam ko parin kanyang lungkot.

"Hmm! Are you okay?"

Jia cleared her throat and asked me. Maybe she wonder why I stares jhoana. I waking up from my deep thought and nods my head out of nowhere.

"Yeah." I then broke up the hug.

Jia shows her smile even if she looks like she wouldn't believe me she still find her way to agree and turned her head to jhoana's side.

"Okay ka lang jho?" And asked jho na kanina pa tahimik.

Parang wala siyang narinig mula kay Jia at pinagmasdan lang ako ng mabuti na para bang ina-analyze niya kung ano ang nararamdaman ko ngayon.

Jia tap jho's shoulder which made her waking up from her spacing out and look back to Jia with her question look.

"Nawawala ka na naman sa sarili mo. Sabi ko, okay ka lang ba?" Paulit na tanong no Jia.

"Huh?" Para namang nagulat siya and threw us a glimpse before she could answer, "Sorry. Okay.. lang ako." stuttering.

"Anyway, guys this is Jhoana. Jho these are Bea and Maddie." Pagpapakilala ni Jia sa aming tatlo. Di ko na talaga maintindihan tung nararamdaman ko ngayon. Gusto na talagang maglaho na lang bigla.

"H..i.." Nauutal niyang sabi but Maddie ignores it.

"Tara guys, inom tayo." Maddie invited.

"Jia, pupunta muna akong restroom. Dito ka muna. Okay lang ba?" Jho whispered into Jia's ear. Tumingin muna siya sa amin bago magsalita.

"Please excuse me.. guys" And walked her way going to the restroom.

10 minutes passed but still Jho didn't show up. Bakit antagal naman ni Jho magbanyo. Okay lang kaya siya?

"Beh, yung baso nangangawit na." My ears shakes as what Jia called me.

"Don't call me that way!" I rolled my eyes in front of her. Naririndi ako sa endearment na yan.

"Sesh! We used to call you that way."

Kumunot bigla ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. I was about to fire her back when she continue talking.

"Jho, bat antagal mo? Anong ginawa mo sa restroom? Natulog ka ba dun?" Jia asked and laughed loudly.

Jho seems like she doesn't care to answer to jia's question and settled herself in front of me. While Jia and Maddie settled on my left and right side.

"It's your turn Jho since we almost done drinking this one bottle."

Jia handed Jho a glass of beer. She undoubtedly took the glass and poured it on her mouth successfully. Pipigilan ko sana siya pero parang magmumukha akong tanga pag ginawa ko yun.

Why?

I don't know. Maybe I just want to give her space muna. I just want her to realize things.

"Last shot na to." Maddie said at itinaas pa talaga ang bote.

"Beh, order pa tayo." She clung to my arms at pinatong pa ang kanyang ulo sa aking balikat.

My eyes slowly move to Jho's side. I can see the pain inside of her but she chose not to show it. Still calming herself. Still do her best to understand the situation.

Yung mga mata niyang gusto ng bumitaw at ang luhang kanina pa niya pinipigilan.

Alam kung gusto na niyang bumitaw. Akala niya siguro di ko narinig ang sinabi niya kaninang umaga.

Maghiwalay na tayo love.

Hindi ko mapigilang hindi isipin ang mga salitang yun. Hindi ko mapigilang magalit at mainis.

Hindi ko kayang ibigay ang hinihingi niya. I swear! Ayaw kong mangyari o kahit isipin manlang na mangyayari ang hinihingi niya.

You just don't know how much I love you.