Ride Home

thirty-nine

"ah galing naman pala" I teased as I saw tyler walk out the airport, the media was all over him, xavier smiled at me.

"oh, tiger, here ka lang ah" sabi ko kay tiger, yung anak ni andi at tiger, he nodded and tightened his grip on my hand.

papalapit na sa amin yung media, I sighed, syempre nga naman, gilas won abroad and it was because of a shot made by tyler, hindi ko nga lang alam kung bakit one day late siya nakauwi, ricci and the rest of gilas arrived yesterday.

"uy si xavienne oh!" one reporter said and everyone turned their heads at me, nanlaki ang mata ko.

"how does it feel like na nanalo yung ex mo?

"any news about Javier Gomez de Liaño?"

"is it true that javi got married in spain?"

I frowned but I stayed quiet, tinakpan ko rin ang mata ni tiger because for sure nasisilaw na yung bata, xavier, who was by my side was clinging into my arm. I stood on my tiptoe to look for tyler who was trying to make his way to us.

"xavie!" tyler said, I looked in his way, and I saw a familiar hair from someone behind him.

"ty!" I shouted, hanggang sa maka-abot siya sa amin, hindi ko inalis ang titig ko sa lalaking yun, I was so sure that it was him, his back pa lang, sure na ako.

"you look like you saw a ghost" sabi ni ty, I frowned but still looked at the road,

"I feel like I did" sagot ko, sighing.

"why?" he asked, texting, probably andi.

"I think I saw javi kanina" sabi ko, tyler sighed but he smiled.

"I'm sorry we didn't see him when we were in spain, I think si juan lang nakakita sakanya, we even tried to follow juan." tyler said, ngumiti ako.

"okay lang." sabi ko, ty nodded and continued to talk to xavier and tiger.

"i'll call you when I land in spain, sandali lang ako okay?" javi said, wiping my tears, he cupped my face in his hands,

"why'd you have to go to spain javi?" I asked, placing my hand on top of his, he smiled and leaned in to kiss my forehead.

"I gotta find myself, I just have to do things there." he said, holding my hand.

"come back in time for the house blessing?" I asked javi, he nodded.

"i'll come home to you" he kissed my lips, before his flight was called, he walked away and never looked back.

It was midnight, hindi nanaman ako makatulog, this house was built for a big family, javi made sure of that, may pool, may malaking garage space, it shows na gusto talaga ni javi ang malaking pamilya. I sighed, si xavier kinocontact ni javi, and he even sends gift kapag birthday ko, or birthday ni javi, kada death anniversary ni javiell, may bulaklak na agad sa sementeryo at rosas pag uwi namin galing dun.

I booked a grab, papunta sa puntod ni javiell, I know na gabi na, but I have this feeling na I would see javi there, tingin ko talaga na siya yung nasa airport eh. I left a note kay xav na aalis lang ako and uwi rin ako agad, tulog na rin yung mga katulong namin. I locked the front door and waited for my grab. The car ride was fast, syempre hating gabi na, wala ng traffic.

"ma'am, gusto niyo po ba hintayin ko kayo?" the grab driver asked, umiling ako at ngumiti. Nakita ko kasi ang isang kotse na nakaparada, and I feel like it's javi's.

Dahan dahan ang paglakad ko papunta sa puntod ni javiell, and I was right, he was sitting down on the grass, his hair short.

"baka pwede tumabi?" I asked him, he looked up at me and his eyes widened.

"hi." I said, looking at him, his eyes stayed focused on javiell.

"tagal natin sa spain ah?" I said, trying to make a conversation, trying to look for a ring.

Natatakot ako kasi sabi ni ricci, nasa spain din daw si einica, baka kinasal sila dun or what. What if may anak na sila? What if javi came home to get the house from us?

"I travelled." he responded, I nodded. Looking at javiell, I sighed deeply.

"you said you'd call." sabi ko sakanya, he looked at me.

"I'm sorry" he replied,

"kasal ka na?" I finally got the courage to ask him that question.

"huh? Paano ako ikakasal eh hindi naman tayo nagbreak?" javi asked.

"sabi ni ricci, sabi daw nila juan, einica was there" sabi ko, hugging my knees, javi removed his jacket and inilagay ito sa balikat ko to keep me warm.

"einica was there because she was on a vacation with her husband, nagkataon lang na I saw her sa airport nung pauwi ako" javi explained.

"so ako pa rin?" I asked, javi smiled and nodded.

"oo naman, sabi ko naman uuwi ako sayo diba?" he asked.

Silence wasn't awkward, it was comforting. We were watching the sun rise, while we talked about how we travelled europe.

"I have to go" sabi ko when I checked the time, tumayo ako at inabot ang jacket niya, pabalik sakanya, graduation ni xavier ngayon.

"xavienne" javi said, watching me brush off the grass in my pants.

"need a ride home?"