How Are You, My Ex?

XL

Months have passed and each day, I was trying my best to move on. Sa bawat paglipas ng panahon ay sinusubukan kong makalimot at mag-focus na lamang sa pag-aaral ko. Sure, it took me a while to completely divert my attention, but at the end of the day, nasanay na rin ako na wala na si Hiro sa tabi ko.

I realized that he's got his own life and I also have mine.

And some things aren't really just meant to be.

The first time I told my mother and Asher about us, nagulat sila dahil hindi nila akalaing mangyayari iyon. Thankfully, hindi naman sila nagalit kay Hiro. Ayoko ko kasing sisihin nila siya. Ito talaga ang fate naming dalawa, and they understood that.

Mabuti na lang talaga at naging okay na ulit ako—braver and even stronger. Tapos nasa third year na 'ko. Four more semesters to face and I'll graduate. Then I'll find a job in the country for two years of experience before I apply somewhere in Europe.

"Tamang-tama wala pa tayong sched sa Sabado," masayang sabi ni Kate. Napansin kong ang fresh ngayon ng mukha niya kumpara noong finals week last semester. I guess rest really is the best plastic surgeon. "Inom?"

First week pa lang kasi namin kaya I'm not surprised that she wanted to drink. For sure marami na siyang naaya sa department namin. Unfortunately, I'm not in the mood to go because the last time I did, it didn't turn out pretty well.

Kapag uminom kasi ako, kapag walang may pumipigil sa 'kin, hindi talaga ako hihinto. I drink until I drop... literally.

"You know my answer, and that's still a big fat no," sabi ko.

Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay and at the same time, mukha siyang disappointed. Talaga? Hindi pa siya nasanay sa pang-rereject ko sa shat-offers niya?

She led out an exasperated sigh. "Wala na 'kong may magagawa para bumago somehow 'yang isip mo?"

"Nothing else, Katelyn."

"Kahit pupunta pa si Hiro?"

I stopped for a bit nang narinig ko ang pangalan niya. Pero sa huli, alam kong hindi na ako pwedeng magpaapekto so I continued doing what I was doing and thought that I should just stick to my decision.

"'Di na ako affected pero mas lalong hindi ako sasama kapag pupunta siya," I told her honestly.

Sino ba naman kasi ang hindi ma-aawkwardan kapag makipagsapalaran mo ulit ang ex mo? I mean it's okay, but knowing Hiro, I think he'll ask a few questions or two after many months of zero communication, and that's absolutely no good for me dahil paniguradong pag-uusapan na naman ako nina Arielle.

"And wow, himala." I clicked my tongue. "May time na siya ngayon. Shocking." Hindi ko alam kung sarcastic ba ako doon o ano.

"Ang sadista mo minsan, Astrid. First weekend pa lang nating lahat sa Sabado. Siyempre hindi pa masyadong busy iyon."

"Sige na, tama na. Kain na lang tayo," sabi ko na lang dahil nakita ko na si Ford na naglalakad papalapit sa amin, bitbit ang tray na may pagkain naming tatlo.

"Hindi ka sasama?" tanong niya pagkaupo niya.

"Hindi nga. Narinig mo pinag-uusapan namin?"

"Nope. Just had a hunch that this was what you guys were talking about."

"Sasama ka ba?"

"Oo," he said as he looked at me.

Nakataas ang kilay niya. At sa totoo lang, I know this look. Ito 'yung mukhang tahimik lang pero halatang nangungumbinsi.

"Hindi pa rin ako sasama, Ford."

"Dahil sasama rin ang mga nasa engineering department?"