Amor Unico (Only Love)

Chapter 2

Canaria

"Aalis na ako."

Yan ang sinabi ko kay Dahlia bago ako makaalis ng kwarto niya, dala-dala ang aking backpack. Nagbilin pa ang kaibigan ko na wag maliligaw.

Para namang posible yun? Para namang di pa siya sanay sakin niyan.

Ilang araw nang may sakit si Dahlia. I think more than 2 weeks na. She has been sickly since I can't remember. Ang sabi ng mother niya, it's because she is a miracle baby.

Her mother, Tita Emery was almost 50 when she got pregnant of Dahlia. They were almost on the verge of a divorce settlement when she found out that she was bearing a child, and a daughter, for that. The first, at their generation. Miracle, huh? Maybe one of the reasons we clicked?

Dahlia Marie Villafuerte-Natividad is my best friend since I was 7. It was I think a children's birthday party when we first met. Medyo di kami nagkikibuan nung umpisa, until she held my hand and said,

"You're pretty, Can we be friends? Please?"

For someone na bagong salta dito sa Pinas, I remember feeling relieved as she was smiling while asking me that. And we became the best of friends ever since.

Why am I thinking about this? Am I sad?

Maybe yes, I am sad. I can feel it. Dahlia, my best friend, is really in a bad shape right now. She is getting weaker each and every day. Her eyes used to be so lovely, but these past few days that I've been visiting her, it seems like it was nothing anymore. And I know, that she's totally faking it for her parent's sake.

Pababa na ako ng hagdan ng bahay nang mapahinto ako sa natanaw ko. Mula sa kinatatayuan ko, nakita kong isa-isang pumasok ang mga pinsan ni Dahlia. Tahimik silang magpipinsan at mukhang hindi pa nila ako nakikita.

Dahlia wouldn't like to see them like this.

Tumikhim ako para makuha ang mga atensyon nila.
"Hello po."
I greeted them all.

"Canaria? Is that you?" Si Kuya Benjamin, ang unang nakapansin sa akin. Agad niya akong niyakap. He looked so tired, baka siya ang driver nila papunta nila dito.

"Where is she? She's okay right?" Tanong ni Axis. Pinsan din ni Dahlia.

"Of course, she is, idiota. She's just tired. Right, Geoff? " Si Harvey yun.

Nakalapit na sa akin si Geoffrey bago niya sagutin si Harvey, "How would I know? Am I her doctor?"

"You're a med student, Geoff! You should know. " Hirit pa ni Harvey. Binatukan lang siya ni Geoffrey bago sumenyas na aakyat na sila sa kwarto ni Dahlia.

Nagpaalam na din silang magpipinsan. Huling umakyat si Kuya Zeke, "Let's catch up soon, Cans. Akyat muna kami." paalam pa niya.

Tahimik lang silang pumunta sa kwarto ni Dahlia. Parang di nagtatalo kani-kanina lang.

Maybe they really are worried.

Pasakay na ako ng van naming ng may nagsalita sa likod ko. Napahinto ako. Boses pa lang, kilalang kilala ko na.

Why is he even here? Oo nga pala, pinsan din niya sa Dahlia, I almost forgot.

Ang tagal na kasi niyang nawala, and No, I didn't miss him.

Hmm. Maybe. Just a bit?

"Hey. Leaving so soon, my fiancée?