Never shall we sink, too.

XVIII

'Flight DGA4351 going to Philippines. Please proceed to Gate 8.'

"Yea Mom, I'm boarding na po.... No I don't... Yea I'll just take cab siguro... No mom it's fine. Sure sure sure. Gotta go."

There was no 5 seconds, when my phone rang again. Ced.

"Hey."

"Where are you?"

"Uhm, going to gate."

"Gate?"

"Going back to Philippines, why Ced?"

"Ahh, wala naman. I was just asking. You need a ride pag dating mo dito?"

"Where are you ba? Uh... No, just pre-check the reports that Kuya re-send kanina."

"Okay. Ingat."

I ended the call and proceeded to the gate.

Hours later I was walking out the Arrival. I was going to call a taxi when someone tapped my back.

"Jia?"

"Hi. Kanina ka pa ba? Tara sa parking." She got my laptop and walked towards the parking, leaving me there, still couldn't believe that she was there. I walked fast enough to catch up  with her.

"Jia."

"I thought di kita maaabutan, mejo na hold kasi kami ni Coach sa training, sabi ko sana na delay yung flight mo. Na delay nga ba?"

"A-ahh. No. Mejo nahirapan lang ako sa immigration, madaming tao."

"Ahh good thing." She pressed the unlock button on her car keys and put my things at the back before I sat on the passenger seat. She started her car and I was still looking at her.

'What the hell is she doing here? How did she know that I was here? And that my flight..... Ced. She asked, oh God she asked. But still, why? Why all of the sudden she's like this? She was mad at me before I flew. And she's here, all good, like nothing happened. Like she didn't shouted at me. I should be angry, Right?!'

"Jia." She stopped the car and I looked why. We were on a stop light.

"Bea." She smiled. A sweet, sweet smile.

"Uh... Thank you?"

"Is that a question?"

"Yes... No... Uhm thank you."

She smiled again, and I can't get mad at her. Stop smiling Jia!!! "Nag lunch ka na?"

"Not yet."

"What? Baket naman? It's already 4pm."

'Bea, magalit ka. Sinigawan ka nya nung nakaraan. Pinaghinalaan ka nya na dinadaan mo sya sa pera, sa materyal.'

"Bea... You're drifting away from me again."

"Ah... Yeah. Pagod lang siguro."

"Hmm. Take out na lang kaya tayo, para diretso na sa condo..."

"Jia..."

"I'd offer my condo, pero kasi mas better kung sayo..."

"Jia..."

"... para makapag pahinga ka, diba?"

I reached in her arm right arm, which made her stop talking. "Ji."

Her eyes still on the road, soften.

"Let's talk at your condo. But first, let's eat. Okay? Take out?"

"There's a TGIFridays near here. Let's eat there."

"Okay."

We ate in peace. She promised that we will talk about "that" when we got home. 

So we ate talking about her training and my stay.

We were on the car driving back to my condo when I said that I met Deanna and that I didn't told her about Jema and Fhen.

"I just felt na hindi ako yung tamang tao para panggalingan nun."

"Eh paano pag nalaman nya tapos tanungin ka nya kung baket hindi mo sinabi sakanya."

"Yea I thought that too. But imagine Ji, sya lang mag isa dun sa apartment nya, I don't think she was that open to her friends there. What if, mag inom sya or mapabayaan nya yung sarili nya dun. Sinong sisisihin?"

We arrive at my condo and gave the car keys to the guard.

"I don't think Deanna's like that." Ji pushed the elevator and we went inside, swiped my card and the door closed.

"Hmm. Yea, and you know Deanna more that me? My setter?"

"My baby setter? Yea I think I do."

"Fine you win." I stepped inside my condo, and I heard the click on the door. I faced her. "Jia..."

"I'm sorry Bei. I just... I just felt inappropriate yung ginawa mo. I can buy Bea, and I know you have much more money than I have. Pero hindi ako ganung tao, hindi ako humahabol sa pera ng iba." She was talking loud. More like a shout again.

"Hindi ko naman sinasabi yun."

"I don't hang out with you cause you have money. I am not that desperate." She sat down the sofa.

"Wha..."

"I'm not like her. I'm not like that kind of girl."

"Wait Ji. Are we still talking about me? About what I did?" I sat beside her. She was silent and just shaking her head no. "What happened when I was gone?"

"It was actually before ka pa bumalik dito sa Philippines. I just... urgh"

Flashback

J I A

"Saglit!!" I shouted as the door bell rang. I was cooking my lunch in the kitchen.

I opened the door and I immediately wanted to slam it shut when I saw who is was. "What are you doing here?" I said between gritted teeth.

"Jia can you atleast talk to me, hear my side."

"Yea... I don't think that is a good idea." I was about to slam the door again when he held it open.

"Jia, please." He got my hand and I want to snatch it back but he held it tight and close to him. "Please." She knelt in front of me. "Please Jia."

"Miguel, get up."

"Please Jia."

I tugged my hand so that I can help him to stand up. "Get up and I will listen." He immediately stood up and fixed himself. I let him inside and asked to sit down.

"Jia, I'm so sorry. I was so drunk at that time. Sasha keeps on putting drinks on my glass, I keep on saying enough. Then one thing led to another. The following morning, I was convince that I was drugged pero she insisted no, and we were on a normal state. I said no, I was so drunk that night."

I was just listening to him, wondering if he was saying the truth.

"So days past by and you saw the text. Yes it was true I was ignoring her kasi galit ako sakanya. When you asked me to get out and move out I talked to her. Saying na papanagutan ko ang bata pero hindi kasi magsasama. I was so confused when she just smiled at me. Yun pala she already talked to my parents. Saying that she was pregnant, with my child. You know how my parents are like, so they said that they will arrange everything."

"Arrange?"

"They want me to marry that girl."