Forgotten (NNS #1) (EDITING)

Kabanata 36

Kabanata 36

Haunt

"You'll go on my wedding, right? You can't miss it!"

Kausap ko sa phone si Jack at hanggang ngayon ay patuloy ang pangungulit niya sa'kin. His wedding, well, finally after years, matutuloy na. Alicia and him had a conflict before but they're in good terms now. The postponed wedding would finally happen, which was planned even before my accident. Tumawag siya para sabihing bumalik na ako ng Manila dahil ang akala niya ay nasa Davao pa ako hanggang ngayon. I laughed.

"Yes, Jack. I'm actually home already. Hindi mo man lang kasi ako pinagsalita," saad ko, "And oh, personally send the invitation or I won't go to your wedding anymore," tawa ko at nagsalin ng tubig. I'm eating my breakfast. Nakabalik na akong muli sa Manila at mag-isa na sa condo. Mom was kinda emotional when I told her that I'll be staying in my unit but she said that maybe it's better since we lived in Davao for 2 years and the adjustment we had took a long time, and now we need to re-adopt to the living. Kung kailan pa lang kami nasasanay ay tsaka kami babalik ng Maynila.

"Sure! Nasa condo ka ba? I'll drop by later with Alicia. Dadaan na rin ako kay Gian," sagot niya at gumamit ng ibang tono sa huling pangungusap. Umirap ako sa ere.

"Shut up, Jack."

"No! Nanood ako ng live stream ng book signing mo. I saw how you went pale when he stood among the crowd. I saw how you almost fainted when he asked you the question. I felt your shivers while answering his question. Grabe, Sapphire," aniya, seryoso sa mga nauna ngunit nagloko nanaman ang paraan niya ng pagsasalita.

I stared at the vacant seat in front of me, spacing out because of his statement. Halata halos ng lahat ang pagkabalisa ko habang sinasagot ang tanong niya. Ironic how I'm trying to avoid him when he's the first friend I saw since I came back from Davao. I never expected him in a book signing event! We were together but I never saw him reading any of my works. Even if there's a part of him in each of my male leads.

Pinipili kong lagyan ng kaunti parte niya ang mga karakter ko dahil gusto kong may babalikan ako. Kapag nakalimutan ko siya, gusto kong kahit ugali man lang niya ang maalala ko. Naghahanda na ako sa posibilidad dahil hindi sigurado ang lahat. I can remember maybe bits of our past right now, and forget everything in a jiffy.

I tried to eliminate those thoughts. Hindi ko pa gustong mangyari 'yon. Alam kong hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin natatangap ang itinadhana samin. Kaya habang hindi ko pa natatanggap, hindi ko muna mas bibigyang pansin.

Mabilis natapos ang linggong 'yon at dumating na ang araw ng kasal ni Jack. I'm too happy for him that I cried while they are exchanging their vows. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang intensidad ng pagmamahala nila sa isa't-isa at naging dahilan 'yon para mapaisip ako. Mararanasan ko kaya ang gano'ng klase ng saya kahit pa walang kasiguraduhan ang memorya ko?

"I lost you before, I can't attain to lose you again. Not on my watch. Never again. I promise to remind the intensity of my love for you. From this day forward, every poem that I'll write would always be about you, but forgive me for it'll change once we had our little ones. I promise to love you until I die, and would still love you in another lifetime," Jack vowed as he cried because of joy.

Nilibot ko ang paningin ko sa mga bisita at nakitang ang iba'y nangingilid din ang luha sa mga mata. I saw my Esunta, as well as Winona, Alec, Madeline, Ashley and of course, Naomi. Ang mga katulad kong abay na sina Valerie at Gian ay nasa mga pwesto nila.