Under The Starry Night (TLS #2)

Prologue

TLS (Teen Love Series) #2:
𝖴𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖲𝗍𝖺𝗋𝗋𝗒 𝖭𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍

"Hey, Guys! How are you?"

Napatingin ang lahat sa akin nang bumati ako. I smiled widely.

"Cai!" Samantha quickly hugged me. "What took you so long?"

Tumawa ako at niyakap din siya pabalik. "Sorry. I was at the mall to buy something," We let go from the hug.

Naglakad na kami papunta sa table at isa-isa akong niyakap ng mga batchmates ko. We are at some restaurant to plan our alumni night.

"Ibang-iba ka na talaga, Engineer Nueva. Pwede na ba kaming magpagawa ng bahay namin?" Tumawa si Dianne nang maka-upo ako sa upoan ko.

"Right. Libre na dapat kami, ah?" Roi added.

My eyebrows furrowed. "Ang kakapal niyo! Times two pa nga ipapabayad ko sainyo dahil ang yayaman niyo na!"

"Hindi kami sikat na engineer sa Manila," Jessie stated.

I rolled my eyes and smiled warmly. Who would've thought that the troublemaker section before would become the most successful ones?

"Ang estate namin ang sikat, hindi ako," I corrected as they whine.

"And you are the most recommended one," Humalukipkip si Jean habang nakatingin sa akin. "Minsan nga nahihiya na kaming makipag-usap sa'yo. Baka i-snob-in mo kami."

They all agreed kaya mas kumunot ang noo ko, "Parang mga tanga 'to. As if hindi kayo successful dito. Wag kayong OA ha!" Singhal ko na ikinatawa namin.

Nagsimula na kaming mag-ingay at mag-asaran. For 10 minutes, all we talked about were our life currently. Ang sarap lang sa pakiramdam na sabay-sabay ninyong naabot ang mga pangarap ninyo. It feels surreal.

"Teka, kompleto na ba tayo?" I suddenly asked wiping my tears out of too much laughter.

Tinignan ko ang lahat na nandito at nakitang lahat na nga kami ang nandito. Ako lang pala talaga ang hinintay nila. Pa-VIP ka, te?

"Someone's still on his way."

Napatingin ako kay Joseph nang magsalita ito. Ha? May isa pa? Sino? 'E lahat na naman kami nandito na. May nakalimutan ba ako?

Confused, "Ha? Sino?" I asked.

Natahimik silang lahat at hindi na makatingin sa akin. They were looking at each other's eyes na tila ba may pinag-uusapan silang hindi ko alam.

Kumunot ang noo ko sa inasta nila. "Hello? Guys? May kausap ba ako dito?" I asked again.

Ngunit ganun pa din ang mga reaksyon nila. Pero ngayon mukhang nagtatalo na sila kung sino ang magsasalita. Gaano ba kahirap ang tanong ko?

"Ano kasi, Cai.. Ano.." Kinamot ni Mark ang ulo niya habang hindi nakatingin sa akin.

"Ano?"

"May pinapunta kaming hindi natin batch-mate pero kasama natin throughout the year," Sabi ni Jane.

I raised both of my eyebrows. "Sino nga?"

Bumalik na naman sila sa mga eye contact nila. 'Yung totoo? Ano ba problema nila?

"Sino ba kasi—"

"Uy! Sorry natagalan ako. Hinatid ko pa kasi ang kapatid ko."

Naputol ang tanong ko nang biglaang dumating ang taong sinasabi nila. Agad akong napatingin dito at halos tumigas ang buong katawan ko nang makita kung sino 'yon.

"Am I late?" He smiled shyly and put his hand behind his neck.

His hair was cut clean. His skin became fare. He was taller than he was before. His body became fit like he goes to gym regularly. But the one that caught my eyes was the sweater he was wearing. It was the sweater we bought with our savings 7 years ago. Bakit suot-suot niya pa din ito?

His eyes shifted to me. Napatigil ito ngunit makikita mong alam niyang dadating ako at magkikita kami. Sana all, hindi ba? Ako kasi, wala akong alam!

"Hey," He greeted looking directly at me.

Hindi ko alam kung anong mararamdaman ko sa pagbati niya. Hey? Hey? What the fuck?

"Dash! Uy! Kamusta?" Tumayo si Roi at yinakap 'yung lalaki, "Na-miss kita ah!" Tumawa ito ng peke—more like kinakabahan.

Niyakap niya ito pabalik." Kaka-laro lang natin kahapon ah," Natatawa nitong saad.

Tinignan ko ang mga kaibigan ko na hindi mapakali at makatingin sa akin. Gusto ko silang sapakin isa-isa dahil hindi man lang nila sinabi sa akin na dadating pala ang taong 'to.

Isa-isang nilapitan at kinamusta nung taong 'yon ang mga kaibigan ko. Tinignan ko sila. Mukhang hindi sila nawalan ng kumunikasyon throughout the years. They look close.

Nang makarating ito sa gilid ko ay napatigil ito, silang lahat actually. Tumahimik ang paligid at silang lahat ay nakatingin lang sa aming dalawa.

I bit my tongue. Tell me this is just a dream.

"Hi."

His voice tingled in my ears. Ang tagal na din nung huli kong narinig ang boses na 'yan.

To avoid looking bitter, I stood up and faced him with my sweetest smile.

"Hello, Dashniel," I greeted back.

A small smile flashed on his face. He extended his arms, going for a hug. Ang kapal.

We hugged each other for a second until I let go. Naririndi ako. Baka kunin ko pa 'yung knife para isaksak sakanya.

"It's been a long time. You look good."

My eyebrows raised from amusement. So, englisherist na siya ngayon?

My smile was fake. Too fake that I know he can clearly see it. Right now, I wanna slap him hard. Gusto kong matawa sa pinapakita niya ngayon.

He's right in front of me. Acting like an old friend. Acting like he didn't ruin my life.

Like he didn't break my heart a million times.

Like he didn't show cowardliness to me.

Like he didn't throw everything we had for just one useless and worthless reason.

The moment we ended everything under that starry night, I prayed that the stars won't cross our paths ever again.

But now, still under the starry night, inside this warm and pleasant restaurant, the stars aligned to let us meet the second time around.

And I couldn't help but to feel bitter. Damn it.