Something Phenomenal

Phenomenal: Nine

Day 13 out of hospital

I was bored, bored out of my mind. After the failed first date I had a hard time insisting Shane to set me up on a second one.

"Mamamatay ka ba sa boredom?"

He was in front of his laptop, typing, with his face illuminated by the monitor. He's video calling me through messenger on his phone, probably propped somewhere beside his laptop.

I was lying in bed. The lower half of my body was on the cushion and the upper half was lazily sliding down the thick mattress, with my head reaching the floor.

"Yeah," sagot ko sa kanya.

"Sumama ka sa'kin bukas."

"Oh my God saan-" I got too excited and I ended up sliding all the way down the floor. "Ouch," hawak ko sa ulo ko. But at least my phone was safe on my hands.

"What the hell?" Shane's full face was on the screen, trying to decipher what's happening. Kung pwede lang tumalon palabas ng screen baka ginawa na niya.

"Nahulog lang sa kama," I scratched my head and stood up from the ungraceful fall.

Shane sighed so loudly it almost came crackling through the speakers. "Shit mag ingat ka naman, Gab."

"Sana lahat ng nahuhulog, nasasalo," biro ko.

He gave me a deadpan look so intense I was the one who bursted out laughing.

Here's the deal. The thing about Shane is he rarely, rarer than a blue moon, ask me to accompany him. Unless when it comes to his mother, Tita Mary.

And I was right, because the day he asked me to accompany him was Tita's death anniversary.

"Sorry, hindi ko agad naalala," sabi ko kay Shane nang umupo sa passenger seat ng sasakyan niya. I clicked on the seat belt but Shane ended up double checking it because I haven't been fastening it completely.

"Naalala ko din lang kahapon," sabi niya.

Liar. He rarely forgets anything about his Mom. Even if she's gone several years ago.

We arrived at the cemetery. Shane put a fresh bouquet of her mom's favorite flowers, pink roses. He sat there talking to her and once in a while wiping his eyes.

That's maybe why I'm the one he often calls up during moments like this. Because he's still afraid to show others how weak he could be.

Tita Mary was a friend of my Mom who died in a car accident. I remember Shane not attending school for two months. I remember him being thin and lanky and how he cried in front of me and told me how scared he was to be left alone.

His mom was his greatest companion. That's why I promised him that day that I'll stay beside him no matter what, so he won't be alone anymore. But things ended up differently because without Shane, I'm gonna feel so lonely.

***