Arra
The friendship suffered. We weren't back to the way we were immediately. There was awkwardness when we saw each other again, some annoyance when I heard he was with someone, guilt when they broke up, and then indifference — like I didn't care anymore if I still saw him or not.
But we worked at it.
I said I'd forgiven him so it was time to act like I actually did.
Pero caveat lang ha - no, he did not get me 10,000 gold coins. He bought me like 20 packs with 100 coins in them tapos sabi niya 5 coins ang value ng each piece. Pfffffttttt pauso. Pinalusot ko na lang kasi his message said, "One, you can't eat all of those anyway. Two, I don't want you to make yourself sick trying. Three, mamigay ka sa mga kapitbahay natin. Wag kang gahaman."
For the next couple of years, he would make sure to come home for my birthday — one year, the day landed on a Wednesday so I thought he'd come on a Friday and make a long weekend out of it. He told me to turn on my walkie talkie, arrived Tuesday close to midnight and when he got to his house, called out, "Happy birthday, R!!!! See you in the morning!"
I did eventually go out on dates again, in a period Pauline still refers to as the "Gospel years". Though none ended up as a boyfriend, I dated a Matthew, a Mark, a Luke and a John.
When it didn't work out with Luke, who was the last I dated, "Maybe ang dapat mong i-date yung mga pang kriminal na pangalan. Kunyari si Barabas."
"Loko loko ka talaga."
"Kasi naman yang mga evangelist mo masama din kinalabasan, baka dapat dun ka sa kontrabida sa Bible. Sabi ko na itim yung kaluluwa mo eh."
I rolled my eyes. "Alam mo parehong pareho kayo ng Kuya mo. Sa inyo ko lang naman natutunan maging masama!"
"Excuse me! Baby pa ako magbarkada na kayo. Kayong dalawa yung King and Queen of Darkness. Follower lang ako."
Ganyan yan malakas mangasar but hurt me and sampal on both cheeks ang aabutin mo kapag nagalit si Pauline kasi inapi mo ako.
"Bakit hindi na lang kasi kayo ni Kuya Pao."
"ANO?!"
"Magdedeny ka pa? I may not know exactly what happened pero alam ko may thing kayo and it didn't work out. One day, masosolve ko yang mystery na yan."
It unfortunately took a health crisis for Pong and I to get our act together. It was the year his dad suffered a heart attack and it was touch and go for a little while. He immediately flew in from the US, where he was now based, but had difficulty getting a ride.
He called me. "Arra? Could you help me get to the hospital? I don't know who else to call."
I shuttled him back and forth for a few days — he was working when his dad was asleep and while he was at home, take turns watching over and attending his dad's needs, then on the car ride home with me, he was often asleep from the exhaustion.
"I'm so sorry, Arra. I haven't even taken two seconds to ask how you are?"
"Ano ka ba. Okay lang ako. Wala din naman akong kwento," I joked. "Go na. Rest. Sunduin kita tomorrow. Madidischarge na si Tito, di ba?"
His father made a full recovery, thankfully. Pong requested a two week extension of his stay to make sure everyone was settled and there would be no further complications.
During the dinner just before he left again, I commented, "I'm sure miss ka na ni Michelle." Michelle was his girlfriend at the time and I knew he was serious about her.
He smiled wryly. "She broke up with me as soon as she found out dad was okay na. She's been meaning to do so for awhile pala."
"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry, Pong!"
He shrugged and sighed but said nothing.
"You want sorbetes?"
He frowned. "Meron ba pag ganitong oras?"
"Wala si Manong na nagiikot. BUT there is 7-11. Tara? Libre ko."
The next day, as he boarded, he sent me a message: Thanks, Arra. You've been amazing to me. Amazing Arra na kaya itawag ko sa'yo?
Reply: Kadiri yung pagka-cheesy. Sige na. Have an uneventful flight. See you when I see you.
