IN THE PAST.

ITP - 3

RACHEL

Oh, 'di ba! May POV ang Lola n'yo. So, anyway. I'm Rachel. Carmen's best friend and best buds. Well, I'm a surgeon and i'm working with Carmen. Well, dito kasi gusto naming workplace. This is our dream way back then. Si Viceral lang naman nalihis ng landas. Malay ba namin doon at ginustong mag-artista. HAHAHAHAHA!

Anyway, Carmen is the top surgeon sa St. Lukes second naman ako. Which is I'm proud. Wala kaming inggitan ni Carmen regards to work. She deserves it, tho. She's working really hard. Ako naman, kahit ano'ng galing ko nalalapit lang ako kay Carmen. Kaya, oks na 'yun. HAHAHAHAHA.

Anyway, andito kami sa workplace ng babes niya. Dito din kasi nag-tra-trabaho 'yung nanliligaw sa akin for a year. Sabi n'ya sa akin pagod na daw siya mag-hintay.

ABA! Hindi ako papayag. Kaya, nagpasama ako kay Carmen since tapos naman na 'yung shift namin.

Pagkabukas namin ng pinto, nagulat naman silang dalawa. Para bang kaming dalawa 'yung topic. Punyeta 'to. Charrrot! Pero, yeah. Ganon 'yung feeling. Pero, who cares?

"Babes!" Ariel exclaimed and of course hindi naman ako 'yun. Kay Carmen 'yun. Buwisit na dalawang 'to.

"Babes, sorry. Hinila kasi ako ni Rachel dito, eh." Carmen explained. Ewan ko ba, as if namang gumawa kami ng krimen eh pumunta lang naman kami dito. 'Di ba? I just don't undersrand.

"Okay lang, babes. Sana, nag-text ka." Yakap na yakap si Ariel dito akala mo parang bata si Carmen sa nawala.

"Guys, pakisabe naman kung tapos na kayong mag-landian sa harap ko para naman makausap ko na 'tong isa." pagtataray ko. Nakakainis naman kasi. Respeto sa mga single, 'di ba?

"Tara na nga babes, baka mamaya ako na naman ang hilain kung saan saan." Reklamo ni Carmen and pagtataray na sabe. Well, 'di ko siya masisisi. Sobrang init lang talaga ng ulo ko dito sa isang 'to. Na habang nandito ako, walang sinasabe na salita. Parang akala mo gulat gulat. "Ano, hindi ka talaga magsasalita diyan?!" Ani ko na iritang irita. Teka nga, ba't ba ako ganito umasta nu'ng sinabe niyang ayaw na niyang manligaw? Ba't parang sobrang affected ko naman. Pero, 'di bale na. Sobra talaga akong nanggigigil sa sinabe niya to the highest level.

"B--bakit ka nandito?" Pagtatanong niya sa akin na halata naman talagang gulat na gulat siya. Kasi naman ito 'yung first time ko na pumunta sa workplace niya ever. Kahit sinasama ako noon ni Carmen. 'Di pa rin ako pumupunta dito.

"Malamang kakausapin ka. Ano bang drama mo? Bakit ayaw mo na?!" I asked as if nakipag-hiwalay siya. Which is nagulat din ako kasi parang umasta ako eh kami na. Knowing na hindi naman talaga. I always blocked his effort. Ewan ko ba. Natatakot ako. But when I received the text from him na ititigil na daw niya panliligaw niya, ewan ko. Parang ang sakit. 'Di ko maintindihan. Parang 'di ko siya kayang mawala ganon. Well if any case kasi he'll be the first boyfriend of mine. EVER.

"Rachel, look." Sabi niya sa akin tumayo siya at hinahawakan 'yung kamay ko at pinapakalma ako. "I love you, I really do. Pero, pagod na akong mahalin 'yung isang tao na ako lang naman ang nagmamahal at nag-e-effort. For almost a year, hindi ko na nakita na may sign na may pag-asa ako sa'yo. Napagod ako, ginawa ko 'yung lahat. Okay naman sana kung tinatanggap mo 'yung effort na binibigay ko sa'yo, pero ano'ng ginagawa mo? Bina-block mo 'yung effort ko. I love you, but I'm tired." Hinalikan niya ako sa noo at akmang aalis siya.

"I---I love you, too." Umiyak ako at napasabe na lang ako sa kanya ng ganyan. I actually don't know why. Pero, biglaan ko na lang sinabeng mahal ko siya. Probably, I love him. I'm just being in denial with myself.

"W---what did you just say?" Frank said and na kinabuwiset ko naman. Because he heard it and now he's asking me kung ano daw ba 'yung sinabe ko. Like, duh! Hindi ba talaga niya ramdam? Or am I being too harsh to him?

"Sabe ko, I love you, too. Don't make me tell it THRICE. For pete's sake!!!" Yep, I emphasized the word THRICE kasi kung papaulit niya pa sa akin, mabubugbog ko na talaga 'tong lalaking 'to.

"Which means, tayo na?" He said while there's a smile on his face. Well, I can't deny the fact that he's really cute and he's really guwapo. Mahangin lang most of the times. Siguro, dala na rin ng friend niyang si Ariel. When it comes to the ka-guwapuhan matter, nagkakasundo sila. Well, yeah. They are guwapo. MAHANGIN lang talaga. So, anyway, to answer his question, I simply nodded. Well, one year is enough to court tho, kasabihan nga nila hindi naman ligaw ang pinapahaba. Kung hindi ang relasyon.

So, bigla siyang tumakbo sa akin and he kissed me passionately as if he's craving for my lips. I don't know how to kiss yet because as I've said, he's my first boyfriend. I didn't entertain anyone because I know that my profession would demand for my time and attention. That is why I'm afraid na baka hindi nila maintindihan 'yung trabaho ko. Luckily, there's this man named Frank that is actually on the same situation. Kaya naman siguro nagkakaintindihan kami. Well, nag-aaway kami because he needs time. But, I think, I know now what he needs. ASSURANCE.

Our kissed lasted for minutes. He was about to take off my clothes and biglaang bumukas ang pinto revealing Ariel and Carmen. Hay naku 'tong dalawang 'to!!! Carmen was in shock while Ariel can't stop himself from laughing.

"Mahal ka naman pala, eh." Ariel said and can't stop himself from laughing. I don't know. Alam mo 'yung pakiramdam na parang bago kayo dumating pinag-uusapan ka nila? But, anyways. Bahala na. So, I fixed myself while Carmen still looking at me.

"Kami na, okay. Now, stop staring at me. Para mo akong papatayin, eh." I said to Carmen that was totally in shock. She knows me well. Alam niyang hindi ako bumibigay ng basta-basta. Well, I guess Frank is worth of trying. (MAYBE.)

"Ohmyghad!!!" Carmen explained and she hugged me tightly and I guess she's very happy for me. Well, to be honest with you, I'm never been this happy. Siguro nga. Now I understand Carmen. Dati kasi when she talks about stuff of being in love, naco-corny-han ako. Now, I understand.

"This must be call as a celebration." Ariel said while tapping Frank's back. I am just thankful to have these beautiful people around me. If there's a couple goals, we actually have a friendship goals that will stay through thick and thin for your life.

"Sure. At dahil diyan, my treat!!! Sa dating gawi!!!" Frank exclaimed and we know exactly what he's talking about. So, umalis na kami and while nasa biyahe we're contacting Vice and Raphael na din to join with us. Of course, para kumpleto ang barkada. What's the purpose of celebrating life kung kulang, 'di ba?

So, yeah. This is probably the life that I've been ignoring a year ago.

END.