EPHEMERAL LOVE

1

"Latest update on weather at our destination will be given as we approach Manila."  Napatingin ako sa bintana ng makita ang tanawin mula rito sa itaas, pinili kong bumalik dito sa manila para malayo kay Cj.

Pagkatapos kong iwan si Cj sa Palawan nagdesisyon akong lumayo sa kanilang lahat, para walang maging dahilan si Cj na ayawan ang offer at pumunta ng Canada. It was hard for me to let him go pero ito lang ang nakita kong paraan.

Again, I wipe my tears that are starting to fall again. I'm going to miss him so damn much.

It was a 1hr and 30min flight from Palawan to Manila, sobrang bigat ng pakiramdam sa paghakbang ko palabas ng airport para bang sinasabi ng buong pagkatao ko na bumalik nalang ulit sa Palawan at yakapin si Cj.

Pero hindi pwedi Blace gumising kana ito ang tama at nararapat.

I was walking to find a taxi when someone holds my shoulders making me face my back.

"I knew it, it was you all the time," he said like he won a guessing game, si doc. Gab ba ito?

"Kanina pa kita tinitignan ng mabuti sa flight but I was not sure kung ikaw 'yon because you keep your head down the whole flight, buti na lang tama ang hinala ko," kinamot niya ang likod ng ulo habang tumatawang kinukwento sa'kin 'yon.

Hindi ako makasagot sakanya kaya ngumiti nalang ako, bakit andito din siya?

"Nga pala bakit ka pumunta dito sa Manila? Ako kasi, dito na ako madedestino alam mo na I'm a doctor." He keeps on talking kahit na I wasn't giving him an interesting look.

"Nagulat ba kita?" nahihiyang sabi niya ng mapansin niyang nakatingin lang ako sa kanya na whole time.

"Medyo," I answered.

"Sorry feeling close ba ako haha? I was just overwhelmed that I have someone I know here first-time ko kasi dito eh I studied at Davao then start working in Palawan, ikaw din ba first time mo dito?" he asked.

"No, I live here 3 years ago," I answered him.

"Wow, that's great maybe you can tour me around Manila," masiglang sabi niya when we started walking to the parking taxi's beside the airport.

"Hindi ko alam eh," I answered.

"I want to be your friend," he said which make me look at him, he look nervous while waiting for my answer.

I smiled at him "Why not" I said. "Good! So saan ka didiretso n'yan?" he asks again.

"Maybe, it's ok if you don't ask for that," at pumara na ako ng taxi. "Sige, magkita na lang tayo, if you need me you know where to find me at the--------"

"Hospital," I laugh a little while continuing what he's about to say.

"Tama, hahaha Saint Lukes," I wave at him ng tuluyan na akong makasakay ng taxi buhat ang maleta ko and leave him there. I didn't expect to see him here. "Saan po tayo ma'am?" the driver asked me.

"May alam po ba kayo manong na mauupahang bahay?" I ask the driver. "Tamang tama ma'am meron po banda sa amin  kung gusto n'yo po," he said. "Sige ho, manong tingnan po na'tin" I answerd. When the traffic was eating our time here near BGC something pop up in my mind again making me feel pain in my chest again.

"Mahal na mahal kita gagawin ko ang lahat para sayo." I remember what Cj said last night sobrang bigat ng dibdib ko habang inaalala yon, Cj mahal na mahal din kita kaya gagawin ko ito para sayo.

I tried so hard to control my tears para hindi nakakahiya sa driver and just distract myself to the window. "Yan' po ma'am oh," napatingin ako sa isang maliit na bahay sa harapan ko ng dalhin ako dito ng drive.

"Manang baby, may gustong tumingin ng bahay," sigaw ni manong driver sa katabing gate ng bahay na paupahan. I guess dito nakatira yong may ari.

"Nasaan?" rinig kong boses ng isang babae mula sa loob ng gate, at ng bumukas yon isang kikay na lola ang humarap sakin making me smile because of her cuteness.

She's wearing a pink dress and it's below her knee, she's also wearing so many hair clips with different designs on her hair. How cute...

"Ikaw ba yon' iha, ang titingin ng bahay?" tumango ako sakanya and she walk at the gate of the house that I want to see and open it.

Pumasok kami sa loob ng gate I guess 5 steps lang tapos pintuan na agad ng bahay ang kaharap mo, isang simple bahay lang ito.

"Ito siya iha oh, may kusina at banyo at dalawang maliit na kwarto lang," she said and touring me inside the house.

"Magkano po ang upa rito?" I asked

"9k lang iha kada buwan, kasama na tubig at ilaw" she said. Sa tingin ko, ok na ito sa akin total mag-isa lang naman ako eh.

"Sige ho, kukunin ko na ho," I said.

"Ako nga pala si Berberly Santos iha, pero tawagin mo nalang akong Aling baby," she said as she winked at me. Natawa naman ako kay aleng baby she's kind the cute and funny.

Inabot ko ang bayad sakanya with 1 month advance na at saka iniwan niya na ako dito para mag ayos ng bahay may konting gamit na dito like upan at lamesa at kalan at may kama na rin sabi ni aleng baby pinapagamit niya talaga yan sa titira dito.

Mabuti nalang at mabait si aleng baby. I started cleaning the house and fix my thing kailangan kong bumili ng mg agamit dito sa bahay siguro bukas nalang.

Nahiga ako sa kama buti nalang may dala akong sapin ng kama sa maleta ko at nasapinan ko agad itong kama, magpapahinga muna ako masyado akong pagod sa byahe at pagod din ang puso ko.

Sana sa desisyon kong ito Cj makamit mo ang matagal mo nang pangarap, make your parents proud of you, because me I'm very proud of you kahit wala ka pang ginagawa I know that your will do great things in the future and I can't wait to see you out there being the best person that you are.

And promise when you reach that pick in your life we will see each other again and I know I still love you 3000x when that time comes.

I smiled imagining him being one of the best Architects in the World. I'll wait for you Cj.