YOU ARE MY HOME

Chapter 15

"Where do you live?" tanong niya habang kinakabitan ako ng seatbelt. 

Hindi na rin ako nakatutol pa nang iginiya niya ako sa loob ng sasakyan at pinaupo sa passenger seat. My mind is trying to process what he just said.

He missed me.

Yeah. As a friend.

"Ahmm. Ju-just drop me off along Rosario," nauutal na sabi ko.

I can't seem to get used to his presence. Did he really not recognize me the other night?

"Okay," he said then started the engine.

Marcus was focused on driving and it feels like the time was running slow. I checked on my phone and began playing the mobile games just to minimize the awkwardness between us. This will be a long drive.

"When did you start living here?" he asked after a long silence. 

Ang siko niya ay nakasandal sa bintana at nakahawak ang kamay sa gilid ng ulo niya habang ang isang kamay ay nasa steering wheel. He looked so decent in his long sleeves and tie. I wonder what brought him to the bar.

"A year ago," maikling sagot ko. 

I don't think I am supposed to tell him about my life after we parted.

We're just mere... friends? Aren't we?

I guess that label doesn't suit us at all anymore.

"How's Tito Bert?" he asked again. His eyes were still focused on the road.

"Papa is fine. He is managing our small business at home. You know, our bakeshops went downhill after we finished high school," I answered while staring out the window. 

Lights in the city seem to flicker before my eyes. The effect of alcohol on me was really strong not until the incident in the bar happened. Bigla nalang nawala ang hilo ko noong dumating ang lalake para pauwiin ang asawa nito.

"Ohh. I'm so sorry to hear that."

Napatuon ang tingin ko sa kanya.

Napalabi siya at tumikhim. "How are you coping with the losses?"

"We're back to square one but it's gonna be a long shot before things could go back to the way they were," I said meaningfully, looking at him.

His jaw clenched and both hands are now on the steering wheel.

"Well, nothing lasts forever and we cannot just simply turn back the clock just because we want it to," sabi pa niya. 

Nakagat ko ang ibabang labi ko. My chest felt heavy. When he left years ago without saying goodbye, I knew right then that we're no longer friends yet hearing him just now only makes me feel worse.

He practically ignored me after we talked about Macy at the park and I still carry around my "what ifs" which made me reminisce of the past.

Seeing him like this only proves me that he had moved on from the past and it seems like I'm the only one who still lingers on it.

Naabot na niya ang pangarap na gusto niya and soon he'll be taking over his family's company or two companies if the merge will go on as planned. Habang ako naman ay nangangarap pa rin at nakikipagsapalaran.

"Are you married?" I just asked to change the subject.

He refused to answer. He was eyeing the road sternly. Nagulat ako nang bigla niyang hininto ang sasakyan malapit sa tulay. He unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out of the car.

Nagtataka ako kung anong nangyari kaya lumabas na rin ako. I saw him looking up at the sky. He turned to me when he realized I'm already outside.

"Hey, what happened?" I asked curiously as I walked towards him.