His Wedding Planner (MNEBACP's Sequel)

Slow

Forty-Seven:  Slow

I wonder what it's like to never really have a choice at all. Iyong tipong iaasa mo na lang lahat sa tadhana kasi wala ka namang magagawa. Bet there will be lesser regrets. Bet there will be lesser What If's. But then again, will people be happy of not having a choice? When all that's left is to leave, will you?

“You okay?”, pagbasag ni Cross sa nakakabinging katahimikang bumabalot sa amin.

“Mmm...”, mabagal akong tumango habang tanaw ang kabuuan ng siyudad.

Ihahatid na sana niya ako pauwi kanina pagkatapos ng party but I asked him first to bring me somewhere my mind would be at peace. Kahit saglit lang. Kahit ngayon lang. He brought me to this unknown place where the city lights can be seen from where we are seated right now. I'm glad he knows a place like this.

“You still love him, don't you?”, tanong niya kasunod ang malalim na buntong hininga.

Am I way to obvious? Does my eyes scream emotion everytime I look at Ken?

“All these years... I've tried. There were times na akala ko wala na. But there were nights I'd still feel it in my heart. Nandon pa rin siya. Hindi nawawala.”

The disadvantage of having choices is that it never includes emotions. You need to wait for God knows when. You need to wait for that feelings to grow faint. In an uncertain time. With high hopes.

“Lucky bastard.”

Natawa ako sa pasaring ni Cross. I know he just meant well. We've been friends since we were kids. Normal na iyong mag-alala kami para sa isa't isa. Just how I and Keith look after each other. Or Marcus and I.

Kinabukasan ay inaya ako ni Keith na samahan siyang mag-shopping, ULIT.

“Na naman?”, pabuntong hininga kong tugon sa kanya. Nandito siya ngayon sa kwarto ko. Mind you, alas dies pa lang ng umaga. I was having a good sleep awhile ago when she barged inside my room.

“Eto naman, parang minsan lang, e”, nakanguso niyang depensa.

I rolled my eyes and turned my back on her. “When was the last time na nag-shopping ka? Three days ago?”

“Huy! Additional kitchen wares 'yon para sa shop! Last week pa iyong huling shopping ko, e.”

Of course, in the end, napilit na naman niya akong samahan siya.

“No problem! Kapag may gusto kang bilhin, libre ko”, she added when I entered her car.

“Asus, porket labag sa kalooban ko ang pagsama, e.”

Kuripot masyado si Keith. Hindi niya alam ang salitang "libre". She'd only use that in desperate situations—which is katulad ng ngayon.

Halos dalawang oras din kaming paikot-ikot sa department store bago niya naisipang kumain muna kami sa Yakimix. She bought me a pair of royal blue stiletto by the way. Muntik ko nang ibalik sa shoe rack iyong stiletto nang makita ko iyong price tag, but Keith insisted. Suhol niya raw sakin kasi masyado akong pasensyosa sa kanya. Akala mo naman kahapon lang kami naging magkaibigan.

“Ay, siya nga pala, napag-usapan namin kagabi nina Sky na mag out of town ulit tayo. Yung tayo-tayo lang”, aniya habang kumakain kami. “Tagal na rin nating 'di nakakapag-out of town na kompleto, e. Sama natin sila Psyche.”

And with Psyche being mentioned, may naalala ako. “Keith...”, tawag ko sa kanya.

“Hmm?”, nag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin. “Bakit?”