Be The Bride

IKA-PITO

BREAKFAST..

“Better?”

Napanganga ako. I look at him from head to foot, foot to head. Khyree Jared inside my house. Khyree Jared in an apron.

“This is,” sabi ko na nag-aalangan. “Real, right?”

“Ang alin?”

“You. Inside my house. You, taking care of me yesterday. You--” tumigil ako. I stopped because I don’t want him to know that I still want him.

“How-- how did you know?” I asked.

He placed the omelette in the table beside the fried rice. And then a soup.

“Your friend Anicito, called me.”

ANI!!! HUMANDA KA SA’KIN!

“And so? You know you can just ignore it right?”

I don’t know why, pero kinakabahan ako na andito siya. Kahit wala kaming ginagawa, o kahit wala lang to sa kanya, still, he is a bethroted man. Ano nalang masasabi ni Klara kapag nalaman niyang may inalagaang ibang babae ang fiancee niya?

He took off the apron and look at me. Then he said, “Can I?”

That caught me off guard. Does that mean na hindi niya ako kayang I-ignore? Is that it?

Umupo siya sa upuan and gestured na umupo rin ako. And so I also took a seat. He placed a plate in my place, put a spoon and fork. Nilagyan niya ng fried rice ang plato ko, tapos omelette and gave me a bowl of soup.

So natural. As if this is what he always do.

Well, this is what he always do nung kami pa. And it’s bothering me that he is doing this right now.

“Alam ko kung gano ka ka-alagain Emily. And Anicito said he can’t be here so he asked me for a favor.”

“Alam ba ni Klara?” tanong ko.

“I told her my friend is sick at dun ako matutulog.”

“Pero kahit na.. ano nalang mararamdaman ni Klara? Kapag nalaman niyang andito ka sa bahay ng ibang babae?”

“Calm down, Klara is not the type to fuss over this.”

Nanlumo ako. Okay fine! Edi siya na! Si Klara na mabait! Si Klara na maintindihin!

Tinikman ko nalang yung sabaw.

“And you’re not just any other girl Emi," he said dahilan para mapatigil ako.

What?

Nung tinignan ko siya ay kumakain na siya na parang wala siyang sinabi.

Yah, he’s Khyree Jared. His every word is always meaningful to me.

Pagkatapos namin kumain ay nagpaalam na siyang aalis na.

“Khy, salamat talaga. Thank you for taking care of me. Sorry na din sa abala.”

He smiled.

“Not at all. You should really grow up. Dapat marunong ka na uminom ng gamot.”

Napatawa ako.

“Or find a man Emily. Find someone. Yung aalagaan ka pag nagkasakit ka.”

Natigilan ako.

Ba’t parang ang sakit nung sinabe niya? Ba’t parang sumisikip dibdib ko?

“I’m so sorry for coming into your life again. Sorry for confusing you. Maybe we shouldn’t have met again.”

He smiled at me tapos umalis na siya. And I was left alone in my apartment room, contemplating why he said those words.

Did I say something to him when I was sick? Did I sleeptalk and said something I shouldn’t have?

If I did, I have no idea.

HIDDEN SCENE

Pinupunasan ng binata ang braso ng dalaga, pati na din ang leeg nito, at mukha. Matapos lagyan ng patch na pampababa ng lagnat ang noo ng dalaga ay natigilan ito ng biglang magsalita ang dalaga.

“Khy’s here,” mahina ang pagkakasabi nito pero rinig ito ni Khy.

“I.. I think.. I still..”

Nagulat ang binata sa narinig. Kahit di nito natapos ang sasabihin, kaagad niyang nahinuha ang ibig nitong sabihin.

“Hey Emily! Emi!” sinubukan nitong gisingin ang dalaga ngunit hindi ito gumising.

Pinagmasdan na lamang ng binata ang natutulog na dalaga.

"You still love me huh?" sambit ng binata at pinakatitigan ang mukha ng dalaga. "I know you do. I can feel it Emily. I can feel it."