Parted Ways

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

I turned my phone off during that weekend. Ni wala nga sana akong balak kahit lumabas manlang ng kwarto ko eh kung hindi lang nagprepare si Dad ng surprise para sa wedding anniversary nila ni Mom. I expected for that particular person to come, yet he did not. I excitedly opened it on Monday morning, hoping that I'll receive something from him. There I saw how bombarded it is with text messages and missed calls only from my beloved best friend.

My mood suddenly went bad. I assumed for something that didn't even came.

What's his reason? Ako nga ay halos walang ibang inisip kundi 'yon at kung anong posibleng mga solusyon, I even cut our communications temporarily para makapag-isip ng maayos tapos gan'to lang maaabutan ko? If he says that he took that time to think too, I'll forgive him.

But the fact that I thought of him the whole time while it seems like I didn't even passed through his mind triggers my anger!

Naligo, nagbihis at nag-ayos ako ng masama ang loob, how dare him?

I shut the door forcely that caused so much noise.

"Hello, Farah? Oo, ikekwento ko sayo lahat mamaya kaya pwede ba tumigil ka muna, please? Baka gusto mong sayo mabunton ang galit ko?" I tried my best to sound calm.

I ended the call and as soon as my foot reached the last step of the stairs, my shocked face was evidently shown.

What the hell?

"Uhm, anak." my mother said with her sympathetic look.

Immediately, I tried my best to look like I don't even care about his presence.

"Solher-"

I walked passed him and went to my parents to give them both a kiss.

"Solher-"

Kung sa normal na mga panahon na nandito siya, magkatabi kami sa kabilang parte ng kabisera, but today I refused to.

I sat just beside my mother and started to get food.

"Mom, paabot po, please. Thank you."

"Solher-"

Pinag-patuloy ko lang ang ginagawa ko ng parang wala akong naririnig na kung ano.

Walang nagsasalita ni isa sa amin, tanging tunog lang ng mga kubyertos at pagbuntong hininga nila ang naririnig.

He repeatedly tried to catch my attention but he failed.

Ilang minuto pa at kita ko na ang pagka-asar sa mukha niya.

"Solhera." He said in a low voice, halatang napupuno na.

I delightfully took the last bite on my plate.

"Don't you know that it is annoying when someone kept on calling your name but still doesn't continue to say what he wants to? Especially in front of food, I guess."

Kita ang pait sa kaniyang mga ngiti.

"Aruzel, watch your mouth." medyo may diin na saway sa akin ng aking ama.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I'm done, I'm getting late. Take care, Mom and Dad." I stood and left them with a kiss.

"Wala ang driver, anak," kahit nakatalikod ako ay alam ko kung ano ang reaksyon nilang lahat. "Sabay nalang kayong pumasok ni Caden."

I know they planned this!

Ano pang silbi ng paghire nila ng driver ko kung ganito lang din naman lagi.

It never only happened once or thrice, it's already in the nth time! Everytime may tampuhan kami ay ganito ang eksena!

Wala naman akong ibang magagawa kundi sumabay sa kan'ya. Nevermind, hindi ko nalang siya papansinin.

Wala pang dalawang minuto ay nasa likod ko na siya at narinig ko na ang usapan nila ng driver niya.

"Kuya, pakibuksan na, sa harap ako sasakay."

Like duh? Sa harap ka naman talaga umuupo! Nagtatabi lang tayo kapag sinabi!

Tumikhim ako at umirap nalang sa kawalan.

Habang nasa daan ay kitang-kita ko kung paano magpabalik-balik nang tingin ang driver niya sa'kin at sakan'ya kaya tuloy mula sa pag-alis hanggang pagkarating namin, puro ikot ng mata lang ang ginawa ko.

Caden tried to open the door for me but before he could, it's already calculated on my mind so I opened the other one.

I never looked at him hanggang sa makasalubong ko si Farah at tsaka kami lumiko ng daan.

"Hindi kita nakita sa party nila Dad!" I said accusingly.

"Wow ha! Baka in'invite mo ako?" sabay irap niya rin sa akin. "Kung tinext mo manlang sana ako edi nalaman ko at nadamayan kita! Bruha ka!"

Nawalan ako ng mga salita.

"Ho-"

"Farah, anong gagawin ko?" I looked at her desperately. "Dapat ba magpahinga muna kami?"

I saw a glimpse of disagreement on her face. "Anong pahinga eh wala ngang label?" lumaki ng doble ang mga mata ko sa narinig ko.

"Pero alam mo kasi, may mas magandang solusyon d'yan."

Alam ko na kung anong susunod dito, walang katuturan nanaman ang sasabihin nito.

"So, what else?"

"Tapusin niyo na, wala nang pahinga-pahinga, iwan niyo na ang isa't isa! 'Di naman masyadong masakit kapag gano'n kasi 'di ba." she said seriously.

Seriously, Farah? I never expected those words from her.

After minutes of silence, she laughed.

"Don't tell me naniwala ka? Nakaka-tanga itsura mo kanina!" then she laughed harder.

"You know what," before I could even say it, the bell rang.

Nagpatianod nalang ako sa paghila ng kaibigan ko hanggang sa makarating kami sa aming silid-aralan.

Kitang-kita ko ang pag-iwas ng tingin ni Caden pagkapasok ko.

"Good morning, class!" Sir Hermosa greeted. "I'll announce it this time para ganahan kayong mag-recite."

The boys cheered that caused our teacher to blush.

"We'll have a meeting this afternoon that makes your whole day class a half day one."

Halos lahat na ng kaklase ko ay sumabay sa mga hiyawan.

What the hell? Iniiwasan ko nga si Caden tapos ganito! I'm pretty sure he'll come home with me! Alam ko pipilitin niya akong magsalita, I know him pretty well!

If that's the case maybe Farah has a point, maybe I should end it now habang hindi pa masyadong malalim ang pagsasamahan namin at para na rin hindi na siya mawala sa landas na dapat tinatahak niya.

After all, I only cares for his own sake.