𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄- 🏳️‍🌈𝐆𝐱𝐆✔️

EIGHT

"Toni, phone for you," tawag ng kanyang ina mula sa sala.

"Coming, Mom," sagot ni Toni, halos takbuhin na ang living room mula sa kusina sa sobrang excitement.

"Dahan-dahan lang naman, anak. Baka madapa ka," natatawang wika ng ina.

Agad niyang kinuha mula rito ang telepono. "Thanks, Mom," pasalamat niya bago naupo at inilagay ang telepono sa tenga.

"Hello," aniya, malakas agad ang kabog ng dibdib niya.

"Hi. I miss you," sabi ng pamilyar na boses sa kabilang linya.

Napangiti si Toni. "Well, hello there. I miss you too."

"Buti hindi ka nadapa," tukso ni Alex.

"Then it will be your fault," sagot niya, natatawa.

Nagkamustahan sila tungkol sa mga bago nilang buhay. Toni's life in this strange country, and Alex's life in the Philippines without her. It's been six months since nagkalayo silang dalawa.

Talking on the phone helps a lot para mabawasan ang pagkamiss nila sa isa't isa, pero hindi pa rin sapat ang tawagan para mapunan lahat ng pananabik. She talked about her life now, how she met new friends in her new school. She's glad na nasa international school siya dahil may mga kapwa kabayan din siyang naging kakilala.

Hindi man madali sa umpisa, but she's getting used to it now—except she misses her best friend so much. She misses Trisha too, whom she calls once in a while. Well, Trisha just keeps talking about Alex by the way: how much Alex became lonely without her and how much Alex became more popular in school. It doesn't help at all.

Sinabi din nito paano iniwasan ni Alex si Bea. And she was happy about that.

They talk on the phone once a week every Friday, 7:30 pm in California and 10:30 am Saturday in the Philippines. Yan ang routine nila. Nagrereklamo na ang Mommy niya sa laki ng bill, but she can't help it. Sobra niyang namiss ang best friend niya kaya inaabot din sila ng ilang oras kakakwentuhan sa phone.

But they never talked about that KISS. Wala ring lakas ng loob magtanong si Toni. Hinihintay niyang mag open up si Alex, pero sa tingin niya walang aaminin ang kaibigan. Was that just a goodbye kiss? Sana hindi. For her, it was special kahit nagkunwari siyang tulog noon. Fresh pa rin sa memory niya ang nangyari. She could still feel herself blushing while remembering that night.

Maybe one day, pag nagkaroon siya ng lakas ng loob, she will ask Alex about it. And what it meant.

---

SCHOOL had taken most of her time. Malapit na ang graduation niya. She just finished her final exam. Saturday, 10:30 am. She dialed that very familiar number.

One ring. Two. Three. Four. Five.

"Hello?"

"Tito?"

"Alex. How are you?"

"Mabuti naman po, Tito. Kayo po?"

"Mabuti din, Alex. Ang tagal mong di napatawag ah."

"Medyo nabusy po sa school, Tito. Si Toni po ba, puwede'ng makausap?"

"Umalis si Toni kasama ang schoolmates niya. She was calling you pero wala ka raw lagi. Nabored yata kaya sumama sa mga kaibigan niya."

She felt it again. Pain.

"Tatawag na lang po uli ako, Tito. Thank you po."

Nagpaalam na siya rito. Nanlumo siya. Ilang linggo nang di niya nakakausap si Toni. Kapag nagkakaroon siya ng oras, sinusubukan niyang tawagan ito kahit hindi Sabado, pero laging magkasalungat ang oras nila. Kung minsan nasa school ito, natutulog, o nasa labas.