The Inverse

- 14

AGNES'S POV

Nagstay ulit si Jam sa condo. Ever since I got into an accident, lagi na rin siyang andito to check on me. Sobrang thankful ko kay Jam. And there are times when I know she's trying to avoid it, pero binabalitaan niya pa rin ako tungkol sa mga kaibigan namin. To be honest, sobrang miss ko na sila. They visit me from time to time, and I do get random calls from them except kay Pat. Kaso minsan sobrang busy rin ako kaya hindi ko na nasasagot mga tawag nila.

Pinagluto ako ng lunch ni Jam kaya sabi ko sa kanya ako na lang ang magliligpit nung mga pinagkainan namin. Naghuhugas ako ng plato nung biglang nagsalita si Jam mula sa likod ko.

"Pat wanted to meet up tomorrow."sabi niya.

"Talaga? With just you or..."

"With us."

"The whole band?"

"Yup."

"Bakit daw?"

Jam hesitated. Nilingon ko siya. Mukhang pinag-iisipan niya pa yung isasagot niya sa 'kin.

"Huy ano Jam? Kaya today?"sabi ko sa kanya.

"Something about a wedding."tapos parang nakahinga na siya ng maluwag.

"Ah. Kanino daw?"tanong ko habang nagbabanlaw ako ng kamay ko.

"Hers."

I stopped. Ganon pala yun 'no? Yung pain of hearing the truth coming from someone else. Let alone the pain of hearing the truth from the person herself. I knew about it anyway, but I guess hindi pa niya sinasabi sa banda yung tungkol dun. Baka yun yung sinasabi ni Coelli before na she plans to meet up with everyone soon.

"Agnes, I'm sorry. I didn't want to be the bearer of bad news pero --"

"I already have the invitation."putol ko kay Jam.

Halatang nagulat siya at nagtataka siya. I already knew about it, but I guess, I'm just too naive to believe na hindi pa totoo ang lahat. It was stupid, I know.

"Bakit hindi mo sa 'kin sinabi? You should have told me."sabi niya. I shrugged.

"What for?"

Hindi siya sumagot. I just went on to washing the dishes.

"Okay ka lang ba?"tanong niya. I just shrugged again. Hindi ko na rin talaga alam eh. I know I should be okay. I wanted this. I asked for this.

"Kelan mo nalaman?"

"A few months back."

"Sabi ko na nga ba eh. Gago ka Agnes, I told you to be sober!"sabi ni Jam.

"I am."

"You are now, kasi andito ako."sabi niya. But I really have been sober over the past months. I have been sober for a long time. Not after what happened. It was difficult not to drink cause I just wanted to runaway from this whole mess. But I actually spent it doing an overwhelmingly worse decision than drinking.

"Jam, trust me. I have been sober. You can even check everything. I have not been drinking. I told you I'll go fix myself and I did." Mukhang naniwala naman sa 'kin si Jam. I am not sure if I am to tell her how I spent last week though. I think mas malalang sigaw ang matatanggap ko galing sa kanya.