De Novo

CHAPTER 11

ANOTHER ONE WEEK without distractions from my manager, P.A., and from Perec. I wonder why I haven't seen him this past few weeks after our boracay vacation. He never showed his face yet and I am worried.

I remember every time I woke up in the morning I would receive a text message from him saying 'good morning and have a great day, Ely.' And he will send me his photo in a gym with a caption #gymorning. Ano kaya ang nanagyari sa lokong yun at di nagpapakita sa akin.

I went to his house to know if he's there and one of his mades said that he's not yet home since he left to boracay. So I tried to call him but sadly he didn't answer back. Ngayon pa lang ako nabigo na hindi niya sinagot ang tawag ko. Tuwing tumatawag kasi ako sa kaniya ay sinasagot niya agad-agad, walang paligoy-ligoy. But this time I failed and I am terribly worried for him.

"Nasaan ka na ba Perec. Why you are not answering all my calls?" sabi ko at nagmamadaling sumakay ng Aston Martin Valkyrie ko at tumungong Batangas kung saan naroroon ang vacation house niya.

Everytime he's not here in manila I would go in Batangas and there he is. I hope that he's really there. Di naman kasi siya nagpaalam kung saan siya pupunta at kung kailan siya babalik kaya nag-aalala na ako.

Habang nasa biyahe patungong Batangas ay di parin ako tumitigil sa paulit-ulit na pagtawag sa kaniya sa iniisip ko na baka na lowbat lang siya o naliligo. But everytime I tried to call him I failed to wait for an answer.

"Perec please answer my calls. Just tell me you're OK so I won't be worried any more."

I call him again and again and yet there is still no respond.

It took me three hours to be in his vacation house. The gate was wide open and maybe he's here and knowing that he's here makes me breathe comfortably.

"Thanks God that you're here Perec." pasasalamat ko at nagmamadaling bumaba ng kotse ng ma-i-park mo na ito. I walk directly to the sea shore knowing that he's there.

Pinalibot ko ang tingin ko sa buong paligid para hanapin si Perec pero ni isang bulto wala man lang ako nakita. Lumapit ako sa kubo malapit sa mga puno ng niyog at tiningnan kung nandoon siya pero wala talaga. I breathe heavily before I take my path to the mansion.

I searched for him in every nook of his vacation house and still there is no Perec. So I asked one of his care takers.

"Manang have you seen Perec?"

Umiling ito."Di po ma'am. Di pa po nakakabisita si sir Perec dito matagal-tagal na." imporma nito at ipinagpatuloy ang paglilinis.

"Sige po namang. Maraming salamat na lang po." pumunta ako sa  kwarto niya at nagpahinga muna bago bumalik ng maynila.

Where the hell that bastard go?

"Sana balang araw matutunan mo din akong mahalin Ely. All I want for now is for you to be happy and forget the past that caused you so much pain. Forget all of it and focuse on how to love again without any barriers and doubts." nakangiti ng sabi ni Perec pero niyang kita naman sa mukha niya ang lungkot at pag-aalala.

"I just need a break for me to realize things up. Gusto kitsng mahalin ngunit may parts sa akin na pinipigilang akong gawin 'yon. Ayaw ko na masaktan at sawa na akong maloko."  I sobbed down and cry like a child.

"Kahit na ang pinakamatalinong tao sa mundo ay nagiging bobo din pagdating sa pag-ibig. You can't stop love when it struck you here." he said, as he touch his left chest where his heart is.

"But how can I love you if I can't just trust you."

"Just trust me Ely and everything will go on."