Diary of an Introvert 2

2: Waning moon

A month after I gained my consciousness, I started attending series of therapies. Physical... and psychological. My family also called my friends to visit me to probably retrieve some of the memories that I lost while living a life in a dream.

"Eucee...! Natatandaan mo pa ba kami?" I looked at her and examined her face properly. I smiled as I realized that this friend of mine is the same as the one in my dreams. 

I raised my finger and pointed each of them while saying their names. "Nalie, Eric, Alyne, and Jeremy." 

Alyne's face looked so glad. She leaned towards me and held my hands. "Thank God at hindi mo kami nakalimutan, Cee! Okay ka na ba?" 

"Ah, okay naman. Maliban nalang sa paa ko." I smiled at them. "Hindi pa kasi ako nakakalakad ng maayos." 

"Okay lang yan, Cee! Alam naming gagaling ka rin."  Eric added and gave me an assuring smile.

"Salamat ah."  I said and looked at Jeremy who's quietly standing behind Nalie. "Ikaw? Wala kang sasabihin?" 

He looked surprised and awkwardly smiled at me. "Ahh..." 

"Ah! Guys, buti pa bumili tayo ng pagkain sa ibaba. Parang mahaba yung pag-uusap natin eh." Alyne started pushing Nalie and Eric to the door.

"Ho-hoy! Paano naman ako ---" 

"Ikaw na muna ang bahala kay Cee, okay?" Alyne instructed Jeremy.

As they closed the door, me and Jeremy was left with silence. I don't why he looked like he doesn't know what to do.

"Umupo ka kaya muna?" I said, pointing the chair beside me.

He stopped moving and looked at me for a second. "Ah, okay." He nervously walked to the chair and sat but kept looking down.

I wanted to talk first to break the ice between us but what will I say? 

Hay...bahala na. "Je---"

"Cee." This time, he's looking at me.

"Ah, yes?"

"I'm sorry." 

Sorry? 

"Bakit ka naman nag-so-sorry?"

"I don't know kung naaalala mo pa ang nangyari satin 3 years ago but..." He sighed. "Nasaktan lang naman kita. I heard from Eric that you cried and had a hard time after that. Sorry, Cee. Matagal ko na talagang gustong humingi ng tawad pero sa tuwing nakikita kita, naduduwag ako bigla. So when I heard about your accident, nagsisi talaga ako. Sorry..." 

Kahit papaano pala, may totoo ring nangyari sa panaginip na iyon.

"You know what? Sa panaginip ko, nagkabati tayong dalawa. Kaya, tama na yang kaka-sorry mo, okay? Ang awkward eh." 

"Talaga ba? Haha." He awkwardly laughed. "Buti naman." 

"So, may paki-alam ka rin pala sakin?" I teasingly smiled at him. This side of me just came out naturally.

He stayed quiet. 

"Hoy. Magsalita ka naman diyan." 

"Hay, oo na. Tsk. Kaibigan kita kaya siyempre may paki-alam ako sayo noh. Hmp, di ka na talaga nagbago. Nakakainis ka pa rin." 

I felt hurt, without knowing why. "Pwede mo bang sabihin sakin kung...sino ba talaga ko?"

He looked confused. 

"Ah, hah. Sorry. Isang taon kasi akong walang malay kaya naman...parang hindi ko rin yata kilala ang sarili ko. Di ko alam kung...tama ba yung pagkakakilala ko sa sarili ko." 

"Hindi mo kailangang mag-sorry, okay?" He smiled. "Nagbago ka man o hindi, ikaw pa rin ang kaibigan namin. Hmm, let me think. Noong mga bata pa tayo, napafriendly mo. Matalino ka rin at maraming talents pero mahiyain ka kaya tinatago mo lang ito sa lahat. Mabait ka at sweet sa halos lahat ng mga kaibigan mo, maliban nalang sakin. Haha, ewan ko ba. Parati kasi tayong nag-aaway eh." 

"Haha..." I laughed as I also remember those memories. "Tama ka nga. Hay, nabwibwisit kasi ako sayo kaya ganun." 

"Hah! Hayan na. Ang kilala kong Eucee ay suplada at mabilis rin mapikon." 

"Talaga ba? Haha, salamat at pinaalala mo. At least alam ko ng dapat suplada ako sayo." 

"Oy, seryoso ka?"

And both of us just laughed.

"Yee! Bati na kayo?" Eric, who came back with Alyne and Nalie, sat beside Jeremy and gave us a teasing look.

"Hay, tumigil ka nga." 

"Sus, Jeremy! Aminin mo ng nagheart to heart talk kayong dalawa!" Alyne joined in.

"Hay naku, Cee! Huwag kang magpapaniwala diyan kay Jeremy!" Nalie butted in.

"Hoy!"

"Oh, bakit?!" 

"Tsk." 

I chuckled. "Masaya ako't hindi pa rin kayo nagbabago. Salamat ah." 

They smiled with ease. 

"Salamat din sa paggising, Cee." Nalie said. "Magpagaling ka na at bumalik na sa school, okay? Kailangan namin ng maraming teachers eh." 

So I'm still a teacher, huh?

They stayed for 3 hours and told me some things I missed for a year. 

As I prepare to sleep that night, I secretly hoped to continue the life I had in my dreams. I was hoping to meet him again.

I closed my eyes and tried to reminisce the last moment we had. 

It's in a restaurant. No one was around. 

Was it night.... or day? Was he standing...? 

Wait...

I tried so hard to remember but...I can't.

I opened my eyes and saw the waning moon outside the window.

It's like the memories I have in that dream.

It's starting to disappear.