Sleep Tonight

01

'Liam, buhay ka pa ba?'

'Huh...?' I grunted.

'Ano ba nangyari sayo pare? We didn't get to see you this past 3 days. We thought you were busy naraman, that's why we didn't interfere, pero halos lahat ng nasa school hinahanap ka na samin. We started getting worried about you, Liam!' Nate exclaimed.

'Tapos makikita ka lang naming lasing dito sa condo mo?' Nico added.

My friends looked at me with worried expressions. I didn't want this nor doesn't want my friends to see me in this state wherein i'm weak and broken.

Now my friends saw me like that. I felt ashamed.

Sino ba naman kasi ang gugustuhin na makita kang sirang sira, hindi ba?

'Tama na yan. Magkwento ka muna' André said as he took my drink.

'Alam niyo ba? Siyempre hindi pa' I slightly chuckled. 'Drei, sigurado kang makakapag kwento pa yan?'

'Let's hear him out first' André said, making Nico nod in agreement.

'Whenever he has problems, instead of telling it to us he always drowns his self in alcohol because he thinks he will be a burden' Nico massaged the bridge of his nose, getting stressed out.

'Hmm. Kung iisipin mo nga, never nag kwento satin si Liam tungkol sa buhay niya. He always keep it to his self and never open up to someone'

'Alam niyo ba? Sa Sobrang drama ng buhay ko, pwede na akong ma-feature sa MMK at Magpakailanman' Nate and Nico can't help but to laugh that they earned a deadly glare from André, making them quiet.

'Pero sa totoo lang, maghihiwalay na ata magulang ko mga pre haha. Tas naalala niyo si Alisa?'

Punyeta sobrang lasing na ako pero naalala ko, na hindi nga pala nila alam na nag break na kami ng jowa ko. Tagal kong tinago pero ako lang din naman pala magsasabi.

'Ayun, after one year I finally know the truth why she broke up with me'

'Ha? Akala ko ba ka-' Nate was supposed to ask something but he was cut off by André.

'What was her reason?'

'She loved another man besides me' The three looked at each other with confusion. They thought everything was fine, but they were wrong.

All along I was carrying a heavy burden behind my bright smile and yet, No one knows, no one notices.

Just how scary it is to think that a smile can hide so much pain, yeah?

'Hindi ko na alam gagawin ko putanginang yan'

With that, I fell asleep from crying.

'Ano na gagawin natin? Will he be okay?' Nico asked. They stared at him. He looks tired, they all thought. His cheeks were flushed red and there are bags under his eyes, a sign that he hadn't getting any sleep in the past days.

'Hopefully, yes. Siguraduhin lang natin na hindi makakalapit yung babaeng yon kay Liam' Nate said with anger in his tone.

'I didn't even know that they broke up' Nico said while glancing at the broken picture frames. 'Malamang, wala naman satin sinasabi si Liam. Pano natin malalaman, diba?'

'Tumahimik nalang kayo at simulan niyo nang maglinis' André commanded.

They looked around the room.

It was a total mess, like a hurricane just passed by. Empty cans of beer scattered. Bedsheets that reeked out of alcohol. His readings were everywhere plus the broken picture frames that were thrown.

They both nod and started to clean.

First, Nico and Nate started to throw the can of beers and changed the bedsheets. Nate picked up the broken frames and vacuumed the carpet. While the two was cleaning, André cooked food for them to eat.

André cooked Liam's favorite food hoping that it will make him better.

'Nate. Pakigising na si Liam, kakain na tayo' André said while removing his apron.

'Yes Daddy~' Nate said in a seductive yet teasing tone while André rolled his eyes, getting annoyed by his friend's response.

Before entering his room, he knocked.

'Pare! gumising ka na jan kakain na tayo' Nate patted his shoulder making him to move. '5 mins pa' I cover my ears with a pillow but was immediately caught by Nate

'Gago anong 5 mins? Magagalit satin niyan si papi André tanga, gumising ka na nga'

'Ah tangina, bat ang sakit ng ulo ko?'

'Mas masakit pag walang ulo kaya tara na bumababa ka na' I nodded. But before going, I first went to the bathroom to take a bath.

When I arrived at the table, the three of them looked at me.

Shit, What's with this tension?

I quietly sat at the empty chair besides Nico and started eating.

'Ano, ayos ka na ba?' Nico asked.

'Oo ayos nako, salamat pala sa pagpunta kahit hindi naman talaga kailangan pero salamat pa din' The three sighed in unison.

'Gago anong hindi kailangan? Nasiraan ka na talaga sa ulo, no? Hinahanap ka na samin, kaya bukas kailangan mo nang pumasok' Nate said, while stuffing his mouth with rice.

'What Nate said is true, Liam. Tho you should take a break for a while, we already know what happened.'

'You already know?' I gulped. 'I guess I can't escape this. Don't worry, i'll tell you the whole story.'

'Liam, hindi naman namin ikaw pinipilit na sabihin mo yung buong storya lalo't na kung hindi ka komportable. Ang saamin lang, sana nagsabi ka na may problema ka, hindi yung sinasarili mo lahat'

'Tama si Nico Liam, kung iinom ka tawagan mo kami! kung gusto mong umiyak tawagan mo rin kami! andito lang kami oh! Hindi ka nagiisa, tandaan mo yan' Nate added.

'Himala at may kwenta yung sinasabi mo ngayon, Nate?'

'Drei, alam ko namang gago ako, pero siyempre minsan sa buhay kailangan mo din magseryoso' Everyone laughed at what he said.

'Salamat kahit pala gago kayo, may kwenta naman din pala kayo pagdating sa ganitong usapan'

'Pero seryoso usapang Liam, nandito lang kami palagi. Wag mong sarilihin ang mga problema mo, makikinig kami. Kaibigan mo kami diba?'

'Salamat' I smiled.

'Tiwala ka lang kay rold, maayos din yan' Nate gave me a thumbs up and patted my shoulder.

I took a sip in my coffee and thought.

'Maaayos nga ba?'

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@_yanyannn