Magmahal Muli | COMPLETED

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2

"OOHH my God!"

In the middle of our booksigning, a familiar song starts to play in the four corners of the function room. A familiar song I once heard from someone who always sings it for me way back year 2014. A song that reminds me of a thousand memories I had with the guy I still love to wait for. I can't help but to feel broke again after hearing those painful lyrics of Nobela by Join The Club that's playing right now.

"Ang sakit naman noong kanta," my co-authors commented with matching hawak pa sa dibdib acting like it fucking hurts. Well, it really does.

Dahil mukhang sa akin pa ata itinutok ang speakers na nasa sulok lang ng kwarto. Sobrang lakas at nanunuot sa tenga ko ang tono ng kanta. Pinupunit ng lyrics ang puso ko. Tila patama nga ata ito sa akin dahil nagkataong broken na broken pa ako sa lagay na ito kahit ilang taon na ang nakalipas.

A minute passed by at natapos ang awit. Napalitan naman ito ng awiting Way Back Home ni Shaun.

"Oohh my God!"

"Waaaaahhhh! Seriously?! Andito s'ya? For real?!"

Nagtilian na naman ang halos lahat ng wattpaders sa loob. Hindi ko na sana ito papansinin kaso mas lumakas ang tilian lalo nang pumasok sa function room ang isang lalaki na may na may over-grown na buhok, hindi katangkaran pero may dating. That made everyone scream at the top of their lungs but made me even more piss when I realized that it was the ungentleman bastard in the bus terminal who doesn't know much about woman rights and humanity. My hands trembled and automatically drop the pen, can't stop looking at the black sheep infront of us from head to toe. My blood begins to boil, lalo na nang makita ko ang pagngisi niya.Then our eyes met for a second that caused me to feel more irritated.

Anong ginagawa niya rito? Anong connection niya rito? Don't tell me na siya ang...

"Hala, we almost forgot na ngayon nga pala darating ang guest author natin na si Jayzee," gulat na gulat na sambit ng co-author ko.

Guest author what? Ibig sabihin, writer rin pala ang isang 'to? Napakunot ang noo ko in disbelief. Like, what the fudge? I really can't even believe. Baka itong lalaking ito ang tinutukoy ng iba kong kasamahan na new exclusive author ng grupo. Ibig sabihin, makakasama at makakasalamuha ko siya araw-araw. No way, this can't be.

"Who is he? I dont know him," out of the blue, I asked someone.

"That's Jayzee Liwanag, the author of His Coffee-Mate, the top best-selling book of the year!"

"Well, we got a new heartthrob here. Kuya Sic, Ibarra and Kib are shaking. Raawr!" They both giggled.

"Anyeong hasseyo!" he greeted after removing his mask and suddenly, everyone became a fan.

"KYAAAAAAHHHH!"

Tangina. I cussed inside my brain and rolled my eyes. This male writer is so boastful, I can feel it. Kanina lang ay parang antipatiko ito sa loob ng bus. Ngayon naman ay kaplastikan ang pinapakita sa fans niya.

Ang mga sumunod na nangyari ay hindi ko na masyadong pinansin at nagpatuloy na sa pagpirma ng libro. Ang tanging gusto ko na lang ay matapos na ito at nang makauwi na. I am so fucking tired for no reason, too allergic with his presence lalo na at napapansin ko ang paminsan-minsan niyang pagsulyap sa akin.
Bakit ba ito tingin nang tingin sa pwesto ko? Familiar ba ang hitsura ko? Someone he did a mistake somewhere in bus terminal? Feeling guilty? Yeah, he should be.

"Sa wakas!" I raise my arms and stretch it from side to side. In all fairness, nangawit rin ang braso ko at mga daliri sa lagpas isang daang libro na inihain sa mesa. Halos mapunit na rin ang labi ko kakangiti sa harap ng camera. This day was a wrap one for me. I probably need a long rest. MIBF was over.

"Let's celebrate, guys. A toast of celebration naman diyan para sa may mga bagong release na libro at para na rin makilala natin nang husto ang ating bagong manunulat," suhestiyon ng ilan. Ginatungan pa ito ng iba. Nakangiti lang naman sa sulok iyong lalaki na author na raw 'di umano.

Nagsitayuan na sila to ready themselves. Ako, nanatiling nakaupo at ninanamnam ang pagod na dala ng pagpirma.

"Oh, Eury. Huwag mong sabihin na hindi ka sasama?"

"Kung pwede sana." Kasi gustong-gusto ko na umuwi. Hinahatak na ako ng kama ko para matulog.

"Hoy, ang KJ naman, oh. Dali na, kakain lang naman tapos uwian na rin. Okay ba?"

I heaved a deep sigh and whispered in the air the word 'fine' because I'm too tired to speak. Looks like my voice also cooperate with my exhausted muscles.

Sa Mang Inasal namin napiling kumain. Dahil bukod sa unli-rice, fan na fan ang grupo ng chicken oil ng fast food chain na ito. Kung siguro ako ang masusunod, I would choose Mcdo over this. Wala lang, feeling broken, gusto magmove-on.

We are just ten in the group. The available tables were in the center and the other one was in the corner. Sad to say, pangdalawahan lang iyong nasa sulok. So no choice kundi may dalawang mapapahiwalay.

"Ako na lang roon sa sulok. Rhem, join me na lang," aya ko sa co-author ko na pinakamalapit sa akin but she said no. She looks at me while smiling from ear to ear.

"A single woman deserves to be alone."

Alam kong pabiro lang iyon pero medyo nasaktan ang damdamin ko. It so hard and offensive to be treated that way. Sana naman makaramdam sila.

"Guys, for eight lang ang kasya. The other one will join Eury on the corner."

"I'll join her."

Everyone including me looked at Jayzee in surprise.

"What, guys?" He chuckled. "Sabi nyo a single person deserves to be alone, so I deserve it too," natatawa niyang sambit.

"Woaah. Single ka rin?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong nila. Dahan-dahang napatango ang lalaki. Halos magngising-aso naman ang mga kasamahan ko habang palipat-lipat ang tingin ng mga ito sa aming dalawa.

Looks like I will never be alone anymore being single and the center of humiliation every working day in the office. But I'm afraid that they will all make silly loveteams because we're both single and---no way! I must keep out of this being. Ayaw kong maging sentro ng asaran.

"Oh, tama na iyang mga ganyang tinginan guys. Kain na muna tayo." Finally, someone breaks the ice. Somehow, I felt relieve.

Tulad nga ng sinabi ni Jayzee, sinaluhan niya ako sa table for two sa bandang sulok. Hindi kami nakaligtas sa mapanuksong tingin ng mga kasamahan namin. Some of them even took photos of us with a flash.

Geez, a bit disgusting. Hindi ko maipinta ang pagmumukha ko habang kumakain knowing na kasalo ko sa isang table ngayon ang lalaking nam-badtrip sa akin kanina sa bus.

"Just keep on ignoring them." Narinig ko itong nagsalita sa pagitan ng pagnguya. Alam kong ako ang kinakausap niya.

"Sanay na ko sa mga 'yan. Baka ikaw ang hindi."

"Nah. In my entire life of writing, kung sino-sino nang naka-love team kong co-writer. Baka nga ikaw naman ang sunod, eh." He winked that made me choke. Tanginang 'to. Writer ba talaga siya?

"Hala, sorry. Eto tubig." Natataranta niyang iniabot ang baso ng tubig sa akin. Ininom ko ito at mayamaya ay sinamaan ng tingin ang lalaking kaharap.

"I wont let them do that to me." He just chuckled and continue eating.

"Sorry pala kanina. I didn't know that you're the lady outside the bus. Sorry for being too careless. Nagmamadali at badtrip kasi ako noon. But look, naunahan mo pa ako makarating sa event. How come?"

From the tone of his voice, it seems that he's trying to make a good catch of me. But for me, I dont like his presence even his entire existence so I just ignore him. Matapos niya akong sabihan ng bobo kanina at pahalikin sa sahig ng bus, makikipag-friends siya? Duh

"Just eat and have manners while eating."

"Sorry."

The rest was a bit awkward and quiet for the two of us in the corner. I can hear my own teeth gritting every particle of the food I am munching. Natahimik na rin ang kaharap ko. Much better, nahiya ata.

***