The Best Thing I Never Had

6

Una sa lahat, ayoko talagang pinaghihintay ako. Ano ba kasing gingawa ko dito sa university na ‘to? I can’t even see anything. Everything’s a dim. Pinapunta ba ako si Mark dito para takutin ako? At bakit sa lugar pa na ‘to? Minsan, this friend of mine is really weird. As in. Eh! Isang oras na halos ako naghihintay! And JEEEEEEEEEEEEEZZZZZEEE! I am getting impatient! Almost 5 minutes na lang 8 na! What’s up with this man? So, I decided to call him up na. This is not a good Joke anymore!

“Hello! Mark! Asan ka na ba?!”

“Malapit na’ko.”

“Ang lakas mo naman! Nice! Ang sarap kayang maghintay dito mag isa, madilim, diba?”

“Jenna, please let me…”

“Okay. Bye! Ganda rin ng trip mo, no?”

3rd PERSON’S POV

Jenna went away just like that. Naiintindihan ko naman siya. Kahit ako rin naman, maiinis kapag pinag hintay ako sa isang lugar na hindi ko alam yung dahilan. She walked away na hindi alam kung ano ba talagang nararamdaman nya. Naiinis ba siya kasi pinaghintay sya ni Mark ng matagal o naiinis sya kasi parang wala na lang sya kay Mark? Jenna Immediately walked and stepped her feet outside the campus at exactly 8pm. Kasabay non ang tunay na dahilan kung bakit pinapunta ni Mark si Jenna sa Lugar na yon. At exactly 8PM, The water in the fountain rose, the fountain was decorated with lights. Lahat ng puno may lights at may naka stock-up na helium balloon. At yung bench? May nakatali dun na maliliit na balloons. May lights din ang edges nya mara ma emphasize yung bench. Every thing became perfect according to Mark’s plan. Pero oo nga naman, how could it be perfect kung wala naman yung dahilan kung bakit na isipan nya yun.

JENNA’S POV

Badtrip na lalaki yon! NAKAKAPANG GIGIL! First time nya ‘kong napagtripan ng ganon! I swear, di ko sya kakausapin for years- no, no.. I mean…  *phone rings*

“Alam mo Mark pwede bang…”

“Ate?”

“Ayy.. Jhe. Ikaw pala yan. Bakit?”

“San ka, ate?”

“Nasa High way! nasa loob ng kotse, nag d-drive!”

“Hala? Easy lang ate. Nasan ka na ba?”

“Pauwi na. Malapit na.”

“Ate! Wag ka munang umuwi!”

“Bakit nanaman, JERALDINE?”

“It-treat kita.”

“Ha? Anong nakain mo nanamang bata ka?”

“Happy Birthday, Ate!”

“Ha? Birthday? Ano bang…”

“June 6, 2013 po!”

“Nice. Birthday ko pala?”

“Haaaay. Grabe ka naman ate. Pati birthday nakakalimutan?”

“I didn’t mean too..”

“What ever. Anyway, ate punta ka sa favorite  resto mo.”

“Bakiiiit? Dun mo ‘ko it-treat? ^_____^”

“Yes!”

“Yeheeey! You made my day, Jhe! You’re the best! Sige. Puputa na’ko dun agad. Ready your pocket for fifty Chocofudge Sherbet!”

“Argggg… Ate, you’re the Chocofudge Sherbet Grand Monster. Anyway, see yah!”

Birthday ko pala? Tapos binadtrip ako ng lalakeng yon. Haayyy.. Siguro nga no? There’s no such thing as “Perfect Day” Buti na lang, lilibre ako ni Jeraldine ng Chocofugde Sherbet. Masaya na ko dun! Malapit lang yung resto na yun na favorite ko. Yung lugar na’yon, di ko naging favorite yon kasi masarap yung pag kain or dahil sa I feel comfortable with the place. Yung resto na yon, parang nasa loob ng Garden on Eden. Puro kasi magagandang halaman yung nasa labas tapos yung buong wall nya (Except syempre sa comfortroom) ay Glass. But I like that place so much because that place is the witness of what I’ve become. Nung bata pa ako, kapag nakakakuha ako ng mataas na score sa test sa school, my mom always used to treat me my favorite ice cream. Kapag umiiyak din ako dahil inaway ako ng kalaro ko, yan din ang ginagawang pain ng mom ko para manahimik ako sa kakaiyak. Whenever I achieve something or wether I failed on something, jan ako pumupunta. Finally, nandun na’ko. But to my shock, Bakit ganun? Madilim sa Resto? Pero na ka lagay dun, “We’re open please come in”. I felt really dismayed. Pero I checked the place again. And I saw A little spotlight lighting the table in the center of the resto. The table was romantically arranged. May boquet of flowers sa chair sa right side ng table. May candle sticks din na nakailaw sa table. Nakakainis. Bakit ganun? Reserved ata ‘tong lugar. tatawagan ko na sana si Jeraldine na cancel yung date namin. Pero ic-contact ko palang yung phone ni Jeraldine, the light in the entrance of the resto light up. I immediately turned my face into its direction. At… I am so astonished in that I have saw. I saw big letter cut outs saying “Happy 22nd Birthday Jenna!” Nagulat  ako. I never thought na mag e-effort ng ganito si Jeraldine para sakin. Pumasok ako sa loob. Wala akong nakikitang tao. Kahit anino ni Jeraldine di ko maaninag. And nagulat na lang ako ng lubas si Mark from the counter. Tss.. Ano  nanamang drama nya. Then, I was about to talk ng matanggap ko yung text ne Jeraldine.