Serial Story My Band-aid Heart

CHAPTER 1

I look at the picture of the happy couple, drenched in tears – my tears. I cry for the happy faces on smiling back at me, I touch the face of the woman who thought she held the hand of the man who will be with her forever. The one who will finally make her dreams come true. The one who will promise her the life she wishes for, the life she deserves. I hold the pictures tight in my hand and put them over my heart; I raise my head to the sky and cry. Cry for the year I have spent loving this man, cry for the ‘almosts’ we didn’t have and cry for myself because now I have to go out there again, into the big, bad world, bruised and broken.

“Whyyyy???!!!!”

I knelt to the dirt and yelled, “Whyyy???!!!”



“Lintek ang ingay mo!” Ang lakas ng batok sa akin ng Tita ko, muntik na akong sumubsob sa basurahan namin.

“Aray naman, chang.” Humihikbi hikbi pa ako at nagpupunas ng luha. Pinagdadampot ko ang mga nahulog na pictures namin ng “mahal” kong si Kenneth.

“G***, istorbo ka sa pinapanuod ko e, para kang baboy na kinakatay jan.” Hinatak ni chang ang braso ko at pilit akong itinayo.

“Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko sayong babae ka, isosoli kita sa inyo e.” Bigla naman akong natauhan.

“Wag naman po, chang. E alam nyo naman ako gusto ko talaga maging artista mula nung bata ako kaya ganito lang ako, pagpasensyahan nyo na po ako.” Tinry kong ngumiti kahit na pilit na pilit. Ayoko namang bumalik sa probinsya namin, lahat ng lalaki dun nakita akong walang salawal mula pagkabata, paano naman ako makakahanap dun ng boyfriend na seseryosohin ako?

“Oh sya, iligpit mo na yan. Ano bang gagawin mo jan sa mga pictures na yan? May pakandi-kandila ka pa, baka makasunog ka na naman dito sa bahay talagang papalayasin na kita!” Sobra naman, isang beses lang yun e tsaka bata pa ako nun, sabi kasi ng mga kaibigan ko pag nakuha ko raw ang picture ng crush ko dasalan ko sa tapat ng kandila ng alas-12 ng hatinggabi at kinabukasan papansinin na nya ako, malay ko bang hahanginin yung kurtina at tatamaan yung kandila diba?

“Opo, mag-iingat naman po ako chang, wag na po kayo magalit. Pasok na kayo sa bahay, baka matapos na yung pinapanood nyo.” Tinulak ko ang likod ni chang ng onti para iwan na nya akong mag-isa at matapos ko na ang ritwal ko.

Pinulot ko ang mga pictures namin ni Kenneth na halos maubos na ang sweldo ko kakaprint galing sa cellphone ko, para lang punitin ang sunugin. Baliw na nga yata talaga ako.

Sumilip muna ako sa likod ko para siguraduhing wala na si chang, at nagbalik sa pag-iiyak sa mga alaala namin ni Kenneth. Tiningnan ko ang mga pictures namin habang isa isang sinusunog, para hindi magalit si chang bumulong na lang ako, “T******* mo kasi e. G*** ka, bakit mo ko pinag-palit?”

“Sana tubuan ka ng mga kurikong sa mukha, hayup ka.” Hinahaplos haplos ko pa ang mukha ni Kenneth sa picture. Hindi ko alam kung isusumpa ko sya or itetext ko ulit baka sakaling magkabalikan pa kami.

Tinuktok ko ang kamay ko sa ulo ko, “G***. G*** ka, wag nang umasa! Tama na ang ilang linggong pakikipag-balikan, move on na. Move on na!”

Nakakahiya mang aminin, pagdating sa pag-ibig wala ako masyadong pride. Wala sa bokabularyo ko yun. Ilang beses man akong itakwil ni Kenneth, dinodoble ko ang efforts ko para makausap sya, hanggang sa i-block na nya ako sa Facebook at nagpalit na rin sya ng number nya. Saklap.

Isa isa ko nang hinagis ang pictures namin sa apoy. Kailangan mawala lahat ito kundi hindi ako makaka-move on. Hindi ko kaya.

At syempre parte na ng ritwal ko ang umiyak habang isinusumpa sa mga kalangitan na may makikita akong iba. Na magiging masaya rin ako someday. At alam ko ibibigay yan sa akin ni Lord, dahil mabuti naman akong tao. Malandi lang, pero mabuti.

Nang maubos ko na ang pictures, hinawakan ko ang dibdib ko sa ibabaw ng puso ko at sinabing, “Hindi lang ikaw ang lalaki sa mundo, Kenneth at tapos na akong umiyak dahil sayo. Makikita mo, makakahanap rin ako ng lalaking karapat dapat sa pagmamahal na maibibigay ko.”

Pinanood ko nang lamunin ng apoy ang mga pictures namin ni Kenneth. Last day na today ha, Olga. Tomorrow is a new day and tomorrow you’ll be a free woman. Free ka na ulet.

Napaiyak ulet ako, "Bwisit na luha to, ayaw maubos. Hay!” Tama na.

“Tama na.”

Last hingang malalim at pumasok na ako sa loob ng bahay.

Dumerecho na ako sa kwarto ko at nahiga sa kama, nakatingin sa kisame. Bukas, lagi namang may bukas. Hindi pa nauubos ang pagkakataon mo. Mag-25 ka pa lang, bata ka pa at marami pang lalaki jan. Hindi pa naman naubos ni Kenneth ang bango mo, buti na lang hindi ka naanakan nung lokong yun.

Bukas, kailangan maging normal ka na, hindi na natutuwa sayo ang mga kaibigan mo masyado ka nang ma-drama.

Pinunasan ko ulit ang mga luha ko, at pumikit na.

Patulog na ako nang biglang dumagungdong ang boses ni chang sa loob ng bahay…

“OLGA ANDREA! HINDI MO NA NAMAN PINATAY ANG KANDILA!”

 

[babyPowdeR]

sana matapos muna bago mawala ang SB

 

[sakura07]

sana matapos muna bago mawala ang SB

Magsasara na ba talaga? Sorry guys bukod sa busy nagkakasakit pa ako, di maka concentrate sa pagsusulat.

 

[sakura07]

CHAPTER 51

Nakaupo lang kami in silence for a while at parehong nakasandal sa upuan looking forward, I guess nag-aantay kami pareho kung sino ang unang magsasalita.

Hindi ako pasensyosang tao so I say, “Eto na ba yun?”

He looks at me, “What?”

I look back at him, “Eto na yung moment where you kill me with your silence?”

He smirks, “Is that such a bad way to die?”

Huminga lang ako ng malalim then I say, “I’d rather you kill me with the pain of your words, mas matatanggap ko yun, at least I won’t have to think about what you didn’t say. Pero if you want me to suffer then that’s a better torture siguro, yung silence.”

He sighs, “There’s no scenario where I want you hurt, so no, I’m not going to torture you or try to cause you any more pain than I already have.”

He takes a deep breath then he starts to talk, “I walked in on the canteen face off a few weeks back, yung pag-uusap nyo ni May.”

I look up at him surprised, but he continues, “I heard what you said. I heard everything.”

I scramble to look back on what I said there, may offensive ba akong nasabi sa kanya? Meron ba akong mga hindi dapat sinabi pero nasabi ko dahil sa bugso ng damdamin?

He looks at me and softly says, “I thought you kicked ass, I couldn’t have said it better if I tried.”

I look away, partly embarrassed but at the same time I was flattered, “Hindi ako normally gumagawa ng eksena…” he coughs to hide a laugh and I punch his arm, “Hoy. Ma-drama ako pero hindi ganun no. I don’t like confrontations.”

He turns serious, “So why did you do it?”

I shrug, “Siguro I just felt like I didn’t deserve it, lalo naman ikaw. I felt like everyone was being unfair to me, you and Ms. Claire. So I just set the record straight.”

I smirk, “And maybe I just want to see her pay for what she did; just a little bit.”

He smiles, “How did it feel, to finally stand up for yourself?”

I sigh and look at the ceiling, “Gusto ko sana sabihing I felt guilty afterwards – I mean that’s the right thing to say, that’s what I’m supposed to feel to appear kind diba? But I really don’t feel guilty about it at all. If anything, I felt relieved, like I am not going to walk away feeling like the victim now. I was wronged and I fought back, simple as that.”

I look back at him and he turns serious, “You told them we dated.”

I sit up at para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig, “Well…”

He sits up mimicking my position and he raises an eyebrow, “You told EVERYONE.”

I sat there my mouth hanging open, this asshole! Suddenly I balled my fists and punched his arm, hard.

He flinches and rubs his hand on his arm, “What was that for?”

I hit him again, “Gago ka ba? Dati ikaw ang may gustong sabihin ko sa lahat tapos ngayon you’re asking me kung bakit ko binulgar dun? Ang gulo mo ha!”

He mutters, “Sabi ayaw ng confrontations.”

I lean back on the chair, parang pagod agad “You’re confusing. Just put me out of my misery already.”

He stops laughing and looks at me thoughtfully, “What do you want me to say?”

Napatingin lang ulit ako sa kanya at napa-shrug, “I don’t want to assume anything anymore so I think you have the right to feel what you feel and you also have the right to say what you want to say.” I look out at the road ahead, “At this point I just want to know whatever it is that you want to tell me.”

I look up at him and he nods, then without saying anything he takes my hand and wraps his around it. He holds it there on top of my thigh.

Parang gusto kong maiyak sa contact but I keep it in, I squeeze his hand and I wrap my other hand around his. I look down on our fingers and feel both relieved and scared at the same time. It’s this moment right here, where his next words will either save or drown me.

He starts, “I feel…”, he stops then after a few seconds he says, “I feel like the biggest jerk for leaving you the way I did…” I was going to interrupt him and say that he was never the jerk – I was, but he put his other hand up, “Let me finish.” He says.

“Regardless of how we ended things and how we arrived there, it was not the best way to leave someone – when they’re already down.” He tilts my chin up so I’m looking at his eyes, “When the pictures surfaced I should have set the record straight myself. I should have flipped out because they were saying such nasty things about you.” He shakes his head, “You were having such a hard time and a big reason why I didn’t talk to you after was because I was ashamed of not being there to protect you when you needed me.”

And I’m full on crying now.

Ugly crying warranted, me thinks.

He lets go of my hand, cradles my face and uses his thumbs to wipe my tears away, “I know I said you didn’t stand up for me and that was true but I’m so sorry I didn’t stand up for you too.”

I launch myself to him at siniksik ko ang mukha ko sa leeg nya, wala na akong paki if mabasa ko yung shirt nya. He strokes my hair while I cry and he keeps telling me he’s sorry and he hopes that I forgive him.

I push away and give him a small peck on the lips, “I forgive you only if you forgive me first.”

He gives me a wicked grin and says, “Ang tagal nating hindi nagka-sama and that’s the only kiss I get?”

Bago pa ako maka-form ng sagot I give a surprised yelp when he puts his hands on my waist and pull me on to his lap, sitting with both my feet on the passenger seat. Parang hindi ako fifty five kilos kung buhat buhatin nitong lalaking ‘to.

He puts his left arm around me and his other hand is touching my cheek, he slowly leans forward and I push his face away when he attempts to kiss me, “Hoy, yan lang ba ang habol mo sa akin?”

He holds my hand and kisses my palm and I turn to mush, he looks at me with a glint of amusement in his eyes, “Ayaw mo?”

I look up to the ceiling, pretending I’m thinking it over. I bite my lip and say, “Gusto.”

He laughs but then turns serious, “Then do it. Kiss me.”

I look at him with my WTF face but he doesn’t budge as he says, “No. If you want to kiss me then you do it. I’m giving you the right to kiss me anytime, anywhere you want, because I sure as hell will do that from now on. Whether there are people around or not.”

I blush because that’s what I want too. Gusto kong ipakita sa kanya that I am proud to be called ‘his’ and that I will cherish this second chance I’m getting with him.

So I put my hands on his cheeks and say, “I love you”.

He strokes my cheek with his thumb and says, “I love you, Andi.”

I smile and lean forward to give my boyfriend the kiss that I’ve been dying to give him, but before our lips touch there was a knock on the passenger window at pareho kaming napa-atras sa gulat.

Nanlaki ang mata ko dahil nakadikit ang mukha ni chang sa salamin habang kumakatok, “Hoy! Makikita kayo ng kapitbahay!”

 

[babyPowdeR]

huli ang dalawa haha

 

[sakura07]

huli ang dalawa haha

Julie Vega. Hahaha!

 

[zeus001]

teh baka me blog ka or fb page na pede paglipatan ni magsasara na symbianize....huhuhuh
para masundan

 

[joshjan17]

yay na dugtungan din..

 

[sakura07]

teh baka me blog ka or fb page na pede paglipatan ni magsasara na symbianize....huhuhuh
para masundan

Nakakalungkot nga magsasara na. huhubels
Salamat at gusto nyo pa ring sundan ito.
Nasa wattpad na itong story if you want to view it there:
https://www.wattpad.com/story/146280935-ang-kwento-ni-o-a-in-progress

Ilalagay ko na rin ito sa blog ko para makita nyo dun:
mslucyyc.wordpress.com

Salamat!

- - - Updated - - -

yay na dugtungan din..

Salamat sa pag subaybay.

 

[sakura07]

CHAPTER 52

Totoo pala yung sinasabing whether you loved a place or not, there is something sad about leaving it permanently; I have been experiencing a serious case of sepanx kada maglalakad ako sa office namin every time I leave for home. Yung wala nang tao, lahat ng computers patay na and almost all the lights are off. It feels like it’s the last time all the time.

I’m dragging my feet on my way over to my desk since it’s a Monday and I only have a week left here and it’s slowly sinking in.

I also had my first interview last week, Ms. Claire pulled some strings and got me an interview in an office not quite far from here, a couple of buildings away. It went well actually, so well that they offered me the job right then and there. At syempre dahil wala akong ibang in-apply-an, I accepted it.

Don’t get me wrong, I will miss my job here and I guess kailangan mas maganda ang lilipatan ko diba para hindi naman ako mahirapan? Well, the new marketing firm that hired me actually gave me halos the same job that I left here, and the salary is actually a bit higher than what I’m getting now so wala ako talagang marereklamo dun.
Parang wish granted lahat. Siguro dahil kakilala ni Ms. Claire yung may ari? I don’t know; I’m just happy it happened.

I look around and greet my officemates a good morning. Kahit na nagkaroon ng intriga my stay here has been pretty good naman mostly. Also, this place has taught me so much and I think I’ve grown more mature in a span of a few months since everything happened.

Although sa totoo lang ever since I placed my resignation mas magaan ang pakiramdam ko kapag wala ako dito sa office, and a big reason for that siguro is sobrang okay na kami ni Chuck. He picks me up from work every day and we go on dates na hindi na kailangang lumayo para gawin. Kahit nga diyan sa tapat ng building namin pwede eh, we’ve both agreed there’s no need to keep things private so we don’t hide anymore.

We even changed our status on social media, “In a Relationship” na ako ngayon at sya rin. In true office gossip fashion may mga hindi pa rin nakapagpigil and asked me about it, they asked if official na kami and ano daw ang sabi ni Ms. Claire, but I just smile and tell them it’s none of their business.

They had too much information on me and my life so I guess nasa akin nay un what I let them know, I know I’m going to post some pictures of us on social media but that’s all they’re gonna get. I’m not letting them into my personal life or my relationships.

Si Ms. Claire naman was super happy for me and that she sees me more as a friend than her ex’s new girlfriend. But my officemates don’t need to know that, they just see that we’re okay and that’s all that matters.

Pag upo ko sa workstation ko biglang nag-ring ang cellphone ko and I smile before answering, “Yes?”

“Good morning, love.” Chuck says at nag-blush na naman ako ng bongga.

I grin while starting up my laptop, “Grabe kakahatid mo lang sa akin, tawag ka agad.”

He laughs a little, “Sorry, bum kasi ang boyfriend mo kaya I have nothing better to do than to miss you all day.”

It’s been a week since he quit his job and he’s not really a bum naman. Exaggerated lang sya kasi he’s starting his freelance IT support business and he has no customers yet. But he spends his days visiting his to-be office and hiring his office staff. Soon I’m sure magiging super busy na sya at ako naman ang magiging clingy.

But for now I like the idea na ako ang may trabaho and he’s the one who’s missing me all day, I laugh, “Sus. Wag kang mag-aalala sa gastusin, akong bahala basta dapat bagong ligo ka lagi pag uuwi ako.”

He laughs louder this time, “Oh I like that idea. I’d be a very lucky guy to have you come home to me every day.”

Kahit na kilig na kilig na ako I still need to get ahold of myself, lagi syang ganyan kasi, talking as if we’re meant to be together forever. I laugh, “Wait lang ah pwede? Kakabalikan lang natin parang gusto mo usapang kasal agad.”

He sighs, “Time is precious don’t you think? And besides, I don’t mind being married to you; do you mind being married to me?”

Nanlaki ang mata ko, line yun from Sex and the City ah.

I shake my head, “I’m going to pretend this conversation never happened.”

He says, “Bakit naman?”

I huff, “Dahil hindi ako papayag na ang proposal mo sa akin e gagawin mo over the phone lang.”

He laughs and I see Ms. Claire’s surprised face sa tapat ng cubicle ko, I just give her a shrug and say to Chuck, “Sige na. Ginugulo mo ako. Bye.”

He laughs and says, “Sige. See you later, love.”

I hang up and face my boss, “Yes ma’am?”

She puts her chin sa ibabaw ng cubicle divider ko, “Ano yung narinig ko? Proposal? Gagawin mo ba akong Bridesmaid?” she grins wickedly. And I’m washed with a sense of relief that she can joke about it and I don’t feel any bitterness coming from her.

I smile at her, “Sus. Hindi ako papayag sa ganung proposal ma’am so wala yun. Ni wala nga singsing.”

She laughs, “Yes. Dapat may ring to close the deal.”

I smile and look at my empty ring finger, she snaps her fingers sa tapat ng mukha ko, “Hey Andi. How’d the interview go?”

I look at her and nod my head, “It went super well.” Then I give her a curious look, “Wala ka namang ginawa para matanggap ako dun diba ma’am?”

She puts her hand on her chest, “I would never. Why would you think that?”

I sit back on my chair and twist my seat, “Well, you got me the interview eh so I thought…”

She rolls her eyes, “Grabe ka sa akin ha. Tsaka if you got the job then you deserve it. I did call them and gave a good recommendation for you, but if they weren’t impressed with your interview they would not have hired you diba?”

I bite my lip, “Siguro nga.”

She shakes her head and walks back to her office, “Hay naku Andi. You need to trust yourself a bit more.” But before she goes inside she puts her head out, “Oo nga pala, you’re coming with me to a meeting down on the 5th floor later mga 3pm okay?”

I nod but look at my calendar, wala namang naka-book sa kanya today but with Chie – her new assistant being around she gets her schedules mixed up again sometimes.
Well, pag wala na ako dito hindi na sya malilito. Napasimangot ako when the thought entered my head.

I sigh and get to work; I have to make my last week here count.



****


We walk to the elevator and bitbit ko ang isang box na ipinabuhat sa akin ni Ms. Claire, hindi naman masyado mabigat kaya di na ako nagreklamo. She’s awfully quiet on the ride down to the 5th floor and I guess she had a bad day siguro.

We walk to the hallway sa 5th floor and she tells me to go ahead dun sa meeting room sa far side nung floor and she’ll just use the restroom so I went and pagbukas ko ng pinto, everyone yelled “SURPRISE!”, I was so startled that I dropped the box I was holding.

I looked around and my officemates were smiling at me and hugging me at dun ko lang napansin yung malaking banner na nakalagay “We will miss you, Andi!”

I got a tight hug from behind me and I swung around to see a tearful Ms. Claire holding my arms, “Surprise Andi.” She kisses my cheeks at hindi na ako makapagpigil I hugged her back and cried.

 

[zeus001]

nice nice

keep it up

ps. salamat sa share ng blog hahahha me binabasa na ulit ako

Marley ahahhaha

 

[babyPowdeR]

so sad aalis na si andi parang SB din lang sa wattpad na lang ako susubaybay

 

[sakura07]

nice nice

keep it up

ps. salamat sa share ng blog hahahha me binabasa na ulit ako

Marley ahahhaha

Uy! Maraming salamat. Ayan, tapos na yang story ni Marley di na ikaw mabibitin jan. hehe.

- - - Updated - - -

so sad aalis na si andi parang SB din lang sa wattpad na lang ako susubaybay

Thank you! Nasa 900+ reads na rin itong story ni Olga sa Wattpad. Konting kembot na lang makaka-1st 1,000 reads na ako dun. Salamat ulit.

 

[babyPowdeR]

dito pa rin SB Ber na sana may update pa ulet si ts

 

[sakura07]

dito pa rin SB Ber na sana may update pa ulet si ts

Yay! Andito pa tayo!

Will update later.

 

[babyPowdeR]

yown sila ay nagbalik at muli kong nasilayan update na ts

 

[zeus001]

Update na to!!!
bwahahahhaa

 

[joshjan17]

update na ulit TS

 

[zeus001]

haba ng job hunting nung dalawa

 

[odong810]

pa tambay dito ts. chapter 25 na ako bukas ulit heheh

- - - Updated - - -

ts pa update naman

 

[sakura07]

Chapter 53

don’t think I’ve ever felt this special, kahit sa mga past birthdays ko hindi ko feeling na ganito ako ka-special, pero this time I felt the effort that they gave just for me. They put up banners and balloons, there’s food and a cake that said “Best of Luck!”

They had games and everyone’s been super nice to me, wishing me luck and even apologizing for what happened before. The best surprise was when I saw May come forward and extended her hand to me, not saying anything else because let’s face it – I don’t think there’s anything she can say that I won’t be suspicious of, but I took her hand and shook it. She gave me a small smile and walked away. I guess that’s how I know that I’ll leave here with a grateful heart and without any regrets, it’s because even if we could have pretended everything’s okay and show everyone na we’re okay na it wouldn’t be real. I know she has some sort of galit pa rin for what I did in the cafeteria, and she knows that I won’t be her next best friend and that it’s fine if we don’t like each other as long as we’ve accepted that. Hindi man ako nagkaroon ng new friend in her at least I can say na hindi naman ako bitter at hindi naman siya super bitchy.

“Okay, let’s hear it from the woman of the hour, speech naman diyan Andi.” Napaikot ako sa upuan ko nang nagsalita si Ms. Claire, speech? Ako? Anak ng pating.

Napalunok lang ako at dahil nagpapalakpakan na sila napilitan na akong tumayo, pinisil ni Ms. Claire ang mga balikat ko at sya ang naupo sa pinag-alisan kong upuan.

I look around me and feel a pang of sadness, sobrang iyak na ang ginawa ko today and I want them to remember my last days here na masaya at hindi puro drama. So I put on a big smile and say, “First, I would like to say thank you sa effort sa party na ‘to, sobrang unexpected kaya I feel so overwhelmed right now.” I put my hand on top of my heart, “So thank you talaga for putting in the effort for me, I feel like I don’t deserve it.” They clap and someone whistles while I compose myself, nung medyo naka-bwelo na ako para magsalita ulet I say, “All I can say is that I will forever be grateful for the chance this company has given me.” I look at them and say, “Alam ko na somehow may naitulong siguro ako sa kumpanyang ito in my own little way, pero parang ako yung may babaunin when I leave.” I look at Jem, Cherrie and Ms. Claire and say, “I got myself real friends.” I look at May and pretend to roll my eyes, “I made enemies.” They all laugh at that at nag-peace sign lang ako kay May, she smiles but looks annoyed.

“And although things were not always perfect, this place gave me the much needed push para maka-survive at maging strong. Natutunan ko rin kung ano yung kaya ko palang gawin na dati hindi ako sure sa sarili ko, na may maibubuga rin pala ako.” I look at Ms. Claire, “Salamat sa pagkakataon.”

I took a deep breath and just said, “Ayun lang. Salamat.”

They clapped their hands and some hugged me while I tried not to cry na naman. I feel weird being in this situation thinking na a few weeks back hindi ko na ma-imagine na magtagal pa sa office na ito, now I feel like I don’t want to leave.



***



Akbay akbay ako ni Jem habang naglalakad kami sa lobby nila Cherrie, each of them may bitbit na gamit ko – yung isa my box of personal stuff from my table and si Jem yung bag kong malaki with goodbye trinkets from my cubicle na nilagyan nila ng decorations for the day. It’s finally my last day here in the office and although the day was uneventful as far as last day’s go, I still feel sad to leave.

Ms. Claire and I had a long talk in her office; mainly she just wanted to talk daw before she had meetings to attend since malamang raw hindi na nya ako abutan dahil maghapon ang meeting nya today, so we just talked about life and kung ano ano pa ang plano ko. I also gave her reminders for when I leave na. I think we both agreed to not be sentimental about it kasi we both promised we’ll make time for each other kahit na hindi na ako dito nag-wo-work.

Pero syempre despite our friendly situation I think Ms. Claire still feels awkward na makita kaming magkasama ng ex nya so umiiwas na lang sya every time magkakaroon ng pagkakataon na pwede nyang makita kami ni Chuck. Dahil heto na ako at ihahatid for the last time ng mga friends ko sa lobby kung saan nag-aantay ang pogi kong boyfriend.

Nagtatawanan si Cherrie and Jem at parang gusto ko na naman maiyak dahil mami-miss ko ang mga baliw na ‘to. They look at me at bago pa ako makapagsalita, hinampas na ako ni Jem sa braso.

“Hoy. Quota ka na sa drama kaya huwag kang iiyak, iiwan kita dito. Bahala ka magbitbit ng gamit mo.” Pero umiiwas ng tingin si Jem so I know na nagpipigil lang rin sya ng luha.

“Oo nga girl. Magkikita pa rin tayo.” Nakangiting sabi ni Cherrie sa akin.

I nod and bite my lip para ma-distract ako sa mga luhang gusto na naman makatakas.

Nang nasa door na kami, humarap ako sa kanilang dalawa at niyapos sila ng mahigpit, “Thanks guys. Ma-mi-miss ko kayo.”

“Oo na. Oo na” Ang pag-di-dismiss sa akin ni Jem habang sinasalubong nya na si Chuck para iabot ang mga gamit ko.

Niyapos ako ni Cherrie at sinabihang, “Kapag sawa ka na, tumatanggap ako ng second hand.”

Bumitiw ako kay Cherrie at tumawa ng malakas at dahil nasa loob na rin ng lobby si Chuck he says, “I heard that.”

Ngumiti si Cherrie sa kanya at sinabing, “Sinadya ko talaga yun, Sir.”

I laugh harder.

Nang mahimasmasan na ako, I look at Chuck, he gives me a soft smile and he says, “Ready?”

I look around the lobby and look back at my friends who are both giving me sad smiles, I wave back at them and look at Chuck where my future now lies, and I smile at him and say, “Ready.”