It's been two years since she last saw her friends in person. Celine was nervous and excited at the same time. Kumusta na kaya ang mga ito? Nakakausap naman niya sina Janelle through Skype. And it's not like she's been gone for ten years. But still... iba pa rin kasi na wala siya sa Pilipinas ng dalawang taon. She missed out on a lot.

Janelle's second baby is already on the way. Ilang buwan na rin ang una niyang inaanak. Jake has been promoted. Yuan formed a band and has gigs during weekends. Jace and MJ, well, nothing has changed. Jace is still in denial.

As for Kelvin, ito lang ang hindi niya alam kung ano na ang nangyayari sa buhay maliban sa mga sinasabi ng iba niyang mga kaibigan. Noong ilang buwan pa lamang siya sa Chicago, ito ang pinakamadalas na tumawag sa kanya. She knew that those calls were pricey, kaya pagod siya o stressed, palagi niya iyong sinasagot.

He used to call just to say that he misses her, that he wants to go there and be with her, kahit ilang araw lang. Ilang beses na rin niya itong pinagsabihan. Although Kelvin owns the apartment that she stayed in, ayaw pa rin niyang dadalaw ito roon para lang sa kanya. He asked her to live in his apartment for two years, thinking maybe that she'd let him come visit whenever he wants, which didn't happen. Unang-una, namamahalan siya sa pamasahe. He had no other business there other than her, so para sa kanya, waste of money. Pangalawa, Kelvin has work. She doesn't want him to set it aside for her. Pangatlo, magastos na nga, nakakapagod pa. And it's not like he could stay for a month. Sigurado siyang ilang araw lamang ang itatagal ng pagbisita nito. And Chicago's not just a few hours away. At pinakanghuli, it wouldn't do them any good.

Makalipas ang ilang buwan nang pagtanggi niya rito, he finally gave up. Tumigil na ito sa pangungulit sa kanya. Dumalang na rin nang dumalang ang komunikasyon nilang dalawa. From once to thrice a week, naging once a month na lang ang pagtawag nito. Tapos noong ikalawang taon niya sa ibang bansa, he never called again. During the special occasions, all she got from him were text greetings.

She was saddened by the fact that it felt like he's finally getting moving on just as she's just starting to fall for him.

Siguro dahil na rin iyon sa nasanay siyang palagi itong nasa tabi niya. She missed him during his absence. Noong una ay hindi niya iyon pinaniwalaan. Missing him couldn't really mean that she's already falling for him, right? But there were times when she can't think of anyone else but him. She even cried when he stopped calling.

When his calls stopped coming, she thought of ringing him for a change. Kaso naisip niya na baka busy ito o ayaw nitong magpaabala. Iba kasi para sa kanya kapag nananahimik si Kelvin. Nasanay kasi siyang ito ang palaging nag-i-initiate.

Then the gap grew wider. Aminado naman siyang kasalanan din niya. She let her fear stop her from contacting him.

Sa isang Pinoy restaurant daw sila magkikita-kita. Janelle suggested it dahil alam nitong nami-miss na niya ang pagkaing Pilipino. Sure, may supplies ng pagkaing ipinadadala sa kanya buwan-buwan (na kahit hindi sabihin ni Kelvin ay alam niyang dito galing), pero iba pa rin iyong pagkaing Pinoy na lutong-bahay.

She was already donned in denim jeans and a simple white blouse when Janelle called to ask her where she is. Nandoon na raw ang mga ito.

Dalawang sakay mula sa boarding house niya ang lugar. She went back to her old renting place because it's convenient for work. She has three months to decide whether she will stay or go back. Hindi pa rin niya alam kung ano ang pipiliin. She kinda likes Chicago. Wala siyang kakilala roon sa personal noong una at wala rin siyang alam sa lugar. She was a sponge there, araw-araw may bagong natutunan. Pero alam niyang maguguluhan siya dahil sa panahong ilalagi niya sa Pilipinas. Who doesn't miss home? Kahit nga iyong araw-araw nilang pag-uulam ng isda, nami-miss nya.

She sighed. And this will be the first time that she'll be seeing him after two years. What will she feel? Maybe after this night, malalaman na niya kung saan ilulugar ang sarili. Malalaman na rin niya kung ano ba talaga ang nararamdaman niya para rito. And if he still likes her, then maybe they could finally happen. If he doesn't, then wala na siyang magagawa.

--

Kelvin was growing uncomfortable as the night progresses. Kararating lamang nila nina Janelle sa lugar. She's the one who told him that Celine was back home. Noong isang araw daw ito dumating. Gustuhin man niyang magtampo dahil hindi siya sinabihan na darating ito, hindi rin niya magawa dahil alam niyang may kasalanan din siya.

He stopped calling her a year ago. He simply greeted her during special occasions. She greeted him back. And then, that's it. But it doesn't mean that he doesn't miss her every day. It's just that, he feels that something changed in him. Natuto siyang mag-hold back. He learned how to restrain himself. Hindi niya alam kung may ikinabuti ba iyon.

"Ayan na si Celine!"

Agad siyang napatingin sa entrance ng restaurant. Kanina pa siya pasulyap-sulyap doon, wanting to be the first one to see her come in. Pero pagkatapos ng ilang beses na iba naman ang nakikita niyang pumasok, nag-focus na lamang siya sa pakikipag-usap sa mga kasama. Ngayon, nalingat lang siya, dumating na ito.

He couldn't believe that he's looking at the same person. The Celine who left the country was shy and always want to blend in. The Celine that he's looking at now exudes confidence. Mas maganda ang tindig nito, probably because she's wearing shoes with heels. Her brown hair's sporting a braided updo and she's wearing red lipstick.

The only familiar things about her are her smile and the fact that she's wearing jeans.

Janelle got up and gave her a big hug. The other's followed. He couldn't get up. Alam niyang magtataka ang mga ito kapag hindi niya ito sinalubong ng yakap. That would be so unlike him. Dapat nga ay siya ang mukhang pinakamasaya sa pagdating nito. Pero nanatili siyang nakaupo, tahimik at hindi alam ang gagawin.

It wasn't until Janelle nudged him that he was brought back to his senses. They're all looking at him. Celine was still standing there, hinihintay siyang tumayo. He got up and walked briskly towards her. Niyakap niya ito. He counted for two seconds and then told himself to let go, but he couldn't. She felt so soft in his arms. And smelled so good too.

But someone cleared his throat and he knew that he was being too obvious.

"Welcome back," he told her saka siya bumitaw. Celine took her seat next to Jake. Bumalik na rin siya sa pwesto niya, with Janelle's eyes following his every move.

Nang umalis si Celine, mas naging close sila ni Janelle. Ninong pa siya ng anak nito. Within two years, he managed to learn the art of mental telepathy with her. One look from Janelle and he already knows what she's thinking.

A smile was playing on her lips. He couldn't ignore it. Not when he knows that she's right.

"May hinihintay pa ba tayo?" tanong ni Jace. He was pointing at the empty chair next to Celine.

"Meron pa," Celine answered.

Gusto niyang itanong kung sino iyon, but just as he was about to ask Janelle, that guy walked in.

--

"What's he doing here?" he asked Janelle, his voice laced with irritation. Yuan just walked in. Sinalubong ito ng yakap ni Celine. Then he sat next to her.

"Well, he's her friend," she pointed out. "I heard na madalas silang magka-Skype. Kasi, di ba, same shift sila? So madalas silang magkausap."

His frown deepened.

"Bakit? Nagsiselos ka?"

"No," tanggi niya. "I just didn't know that he's invited."

But Janelle knew better. Kahit itago niya, alam pa rin nito ang totoo niyang nararamdaman. Of course, he's jealous. It's been two years but his feelings for Celine didn't go away. Kung mayroon mang nabago, parang mas lumala pa iyon. Loving Celine was not new to him anymore. It became a part of his life. Naging normal na para sa kanya. But he couldn't just tell her that. Lalo na't hindi naman niya alam kung may pag-asa ba siya.

Instead of trying to move on by dating other girls, he decided to let the feeling linger. Baka magsawa rin siya kapag tumagal. At ang akala niya noon, nawala na talaga.

He was able to focus on his work more. He became more productive. Ibinuhos niya ang oras sa trabaho, pamilya at mga kaibigan. He then realized that there's no space left for another woman in his life.

He's just waiting for this one particular woman to come back.

--

Yuan leaned over to whisper something in Celine's ear.

"He's staring at you," he told her.

Pinamulahan siya. Pinigilan niya ang sariling lingunin si Kelvin. Alam niyang kanina pa may nakatingin sa kanya. Iba kasi 'yong pakiramdam. Hindi siya mapakali kanina pa.

"Hoy kayong dalawa, may sarili ba kayong mundo? Ba't nagbubulungan kayo dyan?"

Lumayo sa kanya si Yuan saka ngumiti. Sa loob ng dalawang taon, si Yuan ang pinakamadalas niyang kausap. Halos araw-araw silang magka-Skype. And she thought that it would make her like him more, dahil ito ang madalas niyang nakikita.

But the comfortable feeling she had towards him didn't change. Sa sobrang kumportable niya kay Yuan, parang mas naging okay sa kanya na maging magkaibigan na lamang sila. When she told Yuan this, she was surprised that he agreed. Mas okay nga raw na magkaibigan na lang sila. Para raw kasi silang magkapatid kung tutuusin. Walang spark.

Unlike with Kelvin. One look from him and her heart would be thumping like crazy.

"What's your status? Kayo na ba?" Jake asked. "Gabi-gabi yata kayong magka-Skype, e."

Everybody looked at them, waiting for their answer. It was Yuan who spoke.

"Maybe."

Pinandilatan niya ito. What's with the misleading answer?

--

If only looks could kill...

Janelle was so amused with the scene. Yuan was acting all lovey-dovey towards Celine and it's pissing Kelvin off, big time. Alam niyang nagpipigil lamang ito kahit mukhang kanina pa nito gustong manuntok.

Sa loob ng dalawang taon, wala nang naging ibang girlfriend si Kelvin. Ni pakikipag-date ay hindi nito ginawa. She likes to think that it's because he's still waiting for Celine, kahit hindi rin siya sigurado. Kelvin rarely spoke of Celine. But seeing his reaction now, she knows that she's right. He's still in love with her, probably more than he did two years ago.

Kung alam lang sana ni Celine...

--

Masarap ang mga pagkaing nakalapag sa mahabang dahon ng saging, yet Celine couldn't feel her appetite. She wasn't sure if Yuan's answer earlier affected Kelvin in some way. Kanina pa kasi nakakunot ang noo nito, tingin nang tingin sa phone. May hinihintay kaya itong tawag? From a woman, perhaps? May girlfriend na kaya ulit ito?

Wala namang sinasabi si Janelle sa kanya at hindi rin naman siya nagtatanong kaya ngayon, hindi niya alam.

Kelvin excused himself when his phone rang and she pretended to be taking the crab meat out of its shell when he walked past her. Who's he talking to?

Pagkabalik ni Kelvin maya-maya ay iyon ang bungad na tanong dito ni Janelle. She waited for his answer, readied her ears for a woman's name, but nothing came. Nagkibit-balikat lamang ito at bumalik sa pagkain. He was being awfully quiet. Hindi siya sanay.

--

They stayed at the restaurant for three hours. Sila ang pinakamaingay na grupo roon. They talked about the past two years over food and buckets of beers. Celine and Yuan are still wrapped up in their own little world which annoyed the hell out of Kelvin.

Kung araw-araw naman na palang magkausap ang dalawa nang nasa Chicago si Celine, why can't Yuan let them talk to her? He's been hogging her all night!

But he couldn't voice out his complaint, kaya kinuntento na lamang niya ang sarili sa panunuod ditong kumain, makipag-usap at tumawa. Good thing, she's not made of wax or else, baka kanina pa ito tunaw dahil kanina pa siya nakatitig dito.

Kung napansin man iyon ng mga kasama nila, walang pumuna sa kanya.

But when they decided to call it a night, he was asked by his friends to drive Celine home. He tried not to appear too eager when he said okay. Nang sila na lamang ang magkasama pauwi, akala niya ay makakapag-usap na sila. Pero pareho silang tahimik sa sasakyan. She's looking out the window. Siya naman ay tutok na tutok sa pagmamaneho. It was also a disappointingly short drive. Wala pa yatang sampung minuto ay nakarating na sila sa boarding house nito.

"Salamat sa paghatid," sabi nito sa kanya. He simply nodded and waited for her to get out. She was about to open the gate when he finally spoke.

"Celine..."

--

Celine felt the same kind of rush that she's been feeling earlier when he called his name. Buong gabi siya nitong hindi kinausap. It's partly because Yuan's been talking to her all night. Simula nang maging close silang dalawa, mas lalong dumami ang pinag-uusapan nila.

Kelvin, on the other hand, was too quiet. Akala niya ay kauusapin na siya nito nang mag-uwian, dahil pumayag itong ihatid siya pauwi, pero tahimik pa rin ito hanggang sa sasakyan.

It felt awkward. Just two years ago, he was all over her. Marami nga talagang pwedeng magbago sa loob ng ilang taon. Her feelings for him changed. Maybe his, too.

"Bakit?" she asked, hopeful.

"Good night," was all he said before he drove off.

--

Umuulan ng updates dahil may gana akong mag-update at may net. Hindi dahil sa minadali ko 'to, okay? Continuation po ito. Nilagyan ko lang ng hati. Anyway, kung masyado kayong nabibilisan, please read this after two years. Thank you. Hahahaha

P.S. Natupad ko pala yung sinabi kong uulan ng updates ngayong Linggo. Wala lang. Share.