KABANATA XVIII: Her Gift

Nakatitig lamang ako sa kisame ng kuwarto ko habang nakahiga sa aking kama. I kept on sighing and cursing myself. I didn't even started my day yet. It's freaking two in the morning.

Hindi ko parin makalimutan ang mga nangyari kagabi. Hindi ko parin makalimutan si Nabi sa isip ko. Pilit ko siyang tanggalin sa sistema ko pero parang multo siya ng buhay ko. Kahit anong gawin ko, patuloy parin siya sa paghahabol.

Nakakapagod, oo. Pero isang parte ng puso ko ay pilit paring hinahabol siyang pabalik. Isang parte ng puso ko ay tumitibok at namimilipit para sakanya.

Ewan ko ba.

May saltik yata ako sa utak.

Kinalimutan pero natandaan. Natandaan at ngayo'y hinahanap. Hinahanap pero iniiwasan. Iniiwasan pero tumitibok ang puso para sakanya; sa isang taong hindi niya naman lubos na kilala.

You make me insane Nabi. You make things so complicated for me.

I'm 28 now, I should act much more mature.

Hinawakan ko ang talukap ng mata ko at sunod naman ang pisngi ko. "She touched these." I whispered to myself. Tinignan ko naman ang mga palad ko, "I touched her."

I like the electricity she gives me.

Too bad I didn't saw her face.

Wala namang kaming kaalam- alam na inbitado pala si Claire Zamora. Hindi din naman alam naman ng mga tauhan ko kung anong suot at itsura niya. Dahil doon, hindi na namin siya nahabol.

Tumunog naman bigla ang cellphone ko na naging dahilan ng pagkabulabog ng iniisip ko. Agad akong tumayo at kinuha ang cellphone ko na nasa lamp table ko.

"Hello."

"Jiro, pasensya ka na kung na- istorbo kita. It's two o'clock but this is urgent."

Agad namang kumunot ang noo ko dahil sa tono ng boses ni Mark.

"No, it's fine. Ano ba 'yun?"

"So before, you mentioned about someone named Idro right?" Inagaw ni Mark ang buong atensyon ko. Si Idro ang nabanggit na pangalan ni Nabi sa panaginip ko. Mark must have found something about him.

"HR told me that someone named Idro Gomez, once worked in our company. Hindi parin tayo sigurado kung parehas ba ang tinutukoy mo at ng HR."

"Then, bakit mo sinasabi saakin 'toh?"

"But..." Mark's voice trailed off at the other line. Nanahimik siya na sanhi ng pagka- inis ko. "But what Mark?" Napataas ang tono ng boses ko. I'm impatient, I've been dying to know everything about Nabi. I want to know who Idro really is.

"Our men found something. Idro Gomez' hometown is Baguio," Parang nandilim ang paningin ko dahil sa narinig ko. "What?"

"It's confirmed Jiro. They're the same. I'll investigate more about him. We had chance now. You'll have hope now."

I just remained silent. Hindi parin maiproseso ng utak ko ang mga naririnig ko. "Thank you for helping Mark."

"You're my best friend. Of course I'll help you." Napangiti ako sa sinabi saakin ni Mark. He doesn't let me down.

"Just promise that you'll be happy now."

I froze on my spot, unable to move.

"I promise."

I won't let him down.

"Sleep."

Binaba ko na ang tawag at agad ko namang sinalampak muli ang sarili ko sa higaan ko. Gusto ko pang matulog ulit. Binalot ko ang sarili ko gamit ang kumot at pinikit ang mga mata ko. Pero hindi parin ako makatulog, dilat parin ang mga mata ko.

I'm afraid.

I'm afraid that I might let him down.

I'm afraid that I might not make my promise come true.

I'm afraid of what's going to happen next after I found her.

What am I going to do?

One part of my heart beats for Nabi but the latter, they beat for someone. Someone I just knew but got me. Someone who I can feel contentment with. And someone made everything different.

Someone who made everything strange.

I rubbed my eyes and stood up. Nagising ako dahil sa malakas na pag- katok sa pinto ko. Agad naman akong tumayo para pag- buksan ang kumakatok.

Anong oras na ba at may gusto ng pumasok sa bahay ko at 5 o'clock in the morning? Naglakad ako sa pintuan ko at binuksan ang pinto.

Sumalubong saakin si Salmara na may suot- suot na malaking straw hat at naka- blue na sunglasses, "Buti binuksan mo na. Kanina pa ako kumakatok dito-"

"Mag- bihis ka nga!" Bigla naman akong nagulat sa biglang pag- sigaw ni Salmara. Tinakpan niya ang mga mata niya gamit ang kamay niya. "Anong problema?"

"Naka- hubad ka! Hindi mo narerealize na may babae sa harapan mo at brinabrag mo ang abs mo?!" Sigaw nitong muli. Hindi niya parin tinatanggal ang kamay niya.

Tinignan ko ang sarili ko at nakita kong wala pala akong pang- itaas. Nainitan kasi ako kanina habang natutulog ako kaya tinanggal ko ang t- shirt ko.

"Sh-t." Bulong ko at dali- daling pumunta sa kama at kinuha ang hinubad kong white t- shirt. Sinuot ko na ang damit at tumakbo pabalik sa pintuan. Dinatnan ko si Salmara na naka- takip parin ang mga mata niya.

"Okay na ba?" Tanong niya saakin.

"I'm clothed now," I informed her. She slowly removed her hands from her face and then she sighed in relief. "And I'm not bragging about anything." I said to her.

"You think I'll believe you?" She scoffed. Napa- iling na lang ako. "Come in." I said that caused her to smile. Pumasok siya unit ko at umupo sa couch. May naiwan na maleta sa labas at agad namang kumunot ang noo ko, "Bakit ka may dalang maleta?"

"Oh right. Aalis tayo ngayon," Sambit niya. Aalis kami? Saan naman kami pupunta? At bakit ngayon niya lang 'toh sinabi?

"What? Aalis?"

Tumayo siya mula sa kinauupuan niya at lumapit saakin. "Suprise!" Tawa niya. Ano bang ibig sabihin niya? "Diba sabi ko sayo dati na may regalo ako sayo? Ito na 'yun! Aalis tayo!" She cheered.

I haven't prepared a single thing yet at mukhang ngayon na kami aalis. "To be honest, they are already waiting downstairs at handa na sila sa van."

"Ano? What do you mean with 'they are'?"

"It's a suprise." She smiled even more. "Alam ko namang hindi ka pa handa kaya nandito na ako at ako na ang mag- aayos ng gamit mo. Game?"

Parang bigla- biglaan naman yata ang lahat ng mga pangyayaring 'toh. Wait, suprise nga pala.

"Pretty please~" She went closer to me and pouted her mouth. It's the same tone when she was drunk from the halloween party. The same freaking alluring voice.

"Fine."

"I know you can't resist me," She giggled. "Chill ka lang dyan at ako na ang bahala sa gamit mo." I nodded as a reply.

"Belated Happy Birthday Jiro."

Nagsimula ng mag- ayos si Salmara habang ako naman ay naka- upo lang sa sofa. My mind was blank and I don't know why. It's pitch black and empty. I was just quietly staring at the television, not even understanding what it shows. Wala akong maintindihan.

Salmara came back with my black luggage bag. It was obviously packed with clothes. "Ilang araw ba tayo dun?" I slowly went to her and grabbed the handle of the luggage. It will be a burden to her if she's the one who's going to bring it.

"Three to four days I think? 'Wag kang mag- alala, I made sure na wala kang schedule for this week." She informed me and fixed her glasses.

"You really planned everything." I said that caused her to chuckle.

She cleared her throat after she chuckled. "Let's go?"

Muli akong tumungo at binitbit ang mga maleta namin. Bumaba kaming dalawa gamit ang elevator at sa paglabas namin ng building ay bumungad saamin ang isang black van.

Salmara just smiled at me then she opened the van's door. "I thought you're not going to come Jiro baby!"

My forehead immediately creased. "Anong problema?" Salmara asked. "Nothing." I whispered.

Natasha, Victor and Wright are here. There are also two girls also sitting inside. "I brought a friend." Natasha said, "Am I correct Wright?" Wright immediately sighed and shook his head.

"Pumasok na nga kayong dalawa." Victor scoffed as he swipe his phone using his thumb.

Nilagay ko na ang mga bagahe namin sa likod. Pagkatapos noon, sumakay na ako kaagad sa van at tumabi kay Salmara. Victor and a girl with an ash brown hair was sitting beside each other. At sa Natasha naman ay naka- upo kasama ang isang babaeng mayroong wavy hair. Habang si Wright naman ay mag- isa sa dulo

Nag- simula ng umandar ang van. We were traveling outside the city. Tahimik lang ang buong biyahe. "Saan ba tayo patungo?" I whispered to Salmara on her ear. "To my vacation house. Doon ako nag- stay for 2 years kaya masisigurado 'kong maganda dun." She said enthusiastically. She put her two thumbs up.

She stayed for two years? 'Yun din siguro ang dahilan kung bakit hindi ko siya nakikita dati.

Moments passed and I felt a heavy object pressed on my shoulder.

zzt.

It was Salmara's head. Her hair was falling over her face. My hand crept slowly on her face and brushed off the hair that was covering her face.

There was a tear on her cheek. I immediately wiped it off.

Don't be sad.

Don't be like me.

I heard a faint graceful voice inside my head. It was Nabi's voice.

"Can't I just stay with you just like this? Can't I stay with you forever? I want to... But I can't."

And then the roseate sunlight shone upon me.

Does it have a meaning?

KABANATA XIX: Fragment

So I decided to cut it off here. It was supposed to be longer than this buuut I'm impatient to publish this.

Btw, my Valentine's day was not exactly happy. Jiyong's enlisment date was confirmed! Febraury 27 is indeed a sad day. :(

Serve well Jiyong. See you real soon.