Chapter 5

Bad Luck

Hindi alam ni Mila kung talaga bang malas siya o pinaglalaruan lang siya ng panahon. Not even twenty four hours later, sunod sunod na ang hindi magandang balita ang dumating sa kanya. First, the buyer of their house had last minute problems with payment kaya ilang linggo ang anticipated delay ng agent niya.

Then, as if things couldn't get any worse, the place that she was supposed to stay in, hindi na available because of termites issue na last minute nakita ng may-ari.

"Sorry talaga, sis! Buti 'di ka pa nakapasok sa place bago namin nakita. Ipapa-treatment ko pa 'to so mga ilang araw pa." Mila's friend says on the other line of the phone call.

She turns away from her friends na akmang inilalagay na ang mga bagahe nila sa sasakyan. They all had a great weekend at the beach, but that was it. Everyone had to go back to their own lives, including her. "Okay, sige. Maghahanap na lang muna ako ng matutuluyan. Update mo na lang ako 'pag tapos na."

"Ako ba ulit mag-drive? Passenger princess ka na naman?" Rigo teases Jachin na nasa shotgun seat na agad. Inalalayan muna nito si Fatima na makaupo sa likod ng sasakyan bago bumaling sa kanya. "Mila, dito ka na rin sa likod."

Mila freezes on her heels. She glances to where Abe was at nakatalikod ito mula sa kanila. Loading his own car with the bigger stuff, including the cooler. When he catches her gaze, the furrow between his brows deepens.

"Sinong kasama mo?" she asks, biting her lower lip.

He closes the trunk. "I'll drive alone. Bababa ko na lang cooler kina Fatima." No, you're not. Mila marvels at the way he quickly shuts himself out from everyone-always the last person to put himself first. She points her eyes sharply at him.

Bumaling siyang muli kay Rigo na nakatayo sa gilid ng kotse nito at hinihintay siya. She sighs. "Sasabay na ako kay Abe, Rigo. Magpapababa na rin ako place ko."

The corner of Rigo's lips curved. "Ah, gano'n?" Sa ngiti nitong mapang-asar ay nakuha na ni Mila kung anong gusto nitong sabihin kaya pinandilatan niya ito. "Now, shoo!" she finally says and turns on her heels to walk towards Abe's car.

"And you, bakit ba gusto mong mag-isa lagi? Are you a hermit? Mas pipiliin mo pang mag-isa kaysa may ka-kwentuhan ka." Mila growls, pushing past him and towards his car's passenger side. She turns to him again, waiting for him to speak. Pero tila wala na itong masabi kaya sinarado na lang ang bibig.

"I just thought mas gusto mo makipag-kwentuhan muna sa kanila, seeing as you'll be leaving soon." He starts the car as soon as they're both settled inside. Mila plays with the screen on his dashboard for music pero agad nitong inilipat ang playlist, his fingers bumping into hers. "Sorry, wrong playlist."

Tumaas ang kilay niya nang mariin itong lumunok. "What were you playing ha? Is it bastos?" Mila chokes on laughter when the tips of his ears turn red with embarrassment. "Oh my God, Abe! Seriously?"

"No, it's not like that," he swallows, pressing the play button on a random playlist he had. "It's just local stuff."

"Then can I hear?"

"No," mariin nitong tanggi. "You won't like it."

Mila leans forward, her eyes still on him as he drives. "How will I know if hindi ko pa napapakinggan? And I won't judge you! I have my guilty pleasures din naman." She will definitely judge him, but he doesn't have to know now. Gusto niyang tawanan ito mamaya dahil may ideya na siya kung ano ang mga pinakikinggan nito. They weren't friends for almost a decade now for nothing.

"Fine, just scroll down for the one with disc emoji," he relents with a soft sigh. "In my defense, I'm sonically more inclined to like something than reading the lyrics." Mila giggles as she opens the playlist and confirms her suspicion. Puro nga ito rap songs from local artists.

"Oh my God, Abe!" tawa niya nang makita ang pamumula ng mukha nito. Even his neck was red. "Isa ngang rap d'yan! Sample! Sample!"

"Stop," Abe grumbles underneath his breath.

"Halos limang oras na akong nag-aantay sa 'yo, nag-aabang ako sa labas ng bahay n'yo," Mila sings along the beat in between her giggling habang nakatingin kay Abe. Kunot noo itong nakatingin sa daan, clearly annoyed now that she was obviously making fun of his taste in music.

"Milana," he reaches for her hand to put it down dahil kanina pa siya gumagalaw kasabay ng pag-rap ng kumakanta. "Stop that." Despite his words, the corner of his lips curves up nang lakasan niya pa ang pagkanta.

"Ikaw ha, ganito pala type mong mga kanta! Although, I had a feeling kanina kung anong mga kanta makikita ko."

"It's just for when I'm alone," he emphasizes the last word, glancing at her in the process. "Para 'di ako antukin habang nagda-drive."

"Sing with me then!"

"Milana," Abe groans, then reaches for the screen to change the music. He plays one of Kodaline's songs.

"Ang sarap mong inisin. Your face turns red all over." Mila smiles at him even though his attention was glued to the road ahead.

Abe rolls his eyes playfully. "Lagi mo naman akong inaasar. 'Di na bago."

Natawa siya sa himutok nito at inabot ang braso nito para pisilin. She didn't know why, but she loved being able to touch him freely and know that he wasn't thinking of anything else. To him, she's just Mila, his friend. Not someone he had a deep history with.

"Abe," she starts, suddenly feeling shy. "Uhm, I have a problem. See, 'yong dapat tutuluyan ko kasi nagkaproblem sa infestation, so I can't stay there."

"You can stay at my house," agad nitong sagot. "Matutupad pangarap mo." He smiles a bit, catching her wish on the palm of his hand. Granted, she was just half kidding when she told him that.

"Agad agad naman? Magtatanong pa lang ako kung may alam kang place na pwede akong mag-stay for a few days, e."

"Why not in my house? It's safer and more familiar. And wala kang kasama ro'n except for our caretaker na sa umaga lang naman pumupunta."

Her lower lips protrude in a pout. "Are you sure okay lang? Baka biglang dumating sina Tita and Tito. Magulat sila sa 'kin tapos baka ikaw pa mapagalitan."

"Like I care." Her eyes widened at Abe's response. Hindi niya alam kung anong dahilan kung bakit ilag ito na banggitin ang mga magulang. He didn't used to have so much disdain for them. In fact, he had a better relationship with his parents than her. Alam niyang hindi ito pinilit ng mga magulang na maging doktor. Alam niyang hindi ito pinabayaan.

Her curiosity getting the best of her, she turns to him and asks, "Okay, what's up with you and your parents? Last time I asked, iniwasan mo 'yong tanong."

Sandali itong natahimik habang mahinang huni lang ng pinatutugtog nito ang naririnig ni Mila sa sasakyan. His grip on the wheel tightens, his knuckles turning white. "Ayoko na sanang pag-usapan."

Mila blinks, waiting for him to continue. She didn't want to disrupt his train of thought and more importantly, ayaw niyang magbago ang isip nito na sabihin sa kanya.

"I told you, I felt like I lost my sense of purpose habang tumatagal ako sa med school. I started because-because I wanted to help. Gusto kong makatulong kasi hindi ko. . . hindi ko nagawang tulungan 'yong kapatid ko." Abe inhales sharply, and Mila's heart crumples at the sound. She knows how difficult it was for him to talk about his younger sister, who tragically passed away in a vehicular accident.

He survived and she did not.

"But now-now that they know this, they think-no, they blame me for not trying enough. Hindi ko alam kung para sa'n at kanino pa ba 'tong ginagawa ko, Mila. My sister's dead. She has been for years now. What's the point of all-" he gestures at nothing in the air with his free hand. "-this."

"On top of that, last time nagkasagutan kami ni Dad," he continues. "Because he was forcing me out of med school to just work at the family business and-"

"And you don't want to just yet?" Mila finishes the sentence that hung between them. Confirming his thoughts. "Gusto mo pang tignan kung para sa 'yo talaga." It was unlike him to be flimsy. Sa ilang taon nilang magkaibigan, they can rely on him to make the decisions that concerned their friend group.

Abe keeps his eyes on the road. "I know how that sounds. I sound like a spoiled, privileged person. Hell, I know I am. But I want to do something worthwhile, Mila." She kept her lips sealed, waiting for him, and gave his arm a little squeeze. "I don't want to be stuck behind a desk all day."

She smiles, a cloud of thought steadying inside her head. Oh, Abe. "Then, hindi ba 'yan 'yong sagot na hinahanap mo?" Abe's eyes flicks to her at sinalubong niya ito ng ngiti. "That even though your sister is not here anymore, you still want to do something that will make her proud." Mila lets the thought sit in silence. Hinayaan niyang magmaneho si Abe habang tahimik siyang pinagmamasdan.

⚘

The house was so quiet that Mila thought it was abandoned. Akala niya nagbibiro si Abe nang sabihin nito na halos wala nang umuuwi sa bahay nila na ito. Akala niya madadapa pa siya nang pumasok sila dahil sobrang dilim, not even the lights outside the house was open and they were left struggling to see as he parks his car.

Mila rolls her luggage inside the house, her eyes fleeting towards the wall of family pictures that she'd seen a thousand times already, but somehow, still looks strangely unfamiliar. "May tinanggal ba kayo na picture?" She couldn't help but ask Abe. Hindi niya alam kung anong mali, pero parang may nawala. The huge portrait of his parents was still lodged at the center of the wall, then it was surrounded by smaller pictures of Abe, his family, and some extended family. May iba pang mga litrato ng lolo't lola niya from both sides of the family.

"They removed Gaile's photos." Abigaile, her mind registers his sister's name. Tumayo si Abe sa tabi niya at iginala ang mata sa mga litrato. "I kept it, though. Nakatago sa kwarto ko kasi ayaw ko namang itapon nila o itambak kung saan. Those are precious memories to me."

"Maybe someday pwede mo nang ibalik," she says and leans forward to touch one of the frames on the wall that was holding one of his childhood photos. Nakaupo sa swing si Abe at nasa likod niya ang ama niya. He was grinning while holding on to the rail. "You look cute here. May missing pang front tooth." She giggles and turns to him. The tips of his ears were red again. Nahihiya na naman ito.

Abe steps back and walks towards the living room area, pulling one of her luggages with him. "Walang stock dito sa bahay. Do you want to grab some groceries first?"

"Grocery with you? Yes, please," she teases him. "One of our goals 'yan 'di ba? 'Pag nakapag-grocery tayo nang hindi tayo nagtatalo, we're like this," Mila lifts her index and middle fingers and squeezes them together. "Right?"

Napailing lang ito at muling kinuha ang susi ng sasakyan. "Tara na ang dami mo pang pakulo." She slaps him playfully on the arm before following him back out the door.

Malapit lang ang grocery mula sa bahay ni Abe kaya mabilis silang nakarating. Agad itong kumuha ng cart at itinulak sa loob. "I don't have a list, Abe. Nakaka-overwhelm."

"Food first. Then toiletries. And then tsaka na tayo sa house supplies."

Mila ticks off her imaginary list inside her head for the food she wants. Marunong naman siyang magluto at may alam naman siyang mga recipe, but she mostly rotated on basic stuff lalo na sa Amerika dahil palagi siyang busy pag-aalaga sa nanay niya at pag-aaral. She didn't have much time to cook.

So she grabs pasta noodles, bread, a few packs of meat, and snacks. A ton of snacks. Mataman siyang tinignan ni Abe nang maghulog siya ng isang pack ng chichirya. "What?"

"Where's your fruit and vegetables?" tanong nito habang tinutulak ang cart niya.

"Eh. Mabilis mabulok 'pag bumili agad ako tapos wala akong meal plan. I don't know any recipe, say, for spinach, for example."

Abe picks up a small tub of cream cheese. "Spinach and cream cheese is nice."

She narrows her eyes at him. "Gusto mo lang ako kumain ng gulay. I know what you're doing and you're not keeping me away from my snacks." She hugs her pack of chips close to her chest.

Napailing ito at inilagay ang ilang jar ng pre-made sauces sa cart niya. Abe made her get her toiletries and other basic hygiene stuff before putting laundry detergents in the cart. No'ng sinabi nito na walang stock sa bahay ay literal na wala kaya halos umabot hanggang paa niya ang resibo nila after checkout.

"This is too much, Abe," she flings the receipt at him. "Ilang araw lang naman akong magsi-stay. I'll find somewhere else after a while."

"You can stay there as long as you want. 'Di naman kita sisingilin."

She quickens her step, catching up to him as they both exited the supermarket. "What? Anong hindi ka maniningil? I'm gonna pay!"

"Wala namang nakatira sa bahay, Mila. You're literally the first person who'll use it in years. Hayaan mo na, okay?"

She shakes her head and walked faster, allowing no room for argent. "No, I'll pay the bills."

"Milana," he calls for her, and the way her full first name rolled off his tongue almost made her stop in her tracks. Almost.

Hindi niya ito hinayaang baguhin ang isip niya because he's stubborn as hell at kung lagi niya itong pagbibigyan ay malamang mauulit ito sa mga taong hindi niya kilala. Ayaw niyang magulangan ito o mapagsamantalahan ng ibang tao. He was too nice for his own good.

Nang makarating ulit sila sa bahay ay tinulungan lang siya ni Abe na ibaba at ayusin ang mga pinamili nila bago ito nagpaaalam. "What? Aalis ka na?" she quickly asks, her feet taking her to him. "What about me?"

The furrow between his brows deepened. "Ha?"

"I mean, 'di ko alam dito sa bahay mo," Mila squeezes her hands together behind her. "House tour?"

Nanatili itong nakatayo sa harap niya, his hands on his waist. He was definitely contemplating whether or not he should call her bullshit, and it was no surprise that he eventually did. "Be honest, takot ka lang sa mga multo 'no? And by that, I mean, your imagination." The corner of his lips twitches in amusement. He lifts a hand and gently places it on top of her head. "Walang multo dito. You can rest your heart."

Only the ghost of my past, Mila's mind humbly reminds her. The ghost of what she did to Jachin and Evie never lets her rest. It held on to her tightly that she doesn't know what scares her more-the real ghosts or the one that haunts her heart.

Her mind whirls with reasons that she can give him. "I'll make you something. In exchange, samahan mo muna ako." She couldn't think of anything but that. Marunong naman siyang magluto kaya alam niyang hindi siya mapapahiya.

"What're you going to make me?"

"Spaghetti?" she pleads with her eyes. At least spaghetti was nice and it was easy enough to make!

Sandali itong natahimik at bumaling sa orasan na nasa dingding. Then, he sighs. "Okay."

Mila smiles. It wasn't a surprise to her dahil alam niyang kahit hindi siya magluto ay sasamahan siya nito if she asked, but it was a small exchange for his time. And if she had learned anything, it was to value someone's time.

#omtlwp