rj? you're rj, right?

ahhh yes? and you are....?

nicomaine. alexandra's friend.

umiling ang binata. nagbaba ng tingin. pinagsaklop ang mga kamay.

can i sit?

tumingin ang binata. ngumiti. tumango.

please. pasensya ka na. i left my manners somewhere.

umupo ang dalaga. ngumiti. tinawag ng binata ang waiter.

what do you want to order?

whatever you're having is fine with me

you sure?

very

bumaling ang binata sa waiter at umorder.

two glasses of double vodka lime soda tsaka yung tapas platter and pata negra

tumango ang waiter at umalis.

she loves you rj

yeah right. kaya ba ikaw ang nandito?

im sorry

don't be. she should.

she wants to com—

i don't need your sympathy. if she wants to come, she should be the one sitting on that chair. unfortunately, she's not.

she does not have a choice

we all have

im sorry

i said don't be. it's good

she asked me to keep you company

on our anniversary? why?

she felt guilty. she wants to be here. she really does

i guess we're way past that argument. so bakit ka nya pinapunta? so i can celebrate OUR anniversary with someone rather than celebrate it all by myself? ano yun? consolation?

sarkastiko ang dating ng mga salita. isang malalim na buntong-hininga mula sa dalaga. sabay lumagok ng alak. parehong nalilito kung bakit sila nandito.

look i really don't know.... all i know is that my bestfriend begged me to meet you and tell you how much she wanted to be here

and she doesn't have the guts to tell it to my face?

rj please naman, i'm trying here....

isa na namang malalim na buntong hininga ngayon naman ay nagmula sa binata.

sorry. let's just forget all about it. let's start again. i'm rj, richard faulkerson jr., your bestfriend's boyfriend.

ngumiti ang dalaga. inabot ang kamay ng binata.

nicomaine mendoza. your girlfriend's bestfriend.

nagbitaw ang mga palad. nagngitian.

so where were we?

i think we have an anniversary to celebrate? cheers?

bottom's up

sabay na uminom. humingi pa ulit. at ulit. at ulit. at makalipas ang ilan pang ulit na paghingi ng iniinom, at mga maliliit na pag-uusap at pagpapalitan ng opinyon....

thanks for coming

well what do you know... are you sure nagpapasalamat ka?

oo naman

bakit?

kasi kahit pano this time hindi ako mag-isa

bakit ilang beses na ba?

lagpas na yata sa mga basong inorder natin ang bilang

hahaha!!!! ang tyaga mo sa bestfriend ko ha

mahal ko eh

tumahimik ang dalaga at matamang tumitig sa kanyang baso sabay lagok ng laman nito. tumingin sa binata at ngumiti.

she's very fortunate to have you

i guess she has a different opinion

richard, maniwala ka. mahal ka ng kaibigan ko

you really sound convincing. pero kasi hindi ako naniniwala sa sabi-sabi lang. i only believe first hand information

believe me, she would not bother asking me to go here if she does not care, let alone beg me. naipit lang talaga sa sitwasyon. babawi yun

again. hindi ako naniniwala sa sabi-sabi lang. but sure i'll give your bestfriend the benefit of the doubt.

thanks richard. at least kahit pano may maganda akong masasabi sa kanya. her begging paid off.

hmmm... naisip ko lang, ang dami mo ng nalaman about me. pwede bang ako naman ang magtanong?

shoot

bakit ngayon lang?

anong bakit ngayon lang?

i mean for the past four years that me and alex are together, bakit ngayon lang kita nakilala? bakit hindi ka man lang nya nabanggit sa kin?

naku richard, believe me mahabang kwento. hindi mo na gugustuhing malaman.

or hindi mo gustong sabihin? you can be honest nicomaine, i will not force you to share information you're not comfortable with

it's not that i don't want to share. siguro it's somewhat the feeling of being judged lang. i hope that's not offensive.

none taken. it's ok, as i've said i will not force you to answer. but just so you know, you helped me survive this night, kung darating din sayo yung gabi na kakailanganin mo ng kaibigan, i'll volunteer.

thank you richard.... it means a lot. but just to give you a glimpse of the story behind me not being mentioned by my bestfriend, it was rough, the past five years.

well, for what it's worth. i'm glad you survived it.

surviving still. hindi pa past tense.

hinawakan ng binata ang kamay ng dalaga. lingid sa kaalaman ng isa't isa, may kakaibang pakiramdam na dulot ang haplos na sa kanilang mga kamay ay namagitan.

you'll get there nicomaine.

sana nga richard...

may mumunting patak ng luha sa mata ng dalaga ngunit bago pa ito umalpas, pinahid na ito ng kamay ng binata. bahagya pinisil ang pisngi.

alam mo ba kung bakit mahirap ang subject-verb agreement?

nangiti ang dalaga. tumingin sa mga mata ng binata at umiling

kasi kadalasan mahirap talagang malaman kung sino ang nakalagay na lang sa nakaraan, sino ang dapat nasa kasalukuyan at kung sino ang tamang piliin para sa hinaharap

mahirap nga bang malaman kung sino ang nakaraan, kasalukuyan at hinaharap o baka dahil gusto lang nating sumunod palagi sa konsepto ng tama at dapat sa mata ng karamihan?

*****************

~ unangpagtatagpo ~