5 days ago

Patricia

"Thank you so much Ate Patty! I owe you! Laters!" Coleen said then gave me a flying kiss tapos tumakbo na papuntang building niya.

I start to drive again. 

Si Coleen talaga, kung kelan male-late na tsaka pa nag-pahatid. She's lucky I don't have work today, buti na lang na-cancel ang meeting ko sa isa sa mga magpapa-ayos ng interior ng bahay nila.

And it was very odd na hindi siya sinundo ni Kyle. Parang personal driver na nga ni Coleen si Kyle e, kahit saan si Kyle ang naghahatid sakanya, kaya lagi ata naka-leave ang family driver nila.

My phone rung, and I took a glance. I smiled when I saw his name. Inayos ko 'yung bluetooth sa tenga ko then answered the call. 

"Can I invite you for a dinner?" He asked.

Ako naman parang tangang naka-ngiti habang nakahinto sa tapat ng stop light.

I bite my lips, I really don't want to make him notice na kinikilig ako, because when that happens, tuloy-tuloy niya akong pakikiligin, baka mabaliw na ako kapag ganun!

"Bakit? Is there an occasion or something?" Why did I even asked? 

"Kailangan ba may occasion para ayain kitang mag-dinner?" Eh most of the time, he'll just ask me for a date randomly. 

He's the kind of boyfriend na hilig makipag-date, kahit saan pa man. But mostly, on a dinner. Iba-ibang restaurant na ang nakainan namin sa ilang beses kaming nakapag dinner sa labas.

But, even if numerous times na kaming nakapag-date, the spirit was still there. Hinding hindi ako magsa-sawa.

I giggled. "Okay, Davey."

"Stop calling me Davey, it's not appropriate to call me with that cute name. So, stop or else-"

"Or else what?" 

"Or else I'll be pushed to show you the reasons why." He chuckled.

Nanlaki ang mata ko, at pinaandar na ang kotse dahil nag-green na ang light.

"Okay, okay." He's still laughing. He's such a pervert! "Goodbye, see you later." He said then ended the call.

Kahit kelan talaga, napaka-pilyo ni Dave.

But sometimes, hindi ko na siya maintindihan, may times na sobrang sungit niya, yung tipong kahit walang dahilan 'di na lang niya ako kakausapin. Which is so odd of him, dahil kahit sobrang stress o galit siya saakin kinakausap niya parin ako.

Siguro ganun na talaga kahirap 'yung trabaho niya, kasi simula nung siya na 'yung nagtake-over ng family business nila, bihira na lang kami halos magkaroon ng time sa isa't isa plus the fact na busy rin ako sa work ko.

But I'm happy he's still finding time, like now.

My phone rang and as soon as I saw Michelle's annoying face I answered the call.

Before I could even answer, "You better get your ass here now. No buts. Bella needs us." Sunod-sunod niyang sabi atsaka in-end 'yung call.

Kumunot ang noo ko at agad nag-drive papunta sa bahay nila Bella. What is it this time? Her parents? O si Jake? But I doubt it. I knew Jake, never pa niyang sinaktan si Bella as far as I know.

Pagdating ko sa bahay nila Bella tuloy-tuloy lang ako dahil dito kami halos laging tumatambay kaya kilala na kami ng mga maids dito.

"Asan po sila?" Tanong ko kay Manang Vergie.

"Ay naku, naroon sa may balkonahe, dalian mo hija, grabe ang iyak ni Belinda." Halos tumakbo na ako papunta sa balcony sa second floor. 

Shit. 

Why is she crying?

Saaming lima, kung sino man 'yung may pinakamaakas na emotional strength, si Bell 'yun. She's not the kind of person who will let you know that she's sad or she's tired. Kaya kapag umiyak siya, sobra na talaga.

"What is happening?" Bungad ko sakanila. 

Agad akong tumakbo kay Bella at niyakap siya.

There were crumpled tissues everywhere. At may mga basag na vase sa gilid.

Mich and Gabi were here. Pero hindi parin tumatahan si Bella.

I tried comforting her, niyakap ko lang siya hanggang sa medyo humupa na ang mga pag-hikbi niya.

"What the hell happened?" I asked. Pero nakatingin lang sa baba si Bella habang nanginginig ang mga labi niya at namumula ang mga mata.

She really cried harder than the hardest. She looks so... miserable.

"Ayun, si Jake. Fake." Sabi ni Gabi, did she cried too?

Her eyes were red too.

"Teka, ano ba angyayari? Bakit umiiyak ka din?" I looked at Gabi and then to Bella, this time they were also looking at me.

And then it hit me.

"Bastards." I whispered. 

"Michelle, speak up! Ano nangyare?!" But then there's only a moment of silence.

"Wala, mga gago 'yang mga lalaki na 'yan eh. Pagkatapos kang paglaruan, mahalin kuno, iiwan ka na lang. Mga bwiset." Sabi ni Mich habang pinapaypayan ang mga mata niya, she knew she couldn't resist herself from crying.

"Ano ba kasi nangyare? Ano ba ginawa nila? Ha Bella?" I asked Bella first.

Huminga siya ng malalim at kinwento 'yung nangyare nung nasa hotel kami few days ago.

Kaya pala bigla na lang siyang umalis, I thought there were some family problems, dahil ganun naman lagi ang nangyayare kapag aalis siya bigla. The last time I knew that day, kinausap niya si Dave. But there were so much more! I didn't knew that Jake could be that they were talking about! Paano niyang nagawang paglaruan ang kaibigan ko? I thought he was the one for her, tapos 'yun pala that was all a game? That was all for a stupid play?! Hinihintay lang pala niya 'yung letcheng girlfriend niya galing ibang bansa? Ano sex lang habol niya kay Bella ganon? 

Kung alam ko lang na ganito, edi sana pala 'di na namin iniwanan sa isang room si Jake at Bella nung birthday ni Gabi sa Tagaytay! Edi sana 'di pa naisuko ni Bella ang bataan!

"He was really a piece of shit." Bella said. Buti naman at tumigil na siya sa pag-iyak. But she still looks like a mess.

"No. He's a big shit. Not just a piece." Sabi ni Gabi habang lukot na lukot na 'yung tissue na hawak niya.

Binitawan niya 'yon at nahulog sa sahig ay mga mugmog na lang nung tissue.

Gabi also told me her story. Kung gago si Jake, gagong gago rin 'tong Lee na 'to! I knew it from the start na hindi siya mapagkakatiwalaan! Itsura palang niya, alam ko nang hindi mapagkakatiwalaan. Siya pa talaga ang may karapatan magalit at palabasin na si Gabi pa ang may kasalanan? What an asshole.

"You deserve so much better Gabi, hindi siya kawalan." I said then hugged her dahil nagsimula nanaman siyang umiyak.

Ano na ba nangyayare samin? Parang ang saya-saya lang namin nugn nakaraang araw, then this?

Their boyfriends are really an asshole!

"Oh, Mich. Baka gusto mo na sabihin 'yang problema mo. Kanina ka pa hugot ng hugot diyan. Patty might bring out some words of wisdom right?" Bella said then smiled slightly at tumingin saakin.

Pero agad nawala ang ngiti sa mukha niya, I know she's still hurt. The wounds are still raw. Kahapon nagkulong lang siya for sure dahil ngayon lang siya naglabas ng sama ng loob. While the other day nag-break sila, no. Nakipag-break si Jake the Fake.

"Do you know why I invited you to go to the hotel? Even though, you all know me, I hate checking in around Manila. But I still do. Just to escape. I needed it. I need some space. I needed you guys. " She started. As tears starts to roll down her face.

She continued. Nalaman namin na may asawa na pala si Attorney  lover niya. But I also understand the side of the guy, alam naman niya na mahal talaga siya ni Harold. But... she's still the mistress. Kahit ako man ang nasa kalagayan niya, I would be stuck in between. I know she still loves Harold. And she doesn't know what to do. Dahil nasaktan siya. Kahit na dapat magdiwang siya dahil nagfile na pala ng annulment 'yung wife ni Harold, hindi, dahil she was also a victim. Kung meron mang pinaka nasaktan, si Michelle 'yun. Dahil pinaniwala siya ni Harold na siya lang, tapos 'yung pala she's just the mistress.

"Hindi ko na alam kung paano ako haharap sa mga ka-office mates ko. The wife had gone there, gumawa siya ng eskandalo! But I couldn't do anything, dahil ako 'yung mali. I understand her. Alam kong masakit para sakanya, alam ko ang nararamdaman niya." She said, sobbing.

If only we could do something right now to relieve the pain. Pero wala. Ganun talaga. They should undergo this process to be able to accept everything.

Bella Faked laugh. "Buti pa si Patty at Coleen may mga matinong lalaki." 

"Don't say that. I'm sure there is someone for the three of you. Hindi niyo palang sila nakikita. Nagkataon lang na mali ang mga lalaking minahal niyo." I explained.

Mas okay na nga 'yan, para nalaman nila na they should find someone better. Because they deserve better.

Inabot na kami ng gabi kakainom. 

"Anong oras na?" Tanong ni Gabi. Ofcourse she'll ask. 'Di nanaman ata siya nagpaalam sa parents niya.

"9 o'clock?" I said as I look at my phone.

At biglang nanlaki ang mata ko dahil 9 na pala! 

Shit.

I have a dinner with Dave! How could I forget that?!

And I saw 5 missed calls from Dave.

"Shit." Sabi ko habang nagmamadaling umalis.

I tried calling Dave but he never answered. Few calls were dismissed.

As I was driving papunta sa restaurant, bigla akong napapreno dahil may babaeng nadapa sa kalsada. Buti na lang at gabi na at wala na masyadong dumadaan dito sa 15th street ng BG, buti na lang din napreno ko kaagad.

Agad akong lumabas ng kotse ko at tinulungan 'yung babae.

"I'm so-"

"Coleen?!" She was a mess! Her make up was a mess, para siyang babae sa horror house! And she smells alcohol.

She was totally drunk!

"Coleen!" Niyugyog ko siya dahil nakatulog na ata.

When did she learned to drink?! 

Tapos biglang nagring 'yung phone ko.

Shit. Si Dave!

Ugh! What a life!