Chapter 1 (Part 1)

Table

Kaia

It was my cousin Myrrh's wedding that made me decide to go back to this island. Dito kasi sa island resort ng Villa Martinez kinasal ang pinsan ko. At um-attend lang ako noon bilang isa sa bridesmaids niya. It was a happy day for the family, at masaya rin naman ako para kay Myrrh. Pero hindi rin madali ang pinagdadaanan ko na nagsimula pa lang nang mga panahong iyon...

I just caught my fiancé having an affair with my best friend—I know how cliche it may already sound, but it's the truth and it still happens in real life.

Myrrh's wedding even became my escape, to decide... Para makapag-isip isip pa muna ako sa susunod na gagawin pagkatapos ng nalaman ko...

But it wasn't enough. After my cousin's wedding and I came back to Metro Manila, I realized that it still hurts. The pain and betrayal of the two people who were very dear to me was still there. Kaya naman ilang araw pa lang ay nagpasya akong babalik na lang muli sa isla.

I found some peace in this paradise-like island. Gustong-gusto kong bumalik agad. At ayaw kong magdesisyon nang basta-basta na lang... Kaya naman pinili ko ang pagbalik sa isla para makapag-isip pa...

Because truth be told it's not easy to just let go of the people I love...

"Do you really have to do this, Kaia?"

Tiningnan ko lang si Nathan. I was still mad at him. But more than that I just feel like I'm losing all my feelings for him... Para bang nawawalan na rin ako ng interes sa kaniya... O siguro ay ito lang ang naiisip ko ngayon dahil galit pa rin ako sa kaniya...

"I've been telling you that she's nothing more important than you are to me, Kaia." he said.

Binalingan ko siya at tiningnan gamit ang walang emosyon kong mga mata. I'm leaving again to go back to the island. Mas'yado pang maikli iyong panahon ko at sa kasal lang din iyon ni Myrrh para makapag-isip ako. I need more time to think this through...

"I am more important? Kung totoong importante ako sa 'yo, Nate... Hindi mo ako sasaktan nang ganito. You wouldn't even think of sleeping with my friend!" Hindi ko mapigilan ang galit ko.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang mayroon why your boyfriend would like to sleep with his girlfriend's best friend... Is there some kind of an evil satisfaction in it? I don't understand...

Bumalik ako sa paglalagay ng mga damit ko sa loob ng maleta. Ayaw ko na muna sana talaga siyang kausapin pero pinapasok lang siya nina Mommy dito sa kwarto ko. Matagal na rin kami ni Nathan. College pa. Kaya malapit na rin kami sa mga magulang at pamilya ng isa't isa. Hindi pa alam ng parents ko kung ano ang nangyayari sa amin. Ang iniisip lang siguro nila na may normal lang kaming pinag-aawayan bilang mag-boyfriend at girlfriend...

"Kaia—" Nathan tried to get a hold of my arm.

"Let me go, Nathan. I need time. Kung hindi mo ito ibibigay sa akin baka bigla akong magdesisyon ngayon at hindi mo magugustuhan." I warned him and pulled my arm back. Nandidiri rin ako sa hawak niya sa akin.

You know that feeling when you learned that your boyfriend was also having sexual affairs with another woman other than you. After you've given all yourself to him. Nakakadiri... Na pati sa sarili mo ay parang mandidiri ka na rin...

Wala na siyang nagawa at hinayaan na akong umalis. Pagbaba ko dala ang bags ko ay sinalubong pa ako ni Mommy. "Kaia, what's happening, hija? Ano ba ang ginagawa mo sa fiancé mo. Malapit na ang kasal ninyo, hija. Bakit mo ba ito ginagawa kay Nathan?"

Natigilan ako sa narinig kay Mommy. She sounded like she's more worried of Nathan over me. Ako ang anak niya. Pero sobra na yata nilang nagustuhan si Nathan para ito pa ang mas isipin nila...

Hindi na lang ako sumagot at nagpaalam nang aalis. "I just need some time, Mommy... Nakapag-usap na po kami ni Nathan..." I said. And then Mommy's gaze went behind me to probably Nathan na sumunod din sa akin.

"Hijo, are you all right? Pagpasensyahan mo na si Kaia. Alam mo naman siya minsan..."

Pumikit na lang ako. Parang ako pa ang may mali... Pero hindi rin naman alam nina Mommy ang totoong nangyari. Kaya siguro ay hahayaan ko na lang din muna sila...

It's hard to open up to your parents who you never got close with... Kahit sila pa ang mga magulang mo. You see, I grew up with my parents both busy with work. Palagi akong naiiwan sa bahay kasama lang ang yaya. Kaya hindi na ako nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na maging malapit din sa parents ko at mas naging close pa nga ako kay yaya. My parents doesn't even know about what I like and I don't... About how I feel... most of the times.

"It's all right, tita. Let's just allow Kaia to take some time to have her vacation now..."

Hindi ko na binalingan si Nathan at umalis na lang ako sa bahay.

What's sad is that I'm an only child. Kaya wala akong kapatid na pwedeng makausap... Hindi rin ako ganoon ka-close sa mga pinsan ko. And the thing that happened with my best friend... The only close person I thought I could trust until the end...

Aviona was like a sister to me. I loved her like a family and I trusted her so much. Kaya naman walang mapaglagyan ang sakit na nararamdaman ko ngayon sa ginawa nila ni Nathan sa akin.

"Welcome to Villa Martinez!" I was again greeted by the smiling staffs of the island as they warmly welcomed me back.

I smiled and thanked them. I already booked a room in the resort's hotel kaya doon na rin muna ako dumeretso para ilagay ang mga gamit ko. At iwan na muna doon para makakain na rin ako ng late lunch. Na delayed din kasi ang flight ko kaya medyo anong oras na rin ako dumating dito sa isla.

"May I take your order, Ma'am?" The restaurant waitress smiled at me.

Ngumiti rin ako at nag-iisip pa ng gusto kong kainin. Parang wala rin akong gana... for weeks now. Napuna nga ng ibang pinsan ko na mukhang pumayat daw ako... I sighed and just asked the waitress for a recommendation. "Can you recommend me a seafood dish?" I asked politely.

Maagap naman itong tumango at nakangiting pinakita sa akin sa menu nila ang maari kong order-in...

Kahit medyo late lunch na ay ang dami pa rin kumakain sa resto. Siguro ay working staycation at ngayon pa lang nagka-break, o kaya ay tanghali na rin nagising. At ang iba naman ay nagmemeryenda na rin sa oras na ito. The restaurant was packed with eating guests. Mabuti na nga lang at may nakuha pa ako na table for two. Kahit ako lang din naman ang mag-isang kakain. I sighed.

"I'm so sorry, Sir." I heard the waitress who was just getting my order earlier apologizing to a guy customer.

"I called earlier to make a reservation... But, all right."

Nang bumaling pa ako ay nakita kong ngumiti lang iyong lalaki sa staff ng restaurant at mukhang hindi naman nagalit. Dahil mukhang wala na yata siyang mauupuan at table dito sa restaurant kahit pa may reservation din sana siya...

"Sorry po talaga, Sir." The waitress kept on apologizing.

Napatingin ako sa paligid at wala na ngang vacant na table para sa kakarating na customer. Pagkatapos ay napatingin ako sa mesa ko. I have an extra chair here and I'm just alone so...

Tumayo na ako. I also wanted to help the kind waitress who attended to me earlier. "Uh, excuse me." I called their attention.

Bahagya pa akong natigilan nang tumingin din sa akin iyong lalaki at nagkatinginan kami. "I'm alone in my table. And I guess, uh, we can share a table... If you're just alone, too." habol ko rin na sinabi. I hope I didn't just assumed na mag-isa lang din siya gaya ko...

But he smiled at me. And then said, "If it's okay with you, then I'll take it. Thank you." He politely agreed.

Pagkatapos ay pinasalamatan na ako ng staff ng restaurant. "Thank you po, Ma'am. Pasensya na rin po kayo. Ang dami kasing customers ngayon ng restaurant at mukhang na overlook pa namin ang reservation ni Sir. Sorry po." she said to me apologetically also.

Umiling at ngumiti lang ako sa staff. "It's all right. No worries. Paki-serve na lang din ang food niya sa table ko..." I smiled.

And then I just realized that it's kinda awkward to have a meal in one table together with a stranger... Noon ko lang naisip. At gusto ko lang talagang makatulong kanina... Para masesolba na rin ang problema...

So I awkwardly sat there as I waited for my food to be served and while I was face-to-face with a man who I didn't know who's sitting across me now.

"Uh,"

Mabilis din akong napatingin sa kaniya nang marinig kong mukhang may sasabihin siya.

I never had I boyfriend before Nathan. Or any man I got close with before him. Wala naman akong problema sa mga lalaki. But I was a little introverted, too... Kaya sila ni Aviona lang din ang halos naging kaibigan ko simula noon...

I just sighed remembering them again and trying to shook the thought of them out of my mind. Napansin naman ito ng kaharap ko that he asked me. "Are you all right?" He asked like he's worried and being careful at the same time...

Umiling naman ako at ngumiti. "Uh, oo, I'm okay... I'm sorry." ngiti ko na lang din sa kaniya.

Umiling din siya na ngumiti rin.

Pagkatapos ay dumating na ang food namin kaya nagsimula na rin kaming kumain.

"Thank you for sharing your table with me." he said.

"Ayos lang. Ako lang din naman mag-isa."

He nodded and smiled. Kaya ngumiti na rin ako.

At habang kumakain kami ay nakapag-usap na rin kami ng konti lang naman na bagay. Gaya ng nagbabakasyon lang din siya rito sa isla kagaya ko... And we just politely smiled to each other as we continued and finished our meal. Pinag-usapan na rin namin ang masarap na pagkain ng restaurant.

Note: Hello, readers! This is Villa Martinez series book 5. It actually took me longer than I expected to post this. To be honest I love writing VMS. Kaya nga lang reading some comments from you have made me realize that VMS 1 to the last series I wrote was flawed. I mean you kept on saying na mabilis ang pacing ko. Well hindi lang naman sa series na ito kung 'di pati rin sa iba ko pang stories. And I accept it and I try to learn how to write better. I wanted to rewrite my stories and I already did with some of my works. Gusto ko rin sana ayusin itong VMS at iyong mga nauna ko nang sinulat sa series na ito na stories. Kaya nga lang before I could do it I realized that maybe I should just leave my stories the way I first wrote them. Editing isn't bad. But I realized that maybe it's okay kung hindi ganoon kaayos o kaganda ang mga nauna ko na ring sinulat na mga stories. I always wish to make my writing more better. Because I want my readers to read better stories, too. But you know I just thought that maybe it's okay. I might not be able to write the perfect book in this lifetime... But I want to always remember how I started with writing. How I was able to make readers love my imperfect and flawed characters and plot. I'd always tell you readers that I will do better next time. I apologize for not being able to perfect my works but I will continue and never stop learning to do it right. And I'd do better next time.

Thank you very much for your understanding, love and support to Rej Martinez's stories. Especially those readers na matagal nang nagbabasa ng mga storya ko. Alam n'yo na siguro kung paano ako magsulat. Maraming salamat po.