Habang nasa biyahe ay nag-aalala pa rin si Morriah kung anong nangyari kay Rik.

She kept looking at her phone if Rik would call or respond to her messages. She started to wonder if pushing him away last night was the last straw he had in coming back with her. She was confused and everything happened so quickly last night. Hindi naman niya gustong paalisin si Rik nang tuluyan. Her emotions were so high and if ever she let him stay there, it would probably end on a bad note.

Pero sa tingin niya ngayon ay si Rik na mismo ang bumitaw.

"Are you okay, Morriah?" tanong ni Daia nang abutin nito ang balikat mula sa harapan, sa tabi ng driver.

Nilingon naman siya nito, pero pansin nito ang pamumula ng mata. "Yes, I'm very much okay. Thank you for asking. . ."

"Okay. . . Napansin ko lang kasi na kanina ka pa tahimik when at this time, kapag si Rik ang nagto-tour sa amin, he was very talkative and telling us a lot of things about where we are going. Nasabi ko lang naman kasi napansin ko rin na ang tahimik mo."

"My bad. May iniisip lang ako din ako. . ."

"If it was what I did last night, I'm so sorry. . ."

Morriah smiled at her. "It's fine, Daia. Thank you. . ."

Bumalik si Daia sa pagkakasandal sa kinauupuan nito, pero hindi siya kombinsido sa sinabi ni Morriah. Nakita rin iyon ni Kenny at anitong hayaan na lang muna. Mabigat ang mga nangyari kagabi bago pa man may mangyari sa kanilang dalawa ni Rik. She thought she was handling everything right, but it was like Jenga, she pulled out the wrong piece and everything fell down altogether.

"Hey, guys!" Nilingon nito ang lahat at ngiti ang ibinungad. "If you could look at the right side, makikita niyo ang mga puno sa gilid. When Rik saw those for the first time, he called the Broccoli, and since then ay iyon na rin ang tinatawag namin do'n. He didn't start it to call it like that. Marami na rin naman ang nakapansin, pero Broccoli sounds fun, right?!"

Lumipad ang tingin ng lahat ay inabangan ang tinutukoy ni Morriah. They all laughed as soon they saw why Rik called it that way.

"Nakaka-miss si Rik, ha?" sabi pa ni Dom. "Nasa'n na kayo 'yon?"

Narinig ni Morriah ang pangalan ni Rik ay sasagutin pa sana niya, pero napili na lamang niyang manahimik. She doesn't want to make it all about him. Nagagawa niya naman no'n ang mag-tour nang wala si Rik. She knew Baler more than him so she doesn't need to worry about anything. 

'Wag hinahanap ang wala. Gusto man niyang sabihin iyon nang malakas at hindi sa isip man lang ay titigilan na nilang pag-usapan si Rik, but she knew how Rik made everyone comfortable so she can't just take him out of the picture. Mas close pa na ang magkakaibigan kay Rik kompara kay Morriah.

Morriah started to talk about their destination—Dicasalarin Cove.

Sabik na sabik naman ang anim na marating ang lugar na 'yon. As Morriah told them about all the things they could do there, hindi mapakali ang mga kalalakihan habang nilo-look forward naman ng mga babae ay ang lighthouse ro'n. The pristine white sand and mystic element anyone could feel in the area was something they would bear in mind.

Habang papalapit ang mga ito ay itinuro naman ni Morriah ang lighthouse na mistulang buntot ng eroplano sa kalayuan. 

At that moment, everyone was excited to see what was special in it. Jus on the road, natatanaw na nila ang beach side. Willimar said that it looked like one of the famous beaches in Bali, pero local version. Siya lamang ang naka-relate sa sinabi niya dahil tingnan lang siya ng mga kasamahan niya.

"Haven't you seen it, Ley?" tanong pa nito sa katabing babae. Umiling naman ito sa akin. "Oh, come on, guys. Ganyan ba ka-boring ang buhay niya? If you knew what I was talking about, you would be so happy."

"Happy naman kami, Willimar," sabi ni Daia. "Kahit hindi pa kami nakakapunta ng Bali. Happy kami."

"Happy na magkakaaway?" Ngisi pa nito. Sa punto niyang iyon ay nakakuha siya ng mga masasamang tingin. Itinaas na lang niya ang kamay niya, pero sa loob-loob nito ay natatawa na lang siya.

Ilang minuto lang din ang itinigal nang marating Dicasalarin Cove. Nang huminto ang sasakyan at ianunsyo ni Morriah na pwede nang bumaba ang mga guest. All of them were so excited and took their phones out to record their new adventure. Binalalaan ni Morriah na huwag munang lalayo ang bawat isa dahil may entrance fee ang pagpasok sa beach. It wasn't free since it was owned by a private family.

As soon as Morriah settled everything, she called everyone in and let her follow the path going inside the beach area. Ikinagulat naman ng lahat ang biglang pagtakbo ni Willimar at nanunga. Sinigawan pa ni Morriah 'to dahil baka mawala ito.

"Hayaan mo na 'yon," sabi ni Daia. "Hindi naman dapat natin 'yon kasama, e."

Bahagya namang natawa si Morriah. "Don't say that, guys. I think he's still a good person."

"Oh, don't even mention it, Morriah," sabi pa ni Daia. "I don't know Willimar at all. Mas kilala 'yon ni kuya, but I think he was pushing himself so hard kay Ley. 'Di ba, Ley?"

Tumango naman si Alleah. "Yup. Kanina lang he was telling me to lay my head on his shoulder."

"Uy, narinig ko 'yon!" sabi pa ni Cara. "Gusto kong matawa kanina. Akala mo sobrang gwapo? Wala namang panama kay Mando 'yon, e. Porque ba wala na si Mando, dumada-moves na siya? Ibang klase rin 'no? He was taking advantage of the situation na."

"I'm not giving him a chance naman," sagot ni Alleah. "He wasn't even my type."

"Umuwi na kasi si Mando, e," ani Kenny. "Kasama sana natin 'yon ngayon. Gustopa naman no'n 'yong mga ganitong klase ng tour."

Hindi na sumagot si Alleah kapag patungko kay Mando dahil sumesentro na ang usapan sa kanya. There was still a question Mando wasn't able to answer last night. Hindi nakatulugan ni Alleah ang two truths and a lie nito. She wasn't able to ask him as well as she got no courage to do it all.

Halos ilang minuto lamang nang paglalakad ay narating na nila ang beach side at nalula na lamang sa ganda ang mga ito. Sa lawak at ganda ng nakita nila ay hindi nila alam kung anong unang gagawin. Everyone started running around only to find Willimar playing by the beach by himself. 

Hinayaan na lamang ni Morriah na mag-enjoy ang lahat at naghanap ito ng pwesto na mauupuan. Ipinikit nito ang mga mata niya at saka huminga nang malalim. She has never been in this place for a very long time. She stopped going anywhere in Baler when her parents died. Nang mangyari 'yon ay inisip niya na wala ng silbi ang buhay niya, pero nanatili sa isipan niya ang hotel naiwan ng mga magulang nito. 

Habang nagsasaya ang lahat ay nakita ni Alleah si Morriah. Nagdadalawang isip pa ito kung lalapitan niya dahil baka gusto lamang nitong mapag-isa. Gaya ng ginagawa ng iba ay hindi makasabay si Alleah kaya napili niyang tabihan si Morriah sa pagkakaupo sa buhanginan.

"Tabi ulit tayo," sabi pa ni Alleah. Bahagya pang natawa si Morriah sa kanya. "Ayos ka lang ba?"

"Oo naman. Mukha bang hindi ako okay?"

Napangiwi si Alleah. "Hindi naman. Baka kasi marami kang iniisip ngayon? Si Rik ba?"

Hindi kumibo si Morriah sa kanya.

"I just want to ask you something if you don't mind."

"Go lang. . ."

"Mahal mo pa ba si Rik?" tanong pa nito, pero hindi rin nasagot ni Morriah dahil sa daming bagay ang pumasok sa isipan nito. "Gusto ko lang ikwento sa 'yo, the first time na mag-isa ako, kinausap niya ako. Awkward pa nga dahil nakaka-intimidate talaga pag tumingin siya. bang klase pala kapag blue eyes na nakatingin sa 'yo, 'no?"

Morriah smiled at it as she knew what she was talking about.

"Nagkausap kami about his relationship and mine. To all the things he said, he was only telling me about the good things you did together. He was smiling as if he was reminiscing all those times together. I think bumalik siya hindi dahil para magliwaliw lang dito sa Baler, I think he went back for you. Would you like to get back with him?"

Napalunok ng laway si Morriah. "H-Hindi ko alam, e. . ."

"I think you should give him a chance," sabi pa ni Alleah. "Hindi naman 'yon pang-iimpose or sapilitan na gawin mo talaga. At least, siya binalikan ka. 'Yong akin kasi nandito na, iniwan pa rin ako so I don't think we will ever have a chance to get back together—like what I had in my mind when he showed up out of nowhere during that tour sa Museo ng Baler. If there are still any fragments of feelings you had for Rik, pick those all up and might as well collect them to see once you have them all up again, he might fix it all for you. Kung hindi man, at least you tried. Gano'n naman sa buhay. We always picked up kung anong iniwan sa atin."

"I honestly don't know what to say, Alleah. . ."

She rubbed her hand on her back. "Naku. No worries. If I was on your position, I would try it at kung masaktan man ako, e 'di kasalanan ko 'yon kasi sinubukan para at least hindi ako nagsisi sa huli."

"I think I am feeling that already. . ."

"Hm. . . Bakit naman? Did you do anything wrong or siya man?"

"Last night—I pushed him away and he might possibly be on his way back home to the Netherlands. He wasn't answering any of my calls and messages."

"Do you mind if I asked kung bakit mo siya pinush away?"

Morriah swallowed. "He didn't admit it, but I think he slept with someone else when we broke up. What hurts the most was I've never slept with anyone after that. Masakit lang para sa akin 'yon dahil parang ang bilis niyang nakalimutan ang lahat ng pinagdaanan naming dalawa."

"I'm sorry to hear that, but he was hurting, too, and thought he would never have a chance to be back to you. For me lang ha, hindi man iyon ang ginawa ni Armand sa akin, I think that was just his way to forget you. It wasn't cheating. Wala naman na kayong dalawa no'ng time na ginawa niya 'yon. I would be hurting knowing that as well, pero wala ka na namang pinanghahawakan sa relasyo na 'yon. He wasn't yours at that time. It was also his choice to do that. It was a stupid thing to do. I wouldn't like to hear it if Armand did it to me."

Napabitaw na lamang nang malalim na buntonghininga si Morriah.

"Life is beautiful, look at this place. . . It was so beautiful and we're here talking about the relationships that wrecked us inside."

"True, but I think it's who made us now, too. Kung may babalikan, e 'di, may babalikan. Kung wala, and then we move forward. Malawak ang mundo. I would put this in a context. Hindi lang sa Baler umiikot ang mundo."

Morriah smiled, nodding at what Alleah said. "You say it right. You're so smart, Alleah. Why would someone dare to leave?"

She shrugged off. "I guess, I'm not just the one. . ."

"I hope we could still change that. . ." Morriah said. "Alam mo, we should stop talking about emotional stuff. Puntahan na natin 'yong lighthouse, but technically hindi talaga siya lighthouse, pero nakasayanan na ring tawagin ng mga lokal. We should call your friends so they can see it as well."

"'Wag na si Willimar?" ani Alleah. Natawa pa si Morriah. "Ay, sayang. Sige na nga. . ."

Tumayo ang dalawa mula sa pagkakasamlampak sa buhanginan at tinawag ang ibang guest para dalhin sila sa lighthouse. Dahil sabik naman ang mga kaibigan ni Alleah ay dali-dali rin silang lumapit sa kanila at sinundan ang dalaga patungo sa pathway ng lighthouse. 

Morriah missed doing this, but also made her feel like she needed to do something. She needed her heart to be open once again or the chance to fall in love again will never be in sight.