"Armand," pagtawag ni Rik. Napalingon naman ang lalaki sa kanya habang mugto ang mga mata nito. "Too early for the beer. Tell me what happened."

Tumabi si Rik kay Mando. Napahikbi pa si Mando bago ito tumugon sa kaibigan. Nakakibit balikat na lang din naman ito at saka hinagod ni Rik ang likod niya. He had no idea what was happening, but he thought it could possibly related to what happened to all of them last night. Rik and Morriah didn't expect how big of a trouble they would do last night. It was a mess. It completely made everyone uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, Armand," Rik said. "I'm not sure how I can help you. I'm also helpless at this point."

Mando smirked.

"Did that almost make you laugh?" he wondered, chuckling. "Well, I was dumb enough to drive on a motorbike. I shouldn't have done that in the first place. I made huge trouble to Morriah where I should've been helping her."

"You really loved her, didn't you?"

Rik smiled, nodding his head. "Of course. I don't think there's enough reason for me to tell how much I love her."

"You're such a lucky man," he said. "I wish I was braver than you."

"You could be braver than me, Armand," Rik said. "You just gotta follow your heart and do what it says. Sometimes when our minds and hearts clashed, our minds knew what was best for us, but our hearts always knew what we wanted. Don't let it regret you."

Napangisi naman si Mando at napainom na lamang sa bote ng beer.

"Let me ask you, do you love Alleah?" he asked.

"I do," he answered. "But I can't be with her anymore."

"Why not?"

"I would be leaving," he explained. "I would be going to the US. I would be living there and I won't be coming back for so long so ending it with her a month ago was I thought the best decision for us. I don't want to leave her, but I don't want her to be with someone else who she can't be with in person. I won't be there for her for so long. I was so sure she would find someone else better than me. My life's not here anymore."

"I get it, Armand," Rik said, nodding his head. "I was in your situation a year ago. "Leaving the place I've learned to love and promised to live with the person I love was hard. I don't want to do it, but I have to respect her. But I came back. I would always come back even if she didn't want me to be part of her life. Fortunately, she welcomed me back so don't lose hope."

"She already learned to live without me for a month," Mando answered. "She can do that for the rest of her life, I guess. . ."

"Do what you gotta do, brother. You know what was best for you. . . Come on, give me a hug."

Lumapit si Rik kay Mando para yakapin ang kaibigan. Nang mapahilig ang paningin ni Rik sa bandang beachside ay may napansin itong kakaiba ro'n at saka dahan-dahan siyang umalis sa pagkakayakap sa kaibigan. Napansin naman ni Mando kung anong nangyayari hangga't sa ma-realize nilang may nalulunod.

Rik quickly called for help. Mando thought it was probably Alleah so he didn't take any chances to help whoever it was. Nang marinig iyon ni Morriah ay nag-panic ito at sumama kay Rik papunta sa beachside. Pinanood nilang sumulong si Mando sa tubig at mabilis na nilangoy ang direksyon ng babaeng nalulunod. 

Nanginginig si Morriah sa tabi ni Rik kaya niyakap na lamang nang mahigpit ng lalaki ang girlfriend nito.

"I got her!" sigaw ni Mando nang mahawakan ang babae.

"Who was it?" nag-aalalang tanong ni Morriah, pero hindi rin alam ni Rik kung sino 'yon.

Maraming tao na rin ang nasa beachside upang masaksihan kung sino ang nalulunod. Dumating din sina Daia, Dominique at maging sina Cara at Kenny. Nang matanaw nila si Mando na hinahatak pabalik sa dalampasigan ang babae ay doon lamang nila ito nakilala. Napasinghap ang karamihan nang makilala nila ito.

Nang tuluyang madala si Alleah sa dalampasigan ay sinimulan nila ang pag-CPR sa kanya upang mabuga nito ang tubig na nainom. It took Mando's energy to bring Alleah back until she was coughing all the water out of her system. Ipinatagilid nila ito upang tuluyang lumabas ang mga nainom na tubig. Lumapit ang mga kaibigan nito para i-check si Alleah, pero binuhat na lamang ni Mando si Alleah para dalhin sa hospital. Kenny run back with him to get his car and soon drove away out of the hotel's premises.

Many people in the beachside quickly dispersed, but many left shocked about what happened. Dom, Daia, and Cara remained in the lobby where Rik and Morriah were waiting for any news coming from Mando. 

"What the fuck is happening with Ley?!" usal ni Cara dahil hindi pa rin ito makapaniwala sa nasaksihan niya kanina. "Was she trying to kill herself?"

"Maybe she was," sagot ni Dom. "Mando would be leaving. Pupunta na siya ng US."

"What?!"

"Ley only told us earlier," sabi pa ni Daia. "Before she went to the beach. She told everything to us. We thought of giving her space, but we didn't realize she would do something crazy."

"Bakit hindi niyo sinundan?!"

"Hoy! Putang ina mo, 'wag kami ang sisihin mo!" sagot ni Daia sa kanya.

"Guys, kalma muna kayo, please?" pag-awat naman ni Morriah sa kanila nang lumapit.  "We should pray na maging maayos ang lagay ng kaibigan niyo."

Hindi kumibo ang mga ito at ilang minuto lamang ang nagdaan nang makatanggap ng message si Cara mula kay Kenny. Inanunsyo naman nitong maayos na ang kondisyon ni Alleah at dadaan lamang sa ilang check up mula sa doctor at makakalabas din ito kaagad. Nang makuha ng magkapatid ang balitang iyon ay umalis na sila sa lobby at bumalik sa kanilang kwarto. Gano'n din naman si Cara.

Naiwan sina Morriah at Rik sa lobby. Napabitaw na lamang ang babae  nang malalim na buntonghininga. Niyakap na lamang nito ang girlfriend upang i-comfort ito. She knew at the back of her mind, she had to do something. No'ng pagdating ng magkakaibigan sa hotel nila ay maayos ang relasyon nito sa isa't isa at ni walang bahid na mangyayaring gulo. She felt like she had a responsibility to make things up for them.

"Do you think I should do something to make them back together?" she asked, looking up to meet his eyes. She was expecting him to say what she had in mind, but Rik had something for her.

Umiling ang lalaki. "They're not your responsibility, babe. . ."

"But why I do feel like I am. . ." she said, lowering her eyes and resting her head on his chest. "They weren't like this when they arrived. They were so fun and filled with so much positivity around. I love seeing them all together and it was hurting me to see them all break up together."

"What do you want to do?" he questioned.

"I want them to bring into in one table tonight," she said.

"Ah, babe, I don't think that would be a good idea. I feel like it would be best for us not to meddle with their situation."

"What if we try?"

Napahugot nang hingang malalim si Rik. "If you say so then we should. Tell me how can we do it and I'll do my best to help you. . ."

She smiled. "Thank you. . ."

***

Pasado alas sais nang makabalik na si Alleah, Mando, at Kenny sa hotel. Sinalubong naman sila ni Rik at kinamusta ang lagay ng babae at ngumingiti na naman ito. Mando was trying to hold her by her arm, but she was pushing his hand away.

"I want you guys to come with me. . ." sabi ni Rik. "I hope you won't mind. . ."

Sumunod ang tatlo kay Rik papunta sa garden area. May upuang napalibot sa isang mesa na may mga pagkain at inumin. May mga ilaw na nakasabit sa paligid na siyang nagbibigay liwanag pa sa area. Pagkarating nilang apat ay nakita nila sna Daia, Dom, Cara, at Morriah na naghihintay sa kanila ro'n. Nagkangitingnan pa ang tatlo dahil hindi nila sigurado kung anong mangyayari, pero sinunod na lamang nila ang sinasabi ni Rik at umupo sa bakanteng upuan.

Morriah took the initiative to bring them all together in one space. Ramdam naman niya ang pag-iwas ng tingin ng mga magkakaibigan at kahit mahirap para sa kanya na makita na umabot sila sa ganitong sitwasyon ay ito na lamang nag nakikitang paraan ni Morriah para makatulong. Pumwesto ito sa harapan at kinuha ang atensyon ng lahat.

"Hello, everyone," panimula pa nito. "I hope everyone's feeling good. I hope, Alleah, you're feeling better now. We were so worried about it."

She smiled, but so forced, and hard not to notice it. "I'm good. Thank you. . ."

"Thank you for accepting to join us today. I know what happened lately was hard for everybody, and I'm not taking it away from you guys. . . But I brought everyone here so we can all talk."

"This shouldn't be your business, Morriah," sabi pa ni Daia.

"We can handle our own friendships," dagdad pa ni Cara. "That is now gone. . ."

"Morriah's just trying to help," Rik turned to speak. "We didn't bring anyone here just to fight again, but to talk about what went wrong and how can we resolve this without making any more casualties. Just like what happened to Alleah. I think it's time for everyone to speak out and let everyone know what's going on their head and then we can find a solution tonight. . ."

"I'll start," sabi ni Mando nang magtaas siya ng kamay. Tumayo ito at tiningnan ang bawat isa. "First of all, I would like to apologize to Ley. You know what I told you earlier, but I would like to say it again in front of everyone. I'm so sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry that I kept it from you. I'm sorry I had to end our relationship. I'm sorry you had to go through that because of my wrong decisions in life. I'll be going to the US next week. I won't be completing my studies here anymore. My life in the US awaits me. It was hard for me to make that decision, but I had to put myself first, too. . . I'm sorry, Ley."

Alleah wasn't looking at him.

"Good for you, Armand. . ." Alleah said. "I hope the best for you. . ."

"As I am, Ley," Mando said with a thin smile on his face. "Thank you. . ."

"I'll go next," sabi ni Dom nang magtaas din ng kamay. Tumayo naman nito saka umupo si Mando. Hindi siya nilingon ni Cara. Naka-halukipkip ito at sa ibang direksyon nakatingin. "Kenny was right. I lied to Cara. I cheated on her. She doesn't deserve me. I'm so sorry, Car. You shouldn't have experienced it from me. Kenny, bro, I'm sorry, too. We're best buddies and I wish we can still keep hanging out. . ."

"I have something to say," Cara said, looking at them. "I'm not sure how long I would carry this heartbreak from you, Dom, but I know I'll find someone better than you. I can't go back with you. We're over so I hope you'll do better because you can't love someone else when you keep lying to them. . ."

"I agree. . ." Alleah muttered.

"And to you, Day." Nilingon nito ang kaibigang babae. "I was expecting so much from you, pero mukhang kalaban o kaaway pa ang tingin mo sa akin. We can be friends, but we can't remain be good friends."

"That's okay. . . I understand," Daia said, nodding her head. "I've got nothing to say to anyone."

"I have," Kenny said. "I wish we could remain friends forever, but what happened here, we've all come down to the end. We've all shared a lot of memories and fun together and all those times, we fought and hurt each other, but we remained good friends. I believe we're bound to grow out of this circle so we can find where we really belong. . ."

Natahimik ang lahat sa sinabi ni Kenny.

"Kenny," pagtawag ni Daia. "I'm not sure what are we right now, but I can't be with someone who can't be friends with my brother. It's also the end for us. . . Congrats, Ley. Hindi ka na lang ang single. We all are now. . ."

Napalingon si Morriah kay Rik. She was expecting them to forgive each other and get along again, but the opposite happened. They talked but also ended their friendship.

"I would've died at that moment," Alleah said and all their eyes fell on her. "I didn't know what I was thinking until it hit me. I can't die. Life has prepared me for a lot of things. But maybe we shouldn't have come to Baler in the first place and maybe all the shitty things never happened, but here we are now, our last moments together so let's make it unforgettable before it all ends. . ."

At that moment, Rik and Morriah understand where they all stand now. Hindi na nila pipilitin ang mga magkakaibigan na ibalik sa dati ang lahat kung sila na mismo ang pumili na tapusin kung anong meron sa kanila. It was unfortunate to see how they all reach the end of this trip divided, but hopefully, they wouldn't make it as a reason to not to go back Baler. Morriah and Rik will always welcome them for as long as they wanted.