Chapter 17

The weeks followed, I became busier with my work than what I've expected. Plano ko pa namang pumunta sa unang weekend na magkahiwalay kami pero hindi ko nagawa dahil sa dami ng projects na nag-aabang pala sa akin. To think na mahigit isang taon pa lang akong nagta-trabaho bilang isang licensed architect, they must've trusted me too much.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't go..." I said on our voice call while I was driving to Batangas for another site visitation.

This is the fourth week that we're apart and I still haven't seen her. Damn, I missed her so much.

"Okay lang! Busy rin sa school, eh," she chuckled. "Anyway, I heard from Ate Anna that you helped her na makapasok sa company kung saan ka nagwo-work? Is she hired already?"

Nawala na sa loob kong banggitin sa kan'ya na two weeks ago, I asked Anna to apply for a position sa Herrera Architectural Firm. She already knew about my thing with Ruby. Hindi ko pala nabanggit kay Ruby 'yung tungkol doon.

"Ahh, yes. She's hired and she'll start working on Monday. Why, baby?" I asked, anxious. She sounded different.

"Wala lang naman. Naitanong ko lang," she laughed again. "Sige na. I have class. Ingat sa work!"

After that, she ended the call. I checked the time and it's 9:30 AM. Mamaya pang 10:30 ang next class niya ngayong Thursday. Ano bang problema? May problema kaya siya? Nagtatampo ba siya dahil isang buwan na kaming hindi nagkikita kahit na ipinangako ko sa kan'ya noon na magkikita kami?

Damn, malapit na rin palang matapos ang semester niya. In less than two months, magsisimula na ang second semester nila. I really need to make up for her. Baka naman pwedeng hingiin ko muna itong weekend na 'to mula sa trabaho ko? I can't just focus on my work kung napapabayaan ko na si Ruby. That is not what I promised her before.

When I arrived at the Batangas for a building project, I tried to focus on my site visitation. I did excellent in my work but thinking about Ruby makes me lose my focus in everything.

Damn. LDR is hard.

"Are you okay, Architect?" asked Engineer Santiago.

Ngumiti lang ako at tumango. "Yes, Engineer."

He chuckled. "You're spacing out. May problema ba?"

Umiling ako. "Wala naman. Nagtatampo yata 'yung girlfriend ko," I chuckled.

"Oh, bakit naman?"

I shrugged before I closed my notebook. "One month na kaming hindi nagkikita sa sobrang hands on ko sa mga project ko. Hindi ko na siya nadalaw sa kanila."

His forehead creased. "Taga saan ba siya?" he asked which I almost didn't hear because of the noise from the construction worker.

"Baguio."

"Ang layo," he chuckled. "But why don't you give yourself this weekend? Aanhin mo ang trabaho kung magiging single ka naman, 'di ba?" he laughed again. "Don't worry about the site, I can contact you if there are problems."

Though Ruby is cool with this set-up, I don't want her to feel nerglected. Hindi ito ang ipinangako ko sa kan'ya bago kami magkahiwalay. She's giving me the things I want, might as well give her some of my time if I can, right? Lalo na ngayon na may nag-o-offer na ng tulong, ngayon pa ba ako tatanggi?

By the end of the day, I tried calling Ruby but she declined all of my calls. Instead, she sent me messages.

Robitussin:

Can we talk later? Busy kasi ako.

Robitussin:

I have midterm exam coming up.

Robitussin:

I can't talk to you right now.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit pakiramdam ko, ang totoo lang sa lahat ng sinabi niya ay 'yung huli.

Me:

Busy or do you just not want to talk to me?

Napabuntonghininga na lang ako bago ko ibinagsak ang katawan ko sa couch pagkarating ko sa loob ng condo ko. Mabilis lang din at nag-reply siya.

Robitussin:

Busy nga!

She sent a picture of her books on table and some of her reviewer.

Robitussin:

Huwag ka ngang ano d'yan, hindi mo ako girlfriend!

Naipilig ko ang ulo ko sa pag-iisip kung ano ang problema naming dalawa ni Ruby. She never, even once, told me about that thing. Kahit kailan, hindi niya ako nilimitahan sa pag-uusap at pag-iisip ko, sa mga ginagawa at tinatanong ko, dahil lang hindi ko pa siya girlfriend.

There must be really a problem and I can't just sit here and ask myself why because I don't really know what I did wrong. Bukod sa isang buwan na kaming hindi pa nagkikita, na alam kong hindi naman problema sa kan'ya... wala na.

I called my superior and told him that I will be absent starting tomorrow and I can't do some site visitations on weekend. Usually, wala naman talaga akong pasok every weekend pero sa dami ng projects ko lately dahil nga kulang kami sa architect sa company, kinakailangan naming tumanggap ng mga project kahit na may mga natanggap na kaming una.

Nang makuha ang approval ay naligo ako at nagbihis, tsaka nag-pack ng kaonting damit na pamalit sa bag bago lumabas ng condo at ini-lock 'yon. I went inside the elevator to go down to the underground parking lot, and when I arrived to my car, I hurriedly drive to Baguio.

Hindi ko magagawang magpahingapagkatapos ng trabaho kung mapapagod naman ako kaiisip kung anong problema namin ni Ruby. At hindi masasagot ang mga tanong ko kung tatanga lang ako rito.

I've been driving for few hours already and I suddenly feel so hungry. I check my wrist watch and saw that it's already 8:30 p.m. Huling kain ko pa ay noong lunch break. Ang dami ko pa namang ginawa noong hapon sa site dahil tumulong rin ako sa construction kahit na papaano.

Nang may madaanang fast food ay nag-order ako ng light meal sa drive thru at kinain 'yon habang nagdi-drive. Maybe I can eat later with Ruby. Hindi ako siguradong maaayos kami ngayong gabi pero hindi naman ako aalis ng Baguio nang hindi kami okay.

Who needs his job when you're losing the woman you love?

Sa haba ng traffic kanina sa Makati, past 11:00 p.m. na nang makarating ako sa Baguio. Five hours akong nag-drive, damn. Paano pa kaya kung nag-commute ako? Baka bukas na ako nakarating dito. As I was driving the highway, nadaanan ko pa ang madalas naming tinatambayan ni Ruby sa Mount Cabuyao and it makes me miss her even more.

Nang makapasok na ako sa Mabini ay nakaramdam ako ng kaba at excitement dahil makalipas ang isang buwan, I can finally see her with my own naked eyes. Hindi ko mapigilan ang pagngiti ko sa saya pero alam ko namang may problema siya sa akin kaya hindi ko rin mapigilan ang kaba.

I sighed as I slowed my pace. I can see their red gate and I remembered her standing in front of their gate, waiting for me. I stopped at the site of their gate as I called Ruby's number but she's not answering. Is she already asleep?

Ilang sandali pa, nakita ko na may lumabas mula sa van na huminto malapit sa sasakyan ko. I saw Hennessey bidding goodbye to the people inside the car while carrying a brown guitar. Nang maisarado na ang pintuan ng van at nang makaalis iyon, bumaling siya sa sasakyan ko. It was my cue to come out of my car and ask him for Ruby.

"Uy, dude, ikaw pala 'yan," he said, shocked when he saw me. Nakipag-kamay pa siya sa akin na tinanggap ko naman kaagad. "Akala ko matagal ka nang nakabalik sa Manila?"

I shrugged as I answered him. "Yes. I went here just now. Uh, si Ruby?"

He laughed. "She's inside. Do you want to come in or I'll just call her?"

Tumango ako. "I'll come back here tomorrow. Can you just tell her that I'm outside? She's not answering my calls."

I wanted to text her but I don't know if she'll believe me. Bahala na nga I-text ko na rin.

"Okay, then. Wait lang."

Tumango ako at pinanood na siyang pumasok sa loob ng gate. While I was waiting, I texted Ruby too, just in case hindi siya maniwala sa pinsan niya.

Me:

I'm outside. It's cold, baby :(

And it was like a miracle, she replied in less than 30 seconds after sending my message.

Robitussin:

What the fuck Jin!

I chuckled as I read her reply. Ilang sandali lang din ay narinig ko na ang tunog ng pagbukas ng maliit nilang gate. Then I saw my little woman coming out of it with her furious face.

"Sabi ko sa 'yo, sabihan mo ako bago ka pumunta rito, 'di ba? Akala ko ba hindi ka makakapunta? Bakit nandito ka ngayon? Jin, may pasok ka—"

Before she could even finish her preach to me, I went to her and enveloped her with my arms, to hug her tight and to make myself feel secured.

"Can you please hug me first? I'm so hungry and tired, baby..."

I can feel her gulped but she didn't hug me back. She just let me hug her in this cold hour outside their big gate.

I sighed as I hugged her tight. "I missed you so much." I closed my eyes and buried my face in her neck. "Sobrang miss kita."

I heard her cleared her throat before she pushed me gently. She looked away.

"Can we talk tomorrow? May ginagawa talaga ako."

Naibagsak ko ang dalawang balikat ko dahil wrong timing pala ang pagpunta ko. Busy pa rin pala talaga siya.

"I told you not to come here without telling me first. Kita mo, busy ako ngayon at bukas kasi may pasok pa ako. Akala ko ba weekend? Akala ko ba Friday night? Jin, Thursday pa lang. Ano, absent ka sa trabaho? Bakit? Dahil sa akin?" rinig na rinig ko ang pagkairita niya base sa pananalita niya.

Tumango ako nang bahagya bago inikom na lang ang bibig. "Okay, then. We'll... talk tomorrow. Go inside and continue studying. It's cold outside, too. Good night."

I smiled again at her before coming inside the driver's seat. I didn't drive away yet because I was waiting for her to come inside, just to make sure that she's safe.

She turned her back at my car and heaved a deep sigh before facing me again as she walked towards my car. Seconds later, I saw her coming inside the shotgun seat. I gulped. I stared at her and saw that she still has her furious face, staring directly outside. She crossed her arms after buckling her seatbelt.

"Just drive."

I nervously started the engine then drove away.