Chapter 35 | Back

Everything happened quickly.

Everyone pressured me as Math's future wife and I didn't like it. I wanted to go home, back to my mother, and cry my heart out. I felt weak every passing days and it was toxic in my system.

I purposely avoided Math because seeing him didn't help to calm me. Kuya Trojan became mad when I told them about the upcoming wedding. He wanted to escape me from this yet kuya Marcus, being who he was, didn't let kuya Trojan's plan.

"So, what? Hahayaan na lang natin si Minah magpakasal?" kuya Trojan asked impatiently.

"We'll talk, Trojan, privately," kuya Marcus dismissed the topic and went out of my room.

"Go talk with kuya Marcus-"

"I am done listening to his saint words, Lierre," kuya Trojan said.

"Just fucking go!" I couldn't help it anymore.

The situation itself was a mess and my brothers were arguing like fools. Kuya Trojan clenched his jaw and slowly went out of my room.

Days after their quarrel became normal that made me confused. Imposibleng bigla na lamang kakalma si kuya Trojan sa simpleng pag-uusap nila noong gabing iyon. Whatever happened, I wanted to know it.

Nakabalik na lamang kami ng Maynila, hindi ko nalaman ang kanilang piang-usapan. They would always divert the topic to something else at minsan, kung hindi gumana ang unang palusot ay hindi nila ako papansinin.

"Ano itong nalaman kong magpapakasal na si Minah?" bungad na tanong ni mommy nang naka-uwi kaming tatlo.

"Give Minah the time to rest, ma. Kami na ang magpapaliwanag," kuya Marcus said that I secretly thanked to.

Mom looked at me worriedly. I got drained from all of the drama and all I wanted as of this moment was a deep sleep.

I hurried up to my room and it never felt comforting like this before. I quickly cleaned myself by taking a shower and dressing appropriately for bed. Paglabas ko mula sa mabilis na shower, naabutan ko si mommy na naka-upo sa aking kama.

"You don't look good, Minah. Do you want to talk about it?" my mother said.

"I'm just pissed off and stressed because of the situation, mom," I honestly confessed.

Mom sighed, "Your father wouldn't let me speak to that old man. Kahit ako ay iritado dahil sino ba siya upang diktahan ka ng gagawin?"

I didn't say anything.

"We'll find a way, Minah. Sa ngayon, magpahinga ka muna," mom said.

I only nodded because that was my original plan. I lazily lay down on my bed and closed my eyes.

Nagising na lamang ako dulot ng gutom. Alas tres ng tanghali at tahimik ang buong bahay. I couldn't see my brothers and mom was probably inside her own room. I went down to eat something. The maids assisted me so it wasn't hard for me. I peacefully ate my meal and went back to my room after.

Sumagi sa aking isip na ngayon pala ang araw ng aming reunion. I checked my phone and I received flooded messages from my classmates. They were all looking for me that made me smile for the first time after the horrible news broke out.

I unconsciously packed a few clothes. Tanghali pa naman at halos isang oras lang ang biyahe mula rito hanggang sa water park, pwede pa akong humabol. I changed clothes too and fixed myself.

I somehow felt excited seeing old faces again. Totoong ngayon na lamang nila natuloy ang drawing na reunion at tunay ngang nakapanghihinayang kung hindi ako makadadalo.

I went out of my room wearing a cute backless yellow halter top, maong shorts and a pair of strappy white sandals heels. Mom saw me from the living room so I stopped to explain.

"Saan ka pupunta?" she asked me.

"Reunion namin, diyan lang sa Bulacan," I answered.

"Ilang araw ka roon?" tanong muli ni mommy.

"Uuwi po ako agad bukas," sagot ko.

My trip to the said water park was quiet. the traffic wasn't heavy and I was just right when I calculated the time of my arrival. I parked my car in a vacant space. Bago ako lumabas ng sasakyan ay tinawagan ko si Ryan.

"Nandito ka, Minah?" he asked as he answered the call.

I smiled, "Oo, sunduin ninyo ako rito sa entrance."

"Ayon! Sige, hintayin mo ako saglit diyan sa entrance," he said and ended the call.

Kinuha ko ang aking bag at lumabas na ng sasakyan. I walked towards the entrance. May mga upuan doon na bakante ngunit hindi ko na ginawang umupo. A staff noticed me and asked if I needed anything.

"I am waiting for someone from inside," I answered politely.

Bago pa man umalis ang staff, I already saw Ryan running towards me. I smiled when I saw him. He gave me a warm hug and I did the same.

"Grabe ang binago mo!" I noticed.

"Ikaw din. Sinong mag-aakalang ang kasama namin noon sa likod na babae ay ganito na kaganda ngayon?" pangbobola ng dating kaibigan.

I laughed because of his remarks.

Inasikaso niya muna ako upang makapasok sa loob. A staff marked something on my left wrist and finally let me enter.

Floating umbrellas caught my eyes as I walked behind Ryan. The place was decorated with different light colors and plants. The place was clean and organized. We walked pass the people who were enjoying the wave pool.

"Lahat ba tayo ay nakapunta?" I asked Ryan.

"Oo kaya nga natuwa sila kasi kompleto," he answered.

"Ako lang ba ang wala kanina?" natatawa kong tanong.

Hindi na ako nasagot ni Ryan nang bigla akong atakihin ng mga lalaking kaklase. Wala pa kami sa cottage ay nakita na nila kami. They gently lifted me up like some kind of MVP player at dinala sa cottage na parang prinsesa.

I was laughing the whole minute.

The boys acted like bodyguards, ang iba naman ay nilinis pa talaga ang daanan ko. Walang nagbago, mga loko pa rin sila. Pinagtinginan na kami ng iba ngunit hindi iyon naging dahilan upang tumigil sila.

Nang nakarating kami sa malaking cottage, nagsi-hiyawan ang mga babae kong kaklase.

Ito lang talaga ang batch na wala akong naging ayaw na kaklase. Lahat sila ay naging importante sa akin at kahit lumipas na ang ilang taon, the smiles we shared before remained decorous.

Binati ko silang lahat at kinumusta. A group of familiar voices went near, distracting my attention. I looked at the group and I saw the people I missed the most.

Rika, Krina, Thellia and Denise in one picture.

They looked stunned too. Si Denise ang unang lumapit sa akin at nangamusta. I smiled at my old friend habang ino-okray niya ako.

"Lierre, kanta ka naman diyan. Oh eto," one of my classmates gave me the microphone.

Hindi na ako nakapagreklamo sapagkat tugtog agad ang kantang sinalang nila. Hindi ko alam kung nananadya ba sila dahil paboritong kanta pa naming magkakaibigan ang pinatugtog.

Nang kantahin ko ang unang verse, everyone cheered me. Some even danced with it. I couldn't help to laugh lalo na nang nag-ala pole dancer si Patrick. 

Natapos ang kanta at inabutan naman ako ngayon ng inumin.

"Mamaya na ako iinom, maaga pa!" I said.

"Lierre, tara sa wave pool? After an hour pa muli iyon," yaya ni Rika na aking ikinagulat.

"Go lang! Maya-maya na ako magbibihis. Kumuha na ako ng kwarto ko, e," I said.

"Kumuha ka ng sa iyo? We'll stay until tomorrow, may... isang malaking kwarto kaming ni-rent para sa ating... lima," Thellia said.

"Oh, really?" I couldn't believe it.

It was too good to be true.

"Oo. Para sa boys na lang ang kinuha mo, g?" si Krina.

"Oh, okay, no problem," I said.

I busied myself listening to their unending stories. I wasn't the talkative young Lierre anymore kaya tahimik lamang akong nakangiti sa kanila.

"Kwento naman diyan, Lierre! Late comer na nga, wala pang kwento?" puna ng isa.

I chuckled, "Wala naman akong ik-kwento."

"Love life!" sigaw ni Sara.

"Wala naman ako niyan," I said.

"Sus!" asar nila.

"It's complicated, char!" I said and laughed.

"Sino ba kasi?" they asked.

Bakit ba ako ang naging hot seat?

"Kilala ninyo," I said, natatakot pa ring ibuking.

"Kaklase?" one guessed.

"No," nangingiti kong sagot.

"Taga-saang section noon?" someone asked.

"Hindi nag-aaral noon sa school," I gave a clue.

They all looked shocked.

"Mas matanda sa atin?" one asked.

"Oo," natatawa kong sagot.

"Teacher?"

"Student teacher!"

Natawa na talaga ako nang lumapit ang kanilang hula.

"Malandi ka! Si sir Math ba?" Sara joked.

Hindi ako nakasagot at tanging ngiti lang ang ipinakita.

"Hala! Si sir Math nga talaga 'yan! Namumula, o!" someone declared.

Nakangisi akong umiling, "Hindi naman kami, e. As I told you, complicated nga."

"Ito ang chika na worth it malaman," someone joked.

"He's in a five year relationship with someone, okay? Matagal na rin at never kaming nakapag-usap no'n," I summarized.

"Tapos?" they asked.

"Kaya lang kami nagkita muli kasi ang lolo niya, gustong pakasalanan ko siya. Ayaw ko naman dahil bukod sa planado na niya ang kanyang buhay sa iba, I personally still don't want to settle," I explained.

"Tuloy daw ang kasal namin but naghahanap pa kami ng paraan para hindi matuloy-"

"Pero gusto mo ba si sir Math?" one asked me.

I smiled, "At first, I was denial or maybe I literally had no idea."

I sighed, "But to answer your question. . . My feelings for him is beyond the word like."

Lahat sila ay kinilig dahil sa aking sagot. 

"Mga chismosa! Magpapalit na nga ako ng damit pangligo," I excused myself from the hot seat.

"Samahan na kita," nakangiting sabi ni Denise.

She guided me towards the room. Iniwan ko na rin dito ang aking gamit. Nang nakuha ko na ang aking swim wear, agad akong pumasok sa banyo at nagbihis. I wore my brown one piece backless swimsuit. Pinatungan ko ito ng see through cover up. Nang naayos ang sarili ay agad akong lumabas ng banyo.

"Kabog! Ang ganda mo talaga," puri ni Denise.

"Sinong niloloko mo? You look prettier wearing your bikini, Denise," I said.

"Huwag na tayong magbolahan, pareho naman tayong maganda," aniya.

We teased each other hanggang sa marating namin muli ang cottage. The barbeque got served at ito ang pinaglaanan ko ng pansin.

Thellia disturbed me nang nalamang may waves na muli ang pool. I immediately removed my see through at sumama sa kanya patungo sa wave pool. Hindi na gano'n karami ang mga naligo kaya maluwag na ito.

Thellia pulled me hanggang sa umabot na ang tubig sa aking dibdib. I wasn't afraid of getting drown dahil marunong naman akong lumangoy.

The waves grew bigger and bigger for every seconds that passed. I saw how Krina tried to avoid the wave ngunit tumama lamang ito sa kanyang mukha at kung hindi hawak ni Denise at Rika, tinangay na siya nito.

I couldn't help not to laugh kahit pa pabilis nang pabilis ang dami ng alon. What happened to Krina didn't stop there dahil ilang minuto lamang ang lumipas, nawala naman si Thellia sa aming tabi.

Ang gaga, lumapit pala sa isang hawakan at halata ritong nahirapan huminga. I knew she had a hard time but I couldn't help to laugh at her first before helping.

We helped her at nang sinabi niyang okay na siya, sabay-sabay namin siyang dinala muli sa gitna ng pool at siya pa ang ginawang shield sa mga alon.

"Mga gaga kayo!" she ranted after the funny encounter.

"Nilaspag ninyo ako!" sigaw pa niya.

We all ran away from her while laughing.

"Mga walang awa! Mga kaibigan ko ba talaga kayo?" aniya.

"Hindi, sis. We're your guardian devils," sagot ni Denise.

We laughed together and even Thellia, who we almost killed couldn't stop herself. I was genuinely happy for all of us. We grew individually yet prettier than before. 

Being with someone from your past wasn't after all a bad idea. You just got to pick the right group of people to look back to.