Nag-impake na ako. Bukas na kasi yung sa Batangas, eh wala na rin naman akong choice. That's job, and out na ang personal life ko dyan. Well.. bakit ba ako ganito maka-react? It's not like I'll be falling in love with him again, right?
"Ma, kaylangan niyo po ng tulong?" I asked pagkababa ko ng stairs.

"Wag na anak. Kaya na namin 'to." Mom said. Nagluluto kasi sila ni Papa dahil magdi-dinner yung mga Martinez dito. Napansin ko lang ah, lagi na lang sa bahay namin. Hm, well, mas mayaman kasi kami kaysa sa kanila eh. Yabang oh.
"Sige po, pupunta lang akong park. Sandali lang po ako."

"Okay." tapos ayun lumabas na nga ako ng bahay at naglakad papuntang park. Palubog na ang araw at ang sarap ng simoy ng hangin. Wala ring masyadong katao-tao sa paligid. Sigurado wala ng mga bata doon sa park kasi nga late na. Kaya gora na ako.

Naabot ko na rin yung park pero.. may iba palang tao dito. And that person, siya ang hindi ko gustong makita. Sino pa ba? Edi yung Xander na yun. Dahan-dahan akong tumalikod at lalakad na nang biglang tinawag niya ang pangalan ko. 
"Huy, Audie. Dito ka pa rin pala tumatambay."

I turned to face him. "Ahh, oo.. k-kasi ano.."
"Kase..?" 

"Wala." tapos pumunta ako sa swing at hindi na siya pinansin. Nandoon siya sa bench eh, and I can feel his eyes on me. Naman. Bakit ganito? I feel like I'm gonna melt any second. Then bigla-bigla, nag-swing din siya, doon sa katabi kong swing. Gaya-gaya 'to ah.

"So, kamusta ka na?" he asked me. I stared at him and he is smiling at me. I don't get this guy. Noon, he told me he loves me and suddenly he left me. Tapos ngayon? Para bang walang nangyari. Why is he like this? Don't I mean that much to him? Ano baaaaaa.

"Why? Do you even care?" I gave him a stern look. Sorry naman, pero he just really hurted my feelings kasi eh.
"Ouch." he said. "Of course I do care."

I shrugged. Tapos nag-swing ako, even harder this time. Naiinis lang talaga ako sa kanya eh.
"Uy, baka masira yan." he said.

"At talagang sa swing ka pa may pakialam ah? Hindi sa akin?" I said. He then chuckled. Why is he like that? Grabe, nakakainis na ah. Hindi naman siya ganyan ka laid-back dati eh. Siguro.. he changed a lot na nga.
"Okay, fine. Solohin mo na 'tong park, I'll just go." I stood up and ready to go, but then he held my hand. Tumingin ako sa kanya and he is staring at me too, and I feel like matutunaw na ako nang mga mata niya. Kung nagbago man siya.. yung mga mata niya lang ang hindi pa rin nagbabago.

"No, just stay. Wala ka bang naalala dito sa lugar na ito?" tanong niya naman.

I looked around and the wind brushed my cheeks. I tugged my lose hair strand in my ear, then cleared my throat. "Of course.. this is the place where we first met."

Oo. Kaya nga special talaga ang park na ito para sa akin eh. When we were five years old back then, kakalipat lang nila Xander doon sa bahay nila and I went here dito sa park. Naglalaro lang ako when five bullies approached me, then he mocked my appearance kasi nga nerd ako. Well, kahit nung bata pa ako ay I wear glasses na eh and I love reading books. So ayun nga..

"Four-eyes, four-eyes, you need glasses to see.." sabi nila. Mga englishero kasi yung mga bully na yun eh.

I wept quietly. Ikaw ba naman, a five-year old little girl na binu-bully ng five older and bigger boys. Ayun, iyak lang ako nang iyak when suddenly a boy in a bike who is the same age with me came. He shouted, tapos bumaba siya sa bike niya and faced those bullies. He extended his arms na parang gesturing na they can't bully me anymore. That time.. I felt protected, secured.. comforted and loved. Hindi ko alam.

"Let's just go." one of the bullies said and lumayo na sila sa amin. The boy faced me and smiled. Tapos he patted my shoulder gently, and he has this warm smile and his eyes.. napakaganda.
"Don't cry," he said. "Wala na sila."

I stopped crying. "T-thanks.." sabi ko and sobbed. The boy took my hand and pulled me to the slide. "Maglaro na lang tayo." he said. 

Tapos naglaro nga kami and hindi na rin ako nalungkot noon. Then nalaman namin na naging friends na pala yung mga parents namin so we too became friends. Hay.. ang tagal na pala nun no.. parang dati lang bata pa kami pero ngayon? Wala na yung friendship. It suddenly disappeared like a bubble..
"Audrey?" he said and nabalik na ako sa present. "You're spacing out."

"Uh.. s-sorry." I said. "And.. you're still holding my hand." I said.

He stared at my hand and his. "Hm, wala namang masama diba? We're best friends." tapos tumayo na rin siya and pulled me away. Parang ganito lang nung bata kami..then dinala niya ako sa harapan ng isang malaking puno. He let go of my hand and dahan-dahang umakyat ng puno, and when he reached the top, he smiled. 
"Ang hangin dito!" he exclaimed. 

"Uy, bumaba ka nga! Baka mapano ka dyan!" I told him. Nagaalala ako, okay, pero paano na lang kung mahulog siya dyan no? Baka ako pang sisihin eh.

Then suddenly, he jumped off from the tree. Napasigaw ako sa kaba at takot. I hit him softly in his chest, and said, "Xander! You scared me! Don't do that again!" 

He chuckled. Ugh, this guy annoys me. "Chill, Audrey. I'm fine. Kasi.. nahulog ako para sa'yo." then he scratched his head. "Dati kasi I fell for you nga diba? Pero ngayon.. I'm sure I got over you."

Ouch. Nasaktan ako doon ah. He's over me? Pero ako.. parang I'm not yet over him. "Ahh.. talaga."
"Sige, uwi na tayo, gumagabi na eh. Baka nandoon na sila Pops at Momsie."

Tapos naglakad na kami pauwi.. and I feel like ang haba ng nilakad namin ah. Finally naabot na namin ang bahay and nandoon na nga ang parents ni Xander. Nandoon rin yung kuya Andrei niya, si Jeanie and a girl na hindi ko kakilala. Probably girlfriend ng kuya ni Xander.

Nag-dinner na kami and then Xander called the attention of everybody. Tapos he stood up and cleared his throat, and has this shy smile. Namumula nga siya eh. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Elaine," he gestured to that girl. the girl shyly smiles and stood up, sa tabi siya ni Xander eh. "My ex-girlfriend."

"Aww," the parents of Xander and mine said. Oh, break na sila? Then why is she here?
"Kasi.. she's my fiancee na. Meet my future wife." then he smiled at Elaine.

OUCH. That stabbed me. So.. Xander.. meron na pala siyang iba. Kaya pala he's over me already. And I also have Jared, so why is it I'm feeling this way?

I guess.. wala na talagang magiging something more between me and Xander.