Song: She's On My Mind- JP Cooper

Threatened

Hindi ako umalis ng restobar na iyon hangga't nandoon sila Sam. I've been keeping an eye on her ever since we've arrived here. Ang mga "kaibigan" niya naman ay panay ang tingin sa akin. Minsan ay nagbubulungan pa.

But Sam didn't dare to look at me again kahit na kanina pa bulungan ng bulungan ang mga kasama niya. They'll order once in a while, ganon rin ang ginagawa ko.

Sa sobrang tagal ko na dito, naparami na rin ang beer na nabibili ko. I have a high tolerance with alcoholic drinks that's why I don't get drunk that easily.

Si Sam naman hanggang ngayon ay hindi parin ubos ang pang-una niyang bote. Ang mga kasama niya ay nakailan na. Pero siya ay nakakaisa parin.

At least there's still that fact about her. Kahit na wala siyang naaalala, her body remembers that she's not a fan of beer.

Paano kaya kung halikan ko siya? Maaalala kaya ng katawan niya na gustong-gusto niya ang mga halik ko?

I shrug the idea off. I must be crazy. I'm too obssessed with her na pati 'to naiisip ko pa.

Sa sobrang tagal ko na rin dito ay hindi ko na nabasa pa ang nireply ng magulang ko sa sinend kong message kanina. I wonder if they pushed through with that dinner kahit na wala naman ako doon.

I reached for my phone inside my pocket at nakitang may dalawang mensahe doon mula kay Mommy.

Mom:

Oh. We'll visit you on some other time, anak.

Are you going to be at your house tomorrow?

Agad akong nag-tipa ng sagot para sakanya.

Me:

I'll see.

I guess it's time to stop stalking Sam on that resthouse first. Panatag naman ako na ligtas siya doon at walang mangyayaring masama sakanya. At isa pa, hindi rin naman siya ganoong lumalabas doon.

Okay. Maybe I'll let my family visit me tomorrow. I don't want my mother to get sad over me again just because I couldn't give her something that's she's been asking me since last week.

I was about to let my mom know that I'll be at our house tomorrow nang biglang tumayo si Sam.

"CR lang," paalam niya sa kanyang mga kasama.

Agad ko naman siyang sinundan ng tingin. Nang dumaan siya sa gilid ko ay tumama ang mga mata niya sa akin. Mabilis niyang iniwas ito at nagpatuloy nalang sa paglalakad.

Why does she look terrified of me? Fuck! Maybe I'm being too creepy for her. Baka natatakot ko na siya.

Umiling ako at binalik nalang ang sarili sa pagtitipa ng text para kay Mommy.

Me:

You can visit tomorrow. I'll be there.

Habang naghihintay ng reply ni Mommy ay naramdaman ko namang may umupo sa kaharap kong upuan. Buong akala ko ay nakabalik na si Sam, 'yun pala ay isa lang ito sa mga "kaibigan" niya.

A girl with long hair and red lips sat in front of me. She's wearing something very revealing that every guy that looks at her would probably be ogling about her breasts. But not me.

It's obvious that Sam is prettier than this girl. Prettier and sexier.

I feel like activating my Simon Cowell self on her. I want to say "it's a no from me" because I feel like she's planning something. I mean... She wouldn't be sitting here in front of me without any plans in her mind.

"Hi," she greeted. She smiled at me.

Just by seeing her smile I know she's trying to flirt. I scoffed. I really want to say "it's a no from me" ngayon palang. But I can't. Of course, I can't say that without knowing her plan.

"Regular ka dito? I don't see you around often. Lagi kaming nandito." she continued.

"No," simple kong sinagot.

"Oh!" She tried to laugh. Inipit niya naman ang takas ng kanyang buhok sa likod ng kanyang tainga. "Why are you alone by the way?"

It's because I'm looking out for your "friend".

"Why is it weird seeing someone alone in this kind of place?" I asked. Ngumisi naman siya.

"Yeah, that's why I wanted to keep you company."

"Sorry. But I don't need any company. I'm fine being alone here."

"That's sad. It's always better if you have someone to talk to. Boring kaya kapag walang kausap!" Maarte siyang tumawa. Umiling nalang ako.

"Maybe for you. But I'm fine here. Thanks."

"Oohh, you bore! Come on! I'm a good company!" Pagpupumilit niya.

"I said no." Ngumuso naman siya nang dahil sa sagot ko.

"Hmm... What's your name by the way?" She asks. I gulped.

Bakit ba ang kulit ng isang 'to? Hindi niya ba napapansin na hindi ako interesado sa kung ano mang binabalak niya?

"It's none of your business."

"Sungit." She whispered under her breath. Umirap siya sa akin.

Even though I was obviously trying to show her that I'm turning her down, hindi parin siya tumitigil. She was about to try again nang bigla namang dumating si Sam.

"I'm going home." She announced while looking at her phone. Napaangat naman ako ng tingin sakanya.

She's going home? Alone?

Napalingon naman siya sa kanyang "kaibigan" na nakaupo sa silyang nasa harap ako. She looks surprised to see her friend sitting in front of me now. Saglit na lumapat ang tingin niya sa akin pero agad niya rin namang inalis.

"But it's still early, Savannah!" Reklamo ng isa niyang "kaibigan". She smiled sadly at her.

"Timothy is on his way here now. Susunduin na daw niya ako."

Napasandal ako sa aking upuan nang dahil sa narinig. So, she's not going home alone huh? Someone's going to fetch her.

Parang dati lang... ako ang laging gumagawa niyan sakanya ah? Now someone else is doing that to her. That motherfucker is trying to steal my ways!

"Oh. We understand. Sige, Sav, mag-iingat ka." Pagpapaalam ng isa niya pang "kaibigan".

"Bye, Sav! See you soon." Sabi naman ng babae na nasa harap ko.

Pwede bang tigil-tigilan nila ang pagtawag sakanya ng Sav? That's not her name! Her name is Sam! Samantha Greysel Enriquez!

Gusto ko sanang sabihin iyon but Sam will find me a bit creepier again. I stopped myself.

Nang makapagpaalam na siya sa kanyang mga "kaibigan" ay agad rin naman siyang nagtungo papunta sa exit. Hindi na siya tumingin pang muli sa gawi ko.

Kinuha ko naman ang aking wallet at tsaka nag-iwan ng tip sa table.

"So," the girl started. Hindi na niya naituloy pa ang sasabihin dahil tumayo na agad ako upang sundan si Sam.

"Hey!" She called but I didn't dare to look back. Mas itinuon ko ang pansin sa pagsunod kay Sam patungo sa labas.

She stopped in front of the restobar's entrance. Ganoon rin ang ginawa ko. Pero bago pa ako tuluyang makatabi sakanya ay tinanggal ko ang sumbrerong suot ko. Tinago ko ito sa aking likod. I hope she'll recognize me.

I stop beside her. Nagkunwari akong may tinitingnan pero hinihintay ko lang talagang mapalingon siya sa akin. From my peripheral vision, I saw her looking at me.

Lumingon rin ako at nagkunwaring nagulat na makita siya rito.

"Hey," bati ko. "I didn't know you were here."

Damn it, Zach!

Her mouth parted. Tiningnan niya ang suot kong damit at tsaka binalik ang tingin sa aking mga mata. She gulped before she spoke.

"Were you the guy in front of our table?" She asks. Bahagya naman akong nagulat nang dahil doon.

Tiningnan ko rin ang damit ko. She must've noticed. I tried to laugh.

"What? I was at the counter the whole time. I didn't know you were here."

"But you were wearing the same shirt as him."

Napatingin rin ako ng di oras sa tshirt ko. I'm wearing a black shirt with The Beatles' logo on the side.

"Oh! This? Maybe we only have the same shirt. This is quite common for men." I reasoned out. "And also, I actually didn't know you were here. So, I'm kind of surprised."

Tumawa ako. She slowly nodded her head.

"I guess so. Timothy also has the same shirt."

My mouth parted. And she brought up that motherfucker in this conversation huh?

"Oh..." 'Yun lang ang natatangi kong naisagot.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to talk to her again. I won't waste it. Kaya sa halip na matapos ang usapan namin doon ay nagpatuloy ako.

"So, how's things?" I asked.

She turned to me again pagkatapos niyang basahin ang isang text sa kanyang cellphone. Her old phone is still with me. Should I give that to her para ipakita sakanya ang mga naiwan niyang alaala?

Pinigilan ko ang sarili na gawin iyon. Tsaka na kapag nakuha ko na ulit ang tiwala niya.

"It's fine," she paused. Tiningnan niya ako ng maigi. "Wait. You're Zachary Dela Merced, right?"

Nagulat ako sa sinabi niyang iyon. Hope quickly lingered in my whole system.

"You remember me now?" I desperately ask. She chuckled.

"Of course! You're the jewelrer who keeps on calling me Sam."

Napawi ang ngiti ko nang dahil sa sinabi niyang iyon. So, she'll keep on seeing me as a jewelrer and nothing more huh?

"Oh... Yeah... Yeah, I'm... I'm that guy."

She smiled. "How are you?"

"I'm... I'm doing great,"

"Your friends?"

"Same." Tumango naman siya pagkatapos kong isagot iyon.

Damn it, Zach, keep the conversation going!

"So, who are you waiting for?" I asked that stupid question. Fuck! Obvious naman kung sino ang hinihintay niya rito diba?

"My boyfriend."

Parang may pumiga sa puso ko nang marinig ko iyon. I shouldn't have asked that. It was a stupid idea.

"I see. Is he here now?"

"On his way now. He's stucked in the traffic."

Tumango ako. I couldn't keep this conversation going kung si Timothy lang rin pala ang pag-uusapan namin!

I was thinking of some other questions nang bigla naman siyang mag-salita.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" She asked out of nowhere.

Nagulat naman ako nang dahil sa tinanong niya. She looks surprised, too. I smirked. She shyly tore her eyes away from me.

"Scratch that. I m-mean-"

"I don't have a girlfriend." Pagputol ko sa sinabi niya. Nagulat naman siya sa sinabi ko.

Why is she asking this by the way? Is she curious? Ayaw na ba niya kay Timothy at gusto niya nang bumalik ulit sa akin? If that's the care then I'll definitely have her back! I want that to happen a long time ago.

"Oh..."

"But I do have a fiancée."

She turns to me again. Mukhang gulat na gulat siya sa naririnig ngayon.

"Really? Where is she?" She sounds really interested with my life. I'm fucking glad.

Beside me. I wanted to answer but I didn't.

"In... New York." Sam nodded her head.

"Oh. What is she doing there?"

We used to live together in that city until she got into an accident that changes everything.

"She's working." Sam nodded her head again.

"I see. When is she coming back though?"

Why does she sound so interested? This is funny.

I don't know. She's with someone else now. But soon I'll have her again.

"I don't know. It depends on her work. She tends to get really busy."

"What's her work?"

"She's a model-" naputol ang sasabihin ko nang makita ko siyang napahawak sa kanyang ulo. She groaned in pain. Agad ko siyang dinaluhan.

"Are you okay?" I asked. Hindi siya sumagot. Patuloy lang siya sa pag-inda ng sakit ng ulo.

I touched her shoulder to make her turn to me. "Hey..."

"I'm... Fine." She answered while still groaning.

Mamaya maya pa ay mukhang umayos naman ang pakiramdam niya.

"Are you sure?" I asked again.

"Yeah. This happens a lot more often these past few days."

"Did you ask your doctor about it?"

"Yeah. It's nothing though," she tried to shrug it off. "By the way, congratulations on the engagement!"

Yeah, congratulations to us.

When she smiled at me, I saw Sam. She's still the same old Sam but the only difference is, her memories are lost. I smiled at her back.

"Thank you,"

Hindi rin nagtagal at may kotseng tumigil sa harap namin. Napabaling kaming dalawa ng tingin doon. Timothy went out of the car at tsaka mabilis na lumapit kay Sam. He runs beside her and he immediately snaked his arm around his waist, showing me that he's claiming her.

"Sav," he said. Tumingin siya sa akin.

Well, hello.

Mukhang kilala niya naman agad ako nang lumapit ang tingin niya sa akin. His mouth parted a little.

"Timothy," ani Sam.

"Let's get you home." Malamig niyang pagkakasabi habang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa akin.

That's mine you're holding you motherfucker! Wag mo kong tingnan na para bang sa'yo siya.

I smirked. Timothy looks threatened if me. Well, he should! He should be threatened because I'm going to steal Sam away from him.

Tumango naman si Sam at tsaka lumingon muli sa akin.

"It was nice seeing you again." Aniya.

I smiled at her. Binalik ko naman muli ang tingin kay Timothy na nakakunot n ang noo sakanya ngayon. Mamaya maya pa ay iginiya na niya si Sam papunta sa kotse niya.

He looks at me one last time bago siya umikot papunta sa driver's seat. I smirked at him again.

I watch as he drive his car away from the restobar.

Sige! Sulitin mo na ang oras na kasama mo siya. Dahil hindi rin magtatagal ay mapapasakin siyang muli. Simula ngayon, gagawin ko ang lahat para bumalik siya sa akin.