25
To call or not to call, that is the question.
Inaamin kong hindi naman ako ganun kalasing nang hinamon ko yung lalaki sa bar. Ewan ko ba. Lumakas lang siguro ang loob ko dahil alam kong hindi niya ako mata-track down…
And yes, it was the alcohol too.
Pero hindi iyon ang problema ko. If I recall it correctly I made a vow to myself to call my ‘husband’ basta makaalis lang ako ng buhay sa bar. Ugh, why do I have to over react? Stupid alcohol. Now I have to hear his voice again. That slightly husky but fruity when he laughs kind of voice.
I hate it.
“CHESKA! CHESKA!”
Oh look, it’s Justin. As usual makapal pa rin ang suot niyang na salamin, nakabutones lahat ng buttons niya hanggang sa leeg, pero infairness hindi mukhang table cloth yung suot niya ngayon. Nakakasulasok na dark green polo lang naman ang suot niya with matching flat hair na para bang permanently glued na sa anit niya.
“Excuse me, excus— oof! Makikiraan lang, yung—yung ano, aray! Yung bespren ko.” Madapa-dapa pa siya kaka-iwas sa mga nakakasalubong niya. “BESPREN!”
Taas-kilay. Lingon sa kanan. Lingon sa kaliwa. Lingon sa likod.
“Hi Cheska!”
Err, ako ba si Bespren?
“Justin,” He pushed his glasses up his nose while still grinning down at me. “What’s up? Haven’t seen you in a while.”
“Ano ka? Kakakita lang kaya natin noong isang linggo.” At umupo siya sa bench na kinauupuan ko.
“I don’t remember seeing you last week. Or the week before that.”
Napaisip siya sandali. “Uhh… baka ako lang siguro yun. Ano kasi… nakita kita dito sa campus. Pero ako di mo nakita.”
“At hindi mo ako nilapitan?” I teased, but I feel something is a little off here. I’m not being vain or anything but I was so sure Justin would never miss a chance to make his presence known to me because I am his ‘friend’. I clearly remember him chasing after me just to apologize. He was always so nosy and honest and now… Something doesn’t quite add up.
Or yeah, maybe I was just being vain.
“Eto na nga o, nilapitan na kita. Kamusta? Mukhang malalim ang iniisip mo kanina a.” Justin smiled.
I smiled back. “It was nothing. Stressed lang siguro dahil malapit nang mag finals.”
“Okay,” sagot niya. And silence sat between us. Huh. Well this is confusing. Silence never fits well with Justin.
“Magaling ka bang mag-advice?” bigla ko na lang naitanong. Effect siguro ng hang over. Nice. “Uh, kasi I have this friend; she’s uhh.. having trouble with her relationship.” I tried not to croak.
Tumango-tango si Justin, I took it as a sign to continue. “Marriage, actually. My friend didn’t know her husband’s been lying to her all along. She was mad. No, she was furious. So she refused any form of contact with him. Especially since he happens to be cheating on her too.” Natahimik ulit ako. Ewan ko ba kung bakit kay Justin ako nagkikwento— kahit pretend lang.
“Alam mo, common sense lang e.” He suddenly spoke.
Common sense? If it was common sense then this problem should’ve been solved a long time ago!
“Friendship—yan ang basis ng marriage. Hindi sapat ang trust and honesty lang. Dapat may loyalty, acceptance, at sense of humor. Dapat komportable kayo sa isa’t-isa. Kahit lahat na yata ng katangiang kinaiinisan mo ay nasa kaniya, tanggapin mo. Intindihin mo. Mahal mo e, at siya ang pinili mong makasama hanggang sa huli. Ang pinagkaiba nga lang, sa marriage dapat may passion kayo para sa isa`t-isa. At kapag pareho nang mahihina ang mga buto niyo, kapag nawala na yung passion, sa bandang huli… yung pagkakaibigan na binuild up niyo over the years—yun lang ang matitira.”
WOW.
Just wow.
But now that I think about it, Justin really is like a puppy— curious, sweet, and sensitive. Not to mention adorable. Don’t you just wanna take him home and cuddle him?
Snap out of it Cheska! “That`s it? Yun na yun?”
Justin was slightly stunned, and again he showed his sheepish smile while scratching his head. “Hehe. Pasensya na at hindi ko nasagot nang maayos. Hindi ko nga alam yung pinagsasasabi ko.”
“No, it was… actually a good explanation. It makes sense.” Again with that smile. “You really are smart, aren’t you Jussy?” I teased. Wait, Jussy? Ano bang kabaduyan ang lumalabas sa bibig ko ngayon?
“Tama na Chessy. Nahihiya na ako.” At tama nga ng naman dahil namumula na ang tenga niya.
“A ganun. Chessy pala ha?” I started messing with his hair. He tried to wiggle away from me but of course he failed. “Ano, papalag ka?” I wickedly grin at him. He looks so funny with his glasses crooked on his scrunched up face and his hair all messed up.
“Chessy pa rin!” He sticks his tongue out and then fixes his hair back the way it was before. But before he could do so, I stopped his hand in midair.
For a minute, all I did was stare at him. I’ve seen this face before. I know all of you would be like, “Of course you’ve seen that face. That’s Justin’s!”. But no, I meant other person with somewhat similar face as Justin’s.
“Bakit pula na naman lipstick mo?”
Takteng Justin to. Pinakialaman na naman yung shade ng lipstick ko. “Bakla ka ba?”
“BAKLA? SINONG BAKLA? MAPANGBINTANG KA, CHESKA!” hinabot pa niya yung kamay niya sa gulat.
“Suuure. Sabi mo e.” Another wicked grin. “You know what? Jussy actually suits you.” I swing my bag over my shoulder and started walking away. I expected him to follow like he usually does— and he didn’t disappoint me.
“Where to?” tanong ko habang papunta sa kotse ko.
“Sa inyo.”
His answer and my car unlocking chimed at the same time. I paused on my tracks and slowly turn my body around to face him. “Our house.” I raised my eyebrow. “I don’t remember inviting you to our house.”
“Hindi nga… pero yung kapatid mo pinapapunta ako.”
First, my dad knows that suited-guy who gave me back my phone, and now, my sister— whichever one it is— knows Justin.
Suddenly, the world seemed to shrink.
Salamat sa inyo biancx3, wenganewor, araihc_33, p!nk, yuchiyo, yuchiyo, jjazz. And please mag-comment naman kayo. Minsan kasi nakakawalang gana kung wala naman reader e. Maraming-maraming salamat!
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