Yula
"Nasa dating stage na ba kayo ni Kuya Z?" nakangising tanong ko kay Courtney.
Well, it's been a month, hindi malayong magka-get-to-know-each-other silang dalawa.
"Nope. I'm busy, he's busy. We're busy. No time for dating," iling niya.
Oh. So fast forward. Wala man lang alinlangan tsk.
"How was your healing stage?" tanong nito.
"Doing good. Hindi na katulad no'ng una na binabagabag ako gabi-gabi because of what happened," I answered.
"That's nice."
Napahinga ako ng malalim.
May mga gabi parin na hindi ako nakakatulog. All this years, I've been hunted from what happened. The depression and trauma that I've been through, it's suffocating.
"Wanna go shopping?" I smiled.
"Busy," itinaas nito ang papel na hawak kaya napasimangot ako.
Mabuntis ka sana bigla. My mind said out of nowhere. Oh God!
"Then I'll go shopping by myself. Habol ka pagkatapos mo diyan. See ya!"
Lumabas ako ng office nito at nagmamadaling bumaba. Kailangan kong bumili ulit ng bagong office attire, hindi na nagkakasya sa'kin 'yong dati kong mga sinusuot. Though I'm the director of the company, I still need to be presentable.
Kasalukuyan akong namimili ng mga damit nang may kasabayan ako sa pagkuha.
"Oh sorry, you can have it," ngiti nito.
She's more like a teenager. Halata naman sa mukha nito.
"No, you can have it," iling ko.
"Really? Thank you!" she gracefully remarked.
Tumango lang ako at ngumiti.
"Wait, you look . . . familiar," suri nito.
"Am I?"
"Damn! I knew it! Your name is Yula, you're Kuya Deus' girl bestfriend! Wow! It's been years. I'm Via, Kuya Deus' cousin," pagpapakilala nito.
Tf?!
"I don't know what to say," instead, I said.
I'm speechless, what if she'll tell Deus that I'm here? Then I'm dead! And then he'll knew the existence of Deon, oh no.
"You don't have to worry about anything, I knew what happened between you two. Accidently, he opened up to me, Kuya Axel and Ate Arez because of being drunk to death. You look really stunning, past and present," litanya nito.
"Well thanks, don't tell him I'm here, please."
"I told you, no worries. Hindi ako makikisali sa laro, isa lang akong manonood," ngumiti ito ng makahulugan.
"O-okay," I nodded.
Tumingin ako sa tabi kung saan nakita ko si Kuya Z, he's wearing his cold expression again. I thought he's in Philippines? He flew here?
"You probably forgot who I was, that sucks. Nah, just kidding. Nice to see you again, Ate. I have to go na po," nag-bow pa ito sa harap ko.
"W-Wait, hey! Want to grab lunch? . . . with me?" I hesitated.
"Yeah, sure."
Sumunod ito sa'kin palabas ng store after namin magbayad parehas. Pinuntahan ko muna si Kuya to ask why is he here.
"I'm surprised, why are you here?" taas kilay na tanong ko.
He shrugged. "Work."
"Nag-lunch ka na?"
Umiling ito at tumingin sa wrist watch.
"Later ka na bumalik sa work mo, come with me, let's grab lunch together," hila ko dito.
"Hey Via, mind if he'll join us?" turo ko sa kapatid ko.
Umiling ito at ngumiti. "No Ate, I don't mind."
We drove to the nearest restaurant nearby.
"Bakit ka nga pala nandito, Via? Vacation with your family?" I asked while in the middle of eating.
Napapansin ko rin ang paraan ng pagkain nito. May class. Halatang galing sa isang mayamang pamilya.
"No, I live here, nearby. Ilang years narin," sagot nito.
"On your own?"
Tumango ito. "I'm fine alone, ilang taon nalang po kasi graduate na ako, so I need to be independent, that's why I'm here."
"Oh, that's nice. I bet it's hard, I'd been in your shoes."
"Yes po, pero may benefits naman. Sa bahay kasi which is sa Pinas, marami akong bantay kahit saan. Mapa-school o gala. Pero dito, wala. Kaya I can go wherever I want without the feeling of someone watching," sagot nito.
"You don't know that, paano nalang kung may stalker ka?" I laughed.
"Oh, and that too. Meron naman, but I'm surrounded by my friends, so I don't worry too much."
"Then why are you alone shopping?" nagtatakang ani ko.
She shrugged. "I'm dating myself."
This girl is weird.
"How old are you?" Kuya, spoke after a long period of silence.
Taimtim ang titig nito kay Via at halatang naghihintay ng sagot.
"I'm twenty-two," sagot ni Via.
"You don't look twenty-two to me," imik ko.
"Well, I'm twenty-two. Malapit na nga ako mag-twenty three," nakasimangot na ani nito.
"Why the long face?" tanong ni Kuya.
The fuck again? Wow, this is the first time Kuya spoke with curiousity and full attention in it.
"My Dad and I had a deal," Via rolled her eyes and continued eating.
"What deal? Just like some cliche stories on books? Like you have to marry someone or else he'll be the one who'll find a guy for you to settle with?" natatawang hula ko.
Well, I used to read books that's why. Hindi ako nerdy, mga romance book ang binabasa ko noon. I'm kinda allergic to educational books. See the difference.
"And you actually got it. Yes. Just like that. One of the reasons why my friends always set me up on a blind date," again, she rolled her eyes.
She really looked annoyed. In my perspective, watching at Via, kung lalaki lang ako malamang nahumaling na ako sa ganda nito. She's slim and good looking, no, more than good looking. More like a princess.
"Blind dates are good. Naranasan ko na, noon."
"Nakailang blind dates na ba ako this year? I think more than ten? I lost count. Ayoko sa kanila, 'yong iba mahahangin, 'yong iba naman walang pakialam sa buhay. Imma say, thank you, next," maarteng sabi nito.
Crap! This girl is something.
"Ano bang tipo mo sa lalaki? Marami akong kilala, baka matulungan kita," I smirked.
"Looks doesn't matter for me, vibes does. Kung magka-vibes kami, then why not. And if he makes me happy, then I'll keep him."
"Nice. May kilala ako. He's sweet, clingy and caring," naiiling na ani ko.
There's a three of them, actually. Axis, Divo and Brent.
Axis is the type of guy who's concious about everything, lalo na sa babaeng dine-date nito. He's between pa-cool boy and pa-good boy. Minsan ay tarantado, yes.
Divo is the smart one, hindi ka pa nagtatanong may sagot na siya. He's always wearing his reading glasses and brings books everywhere. He's sweet, clingy, caring and gives love more than himself. Madaldal din ito, at ka-vibes siya ng lahat. Nasasakyan niya lahat eh.
Brent is— nope, he's out of the choices. May girlfriend na pala 'yon.
"Here's my phone number, pakitawagan nalang ako kung kailan 'yong date magaganap. Thanks," she giggled.
Cutie.
Tinanggap ko ang binigay nitong calling card at nilagay sa loob ng bag bago bumaling ulit sa kaniya. We continued eating while having a fun conversation. Time finally come where we have to part our ways.
"It's really nice to see you again, Ate Yula. Akala ko nga hindi na kita makikita at makakausap after that tragedy. On behalf of Kuya Deus, I'm so sorry for what happened," apologetically, she said.
"I'm still on my healing stage. Kapag ayos na ako at kaya ko na siyang harapin, ikaw ang pinakaunang makakaalam. Thanks for the fun lunch we had, Via. Ingat sa pag-uwi," niyakap ito ng mahigpit.
"Kayo rin. Alis na ako, bye Ate Yula. Bye . . . Kuya Zion!" she waved.
Pinanood lang namin ang pagpasok nito sa itim nitong Porsche.
"I bet that car was so expensive," I murmured.
"That car costs half a billion. That's Black Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet after all, what do you expect?" ani Kuya na binubuksan ang pintuan ng kotse ko.
"Ang dami mong alam."
"I'm smarter than you thought. Umuwi ka na, I still have a meeting to go to," he smirked.
"Ilang araw ka dito?" I asked.
"A week or so, I'll be visiting you and Deon one of these days."
"Si Kuya Xian?"
"Don't ask me, I'm not his surveillance camera. Go home."
Grabe. Ano ka cctv? Nagtatanong lang naman ako ah.
"Ingat ka sa kung saan ka man pupunta. I still want to see my niece from you, Kuya. Adios!" pinasibad ko na ang kotse at binaybay ang daan pauwi.
Ang pangit kausap ni Kuya, namimilosopo.
Sana lang talaga hindi sabihin ni Via kay Deus kung nasaan ako, I trust her enough.
Natatakot ako sa part na baka maulit muli 'yong nangyari kapag napalapit ulit ako kay Deus, at natatakot rin ako na baka dahil sa galit nito ay kunin nito si Deon sa'kin. Hindi ako papayag. Hell would freeze but still, hindi ko ibibigay ang anak ko. Everybody knows how powerful Nuez clan is, but I don't care. As long as hindi niya kami gagalawin ng anak ko, walang labanan sa pagitan namin ang magaganap. There will be no Nuez versus Tussana war.
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