Privacy. People asks for it using the same reason. They don't want people to meddle with their personal lives.
In every friendship, It is surrounded with different kinds of people.
There is someone who is open to all, someone who doesn't care about what people thinks because they already accepted their flaws and someone who is secretive to the extent that you only know his status in life, work , and everything except his/ her family's.
They are the people who's not afraid to smile, to show that they're fine but the truth they aren't.
It was Friday Morning. I was with my family that specific time eating my newly bought cotton candy when I saw a boy leaning towards the river's water reaching for something I couldn't see. I tried calling my Mom's attention who is currently talking to someone, to help the boy but she didn't hear me. Panicking, I loosened my grip from my mother's hands and throw my candy away before running to where the boy at and pulled him away from the side of the river causing us to stumble down.
Hindi agad ako nakabawi sa pagkakadarapa dahil sa tuhod ko na sumasakit.
"Hala, I see blood sa tuhod mo. You okay?", Tumango ako sa kaniya. Tinulungan naman niya akong tumayo. Pinaupo niya ako sa bench hindi kalayuan sa kung saan kami nadapa. Napangiwi ako dahil sa sakit sa tuhod na dumudugo. Patay ako kay Mommy nito.
"We'll ask someone to mend your wound. Don't iyak, ha?", pang-aalo niya sa akin. He even bought me a pink-colored cotton candy. I was waiting for him while eating my treat pinipigilan na umiyak. Masakit naman talaga siya when a different boy stopped in front of me.
Niluhod niya ang isa niyang tuhod while the other one remained him balanced. I was shocked when he mend my wound. Luminga ako sa paligid looking for the first boy who I helped but he was nowhere to be seen. When he was finished mending my wound he sat beside me and smiled.
"It's okay to cry. I always cry when my mom tells me that she doesn't love me. It can help you relieve the pain, trust me.", I can't explain why but I cried. Lumakas ang aking iyak habang nakatingin sa kaniya hindi alintana ang tingin ng mga tao sa amin. He smiled and raffled my hair with his tiny little hands like mine.
"You are strong just like me.", he told me before walking away.
I was waiting from the first boy who I helped but hours passed he didn't appear instead I saw my Mom and her friend who's running towards me with her teary-eyed eyes laced with worry and hugged me.
My mom's friend was more concerned than she was. But I didn't mind that because I'm too young to acknowledge the idea that my mom doesn't care about me.
And that's when and where I met Galaxy and Ryuji. Ryuji, the boy who I saved and Galaxy, the boy who believed that I'm strong.
"Here.", I stared at the handkerchief Lax offered. We're still at his living room after William and Venus talked to us.
"I thought I already moved on. Alam mo ba sinabi ni Will na ginamit ko siya. Nalilito na ako kung minahal ko ba talaga siya at alam ko naman sa sarili ko na oo. Pero bakit pag naalala ko si Ryuji nagiguilty ako. Na hindi ko dapat mahalin si William. Baka mapahamak din siya katulad ni Ryuji.", kwento ko kay Galaxy.
Hindi ko maiwasang masaktan. Akala ko manhid na ako. Ganito pala ang nararamdaman ng mga kontrabida sa mga pelikula. I thought I can't be like them because they're all selfish and desperate but no. Love is really powerful that it can make you do things you didn't expect you will do.
"Haays, I don't know what I'm going to do with you. Earth, hear me out. Ryuji won't be happy seeing you like this. He loves you and he wants the best for you. If you kept on staying like this  then you can't move forward.", hindi na hinintay ni Lax na makuha ko ang panyo kundi siya na ang nagpunas niyon sa magkabilaang pisngi ko.
"You want something? Food?" I looked at him, umiiling.
"You don't need to do anything. I'm fine.", I smiled but he just grimaced. Hindi naniniwala.
He stopped from what he was doing. Kinuha niya ang aking namumutlang kamay doon niya inilagay ang panyong ginamit niya pamunas sa aking lumuluhang mga mata na hindi man lang na pagod kakaiyak.
"Shut up. You're not fine.", he said before getting my other phone. Parang walang cellphone. Natulala na lamang ako.
Minsan sa buhay natin may mga taong mawawala pero mayroon din namang mananatili katulad na lamang nitong lalaking nakaupo sa aking tabi tumatawa na kasalukuyang kinukunan ako ng video habang umiiyak.
"Tigilan mo nga iyan. Pinapainit mo ulo ko.", tinabig ko ang cellphone ng igiit niya iyon sa aking mukha. Pero kahit ganoon hindi pa rin siya tumitigil.
Patuloy niya akong kinukulit at ako naman todo hampas sa kaniya ng throw pillow na nakita ko sa couch na inuupuan ko. Pero tinatawanan niya lamang ako. Ito iyong time na gusto ko kasama si Galaxy kasi hindi umiiral ang pagiging suwapang niyang tao. Tumigil lang kami ng nakarinig ng tikhim sa likuran namin.
Lumingon ako at nagulat ng makita si Mercury nakasuot ng pajama at magulo ang buhok may dala-dalang unan sa kaliwang kamay at cellphone naman sa kabila. Nagising yata namin.
"Ingay niyo.", He mumbled before going straight to the kitchen. Maybe to drink water. Galaxy and Mercury has similarities.
They love to bake, ride bicycles, read different genres of books in just a day. They differ when it comes to drinking water. Mas marami pa nga akong nainom na tubig kesa kay Galaxy na kayang ipagpatuloy ang araw na hindi umiinom ng tubig kundi refreshments lang.
"Hey! When will you move out! Buy your own house, first Planet!", umiiling na lamang ako ng sumisigaw na pinuntahan ni Lax si Mercury sa kitchen pinapalayas sa bahay niya.
Last year, There this woman who offered us a house. At first I was kind of hesitant but Galaxy is Galaxy he doesn't even think twice upon buying the house for the reason that he was bored. The woman told us that the house is quite creepy. Kasi raw may nakatirang kapre.
We didn't really believe her like did mythical creatures really exist? But to our surprise she's right. Just when we entered the house we really did see a kapre, who was named Mercury. Na nakaupo sa dining table at kumakain pa ng breakfast.
The same day we knew that the woman is Mercury's secretary slash ex girlfriend na ipinagbili ang bahay niya dahil nalagay ni Mercury sa shredder ang titulo ng bahay noong babae. How cool was that? That's why Mercury is now living with Lax.
Noong gumabi na naisipan ko nang umuwi mukha naman din na uulan. Wala pa naman akong sasakyang dala.
"I need to go.", I called their attention. Kanina pa kasi sila nag-uusap sa couch na nasa harapan ko tungkol sa problema ni Mercury na ayaw naman nilang sabihin sa akin. Sabay silang tumingin sa akin.
"Sumabay ka nalang sa akin. I need to go somewhere.", sabi ni Mercury but I refused gusto ko rin kasing mapag-isa.
"Kaya ko na. I already book a grab. I can handle myself.", I smiled at the two of them. Mariin ang tingin ni Galaxy sa akin na parang hindi naniniwala. Paranoid talaga itong isang ito. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay because I know that if I did that he'll stop pestering me. Bumuntong hininga na lamang siya.
"Okay but call us if you get home.", Kinuha na ni Mercury ang susi niya at nauna nang umalis pagkatapos magpaalam sumunod na rin ako.
"Take care, Galaxy. I'll come back here tomorrow.", I stated because in a spur moment I saw sadness in his eyes pero ngumiti naman siya ulit at kumaway sa akin.
I closed the gate bago humarap sa tahimik na daan. May 5 minutes pa naman bago dadating ang grab. I heard the sound of crickets.
Ang banayad na haplos ng hangin at ang liwanag ng buwan lang ang karamay ko ngayong gabi. I wish I can stop the pain. I wish I can bring back the time, sana hindi ko nalang siya nakilala para hindi ako masaktan.
Natigil lang ang aking pagmumuni-muni ng may sasakyang tumigil sa harapan ko.
"Ma'am, pasensiya na natagalan.", tumango lamang ako sa kaniya at nagpasalamat. Sasakay na sana ako ng maalala kung may nakalimutan pa pala ako. My other phone. Iyon pa naman ang ginagamit ko for business transactions.
Sinabi ko sa grab driver ang aking nakalimutan at kukunin ko lang ito sandali sa loob ng bahay. I told him I'm sorry kasi kanina pa naman ako nandito pero ngayon ko lang naalala. Pero okay lang naman daw sa kaniya.
I was humming when I went back bubuksan ko na sana ang pintuan sa harap ng bahay ng matigilan dahil sa narinig na pamilyar na hikbi sa kabilang bahagi ng pinto.
Galaxy is crying.
Napabitaw ako sa seradura nito, nanlulumo. I thought, I thought he was okay. I thought ako lang, ako lang iyong nasasaktan. Hindi pala kasi bakit siya iiyak ngayon kung okay lang siya. Hindi talaga natin mapipigilan ang mangyayari. Katulad ko hindi ko naman siya mapipigilan na umiyak kasi iyan lang ang paraan upang maging okay siya kahit alam ko na matatagalan pa.
Napasandal na lamang ako sa pinto dahil sa lakas ng hikbi na ngayon niya lang naipalabas dahil ayaw niyang may makarinig pero narinig ko na. Ang bawat mabigat niyang paghinga at ang bawat sakit sa pag-iyak niya. Ito ba, Ito ba ang kapalit ng ginawa ko noon.
Anong klaseng kaibigan ako? Akala ko kilala ko na siya hindi pa rin pala. Bakit hindi ko man lang napansin ang lungkot sa mga mata niya bago ako umalis.
Hindi nga lang pala ako ang nagmahal pati rin siya. Ang bobo ko naman pala para makalimutan iyon palagi na lamang ang sarili ko ang iniisip ko. Mahal niya si Venus. Mahal na mahal na nagawa niyang magpaggamit upang maging masaya ito kahit kapalit noon ang kasiyahan niya. Bakit kasi minahal namin ang dalawang taong hindi naman para sa amin.
Pinipigilan lang pala niya ang nararamdaman. Tumulo ang luha ko. Nakakatawa, two best friends crying in the middle of the night because of a heartbreak. Sana darating ang araw na mahanap namin ang kapayapaang gusto namin na maramdaman.
Iiwan muna kita, Galaxy. Take your time. Cry it all out for you to get better. I smiled at the door na parang nakikita niya ako, my tears streaming, bago tumalikod at umalis. Maybe, tomorrow will be better for the both of us.
My phone really did change the mood, huh?