Soon

(Anna's POV)

Ilang segundo lamang akong nakatitig sa kanya. Maging s'ya ay nakatingin din sa'kin ng matiim na para bang hinihintay nya akong magsalita. It's seems like I have no escape at all.

Pero bakit ko nga ba sya pagtataguan?

Maybe because I don't want to discuss anything with him regarding his friends-slash-cousins. Or maybe it's because seeing him makes me remember them in an instant.

Cedrick and Earl.

Nagpakawala ako ng isang buntong hininga.

"Happy birthday, Jigs." I tried to smile but I guess I failed.

Ang kaninang nakangiti nyang mukha ay biglang naging seryoso.

"Don't smile. Especially kung napipilitan ka lang. Never try so hard when I can clearly see that you couldn't,"

I just looked at him as he sighed this time.

"Nasa'n na yung Hanna at Ella na nakilala ko dati? I didn't expect that you would change bigtime."

I stared at him, almost expressionless.

"Hindi ako si Hanna. Alam mo yan. Pinsan nyo nga yun di 'ba? Yung pinsan nyong namatay na pilit nyang buhayin sa pagkatao ko--Pagkatao ko na namatay din kasama nung nawala sya. At 'Ella'? Alam mong yung isa mo pang pinsan lang ang tumatawag sa'kin ng ganun. I understand that you used to call me that before to pissed him off. Pero what's the used of calling me that, gayong wala na sya? What's the sense? Wala ka naman ng maaasar. Just call me Anna, that's how everyone addresses me now." I said and rolled my eyes at him. I felt sorry afterwards for being mean towards him.

I'm not a bitch. Maybe sometimes, I am. Like on this very moment. I am a good person in nature but I can't help but to feel like my blood is boiling as of now. Hanapin ba naman kung nasaan na yung dating ako?

Cedrick's Hanna.

Earl's Ella.

Matagal ko nang kinapa sa sarili ko kung nandyan pa ba yung mga sinabi nya. Pero ni isa man do'n sa nabanggit nya... wala. Wala na. Nawala 'yon kasabay ng pagkawala nila.

Hindi makapaniwalang nakatingin sa'kin ang taong kaharap ko ngayon. Nang makahuma sa sinabi ko ay napailing naman sya.

"Why can't you just move on, Ella--" before he could finished his sentence, I immediately cutted him off.

"Just call me Anna, Sab or even Sabriela. I don't care. But not that one, Not Ella. Not Hanna."

He raised his both hands as if surrendering himself to the cops. His lips twitched as it seems like he remembered something.

"Fine. I'll just call you Anna. I forgot. Hanna and Ella. That's their endearment on you, little girl." Nakangiti s'ya habang sinasabi 'yon. Somehow, it irritates me.

I glared at him.

"Don't give me that look," he chuckled a bit. "Just be happy. You should atleast try to be. Kung nandito lang sila ay hindi nila hahayaang ganyan ka. Especially him,"

Yun na nga, wala na sila. Wala na sya. Iniwan na lang nila ako.

"Exactly my point, kung nandito lang sila, kung nandito lang sya. Kaso wala sila. Wala na s'ya. Happy?" I sarcastically said and give him a sarcastic smile after.

Hindi ko alam kung anong trip ng isang 'to at biglang nakisakay sa pagiging sarcastic ko.

"Yeah. Happy. 'Coz it's my birthday. Happy birthday to me," he sarcastically smiled back at me.

I glared at him, again.

"Ha. Ha. Funny, Jigs."

I was expecting another sarcastic remark from him but he did not shot me back with a sarcasm. Nagulat na lang ako nang pitikin niya ako sa noo.

"What was that for?" Tanong ko sa kanya habang hawak ko ang noo ko.

"Stop glaring at me, little girl. That's rude," he smiled at me this time, a sincere one. No doubt, magkamag-anak talaga si Jigs at sya. Hindi ko mawari kung may D.I.D o split personality. Ang bilis mag-shift ng mood. "It's my birthday, where's my present anyway?" Dagdag pa nya.

Birthday present for him? As if planado ko ang pagpunta dito. Hinila nga lang ako nila Airene eh. At ni hindi ko nga alam na birthday nya pala ngayon kung hindi lang sa pinsan kong matagal nang in relationship sa jelly ace! Kasalanan no'n kung bakit ako nandito sa sitwasyong 'to eh. I need to make a mental note to kill Crimson after this! For potato's sake!

Birthday gift? Impromptu nga yung pagpunta ko dito eh!

I scowled at the man infront of me.

Mukhang nabasa nya ata na wala akong ganun para sa kanya base sa facial expression na ipinakita ko sa kanya.

"So... wala?" Bigla syang nagpout. He put his index finger in his lips, still pouting. Somehow I remembered that it's his mannerism when he was thinking about something. "Can I ask you a favor since you forget to give me a birthday present?" Dagdag na sabi nya.

I shook my head. "NO," I said firmly.

He smirked at me.

"A 'no', huh? Oh. I remembered you ran in here because you don't want me to approach you, right?--or should I say you don't want me to approach you in front of your colleagues?"

Both things he said is right. Pero parang mas matimbang ang pangalawang sinabi nya. I don't want him to approach me in front of them. Dahil siguradong magtatanong na naman sila after. At ayokong mahalungkat ang lahat. I felt guilty. Ganitong-ganito din ako nung high school.

Ang pinagkaiba lang ngayon ay wala ka na.

I let out a long sigh.

"Fine. What's the favor your asking me to do?" ipapaalala ko ulit sa sarili ko na mapapatay ko talaga si Crimson mamaya!

"Sing in the mini stage--"

"--no, I won't do that--"

"Not for me. But for them. Especially for him. And also for yourself. Sing your heart out."

I shook my head, again. "NO,"

That's a big no. There's no way in hell I would sing in front of many people. Never in my wildest dream.

Mukha syang disappointed sa sagot ko pero wala naman syang magagawa. Hindi nya ko mapipilit na gawin ang gusto nya.

I looked unbelievably at him after hearing his following statements.

"Fine. But can you please... forgive them. Forgive them for leaving you. Forgive your self, you should stop blaming yourself. Maybe you're at fault. But all of the three of you were. Even me," there's a hint of guiltiness in his voice. But in my own point of view he has no fault all. It's all about me, Ced and Earl who's at fault.

"Siguro kung sinabi ko lang baka iba ang kinalabasan, baka iba ang nangyari..." napayuko sya.

"There's no point at all. Wala ng sense kung mag-iisip pa tayo ng what if's. What's done is done. We can't retract our words. We can't undo what is being done. All we could do is to regret those things. Wala kang kasalanan, Jigs."

Kami lang ang may kasalanan ng lahat ng nangyari. Ako lang ang may kasalanan kung bakit nga ba ako ngayon nasasaktan.

I patted his shoulder. Dahil do'n ay napaangat ang tingin nya sa'kin. He smiled a bit and he ruffled my hair. Tinabig ko ang kamay nya upang tanggalin ito.

He let out a soft chuckle at my gesture.

I glared at him, again.

But he just smiled at me. "I guess you didn't success in changing yourself totally. There's still a portion of your old self that wasn't change at all. Tell me, you're still waiting for him, aren't you?"

"Yes..." I said. Almost whisper.

"What if I tell you, he'll come back soon?"

Namilog ang mata ko sa sinabi nya. I was about to react when someone butts in.

"Ano yan?"

***

(Robi's POV)

Bakit gano'n?

Hindi naman ako nakikipagtitigan kay haring araw pero bakit parang ang sakit ng mata ko? Ang sakit sa mata ng mga taong nasa harap ko ngayon.

Si Kerwin at yung girlfriend nya--yung girlfriend nya na maganda--yung girlfriend nya na mabait--yung girlfriend nya na mukhang hindi gumagawa ng hindi masama--YUNG GIRLFRIEND NYA NA TINAPUNAN AT BINANGGA AKO SA CAFETERIA! Shet, mga bes. Zero love life na nga ako. Friendzone pa 'ko. Tapos muntik pa 'kong ma-unfriend zone nung time na 'yon. Sinabi ko kay Kerwin na yung girlfriend nya ang may kasalanan kung bakit kami nagkabanggaan at nagkatapunan ng inumin. But he remained pokerface and said: "hindi ka kasi nag-iingat," and I was like; asdfghjkl! I want to curse but I just remained silent. Red Velvet shake yung natapon sakin at buko juice lang ang natapon kay Raegel but it is as if nakakamantsa yung buko juice ko sa uniform nya!

Nakakahiya naman sa kanya at sa exaggerated reaction nya that time!

I kept on wondering kung paano ba sya naging girlfriend ni Kerwin. Ginayuma? Ginamitan ng witchcraft? Black magic?

I was pulled out of my musings when Crimson sang, I figured out he's singing along with the music that was playing inside the cafe.

"~kaibigan lang pala. Kaibigan lang pala. Napawi ang aking nadarama. Pagkat ako'y kaibigan lang pala~"

I gave him dagger looks. He immediately stopped singing and look at me worrily.

"Robi, bakit ganyan ka makatingin? constipated ka din ba katulad ni Anna?" He asked innocently. Minsan nagtataka din ako sa isang 'to eh. How did he even manage to pass the university entrance exam and survive in our previous semesters na ganyan sya mag-isip?

I didn't answer his stupid question. I just resume sipping my choco hot fudge shake.

"Speaking of Anna, angtagal na nya sa CR," komento ni Angel.

"Sabi nya nung pinuntahan ko sya awhile ago, sandali na lang daw." Sabat ko.

"Balikan mo nga Robi. Tingnan mo ulit, baka nakatulog na yo'n sa cubicle. She's taking too long, don't you think?"sabi naman ni Airene.

I agree with what she said. Kanina pa 'yon do'n. May nangyari kaya kaya hindi sya nakabalik agad?

I stand up and walk towards the comfort room.

I saw her... it seems like she's having a conversation with an unfamiliar guy.

"Ano yan?" Once I asked, they turned their head on me. "Sino 'yan Anna?"

***