3 Isla Olvida

Three

Isla Olvida

Carol took a year off. Did she even deserve it? While someone suffered, she turned a blind eye. The worst part is she ran away like a coward.

Her best friend. Her buddy in high school. Kasama sa lahat ng gala at kalokohan. When he needed her the most, she wasn't there for him.

Ngayon, laking pag-sisisi niya. Yes, she's blaming herself of what did Raiko become, her bestfriend. If only, she was not as hard-headed. Kung hindi lang siya nagmatigas, he wouldn't have took his own life.

With her savings and allowance left, she packed her stuff, left her friends and allowed herself to forget the life she was living. Carol couldn't take the questioning eyes darted at her.

Wala naman talagang ibang tatanungin kundi siya.

She was the closest to Raiko. After Gelo, drifted away from him. They have their own issues. Pagod na pagod na siyang dalhin 'yon. Pagod na pagod na siyang lokohin ang sarili na ayos lang.

She's not fine. She just lost her best friend to a killer that they will never catch.

"Maayong buntag, gang!" Manong greeted her.

The man is in his 50s pero ang lakas nito ay parang nasa 30s parin. He's one of the caretakers of this resort. Every morning he greets her with the sweetest smile and proceeded with his daily routine. Tending with the small business that they have along with his wife who's equally sweet as him. The couple are old and both adorable.

They never asked her about anything personal. It's as if they knew that people who come to this place just wants to forget. She appreciates this about them

"Maayong buntag sab, 'nong," Carol greeted back.

Carol found this place from the stories she heard. She's been traveling around the country. From the beautiful mountains and sea of Batanes, the modern life of the queen city down to this secret island of the south.

It's more than an hour of riding a boat before someone can reach this magnificent beach. The virgin white sands feels soft despite its texture. The strong winds at night sings her to sleep like a lullaby. And the sunrise, it's beyond words. She'll never trade anything for this beauty.

But just like a dream, she has to end it, wake up and go back to her reality.

Carol would sip on her morning coffee. Instant coffee but with this kind of view, it's like drinking a premium one. Her travels was not smooth at all. Ilang beses nga ba siyang na-scam? Nagbayad siya nang ilang libo, thinking that the place will be worthwhile but it was such a let down. There were no food and the room she was staying, it wasn't even a room. Mukha pang toilet sa liit at baho.

She was scammed with different kids on the street with their annoying little faces. The preachers on a public vehicle. Some even sells pen for double their markup price. She was groped and her stuff were stolen once.

Carol was already on a verge of giving up. Baka ito na siguro ang karma niya for all the things she did. Raiko was probably punishing her. So she will never go home until she's ready to finally face the people and the things she's running away from.

Manong called upon her, reminding about him sailing to the mainland. Carol went to his wife and gave her the money na kaakibat ng lahat ng kabaitan nila from the past few weeks. The wife was even hesitant but Carol insisted. She won't be needing much as she's set for home. Carol took one last glimpse of the island. She promised to herself that she will be back to this place, happier and complete.

Karga ang backpack at konting souvenirs from the manong's wife and the island, bumaba siya sa bangka. Binigyan niya rin ang lalaki ng panghuling bayad. Nag-pasalamat ito sa kanya. But before she went away, he left her with a meaningful statement.

"Di na mabalik ang kagahapon pero pwede pa mausab ang karon. Ayo-ayo sa byahe, gang."

He left with his untainted smile. The past washed away by the waves in the ocean. The glistening sun is a reminder of something warm to look forward to.

Ngayon, saan na nga ba siya patungo?

"Himala! May balak pa palang magpakita ang anak ko?" Her mom scoffed at her from the screen. Kung nandito lang ito ay baka nabatukan na nga siya. Even from miles and miles away magana parin itong mag-sungit.

"Ma naman." She smiled seeing her parents again.

"Mang, hayaan mo na ang anak natin. Minsan lang dadaan ang kabataan," saad ng kanyang ama. Her father's wrinkles are getting more visible from the last time she saw him. Pala-ngiti kasi ito kahit kanino. Her father doesn't really know how to get mad.

"Pa, pagsibihan mo nga 'yan si mama. Ang importante, I'm home at balik na ako sa school, promise," aniya saka tinaas pa ang kamay.

"Caroline Kate, sinasabi ko sa'yo. Kapag ikaw hindi pa umayos, makakatikim ka na talaga sa'kin," her mom warned with that stoic voice again. Contrary to her mom's soft features, may malaking boses ito na sa kanya naipamana, unfortunately.

"Huwag mo nang pagalitan, mang. Alam naman ng anak mo 'yan, diba Carol?" her father interjected habang minamasahe ang balikat ng kanyang ina.

"Oo nga, pa. Wala nang delays ngayon," she said trying to convince them as well as herself.

"Ba't di ka na lang kasi sumunod dito?" Her mother sounded serious all of a sudden.

"Gusto ko nga dito, ma," sagot niya at napatingin sa malayo.

"Wala namang idinulot ang pamamalagi mo dyan sa Pinas. Puro ka lang kabulastugan," her mother said with dismay in her voice.

Alam niya naman ang kasalanan niya. Umalis siya nang halos buong taon nang walang paalam. She flunked her subjects. She totally fucked up. Now, she's trying to get back the life she used to have.

"Hayaan mo na ang bata sa gusto niya. Saka nangako na si Clarence na sa Gustavio pag-aaralin si Carol."

Her sister, Clarence who lives in Canada decided to support her. Close niya ang ate pero simula nang mag-migrate ang pamilya niya, parang lumayo na rin sila sa isa't isa.

Sobrang hiyang-hiya siya nang mabagsak sa kanyang program. She was advised to shift. After that, wala na siyang mukhang maihaharap sa mga kaibigan at sa kanyang pamilya. Clarence was kind enough to offer na mag-transfer siya ng university so she can still pursue Med Tech.

"Kumusta sila ate at kuya dyan?" she asked.

"Buntis na naman ang asawa ng kuya mo. Nagdodoremi na ang anak, Diyos ko. Ang ate mo mukhang ikakasal na kay Brent. Papahanapan kita ng porenjer sa ate mo," her mother suggested.

Inirapan niya ang sinabi ng ina. "Ma! Wala ka bang tiwala sa ganda ko? Saka akala ko ba acads muna?" natatawa niyang saad.

"Papakasalan mo lang naman para may green card agad," singhal ng kanyang ina.

"Ma ang sama niyo!"

"Carol, nag-enroll ka na ba?" her dad asked.

"Opo, start na nga ng klase. Kaso irreg nga lang ako pero ayos na. Pagbubutihan ko na this time. Ma, pa, magiging doctor ako, tandaan niyo 'yan," she told them, almost believing her own words.

"Tatandaan talaga namin 'yan. Ano nga ulit size ng paa mo? At paa ni Marga?" tanong ng kanyang ina.

Marga is her niece na 2 years old. Hindi niya pa nakikita ang batang 'yon. Ang dami niya na yatang na-miss.

"Size 9 nga ako ma. Si Marga, itatanong ko pa kay ate Vera. Ang bilis lumaki ng batang 'yon."

Carol drowned herself into her notes, ppts and books. Magiging pathogen na yata siya sa kaka-scroll up and down sa kanyang laptop. This is her problem, wala siyang na-developed na study habits. Since high school naman kasi kahit hindi siya nag-aaral nakakapasa naman siya. But in college, screw everything, she has to triple her effort para lang makakita sa portal ng uno.

It's already 12 in the midnight. Matutulog muna siya at babalikan niya na lang ng mga 4AM. That is kung magigising siya. Talent niya pa naman tulugan ang alarm. Ngunit kahit anong position niya sa kama, she can't seem to fall asleep. She looked at her phone and scroll through the numbers.

"Jeorge?" she uttered and then heard a loud bang like someone fell out of the bed. She laughed. Jeorge must have been surprised.

"Carol? Ikaw ba 'yan?" her friend exclaimed on the other line.

"Oo, babaeng marangal," singhal niya. She got up at sumandal sa kanyang higaan.

"Where the fuck on earth are you!?" Nilayo niya ang phone habang natatawa.

"Aray ha. I toured everywhere and tasted everything and everyone," she grinned.

"Gaga! Nasaan ka? Let's meet," anito.

"Babae, it's almost 1AM. Sabihan mo si Beltran at Bea, let's see each other soon," she said. It's really been awhile. Wala na siyang balita masyado sa kanila. Except that the three of them have graduated. She kind of regretted not graduating with them or even attended.

"Ang dami kong gustong sabihin ngayon pero fine basta huwag ka nang umalis ha," Jeorge sounded worried.

"Hindi na nga," she sighed. There are just so many things left unsaid after what happened. She's sure marami silang tanong.

"I missed you, gaga ka," Jeorge said, almost crying.

"Na-miss din kita, babaeng marangal."

She immediately hang up saying na may exam pa siya bukas. Ang Gustavio kasi may pa-prelims pa. But the truth is ayaw niya lang talagang pag-usapan ang kahit anong tungkol sa nakaraan. Alam naman siguro ito ni Jeorge.

Carol knows that her friend was greatly affected too. Hindi lang siya. Pati na ang matalik niyang kaibigan, si Gelo. She seriously wants to know how they're doing. She misses them. She miss their food trip, mga inuman, mga gala at simpleng tambayan sa field. But that chapter already ended. No matter how she wants to go back.

Mamaya pa ang klase niya kasama sina Arny at Luis. For now, she's alone. Gustavio is such a big and intimidating school compare to State University of the North. Sa SUN mararamdaman agad ang feeling ng freedom at passion. She miss those days.

Dahil wala naman siyang kasabay kumain sa Plaza. She went straight to Alvear General Hospital, ang university hospital ng Gustavio. Walang masyadong college students dito except for the med students. She went up to the rooftop.

Fortunately, it isn't locked. The freeing air hit her face. Finally she found a place na walang ingay. She found a chair at the end and propped herself. She look at the sky and breathed in the air. It's polluted but oddly comforting. Nag-simula siyang magbasa ng kanyang libro.

"Quit reciting."

Nagitla siya saka napatingin sa nagsalita.

"Fuck! May tao pala dyan. Akala ko maligno," she exclaimed after recognizing the figure sitting below the water tank. She instinctively straightened her back. Bigla siyang na-conscious sa itsura. Maayos naman siguro ang buhok niya. Sana hindi siya mukhang bruha. It's Vico fucking Villavicencio, the one who makes her mind go disarray.