Two Old Friends: Phase 15

Kinabukasan ay nagpa-deliver ng breakfast si Allan mula sa Jollibee. Nagulat ang lahat nang makita itong tinatanggap ang pagkain mula sa delivery man ng nasabing fast food. Kagigising lang kasi nilang lahat at kabababa lamang sa may sala.

"Oh! You're all up. Come! Let's take this food to the kitchen," ani Allan sa kanila.

Sina Samantha at Jenneth ang tumulong kay Allan na magdala sa kusina ng mga pagkain. Super excited naman si Darlene. Sina Kenneth at Ryan naman ay napasunod na lamang kahit medyo nagtataka sa ginawa ni Allan.

"Tito Allan, ang dami naman po ng inorder ninyo," ani Darlene.

Allan smiled. "Because we have to celebrate."

"Celebrate?" tanong ni Darlene.

"Yes. First, we have to celebrate the fact that you are okay, you were saved and nothing bad happened to you."

"Thank you po," Darlene said.

Allan smiled at her. And then, he looked at the others. "Second, I want to thank everyone for letting me stay here. And because of that, I want to share a wonderful news."

He looked at Samantha. Napakunot naman ang noo ng dalaga. Ano kaya ang gustong ipahiwatig ng boyfriend niya?

"Samantha and I are engaged. We're getting married!"

Natulala ang lahat sa sinabi ni Allan. Hindi lahat sila nakapagsalita. Maging si Darlene ay napatingin na lamang kay Ryan. Na napatingin naman sa katabing si Kenneth.

"And you are all invited. We want the wedding to be here in the Philippines because our families and relatives are here. Our friends in the States can fly here, they want a destination wedding anyway. And also, there's no divorce here in the Philippines. So we will be married forever."

Lalong nanahimik ang lahat sa sinabi ni Allan. Si Jenneth lamang ang nakaisip na mag-react para na rin mawala ang tensiyon na nagsisimula nang mamuo dahil sa mga sinabi nito.

"Congratulations, Allan, Samantha," ani Jenneth.

"Thanks, Jen," Allan said. Saka ito napatingin kay Samantha. He smiled.

Tulala naman si Samantha. Nagulat siya sa sinabi ni Allan. Hindi niya alam kung paano magre-react o kung ano ang sasabihin. Nakatingin siya kay Allan at hindi niya mawari kung ano ang mararamdaman sa tingin nito sa kanya. She knows something is up with his fiancé. His eyes are full of rage and it's making her feel uncomfortable.

"Let's eat!" ani Allan sa lahat.

The air is awkward and sad, but everyone ate the takeout that Allan bought. Ang masayang selebrasyon ay naging tahimik at mabigat para sa kanilang lahat.

****************************************

After breakfast ay kinausap ni Samantha si Allan sa may beach area.

"This is so nice," ani Allan na ang tinutukoy ay ang beach at dagat.

"Allan…"

"Yes?" Allan looked at her.

"Why did you do that?"

"What?"

"Why did you tell them?"

"Why wouldn't I? We're engaged, right? Or, are we still?"

"Of course! Why would you say that?"

"I don't know… I just… have this feeling."

Umiwas si Samantha at tumalikod dito.

"I just… I just thought it's not right kasi, hindi pa natin nasasabi kina Kuya. 'Di ba dapat sa kanila muna natin sasabihin? Tsaka sa family mo."

"Is that the real reason?"

"Oo naman…" Napaharap si Samantha dito. "Ano bang magiging rason ko?"

"I don't know…"

Allan looked intently at Samantha. She knows na may iba itong ibig sabihin. She can see it through his eyes that seems to pierce through her soul. Hindi niya iyon nakayanan kaya muli siyang tumalikod sa kanya.

"Gusto ko lang na… maging special iyong engagement natin. I want my family to know first."

Maikling katahimikan ang namayani sa kanilang dalawa. Hinihintay ni Samantha ang sasabihin ni Allan pero hindi ito nagsalita. Muli niya itong hinarap.

"Of course," ani Allan nang makaharap na si Samantha. "I'm sorry."

"Okay lang."

Wala na rin naman siyang magagawa. Nasabi na ni Allan ang lahat. Ang totoo, hindi naman talaga iyon ang dahilan kung bakit ayaw niyang sabihin sa mga kaibigan ang engagement nila. Ayaw na nga lang niyang isipin ang tunay na dahilan kasi baka masaktan na naman ang damdamin niya.

"By the way… as much as I want to stay here with you, I don't think I'm really welcome here," ani Allan.

"Hindi naman sa ganoon… Uhm… Nagulat lang kasi talaga sila."

Allan shook his head. "Don't sugar-coat it, Sam. We both know the truth. And I'm okay with that. I don't have a choice. I will not change their perspective of me. I don't have time for that. So, I'm leaving. You can stay here. I'll go home in Nueva Ecija and spend some days there until you decide it's time for us to talk to your family."

Ramdam ni Samantha ang bigat ng damdamin ni Allan. Kahit na parang galit ito ay alam niyang dala lang ito ng sakit na dulot ng sitwasyon nila sa mga kaibigan niya.

And also, she thinks he probably feels something is not right with her… or at least, her feelings.

"I'll go with you," aniya sa nobyo.

"It's okay. You can stay here with them. I will be fine. Gail has come home also, so there's someone I could hang out with."

"No, I'll still go home with you. You're my fiancé."

Allan looked at her. There's really something on his gaze. Nasasaktan si Samantha just by looking at his eyes, pero pinipilit pa rin niyang i-ignore iyon dahil alam niyang may pinagdaraanan lamang ang nobyo niya.

At iyon ay dahil sa kanya.

"Okay…"

Allan looked away. He then walked out at naiwan si Samantha sa may beach. Pagkaalis ni Allan ay saka tumulo ang mga luha sa pisngi ni Samantha. The sun is shining brightly pero parang ang bigat ng pakiramdam niya ngayon.

****************************************

Nagulat ang lahat nang magpaalam sina Samantha at Allan na mauuna nang uuwi pabalik ng Tarlac.

"Kailangan n'yo na ba talagang bumalik na?" tanong ni Jenneth.

"I have to go home to Nueva Ecija," ani Allan. "My sister came home also. She does not know a lot here. She was 3 when we migrated and so she didn't know a lot here. She's not very comfortable being alone with our relatives."

"Pero kailangan bang pati ikaw, Sam?" tanong ni Ryan. "Pwede ka namang maiwan dito."

"Ryan is right," ani Allan sabay tingin kay Samantha. "You can stay here with them. Gail is going to pick me up."

"No… I'll go with you," ani Samantha.

Wala na ngang nagawa ang lahat kundi ang hayaan ang dalawa sa kanilang desisyon.

Pagkatapos ng isang oras ay dumating na rin ang kapatid ni Allan na si Gail. Ipinakilala niya ito sa lahat.

"Guys, this is Abigail, my sister. She is a… house tambay."

"Hey! I'm not a tambay!" tanggi nito. "I do YouTube videos. I have a channel, it's called Samonte Gal. You know, Samonte, my last name and then Gal, taken from Gail. I do make up tutorials, DIYs, fashion, makeovers, anything lifestyle related."

"She does all that a house tambay does," muling biro ni Allan.

"Seriously?" Gail glared at Allan.

Ipinakilala na lamang ni Allan ang mga kasama nila sa kapatid.

"Oh, you're so cute naman, Darlene!" ani Gail.

"Thanks po." Darlene managed to smile.

"So… I guess we should leave now," ani Allan.

Muling natahimik ang lahat.

"Thanks again for letting me stay here," ani Allan.

"Ingat kayo," ang sabi na lamang ni Jenneth.

Allan nodded. "Sam?"

Parang maiiyak si Samantha nang tumingin sa mga kasama bilang pamamaalam. Hindi lang dahil sa ayaw niyang umalis muna sana, kundi dahil na rin sa bigat ng sitwasyon niya ngayon.

"Tita Sam…"

Napatingin si Samantha kay Darlene. She smiled at the little girl.

"See you in Tarlac," ang sabi na lamang ni Samantha.

At tuluyan na nga silang umalis. Ang mga naiwan namang sina Kenneth, Ryan, Darlene at Jenneth ay nanatiling tahimik sa may sala. Parang walang gana ang kahit na sino na gumawa ng kahit ano.

"I think we should also leave," ani Jenneth.

Hindi sumagot ang iba, pero alam nilang sang-ayon sila sa sinabi ni Jenneth. Ilang sandali pa ay nagligpit na rin sila ng kanilang mga gamit, at matapos masigurong maayos ang bahay ay umuwi na rin sila ng Tarlac.