HLIB: Monthsary

Naalimpungatan ako ng marinig ko ang sunod-sunod na tawag mula sa phone ko. I smiled when I saw his name at my phone screen. I answered the call.



"Hey Sleepyhead. Time to wake up na. Happy Monthsary babe!"


"Hello baby. happy 1st monthsary too. I miss you."



"I miss you too. Can't wait to see you later baby."



Napangiti ako. Mahigit isang linggo na kasi kaming di nagkikita ni Vash. Pina housing silang lahat na mga athletes para sa nalalapit na game nila. Mamaya ay tatakas lamang daw siya para makapag celebrate kami ng monthsary namin. Bukas na kasi yung game nila kaya naman medyo strict si Coach.




"What time nga pala yung sabi mo?"



Vash said may surprise na naman daw siya sa akin. Maybe dinner again or something kaya i'm a bit excited about what will happen later.




"7 sharp. Don't be late okay Babe? Anyways, I have to go. Ginising lang talaga kita coz I know you have class around 8. Baka ma late ka na naman. Get up na and be ready for school. Call you later babe."



Napabalikwas ako at agad kong tiningnan ang orasan. Shit! 7:20 na! Di na ako nakapagpa-alam kay Vash. I  ended the call at dali dali akong pumasok sa bathroom to do my rituals.



As soon as I finish everything ay andito na ako sa car ko, kasama ko si Lindsey, makikisabay daw siya dahil tinatamad siyang magdrive.



"Monthsary niyo?" Lindsey



"Yup. Paano mo nalaman?"



"Hello. Remember the dinner?"



Napangiti ako. Oo nga pala. The dinner last month wherein official na talaga kami ni Vash.



"Thank You talaga ha?" I thanked Lindsey dahil kung di dahil sa kanya ay walang Vasher..




"Don't thank me yet. Wala pa akong ginagawa na makapagpapasaya sa inyo at sa ating lahat."



Narating na namin ang school at maya-maya magkikita na kami ni Vash. And because I was early for my class ay dumiretso ako sa rooftop only to find out Hiro. Punching the wall.



"Hiro!" I called his attention lalo na ng makita kong nagdurugo na ang kamao niya.



Nang di parin siya tumigil sa kakasuntok ng pader ay lumapit na ako. I hugged him from behind to stop him cause I know he is hurting. Biglang nagtense ang katawan niya at agad din siyang pumiksi sa yakap ko. When I faced him I saw tears streaming down his cheeks. Ngayon ko lang nakita si Hiro na ganito ka vulnerable.



"Hiro?" I called him again. Napaupo siya habang umiiyak.



I let him cry his heart out hanggang sa mahimasmasan siya.



"You're hand is bleeding Hiro. We need to cure it."


"Wala ito. Wala ito sa sakit na nararamdaman ko dito ngayon." He pointed his heart



"Pero baka maimpeksyon yan?" I was caught off guard when he hugged me.



"I never knew that love can hurt me as much as I can't even feel the pain in my hand"



Nagulat ako ng maramdaman ko ang init na nagmumula sa katawan niya. Sinalat ko ang noo niya and I am sure he has a fever. He started to cry again.



"Shh. Stop crying na. We need to get your medicine. Please Hiro. I don't wanna see you like this."


Its true. Nasasaktan ako ngayon na nakikita ko si Hiro sa ganitong sitwasyon. Lalo na ng maramdaman kong nanginginig na siya.



"Can you stand up?" Tinulungan ko siyang tumayo. I need to bring Hiro sa pinakamalapit na hospital.



Nasa carpark na kami ng maalala kong Hiro hates hospitals. At dahil alam ko ang address ng condo niya ay doon ko na lamang siya ihahatid.




"Hiro. Wake up. I need to know your password." Andito na kasi kami sa tapat ng condo niya at passcode at hindi keys ang gamit para mabuksan ang room niya.



"1234A" I smiled. Basta mga lalaki ang mga common at madaling tandaan lang talaga ang ginagamit nilang code.



Naupo muna siya sa sofa sa sala niya ang I get him a glass of water. Nagpakulo na rin ako ng tubig. Hindi ko alam kung tama ba ito. Pinakialaman ko na rin ang drawers niya. He needs to change clothes. At dahil immuned na rin naman ako sa mga katawan na kagaya ng kay Hiro ay sinimulan ko na siyang hubaran sa taas. I told him na siya na ang bahalang maghubad ng pants niya.



"I need to call a doctor, may family doctor ba kayo?" I asked him as soon as nakahiga na siya sa kama.



"Don't. Mawawala rin ito bukas."



From time to time ay nilalagyan ko ng basang bimpo ang noo niya. I even cooked soup for him. Ng akala ko ay okay na siya ay tumayo na ako. I need to get back school. Pero bago pa ako makalayo ay hinawakan na ni Vash ang kamay ko.



"Please don't leave me yet."



"I won't."



Napatingin ako sa orasan and it was already one in the afternoon. Nagugutom na ako. Nakaupo lang ako sa may upuan na malapit sa kama ni Hiro ng umusog siya.



"Do you want to watch movie with me?" Hiro



"But you're sick."



"I can manage." Tumayo siya and lumabas sa kwarto and afterwards he came back, with him are 6 cans of beer.



"Hiro I don't think thats a good idea."



"Come on Riv I need this. Kapag hihiga lang ako diyan ay mas lalo lamang akong magkakasakit."



Pumili siya ng movie na panonoorin namin habang ako naman ay nag-order ng pizza at chicken.




"Seat here." Tinuro niya ang parte ng kama na di niya nauupuan. Lumapit ako at sinalat ko ang noo niya. Mainit pa rin.



Napaka awkward kaya hindi ako nagsasalita. Hanggang sa dumating ang inorder namin. I looked for my phone at walang text mula kay Vash.



"Do you have any planned things to do?" Hiro asked



"Wala. I am just checking the time." Sa ganitong estado ni Hiro ay di ko siya maiiwan ng ganoon na lamang.



"Do you have any idea how much I love her?"



Napaharap ako kay Hiro. I know he is referring to Venice. I can see his serious and at the same time his pained emotions.



"I asked her to marry me. Para mas maramdaman niyang I do love her, at para mawala lahat ng insecurities at doubts niya. But she choose her career in London over me. And it hurts to think na ang priority mo, option ka lang."



"Does Vash knows about this?"




"No, I don't want him to know about this thing. Mas lalong ayokong malaman ni Vash na may kalive-in na si Venice sa London. I tried my best to be her number one, to be with her, to have her love but it looks like I lacked more efforts."



I gasped. "I don't know what to say."



"Alam mo bang masakit pala? I knew something's wrong, I've felt it, I knew she had somebody else..Pero pilit kong itinatanggi. God. I loved her that much that I even swallowed my pride to have her again.



"Are you sure na, alam mo na may third party?"




"I am dead sure. Kaya nga doon niya ginustong mag-aral kahit grabe na ang pamimilit namin ni Vash na dito na lang."



I started to think. Hindi ko pa talaga lubos na kilala ang mga taong ito. Lalo na si Hiro. I admit di ko in-expect na mangyayari to sa kanya, and Venice? A Heartbreaker?



"So, is it..uhm.. really over?"



Napa-inom ako ng hawak kong beer after I asked him. natigilan din siya.



"Y--yes.." Puno ng sakit at pait na sabi ni Hiro.



Parang nanghina ako ng makita kong umiiyak na naman si Hiro. I hugged him, atleast in this way ay maparamdam kong andito ako at kasama niya. Ano bang dapat kong gawin? Vague man ang pagkakasabi ni Hiro, ay kailangan ko pa rin siyang damayan. Ano bang dapat kong ipayo sa brokenhearted?



"Please stay here muna Riv until I feel asleep. Can you please do that?"




"kahit di mo sabihin ay mananatili ako dito, baka magsuicide ka, konsensya ko pa."




Hiro smiled. "Sorry if you witnessed how mess I am."




"Okay lang."




"So what do you suggest I should do?"




"You want to win her back?"




"I do. But she said it was over."




"So what are you going to do about it then?"




"I don't know yet Riv. She's here in the Philippines right now. I don't know if Vash knows about this."




"You want to talk to her?"





"I just want to see with my two eyes kung tama ang mga sinasabi niya."



"Kaya mo ba?"




"Di ko alam."




"You really love her that much huh?"



"Maybe, yes, ... I don't know."





"Mag hire ka ng P.I., Diba may security agency sina Seb?" i jokingly said.



At dahil medyo kanina pa umiinom itong si Hiro at di ko magawang ubusin ang isang can ng beer ay nahalata kong tinamaan na siya.


"You! Just gave me an idea! I'll investigate,Hik! I'll hire a P.I or mas maganda kung ako talahga ang mag-imbeshtegah!"



"Sure?"




"Yes. And I need your help."




"Help? Me?"




"Yes. Accompany me."




"Saan?"



"Sa investigation if Venice really tells the truth kahit na alam kong totoo naman."



"Eh alam mo naman pala ang totoo. Magsasayang ka lang ng pagod at oras mo."




"You don't understand. Masakit sa ego namin na naiiwan at pinapalitan."





"Eh bakit ako? Pwede naman si Seb? Or si Warren, or much better, ask Vash!"





"No! That's not a good idea. Alam kong masasaktan si Vash, so we should keep it as a secret between you and meh!Hik! I...gesh...Vash will be hurt so badly na ang iningatan at inalagaan at mahal na mahal niyang kapatid ay nagloloko at katulad niya ring nananakit ng tao. And I don't think I am emotionally prepared and ready. Please accompany me. I owe you alot if you'll help me.At para na rin kay Vash to!"




Para kay Vash? Mahal ko si Vash at gagawin ko ang makakaya ko para hindi siya masaktan. I witnessed how Vash loves her sister a lot. At alam kong masasaktan siya pag nalaman niya ang mga nangyayari kina Hiro at venice lalo na kay Venice.




I took a deep breathe before i said my "O--okay.." Bahala na.





Andito kami ngayon ni Hiro sa tapat ng apartment na sinasabing tinutuluyan daw ngayon ni Venice at ang "ka live-in" daw nito. Napaisip nga ako, sa dinami daming hotels nila vash at condo unit ay nagtiyaga si Venice sa ganitong klase ng apartment. Pero dahil nagtatago siguro ay nag settle na lamang siya sa lugar na ito.




"Ready?" I faced and asked Hiro. Andito kami sa loob ng sasakyan. Its already 4 in the afternoon. And we've been waiting for like 30 minutes na may lumabas sa apartment nito.



i called for his attention again ng makita kong nakatulala siya.



"H-ha?"



"Sabi ko are you ready?"




"Yes."



"Can you handle the pain?" Diba nga sabi niya alam na rin naman niya ang totoo at parang confirmation na lamang ito? kaya naninigurado lang ako.




"Maybe, Yeah.."



"Paano kung bukas na lang, I think you're not yet ready. Medyo naka-inom ka and you really looked flushed."


"Andito na tayo at para kung confirmed makaka move-on ako agad."



"So if you confirmed. You'll let her go then?"



"Yes. Ayokong ipilit ang sarili ko sa kanya."



Nagulat ako ng buksan ni Hiro ang pinto ng kotse niya.



"Where do you think you're going?" I asked him.




Akala ko ba ay magmamanman lang kami? Ano to? He faced me.



"I need to see with my eys River. I need to face them. Not tomorrow, not later but today, Now."


After he said that ay mabilis siyang naglakad sa pinto ng apartment and he pressed the doorbell. Naiwan ako dito sa loob na kinakabahan, ayokong makita ako ni Venice dahil baka maghinala siyang sasabihin ko kay Vash.


I saw how he waited until a topless man walked out the apartment. I think he's a native of London. They talked and afterwards ay na confirm ang kinatatakutan ko. With my two big eyes I saw Venice went out of the door with horror in her face.



And that confirms everything. Honestly, naaawa ako kay Hiro, lalo na ng he walks in my way with that sad face. Nakayuko na lamang siya at bagsak ang mga balikat. :(



We headed in his condo. I insisted to stay in his side. Sa state ngayon ni Hiro ay alam kong kahit di niya sabihin ay he needs someone to tlak to, someone who will understand him, will listen to him and a shoulder to cry on..



Nagtuloy tuloy lang ang pag-inom ni Hiro, napasubo na rin ako sa inuman lalo na at marami kaming napagkwentuhan ni Hiro. I looked at him. He's sleeping peacefully now. I can feel the rabid of my breath. Bonggang effort ang ginawa ko para mapalitan ang sinukahang t-shirt ni Hiro. Katakot-takot ding effort ang ginawa ko para mapalitan ang boardshorts niyang sinukahan niya rin. I even changed his clothes para naman comfortable siya. I put the comforter around him.


I cleaned the part of his room kung saan niya sinukahan. And napasubo ako sa paglalaba ng nasukahan niya rin ang T-shirt ko. So what am I wearing now is a pair of tees and shorts of Hiro.



I sighed. Hihintayin ko pang tumuyo ang mga damit ko. Pumuta ako sa terrace niya only to find out that its already evening and its raining. Sobrang ulan! Wala akong choice kundi hintayin tumila ang ulan dahil alam kong traffic ang daan at dahil di ko din dala ang kotse ko.


Napabalik ako ng room ni Hiro ng narinig kong umungol siya. Nakaka awa naman. After some minutes of staring at Hiro ay pinasya kong lumabas na ng room niya, naupo ako sa sofa niya and later on I decided to sleep. Iidlip lang ako. Napagod ata kasi ako sa paglilinis ng kalat ni Hiro.



I sighed again. So much revelations today. So much hurt today. How I wish I can do something to ease Hiro's pain... with that I closed my eyes and hoped for the best.




I was dreaming ng may marinig akong maingay. Nagising ako sa napaka ingay na doorbell. Ginala ko ang mga mata ko only to find out na wala ako sa kwarto ko and an image of last night came in my mind. LAST NIGHT? My God!



Napatingin ako ng bumukas ang pinto sa room ni Hiro. Mukhang naalimpungatan rin siya sa tunog ng doorbell. Nagulat pa siya ng makita ako.



"I thought you already left last night?"





"What time is it?" I asked. Not minding what Hiro said. napatayo na rin ako.



"Its past nine already. Why are you still here?"



Napatigil lang kami ng umingay na naman ang doorbell. Sa naiiritang ekspresyon ay binuksan ni Hiro ang pinto. Widely..



"What???!" Hiro



"We've been calling your phone since last night. River is ----"



Napatigil ang taong iyon kakasalita ng makita akong nakatayo sa sala ng nakapasok siya.




"So, I think I already found her..Here..Wearing your..uhm..shirt..Search is over."



Bakas sa mukha niya ang malisya. I know something is bugging in his mind.



"Its not what you think it is."



---

It was already 9 in the evening but he still kept on waiting at the park where they had their first official date. Sa lugar kung saan sila nagbisekleta. He prepared a garden dinner pero dahil di nakisama ang panahon ay umulan ng napakalakas. But still he kept on waiting and waiting for her to arrive.



He tried to call her phone again pero unattended na ito. He started to get worried. Baka may nangyari ng masama sa girlfriend niya. He opened his phone and dialed his friend Seb number.




"Dude, any news?"




"Wala pa bro. The time she was seen was at the school. Her car was there pero wala siya."




"Okay. I'll wait for her again."




"Asan ka ba?"




"Dito pa rin."




Seb helped him make this date happen. He asked her family if she was home but her sister told him na wala pa. River's parents were outside the country kaya di niya rin naman magawang tawagan.




"Dude. The rain is pouring really hard. Sumilong ka nga."





"I will still wait for her here."




He waited until past 12 midnight. Doon na siya na alarma ng walang sign ng nobya niya. He didn't mind the weather and if he can feel cold. Kanina pa siya nabilad sa lamig at ulan. Pero hinihintay niya pring dumating ang isang taong importante sa kanya. He called his friend again and even the police station to report that his girlfriend is missing. He tried to call her friends pero walang idea ang mga ito kung nasaan na siya.



He was about to get in in his car when he saw a silhouette of a person in his way. He smiled. Alam niyang kahit napaka late ng dumating ng taong iyo ay dumating pa rin.



The girl has an umbrella with him and she's looking at him directly.




"Linds.."