"Ayaw mo nun? Hindi lang sila ang nasurprise, pati ikaw?" - Rayver

 

"So, who's on their way already?" Kim asked.

"Just wait ok?" Oliver stared at Kim who looked so tensed.

Kim and Oliver went straight to Laguna, where they usually hang out every now and then. Rest house ng family nila Emman. Open ang buong barkada nila sa rest house nila. Everyone has their own key. Everyone can go in and out of the house. Rayver texted their friends that they're are sleeping over in Laguna on that Friday night and stay there for the weekend. No one of them asked for reason cause it's the usual thing they do for weekends.

"Sa tingin mo anong reaksyon nila pag nakita nila ako?"

"Ano sa tingin mo?" He paused. "E di papatayin nila ako!" He said in high note.

"Sobra ka naman. E, surprise nga dba?"

Rayver just kept quiet and didn't answered Kim's questions anymore. He was too busy thinking of what to tell Shaina for what he did. He sighed.

"Dumidilim na sa labas." Kim realized. "Nasan na kaya sila? Bat ang tagal naman nila?" Kim asked herself since Rayver isn't giving her any attention at all.

"Tawagan mo na kaya sila at magmadali na. Nagugutom na din ako. Sabi mo meryenda yung niluto mo. Pang dinner na yun e! Traffic ngayon malamang, Friday e!" Sagot ni Oliver.

"Aba, may tao pala dito?" Kim said sarcastically.

"Ay, wala! Multo na ako! Pero sa tingin ko di na ako mapupunta sa langit dahil sayo!"

"Ganun? E,di kampon ka na ni Satanas?" Sabay tawa pa nya. "Sorry na. I'll explain it to Sha promise!" Then the door bell from the gate suddenly rang. Kim panicked. She didn't know where to go. "Sila na ata yun." Sabay hila ng damit ng best friend nya. "Hoy! Buksan mo yung gate. Magtatago ako."

"Okay fine!" Biglang tumayo at binuksan ang pinto. "Speaking of Satanas!" Sabi ni Rayver ng makita si Sergio sa may gate.

"Tol bilis, buksan mo tong gate. Nagkasabay-sabay kami." Sergio said in a hurry.

Rayver run in a hurry and opened the date.

"Hi Kuya." Kiana greeted Ray.

"Di pa rin natanggal yang kaka-kuya mo sa akin." Bati ni Ray.

"Ate Maj." Sabay takbo papunta kay Maja.

"Wala pa ba silang lahat?" Maja asked.

"As you can see." Sergio answered.

"Di ikaw tinatanong ko si Ray!"

"As you can see Maj." Sagot ni Rayver.

 

Binatukan ni Maja si Rayver kahit mas matangkad pa sya. "Inulit mo lang sinabi nya e!" Maja wasn't in the mood make fun. "Hay naku, makapasok na nga at baka sakaling may matinong makausap sa loob. Tara K sumama ka na sa akin."

"Emman sunod kayo sa loob ah." Kiana told Emman.

"Sige, samahan mo na si Maj. Ito muna ang kunin mo. Ako nalang magpapasok nong bag mamaya." Sagot naman ni Emman.

Habang papasok sila sa loob ng bahay si Kim naman ay nasa banyo nagtatago. May naamoy si Maja at Kiana na pagkain. They immediately went to the kitchen. "K, ako lang ba ang nakakakita nito at nakakaamoy?" Tanong ni Maja.

"Feeling ko nananaginip tayo Ate Maj." Sagot naman ni Kiana.

They don't seem to believe on what they are seeing. "Naku, lagot. Magtataka yung mga yun bat may pagkain." Kim said to herself. Kahit na takot sya sa madilim at takot magisa tiniis nito para sa plano nya.

Hindi naman nagtagal dumating na din ang iba pa. Pagkababa ni Shaina sa sasakyan pinuntahan sya agad ni Rayver.

"Are you ok sweetheart?" Rayver asked Shaina.

"I'm ok." She answered coldly.

"Bro, dalhin mo na sa loob at makapagpahinga sya. Masakit daw ang ulo." Rodjun told his brother.

Shaina when inside the house with Rayver carrying her stuff.

"Sha!" Maja run for her. They hugged each other as if they hadn't seen each other for years.

Natulala si Rayver sa reaskyon nila at napaisip, "Ano kaya kung si Kim na ang nakita nitong mga to? Mawawalan siguro yun ng malay sa higpit ng kayap nyo."

"Hoy Ray okay ka lang? Bat parang tulala ka?" Tanong ni Shaina kay Rayver.

"Hindi nga ata talaga ok yang boyfriend mo bru, tignan mo sa kusina." Turo ni Maja.

Napaisip si Shaina, "Boyfriend? Sige na nga whatever you call it."

"Bakit anung ginawa nya?" Tanong nalang nya.

"He cooked Ate. Can you believe that?" Sagot ni Kiana.

Napatingin si Shaina kay Rayver at wala naman nasabi si Rayver kundi, "Ah, e!"

Si Kim naman ay pilit pinipigilan tumawa at di alam kung ano na ang nararamdaman. "Sino pa kayang wala?"

"Sino na kaya mga yun?" Tanong ni Rayver.

"Baka sina Gerald na yun." Sagot naman ni Maja.

Kim couldn't believed what Maja just said. Mas lalong hindi maipaliwanag nararamdaman nya. "Dear Lord please help me. I can't breathe anymore." Dasal nya. "Gerald? Oh, God! What in the hell is he doing here. Lagot ka sakin Oliver. Pag ako nahimatay, panalangin mo wag akong magising!"

Lumabas silang lahat para tignan kung sino ang dumating. Mhyco and John Wayne just arrived.

"Hay naku." Sabi ni Maja.

"Bakit hay naku?" Shaina asked. "May LQ?"

"Hindi naman, nakalimutan lang na may girlfriend pala syang naghihintay ng reply nya." Nakasimangot na sabi ni Maja.

"Naku bru, parehas tayo dyan. Ah e, este hayaan mo na lang. At least hindi first time na nangyari yan. Di ka na magtataka masyado."

"Yun na nga e! Lagi nalang. Nakakainis na."

"Basta mas mahirap paniwalaan yung first time na mangyari."

Tumingin sa malayo si Rayver. "Patay ako. Hay naku Kimberly ka! Kasalanan mo tong lahat." Buntong hininga nya.

Pupuntahan na sana ni John Wayne si Maja ng bigla namang may nagbusina ulit.

"Nandyan na din sila sa wakas!" Sabi ni Rayver. "Makakakain na din ako sa wakas."

Tinignan ni Shaina si Rayver. "Bakit di ka pa kumain, e ikaw na nga nagluto?"

"E, mas masarap kumain kapag kumpleto tayo diba?" Nakangiting sagot nya.

Samantalang si John Wayne naman ay akala nya sasalubungin sya nito ni Maja ay hindi pala. Nagtatakbong pumunta sa gate si Maja para yakapin si Dianne at ang iba pa. At hindi pinansin si Jawe.

"Ate Maj, long time no see. I miss you!" Sabay hug ni Ken kay Maja.

"Kaya nga e. When was the last time we saw each other Ken? Last week lang yun diba? Loko-loko ka talaga."

"Hoy pare musta?" Tanong ni Maja kay Gerald. Sabay yakap at sumunod si Cheska. "Nice seeing you again, buti pumayag si Tita Ivy?" Tanong nya kay Cheska.

"Tara pasok na tayo. Kainin natin yung niluto ni Ray! For the first time nagluto sya. Sana walang lason." Natatawang sabi ni Maja.

"Wala pa akong nilalagay pero Maj pwede naman natin lagyan talaga kung gusto mo." Rayver suggested.

They all laughed, but still didn't believe that he actually cooked.

"Tara lets! Pasok na tayong lahat sa loob lumalamig na din at malami na yung hinanda nya." Rayver said.

In unison, "Nya? Sinong nya? May kasama ka?" they all said.

At biglang bumukas ang pinto at napatingin silang lahat. "E di sino pa e di ako! Surprise, surprise!" Kim said happilly. The nicest, sweetest smile they all saw. It's Kim! As she expected they were shock. Especially Gerald. Hindi na nakagalaw ng nakita nya si Kim.

"Kim!" Everyone said and run to hug her.

Hindi pa rin makapaniwala si Gerald. He stayed there for the moment. He was glued where he was staying.

Lahat na sila ay nasa loob, di malaman ni Kim kung sino ang uunahin na sagutin ang tanong. Teary eyed na din sya, dahil sa wakas nangyari na yung gusto nya. Medyo tumagal din bago nakapasok si Gerald.

"Hi." Kim greeted him casually and kiss him on his cheek but with no hug unlike everyone.

"Hello." That's all Gerald could answered.

"Nice to see you again." Gerald said formally.

"Same here." She replied.

That was an awkward moment there. All of them felt it.

"Akala nyo si Oliver nagluto ano?" Kim break the ice.

"Hindi kami naniwala, at mas lalong di kami maniniwala kong ganito kasarap ang sabi nyang niluto nya." Sagot ni Sergio.

"Hoy tumulong naman ako." Rayver proudly replied.

Everyone just laughed. Hindi sila naubusan ng paguusap. The conversations went on and on and on. Non-stop questions. Nagligpit ang mga girls at nagsimula sialng magayus ng mga sarili.

Nang maiwan si Kim sa kusina na magluto ng mid-night nila at si Rayver at Kiana naman ay tumutulong sa kanya, nagkaroon ng chance na tanungin ni Kim ang best friend nya.

"Psst, Oliver halika nga dito." Kim demanded.

"Bakit?" Rayver asked.

"Alam mo bang pupunta si Gerald dito?"

"Bakit? E, lagi naman yan sumasama ah."

"Kahit na, dapat sinabi mo sakin."

"Ayaw mo nun? Hindi lang sila ang nasurprise, pati ikaw?" Nakatawang sagot nya.

Kim was irritated. Of all people she wanted to see that night. Ayaw nyang makita si Gerald. She didn't imagine that part. She didn't know how to act normal in front of Gerald. She wanted to act as if nothing happened almost two years ago.