Chapter 65

“Joohyun I haven’t seen them in years. Ofcourse makikipag kita ako sakanila. Hindi naman si Jennie yung reason kung bakit ako pupunta don. We were both invited kasi we we’re friends with them. Saka diba sabi ko gusto kita kasama dun? Bakit ka ba nagkaka ganyan? Okay naman tayo diba?” I asked her.

“Okay naman tayo talaga eh. As long as Jennie’s out of the picture. How are you supposed to get over her kung makikita mo nanaman siya? Do you know how it feels knowing na yung girlfriend mo mahal pa yung ex niya at dapat mong intindihin kasi you two met at a wrong time din? Hanggang kailan ako mag aadjust? It’s been almost ten months since you broke up with her.” Sabi niya.

“You keep reminding me na mahal ko pa siya when I’m the one trying to forget. Hindi naman nakakatulong yang pag reremind mo. I know we promised to be honest with each other pero not to this extent naman. You’ve been reminding me constantly about it. Kulang nalang maglagay ka ng signboard diyan para makita ko ng malinaw yang sinasabi mo. Ano bang gusto mong gawin ko? I’m trying here. Give me a break.” I frustratingly said.

“Okay. Kung yan gusto mo.” Sagot nya as she stood up and grabbed her things. “San ka pupunta?” I asked. “Uwi na ko. Mag punt aka mag isa mo sa get together na yan.” Sabi niya naman. “Joohyun ano ba yan, wag ka namang ganito.” Pag pigil ko sakanya as I held her wrist. “Diba you told me to give you a break? I’m giving you a pass basta umuwi ka.” She said and broke free sa pagkaka hawak ko sakanya leaving me alone dito sa Songkran where we had our Fridate.

I paid for our bill and headed to where I parked my car only to be welcomed with a clamp being attached on my car. Ma’am bawal na pong mag park dito. Bayad nalang po kayo sa office.” Sabi nung enforcer. “Kuya baka pwede sayo nalang magbayad please! May lakad pako!” Sabi ko naman. “Pasensya na ma’am, wala akong dalang resibo. Sa office nalang ho.” Sabi naman nung enforcer sabay bigay sakin ng ticket at alis. Tanginang kamalasan naman to.

I groaned in frustration trying to figure out kung anong gagawin. Inisip ko if sign na ba to para di ako matuloy sa gathering. It seems like even the universe is against this event. Tangina lang. Wala naman akong ginagawang masama, bakit ba parang issue nalang lahat ng bagay that connects me to Jennie?

Lisa: Mahal, na clamp car ko, uwi nalang ako. Dko makukuha eh pasara na office. Mag ggrab nalang ako.

Joohyun: Wag kana muna umuwi. Traffic lang. Pumunta ka nalang coconut. Enjoy.

Lisa: madali naman akong kausap. Thank you.

Edi pumunta diba? Simple lang naman. So I messaged Byul sa gc naming. To my surprise, Jennie offered a ride dahil naka grab siya. Sa totoo lang conflicted ako kung sasabay ako o hinde dahil nahihiya din naman akong sumabay sakanya. Pero mukhang wala namang problema and she said ako nalang ang mag bayad which I accepted dahil ayoko namang makisakay ng libre.

Nung dumating yung ride, I saw her pop her head out of the car window while giving me her gummy smile and I guess somethings never change. She’s still as beautiful as ever. So I smiled back. This is it Lisa. I thought. Get together lang to. Simple catching up with old friends. What could go wrong?

I was surprised nung inabot niya saking small paper bag. “Ano to?” tanong ko sakanya and she told me to look and open. “Huyyyyy little Eiffel ang cute. Thank you! Nag abala ka pa.”  Sabi ko naman sakanya when I saw the content na nakalagay sa paper bag. She remembered me kahit nasa vacation and there wasn’t any awkwardness between us. To be honest, namiss ko yung ganto lang kami. Not really minding the things that happened in the past.

I was able to joke around with her and she laughed. Ganun lang, simple lang, parang dati lang. Which both scared and relieved me at the same time. Kasi it always mean two things. Either we’re going to finally be friends, or I’m going to end up falling all over again. Funny how a single trinket could make me think of things like these. Ako nga pala yung gustong makalimot. Stop thinking about this Lisa. Stop.

Nung makarating kami sa Coconut Club, sakto namang kararating lang nila Byul. Hindi parin sila nagbabago especially Byul dahil sobrang lakas niya parin mang asar. They reserved a spot for us kahit Friday ngayon. Byul and I sat together while Jennie and Solar sat across us naman as if may mga kanya kanya kaming conversations and it was the time na niyaya ako ni Byul lumabas saglit.

She lit up a cigarette and sat outside kasama ko. “Buti okay na kayo ni Jennie?” Tanong sakin ni Byul. “Work in progress pa pero, at least, nag uusap na kami ngayon.” Sabi ko naman. “Asan girlfriend mo?” Tanong niya. “Ayaw sumama eh, nag away kami kanina.” Sabi ko naman. “Dahil kay Jennie? Alam nyang kasama dito?” tanong niya. “Oo naman, siyempre sinabi ko.” Sagot ko naman sakanya. “Eh kaya nagalit. Sus. Alam ni Jennie nagaway kayo?” Tanong ni Byul.

“Hindi. Di naman na niya kailangan malaman yung mga ganung bagay, magiging awkward lang kaya sinabi ko nag overtime si Joohyun.” Sagot ko sa