*Charm's POV*
"Oh, bat ang aga aga nakasimangot ka?"
Oo. Nakasimangot nga ako.
"Si Lovey kasi.."
"Ano?"
"Wala gusto ko lang magtampo."
Natawa naman siya. "Baliw ka talaga. Kakauwi lang nung tao pinapahirapan mo agad."
"Eh kasi.."
I pouted. Sabagay may point siya.
"Where is he anyway?" She asked. "Hindi ko siya nakita bago tayo umalis."
"Yun na nga ang dahilan kung bakit ako ganito." Sagot ko. "When I went to my room, wala na siya."
Balak niya pa sana umuwi sa kanila kagabi. Pero halatang pagod siya after the long flight. Naawa narin sila Kuya kaya pinag-stay nalang namin siya.
"At saan naman nagpunta?"
"Hindi sinabi." I pouted even more. "May aasikasuhin daw."
"Baka naman sa school lang." Sabi niya. "Diba hindi pa siya nagkapag-take ng finals?"
"..."
"Nakasimangot ka nanaman." Hinarap niya sa'kin yung face mirror na dala niya. "Look."
Hindi magandang tignan but I couldn't stop pouting. Miss na miss ko yun tapos iiwan lang ako basta basta.
"Lika nga dito."
She tapped her right shoulder para sumandal ako. Sumunod naman ako and she patted my head na parang kino-comfort ako.
"Wag ka masyado mag-alala." Sabi niya. "Inaayos niya lang siguro yung mga bagay na iniwan niya bago siya umalis. I'm sure he'll take you out on a date."
Sige na nga.
"Atleast he texted you." She said. "Hayaan mo pag pinaiyak ka nun, lagot siya sa'kin."
"Nako lagot talaga siya." Sagot ko. "Takot lang nun sa'yo."
"Gaga."
I laughed with her.
To be honest, parehas kaming takot ni Gab sa kanya. Haha.
Shh. It's a secret.
It feels better to have her like this. Sana parati siyang ganito. Palabiro. Nakangiti. Tumatawa.
"Where are we going anyway?"
Napansin niya na siguro na lumagpas na kami sa school and Kuya Rod didn't stopped there.
"Sa venue ng ball." Sagot ko. "I got a call from Erica earlier. Dun na daw tayo dumiretso kasi ngayon tatapusin yung sayaw."
"Ang bilis naman."
"Don't worry, bessy." I told her. "The dance itself is done. Ituturo nalang. Vin asked me to send the video choreography last night and I think pagdating natin dun, kabisado na nilang lahat."
"How many days are we supposed to complete everything?"
"2 or 3? Maybe less." Sagot ko. "Erica was actually excited about something habang kausap ako. Di ko lang alam kung ano."
"Siguro dahil mas mahaba yung pahinga natin before graduation?"
"Baka nga." I said. "Baka pupunta sila ni Vin sa beach."
We both giggled. For sure, dun excited si Erica.
"Bessy, is that??"
Oh my. Seryoso ba?
"Kuya Rod?"
"Yes po?"
"Hindi ba po mali yung pinuntahan natin?"
"Dito po yung natanggap kong text kanina."
I immediately took out my phone. Inaantok pa kasi ako kanina nung nareceive ko yung text ni Erica. Forward agad kay Kuya Rod tapos tulog ulit.
"Charm, baka mali ka ng nasend ha."
"Hindi, bessy." Sagot ko habang tinititigan yung text. "Tama."
Okada Manila.
Grand Ballroom.
***
"Are you sure about this?" Tanong ko agad kay Erica. "Okada talaga??"
"Ganyan din yung reaction ko kanina." Sagot niya. "We posted Shangri-La, Diamond and City Garden Hotels on our bulletin board."
"Ang alam ko din Shangri-La na." Sabi ni Theia.
Erica nodded. "Pero tinawagan ako ni Ms. Ces kanina. Change of plans daw."
"But who will even book this place?"
Sobrang ganda and too pricey at the same time.
"Ms. Ces doesn't want to tell me." Sabi niya. "Anonymous daw muna. She just left a clue na it's one of our claassmates."
"Sinong sira ulo ang gagastos ng ganito kalaki?"
"I have no idea." Sabi ni Erica. "I'm actually thinking of Steph. Remember she had her debut sa Conrad Hotel?"
Si Steph na lahat ng tao sa room, invited sa debut niya. Mga di niya ka-close, mga never niya pa nakausap, pati nga yata mga kaaway niya pumunta.
"Or baka si Yves." Suggest ni Theia. "I heard his family has connections with hotels. Baka isa dun yung Okada."
Si Yves na akala mo ahente na nagbebenta ng sasakyan. Araw araw iba't ibang sports car ang gamit.
I have someone in mind. Pero ayokong sabihin.
Baka kasi biglang magkatotoo.
"Hindi kaya?" Napatingin sa'kin si Theia.
Mukhang parehas kami ng naisip.
At kung ganun, may possibility na siya nga.
NO WAY.
"Not him." Sabi ko. "I'm gonna kill him kapag nalaman kong siya yun."
"Sinong siya?"
"Nothing."
I took my phone out and messaged him.
I will bury you alive kapag nalaman kong ikaw yung nag-book sa Okada. Love you.
******
*Naomi's POV*
*knock knock*
"Come in."
Hindi ko tinignan agad kung sino yung kumatok. I was too busy. I needed to finish the report before lunch time.
"Ate?"
"Nathan?"
I looked up to the wall clock.
Anong oras na ba?
Past 10.
Bakit nasa bahay pa siya?
"Hindi ka ba papasok?"
I returned to my work. It's just him.
Aalis naman siya agad diba?
"Hindi. Wala akong gana."
"Why?" Tanong ko. "May problema ba sa school?"
"Nothing." He said. "Tapos na naman yung exams. There's nothing for me to do there."
I turned the chair to face him. Nakaupo siya sa higaan ko.
Anong nangyari?
Hindi pa kami nag-usap ulit ng ganito. Kasi after the accident, para siyang ibang tao.
Nathan doesn't talk that much kahit noon pa. But when he met Theia, nagbago siya.
She was his sunshine and now he's not realizing how important the person he was throwing away.
"What's wrong?"
"Si Theia, I want to get to know her."
Napangiti ako agad.
"Of course, bro." Sagot ko. "Anong gusto mong malaman sa kanya?"
Ayos lang sa'kin sagutin lahat ng tanong niya tungkol sa kanya.
"Where did I meet her?"
Iniisip ko pa.
Saan nga ba? Hmm..
"Sa piano room!"
"Piano room?"
"Yes." Sagot ko. "Nicole was admitted in the hospital that time and Theia was there as well. Hindi ko alam yung buong pangyayari pero ang sabi mo, sa piano room kayo nagkakilala."
"I told you?"
I nodded.
"And then?"
"You said it was love at first sight." Sabi ko. "You courted her and after 3 months, naging kayo."
"Si Ivy?"
"Hiwalay na kayo bago mo pa siya makilala."
"Bago ko siya makilala?" He looked confused. "Pero magkaklase kami diba?"
"Yes, but she was home schooled before." Sagot ko. "This was the only year she enrolled. Hindi mo ba maalala?"
He shook his head.
Nakahawak na siya sa ulo niya.
"Don't push yourself too much, Nathan.."
"Gaano na kami katagal?"
"When you had the accident, it's your 35th month." Sabi ko. "You were on your way to her bago ka maaksidente."
"Is that really true?"
I nodded.
You were so excited. It was supposed to be that day..
Mayamaya, he was already catching his breath.
"Nathan.."
"How about this ring, Ate?" He held up his hand. "Who gave this to me?"
"Mamaya nalang ulit. I think you need to rest."
"It's okay.. I'm fine."
Sigurado ba siya?
"You bought that." Sagot ko. "It's your promise ring with her."
Natatakot ako.
Baka bigla siyang mag-collapse sa harap ko.
"Anong buong pangalan niya?"
"Nathan, tama na.."
"Please, Ate..."
"Aletheia Courtney Zamora." I said. "It's written on the ring. AC & JN."
Tinanggal niya yung singsing.
His eyes widened as he looked at it.
"No." Sabi niya. "That's impossible."
"Nathan.."
"You're lying.."
"Totoo lahat ng sinabi ko."
"No!"
"Hindi ba yun ang dahilan kung bakit ka nandito?" I said. "You went here knowing there's something wrong, diba?"
He didn't answer kasi tama ako.
"May mali sa alaala mo at pumunta ka dito to confirm that."
"Stop!"
"The look on your face tells me that I've confirmed everything pero bakit ayaw mo parin maniwala?"
Nakahawak na yung parehas niyang kamay sa ulo niya.
"Nathan, you have to believe me." I said. "Kailangan mo makinig sa puso mo."
He has to listen.
It's the only way.
"ENOUGH!"
He stood up and went out of my room.
"Nathan!"
Paglabas ko, wala na siya. The front door was opened and I even heard the sound of the engine.
Alec was right.
He's starting to doubt his memories.
"Love? Love??"
"Love, I'm here."
I went back to the room and took my phone.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, pero si Nathan..."
We were on video call the whole time I was working. Nakalimutan ko din na nandun pa siya because I was too focused. Buti nga hindi napansin ni Nathan.
"He's going to be okay." Sagot niya. "He will soon realize the truth, love."
Will he?
Mukhang wala siyang balak paniwalaan yung totoo.
May napansin naman akong nakapatong sa higaan ko.
"Bakit nandito 'to?"
This red box was given to us by the police. Buti nga nakuha pa nila to mula sa sasakyan pagtapos ng aksidente.
"Ano yan?"
I left it inside Nathan's room on top of his table.
I picked up the box.
"Hindi ko ba nasabi sa'yo, love?" I asked while opening it. "This is---"
Bakit..
"Love?"
Bakit walang laman??
"Love, it's not here."
Sigurado akong may laman 'to.
"Anong nawala dyan?"
Pinakita pa nga niya sa'kin bago siya umalis. Bago siya maaksidente.
"Theia's ring." I said. "It's gone."
Saan napunta yung singsing na dapat ibibigay sa kanya ni Nathan?
******