FRAGMENTS: And So It Has Come To This

Under The Moonlight

A few months later, post-elections...

Dawn pressed the home button of her phone again and sighed when the screen came to life. Still no message, no anything, and it was already 6PM. She went to her inbox, and there on top, under Richard's name, was her message: You're coming right?

Still no reply.

She hit the sleep button then told her hairdresser to continue her work, only to slightly pull away when her phone started ringing. Not looking at the caller ID, she said, "About time!"

"Ha?" It was Vivian. Dawn rested her back against her chair again.

"Bakit hindi sumasagot si Richard?"

"Aba, malay ko..."

"Anong sabi ni Pia? Baka naman nag-aayos ako para sa wala."

"Pupunta 'yon... Wasn't that the— Teka... Ikaw nga eh mag-ayos ka na. Pia's on the other line."

~~~

She had to admit, she was surprised when she heard that Richard had agreed to do this, with the event only a couple of weeks after the elections. She thought maybe he would need some time to mull over his loss, or perhaps file a protest against the results. But nothing. Just a straight-up yes.

She didn't know how to approach him about it exactly, and when she did send him a message, all she got was "Thanks, see you." So yes, she was a bit worried that he would change his mind at the last minute and she would have to receive their award as a love team alone.

'Coz that would look silly.

Her worries were somewhat eased when she got into the recording studio and they were playing his part of the duet they were doing for the awards show. He didn't answer her text asking when he would be recording, so she didn't know he came there that morning.

~~~

After trying to delay it repeatedly, Dawn knew she had to get her make-up done. And so she sat there, phone still in hand, trying not to check it as she was being made up.

They were halfway through when her phone rang. She was going to let it sound off, thinking it was Vivian, but decided to look at the screen anyway.

She picked up the moment she saw his name.

"About time."

"About time ka diyan. Wala ka pa dito?"

"What do you mean?"

"Nandito na ako sa parking lot, I don't see your car."

She frowned. "I'm still having my make-up done! Ikaw kasi, you weren't answering my calls and texts so I thought —"

"O, magkikita tayo, galit ka agad... Sige na, patuloy mo na 'yan. Masira make-up mo, ako pa may kasalanan."

"Kasalanan mo why I' m running late."

"Eh 7 PM ang usapan natin, 'di ba?"

"Eh you weren't replying nga po so how was I to know I wasn't being stood up?"

"Hirap sa' yo wala kang tiwala sa'kin."

She sighed.

"O, palamig na ng ulo... Paganda ka na diyan, and I'll see you." She didn't respond. "Dawn?"

"Sige na."

"Smile na."

"Sira."

He laughed. "Akalain mo nga naman... Naunahan ko si Dawn."