Champorado

16

"BABE, what happened sa inyo ni Migo? Bakit hindi kayo nagpapansinan?" Addie whispers during breakfast.

Maga 'yong mga mata ni Jiya. "Wala," she hoarsely whispers. "Can you get me orange juice rin? Thanks."

Umupo siya sa tabi ni Van. Migo doesn't look at her from his place sa tabi ni Cas sa kabilang side.

Pagkalabas niya kagabi sa banyo, wala na si Migo. She dressed in her pajamas and went to bed, hugging her pillow.

Paggising niya, tulog si Migo on the other side of the bed, malayong-malayo sa kanya.

Nauna na naman siyang nagising, pero mas marami 'yong sakit sa saya this time.

Their friends obviously notice, pero aside from Addie, wala nang nagtanong.

Jiya checks out of their hotel and they load their bags in the van. Jiya sits sa shotgun so she can sleep and para hindi na rin mamroblema si Migo kung saan siya uupo na malayo sa kanya.

Isa-isa niya silang binaba. They all give her a hug and a thank you bago sila pumasok sa bahay. Pagdating kay Migo, he merely says, "Salamat," and Jiya hears her chest break kasi ngayon lang niya ulit narinig boses niya after he kept apologizing—and then he's gone.

Natulog si Jiya pag-uwi niya. Didn't bother unpacking as she usually does pag-uwi from a trip.

Tapos umiyak siya.

*

Sa apat na araw na hindi sila nag-usap ni Migo, inisip ni Jiya kung saan sila pareho nagkamali. Nagkasakitan.

Ilang beses niya na ring tinitigan ang number ni Migo sa phone niya para tawagan, pero hindi niya magawa.

Parang nasaktan siya na gano'n ang tingin ni Migo sa kanya. Kahit na na-imply niya in some way somehow that she was asking for his virginity...hindi ba siya kilala ni Migo?

It hurts that he tried to force himself para sa kanya, that he was apologizing.

Wala naman siyang pake kung ayaw pa ni Migo. If he needed more time, if he wasn't ready. Jiya would've waited—she would've waited until he was, until he wanted to.

Ang sakit na Migo thought otherwise.

Katatapos niya lang mag-shower galing boxing para maglabas ng galit when her phone buzzes. Akala niya si Migo, so she dives for it, heart sinking in disappointment no'ng hindi siya. Her eyebrows draw together when she sees it's from Maureen.

Mau: ate jiya, uuwi na kaming
pampanga today. i just thought i'd let
u know because you and kuya won't
be able to see each other until august
and i think he misses you.

Jiya's jaw clenches in anger. She tosses the phone on the bed and throws open her closet. Plano ba talaga ni Migo na umalis lang nang hindi sila nag-uusap, nang hindi sila ayos?

She puts on a tank top and shorts, ties her hair, grabs her wallet, phone, and keys, and rushes downstairs. "Manang, I'll be back, I'll use the car."

"Ingat ka, anak!" she worriedly shouts after her. Simula pagbalik ni Jiya from Batangas, alalang-alala sa kanya si Manang kasi ang hina niya kumain, hindi siya lumalabas ng kwarto, and wala siyang gana. Dala-dala niya phone niya everywhere she goes—kahit sa toilet.

Parang sasabog na ulo ni Jiya sa galit as she drives, pressing on the gas. So gano'n, hindi man lang sasabihin ni Migo na uuwi siya today, wala siyang balak na kausapin siya?

Jiya barely parks the car when she slams the door shut and stalks up the gate of his house, punching the doorbell with her finger.

"Kuya, pakuha!" Maureen shouts from inside.