A Fleeting Moment (Affliction Series #7)

Chapter 17

I sat beside Ekaris. He ordered foods for me and while waiting for it, we were awkwardly silent. I know Ekaris wanted to say something but he doesn't know how to start.

"Eli..." panimula niya saka ako hinarap. "I'm really sorry for leaving without saying goodbye. I..." Saglit siyang lumingon kay Shine. "I was just surprised when Faith sent me a message saying she's back in the Philippines... and she wanted me to pick her up in the airport."

So it was Shine who messaged him.

Ayokong mag-isip nang kung ano-ano kaya tumango na lang ako.

"It's not okay but I understand. At least your friend here is safe," saad ko na lang saka tiningnan ang babae.

Tahimik siyang ngumiti sa akin.

"So, when did you two got married?" biglang tanong niya sa amin. "I didn't know you already have a wife, Ekaris. You never told me."

Hindi ko alam pero rinig ko ang pagkakadiin ng mga salita niya.

"Bago lang," ako ang sumagot. "Almost two months pa lang kaming kasal."

Tumango-tango ang babae. "I just can't believe it. I left the country with the knowledge of Ekaris having no fling or no any woman around him. It happened so quickly so I'm surprised."

Ramdam ko namang walang intensyon na masama si Shine sa sinabi niya pero hindi ko pa rin mapigilang mainis.

"It was really unexpected," sagot ko na lang. "It started with a loveless marriage that turned into something else."

Her lips formed an o and took a glimpse of Ekaris.

"Interesting."

Saktong dumating naman ang order na pagkain para sa akin at sabay-sabay kaming kumain. It was silent and awkward. Both Shine and I were trying to start a normal conversation. Sinasali lang namin si Ekaris dahil natahimik ito bigla.

"I'm just curious," saad ko at nilunok ang ningunguya. "How did you and Ekaris became friends?"

Ngumiti naman siya sa akin. "We're friends since elementary."

Nagulat naman ako roon. Since elementary. That's long enough already.

"Actually hindi naman talaga kami magkaibigan no'ng una. He was a transferee from different private school. Grade 4 kami no'n at nasa 2nd grading na nang lumipat siya. I was the top student in the class, and no one succeeded when they tried stealing my place." Nakasimangot siyang bumaling ng tingin sa katabi ko. "But when we became classmates, we also started to compete with each other."

Tahimik lang akong nakikinig sa kan'ya. Gusto kong malaman ang kwento nila pero parang ayaw ko ring ipagpatuloy niya ang pagkwe-kwento. Gayunpaman, nanatiling nakatikom ang bibig ko.

"We actually hated each other's guts before. We treated everything between us as a competition. I was our batch's valedictorian and I was really eager not to lose that title just because of a transfer student whose intention of competing with me was not for the Honors but just to tease me."

Napalingon din tuloy ako kay
Ekaris.

"Seryoso ka? Nakikipagkompetensya ka talaga para lang mang-asar?" hindi makapaniwala kong tanong.

Nahihiya naman siyang umiwas ng tingin sa aming dalawa.

"That was the asshole me. Sobrang bata ko pa no'n at walang ibang iniisip kung 'di kalokohan," depensa niya.

Natawa naman si Shine. "Pero ikaw nga ang naging valedictorian. Grumaduate ako ng elementary na pangalawa lang dahil sa kalokohan mo."

"I said sorry," agad na sagot ni Ekaris.