"Rei," I heard a muffled voice call my name but all I could see was pitch black.
I thought I was brought back to the past and reliving that horrific memory once again until I felt two warm hands enveloping my shoulders.
"Rei," the female voice called again and lightly shook me, anchoring me back to reality.
I opened my eyes and removed my hands from my ears. With my vision blurry from the tears, I saw my only friend in this world, Summer, staring at me with deep concern set on her face.
"Summer," I cried out and pulled her to me like an anchor and I was a boat being pulled by the harsh and relentless waves.
My best friend who hates hugs, or any kind of physical affection didn't complain. Hinayaan niya lang akong yakapin siya.
"Everyone knows," I uttered through tears.
"Sinabi sa akin ni Zeno," walang emosyon na sagot niya.
"Everyone's saying mean—things about—me. It's happening—again," I spoke in between sobs.
"It's not, Rei," she said, sounding a bit vexed this time. She pulled away from the hug, too. I can see the frustration on her face. "Alam nila ang tungkol sa nangyari dati, sa Papa mo, pero hindi ka nila kilala. They don't know the Rei I know. They're strangers. Mga bored sa buhay kaya nakikisawsaw sa buhay ng iba."
Hindi ako sumagot. Hindi ako makasagot. The voices in my head were too loud. Snide remarks from the past were beginning to overlap with the present. It was all too much that it was consuming my head.
"'Wag kang magpaapekto sa sinasabi ng iba. Sino ba sila? Pinapasahod ka ba nila? Pinapalamon ka ba nila? Hindi naman 'di ba? Hayaan mo silang magsabi ng kung anu-ano. Sa social media lang naman sila matatapang," tuloy-tuloy na sabi niya.
Humihikbing umiling ako. Halos walang naintindihan sa sinabi niya. "I want to go home."
"Go home where? Nasa bahay ka na," Summer dryly laughed, as if to make the situation a bit lighter.
I wiped the tears from my cheeks. "Cebu."
Naglaho agad ang ngiti ni Summer. "Ano?"
"Uuwi ako ng Cebu," mas buo na ang loob ko nang sabihin 'yon. Mabuti pa at simulan ko na ang pag-empake.
Bago pa ako makatayo ay hinawakan ni Summer ang magkabilang balikat ko para pigilan.
"Para kang sira," pagalit ni Summer. "Paano ang dance studio mo? Commitments mo dito? Paano si Zeno? Iiwan mo lahat dahil lang sa mga sinasabi ng mga taong hindi mo naman kakilala?"
"I want to go," nanghihinang sabi ko.
Huminga nang malalim si Summer at tiningnan ako na para bang wala na siyang ibang magawa o maisip na sabihin.
"Fine," she exasperatedly said. "I'll help you book your tickets. Kailan mo gustong umalis?"
"Today," maagap kong sagot.
"Kailan ka naman babalik?"
"One-way," sabi ko.
Summer's jaw dropped. She looked like she was going to argue but she couldn't come up with a reason good enough to sway my mind.
"Hindi ka man lang magpapaalam kay Zeno?" tanong niya. I looked away. My lips trembled as I fight the tears from coming back again.
"Whatever," Summer mumbled. "Pack your things. Ako na maghahanap ng flight para sa'yo."
Tumango lang ako at lutang na pumunta ng kwarto para simulan na ang pag-empake. I felt like a zombie, mindlessly moving around without an afterthought.
