Best for Us (GU #3)

then pt. 2

t h e n
that night

I screamed against my pillow again. I was like this for some minutes since I sent that message. Ewan ko ba't bigla akong naduwag. Iniisip na sana mali yung naalala kong numero at hindi natanggap ni Tyler yung text ko.

That hopefully he would choose to ignore my message. I calmed myself, taking deep breaths. Once, my piano instructor told me that mind is powerful. What you speak in mind might really happen. You just need to say it continuously. So, I did that. Sa isipan ay paulit-ulit kong sinabi ang mga salitang: 'He won't reply.'

But as I was chanting those words, my phone beeped. My heartbeat sped up. What the heck! Please, let it be Kuya Miles. Or Mommy. Or Daddy. Or my bff Jena. Or...

Dahan-dahan kong inalis ang unan sa mukha at huminga nang malalim. Should I check my phone or... I scolded myself. Seriously, Van, ngayon ka pa naduwag? Nakarating ka na dito. Uurong ka pa ba?

Matapos mapakalma ang sarili, inabot ko na ang cellphone na nasa tabi. I closed my eyes for a moment then opened it, ready to see whoever sent the message and whatever its content.

Pero nang akala kong sapat na ang ginawa kong pagpapakalma sa sarili, hindi ko pa rin napigilan ang paghuramentado ng puso nang makitang si Tyler nga ang nagtext, lalo na nang mabasa ang laman n'un: 'Took you long enough. Where and when?'

I blew out a deep breath. Heck. He was anticipating it. Ibig sabihin hindi pa sila nagmeet nung babae sa bar. At mamamangha na ba ako? Na naalala niya 'yung babaeng binigyan niya ng number? Well, I just thought he had given it not only to that girl that night. Kung 'yung babae lang ang binigyan niya, she must be very special then. And I silently smiled. Buti na lang pala at nahulog 'yung cellphone nung babae sa lababo.

Nawala na ang kaba sa puso ko. Napalitan ng kaunting selos at pagkairita. But still, I reminded myself. Playboy ang pinili mong magustuhan, Van.

After thinking a good reply, I typed it immediately: 'Sorry. I just thought you're busy with other girls you gave your number too.'

I was fishing for answers. Yeah. Pero gusto ko lang talagang kumpirmahin kung tama nga ang suspetsa ko.

My phone beeped. Wow, bumilis din ang reply niya: 'Haha. You must know that you were the only one that night.'

Bumilis din ang pagtipa ko. 'Really? I doubt you even remember my name.'

'Babe, you didn't give me your name.'

I shot a brow up. Hindi ba binigay nung babae? O baka alibi lang 'yun ni Tyler? Hmm... but babe? Really? Napailing ako. Hindi pa ako nakakaisip ng irereply nang tumunog na naman ang cellphone ko.

Another text from Tyler: 'But you can now. What's your name?'

Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ako o ano. So, this was how he does it. Napaisip naman ako, inaalala kung nabanggit ba nung babae yung pangalan niya. But I couldn't remember such. So, I thought of it. Anong pangalan ang ibibigay ko kay Tyler?

Then an idea hit me. Yeah, why not? Thinking of a name. I typed it, 'Valeen.'

That came from my two names - Vanessa Gerleen. Somehow, that name made me smile. Hindi man alam ni Tyler na ako ang kausap niya, giving him that name somehow made this a little personal. Something about him and me. Kahit na para sa akin lang.

My phone beeped and a reply from Tyler appeared: 'Nice to meet you, Valeen. Now, back to my first question-where and when?'

MY hands were shaking. No, it was my whole body that's shaking. This was the day and I was here at the place-the same date and place I told Tyler a week ago: 'Saturday next week, Vergara Towers Rm. 1211.'