Best for Us (GU #3)

fifteen

Fifteen: Vanessa Gerleen

I didn't know what has gotten to me. Ang alam ko lang kailangan kong samahan si Tyler. Even how many times he said that he was okay, it wasn't helping with my insides to settle down. At tila walang pag-asa iyong mapakali kung hindi ko ito gagawin.

That was why I'm here now inside his car, on our way to Subic.

Subic. Oh how many times I repeated that inside my head. Doon kami pupunta. And I was sure not ready for that. Akala ko lang ay kung saan lang magpapalipas ng oras si Tyler tapos uuwi na ng Montereal Place.

But Subic was something else. And I was officially out of my mind that I still pushed through with my plan.

Buti na lang talaga at hindi ako inaasahan na umuwi ngayong weekend nina Mommy at Daddy dahil sa isang out of town trip. Si Kuya Miles lang ang nagsabi na dumalaw ako sa Linggo doon sa apartment niya. Sumabay daw akong magsimba sa kanila ni Ate Kimberly tapos mamasyal kami pagkatapos.

Then Saturday. Well I was thinking of spending my Saturday in bed, binge watch Stranger Things or catch up with the new episodes of that k-drama I was currently watching.

Hindi ko naman akalain na mababago ang lahat ng iyon nang ganito kabilis.

I didn't even know what will Tyler going to do in Subic. Kung sinong pupuntahan niya roon? What if it's a girl? Like he was planning to have a good time there? Pero, ganoon ba siya? Talagang dadayo para makapang-babae?

Hindi ko alam. At parang ayaw kong malaman ang sagot. It was his life, anyway. But if that was the case, I was already seeing how I would be once we get there.

"Are you hungry?"

Natigil ako sa pag-iisip sa tanong na iyon ni Tyler. I looked at his way and saw that his eyes were still focused on the road. Nakakadalawang oras na rin kami sa daan. But I was still okay. Hindi pa ako nagugutom. Medyo nauuhaw lang pero kaya pa naman.

Umiling na ako sa kanya sabay sabi. "Hindi naman."

"I'm just going to make a stop at nearby gasoline station. Need to use the comfort room," paliwanag niya. "Just thinking if you want anything."

"Wala naman," sagot kong muli. "Okay lang ako."

"Really?" he shot back right away. He even gave me a quick glance. "Because you seemed too quiet. Mula noong bumiyahe tayo nanahimik ka na. Are you sure you still wanna go? Because I can drop you anywhere and look for your ride back to Manila."

"I'm fine," medyo malakas ang boses ko. I just wanted him to stop treating me like I would change my mind any minute. Ginusto ko 'to, kaya paninindigan ko. "At sasama ako sa'yo."

"Well, if you say so," tanging nasagot ni Tyler saka bumalik na naman ang katahimikan sa aming dalawa.

When we reached the gas station, Tyler went out of the car and I was left there. Doon ko kinuha ang pagkakataon para tingnan ang cellphone. Baka mayroon ng text ang mga magulang ko o si Kuya Miles.

And I was right. There were two texts from my mother. And three missed calls. One was two hours ago. Iyong oras mismo ng labas ko sa school. She was just asking how my class went and if I'm already going back to the condo. Iyong isa naman ay kani-kanina lang. Mommy was asking what I was doing and why I was not answering my phone.

Tiningnan ko ang oras ng pagtawag niya. They were different times. At yung isa nga ay yung kani-kanina lang. My phone was in silent mode. Hindi man lang naka-on ang vibration kaya't malabo talagang mapansin ko.

Tinawagan ko na ang numero ni Mommy. It only took two rings and she answered. "Vanessa, bakit hindi ka sumasagot?"

"Sorry, Mommy, nakalimutan ko pong ibalik sa normal mode yung phone ko," sagot ko.