BLOOMING STREET Book 2 [GxG] - Completed

Chapter 14 - I'm Back!

PRESENT

*Allie's POV*

"Grabe! 'Di na sanay sa amoy ng 'Pinas Al?", birong tanong sa'kin ng pinsan ko nang sinundo ako sa airport. I was wearing a mask kasi.

"'Di naman. Sinisipon lang." sabi ko which is true.

Inikot ko muna ng tingin ang buong lugar sa airport while holding the brim of my cap and making sure my sunnies are in place before pumasok sa loob ng kotse.

"Al, hindi effective ang disguise mo. Sino ba kasing pinagtataguan mo?" curios niyang tanong.

Sasagutin ko ba? Bakit nga ba nakaka-praning? Why should it even matter na magkita kami? Eh, ano nga naman kung magkita kami?

I guess, malinis naman ang conscience ko (at least for me). Hindi naman ako 'yong nang-iwan. I choose to ignore, Gino's, my cousin, question. There's no need naman na to explain.

Inside the car, I took my cap and mask off but kept my sunnies on habang nag-o-observe sa (kahit kailan 'di pa rin nagbagong problema ng 'Pinas) traffic. It took us over 2 hours to reach my place from the airport na kung tutuusin eh ang lapit lang sana. Nakakapagod. Not to mention, may jetlag pa ako.

"Al, are you sure you're gonna be okay?" tanong ni Gino after maipasok lahat ng bagahe ko sa loob ng unit. Wala siyang idea what happened before nor why I was back.

"Oo naman Gino. Why wouldn't I be? Don't mind me. Kaya ko na 'to." sabi ko ng nakangiti.

Hindi ako makapaniwala na babalik pa pala ako dito. A year ago, I put an ad up to sell this place. With the help of a broker friend, nakahanap agad ako ng buyer in less than a week. Nung cofirmed na talagang bibilhin na 'yong unit na 'to, I backed out. Ewan ko ba, I just couldn't sell it. I couldn't let it go. Siguro dahil alam ng place na 'to na babalik din ako.

I started unpacking my stuff and inuna ko 'tong isang paper bag na buksan. I found the wine I bought sa airport kanina. Gino and I was supposed to celebrate kasi - his idea, not mine. For me naman kasi, there was really nothing to celebrate about. Back then, my friends and family naman were all so used to my trips abroad and back, nothing special. Pero, pinagbigyan ko siya.

Yet 'di natuloy kasi may biglaang lakad siya with his girlfriend and we didn't really have time na rin dahil naubos sa traffic kanina. Medyo late na rin yet tinatamad din akong bumaba to eat. But, truth is, wala lang talaga akong gana. So, naisip kong mag-unpack na lang pero nakakapagod pa. Nakakatamad. Bukas na lang siguro.

With a glass of wine, I decided to get a chair and face the glass wall overlooking BGC.

"I'm finally back."