Naka upo na kami ni Jema sa Misa. Nakasandal yung ulo niya sa balikat ko habang hawak hawak ko naman ang mga kamay niya. Napapikit na kami ng biglang may humahagulgul sa tabi naming. Napa angat naman ng ulo si Jema. Binuksan ko naman ang mga mata ko at nabitawan mga kamay ni Jema. Nakita naming na nakasubsub na ang ulo ni Ate Bea habang umiiyak.
Tumayo naman at lumapit si Jema kay ate Bea para yakapin ito. She mouted at me some words, "Paki puntahan si Jho." Naintindihan ko naman at agad tumayo para hanapin si Ate Jho.
Hindi ko siya mahanap sa Venue kaya naisipan ko baka nasa garden pa siya, kung saan nag usap sila ni Ate Bea.
Tama nga ako. Nasa Garden nga siya. Nakaupo na siya sa isang bato. Natatakpan ng mga kamay niya ang kanyang mukha, alam kong umiiyak siya. Dali dali naman akong lumapit sa kanya para yakapin.
Mahal ko naman siya eh. Naiiyak niyang sabi sa akin. Pero di ko siyang kayang mahalin sa gusto niya. Im not ready for that kind of relationship. Pagkakaibigan lang talaga ang kaya kong ibigay. Humagulgul na lang siya habang yakap na yakap ako.
I understand. Sabi ko sa kanya. Tuloy pa rin ang iyak niya. Maybe she is guilty for causing ate Bea too much pain. I really don't know what to say that will make you feel Better ate Jho. Bumitaw na siya sa pagyakap sa akin. I was facing her and she was facing the ground. You and Ate Bei both love each other in different way nga, but its still Love. Maybe for now you are both hurt. Ate Bei still in the process in accepting the fact that you have that different Love for each other, and you are still in pain because you are guilty for hurting her.
She nods while looking on the ground. Letting me know that she agreed.
It is nice that you have been honest with your feelings with each other. Time will heal. I Know Ate Bei will be okay. I pause for awhile when I see Ate Jho Shrug. Hindi naman kasing Pwede na pilitin mo sarili mo to have romantic relationship with her but in the end hindi mag wowork out kasi marealize mo na di mo talaga kaya. Atleast things gets clearer now. She won't expect something from you anymore. Give her time, she'll accept your friendship soon as she recovers. You'll be her bestfriend pa naman d ba?
Napaiyak na naman siya habang tumango sa sinasabi ko. I will always be her friend.
You're gonna wait for her right? Tanong ko sa kanya. At tumango naman siya sabay punas ng mga mata niya.
Let her be for now ate. You know naman Ate Bea di ba? Tumango naman siya.
She's always be childish in some ways but time will make her mature enough to accept everything and both of you will be back to normal. I assured her and give her another hug.
Thank you deans. I didn't know that Jema will make you this mature. Ginulo niya ang buhok ko. I thought you are our Baby, but as I can see it now, you are not our Baby Deana anymore. She force a smile. And I give her my warmest smile too.
......
Bea is crying her heart out. No one seems to notice because they were too busy enjoying their party. I told Deana to go find Jhoana so I am here with Bea. I Really don't know how to make her feel better so I Just hug her for her to know that I am here.
She just say sorry. She said between sobs. She said it repeatedly. I just listened to her quietly. What would those sorry do now. I'm in pain. So much pain. Umiiyak na naman siya ulit.
She loves you. I told her she just shrug. Mahal ka niya kaya nagging honest siya sa iyo. Dagdag ko pa. Hindi ka naman niya iiyakan kong hindi ka niya mahal, hindi man yun tulad ng inaasahang mong pagmamahal, but still isa iyong pagmamahal. Parang nalabuan ako sa sinabi ko. Did you get it? Tanong ko sa kanya. Tumango lang siya.
She said she can't love me the way I wanted it to be. Umiiyak na naman. She can only offer me friendship.
So see? Diin ko sa kanya. Napa angat naman ang ulo niya at tinitigan ako habang nagsasalita. She really loves you kasi nagging honest siya sa iyo even if she know na mahihirapan kayong dalawa. It was the best for both of you. You will always be her one true friend naman di ba? I ask her.
I am. And I will always be. She said.
Hindi man madali ang tanggapin to lahat. Sa simula magiging awkward pa ito. But in time ma aaccept mo na ang friendship na maari niyang ibigay sa iyo at hindi mo na kailangan pang umasa na may hihigit pa dun, magiging okay na kayo pareho.
Tumango lang siya at nahimasmasan na. tumigil naman siya sa pag Iyak.
You never regret naman that you have loved her d ba? Tumango naman siya ulit. I salute you for being brave tonight Bei. You let it all out to her. Love is the best feeling you will ever feel in your life, so never regret that you did. Darating ang araw pag naalala mo tung oras na to, you will just smile. We are still lucky though, kasi kahit masakit, nagmahal tayo. After my speech Bea hug me tight. Napayakap din naman ako sa kanya. And we settle down.
There are comfortable silence na nakabalot sa aming dalawa.
But seryoso ako. Sabi ni Bea. Confuse naman ako sa sinabi niya. Crush nga kita.
I looked at her blankly. No way I would become a rebound here.
Don't worry I wont court you. She assured me. It was just a plain admiration back in our Freshmen and I shared it to Jhoana. And then I saw her smile a bit.
Pano naman na nagging crush mo ako? Interesado kong tanong sa kanya.
Well, you were beautiful and nice. Remember sa first meet up natin sa season 76 ng uaap? I look blankly. Wala akong maalala. Focus na fucos naman kasi ako sa sarili kong team. Uhm you bump into me while rushing to go to the shower. I feel that time and you reach for my hand to let me stand. You were too beautiful to handle. Simula nun lagi na kita pinanood sa lahat ng games mo and I am with Jhoana. Five naman kami ang magkabatch per okay Jhoana talaga ako pinaka close kasi we were room mates sa dorm at pareho kaming kalog. She continued to tell me stories about her and jho nang maabutan kami ni Deana nagtatawanan.
Okay. That's weird. Bungad ni Deana sa amin. Akala ko pagdating ko ditto umiiyak ka pa. Tumingin siya kay Bea.
Tumayo naman si Bea at inakbayan ang gulat na gulat na si Deana. Thanks to Jema. She brings back my smile. At ngumiti ng nakakaloka sa akin.
Binatukan naman siya ni Deana. Natawa naman ako ng naghahabolan na silang dalawa sa gitna ng Dance floor at nakisayaw na rin sa ibang ka team nila. Naaninag ko si Jhoana sa di malayo. She smiled at me. At kinidatan ko lang naman siya.
Hope everything will be just fine with Bea and Jho.
----------------------------------------------------
