Bukas Paggising Mo

V: Byahe Pabalik

"Kaya mo talaga? Do you want me to go with you?" tanong ni Angelo sa kanya.

Si Iya ay hindi magkanda-ugaga sa harap ng salamin. Reunion lang iyon at si Clark lang ang kasama niya. Pero heto, hindi siya matapos-tapos pag-aayos dahil lang siya ang partner ni Clark ngayong araw.

"Kakayanin," ani Iya sa kapatid.

"Did you bring your meds with you?"

"Opo, doc."

"If anything goes wrong, kahit maliit pa na bagay 'yan, don't hesitate to call me."

Ngumisi siya sa pagiging over-protective ni Angelo. Although she couldn't blame him. She was a big pain in the butt in the past years.

"Why don't you take Elise out on a date?" suhestiyon niya.

"Who?"

Poor Elise, napapa-iling na naisip ni Iya. Her brother had a lot of catching up to do in the art of dating.

"Basta mag-ingat ka kay Clark," seryosong sabi pa nito. "Don't give him everything in one go. How do Filipinos phrase it? 'Wag isusuko kaagad ang bataan."

She laughed at the insinuation.

"Malabo. I already handed him our annulment papers."

Natigilan si Angelo doon.

"You did? Why would you do that? I thought you still loved him."

Nalukot ang ilong ni Iya. Kilalang-kilala siya talaga ng kapatid.

"I don't have the confidence anymore to come to him. Baka magkamali ulit ako at masaktan ko na naman siya."

"And yet, he came to you."

Sukat sa sinabi ni Angelo ay mabilis na lumingon si Iya dito. Angelo must have seen the question in her eyes.

"Bakit? That's what he's doing. He's trying to come to you."

Pilit idinaan ni Iya sa biro ang sinasabi ni Angelo dahil ayaw niyang umasa. Masama sa mga katulad niya ang umaasa.

"And here I was thinking you didn't know anything about dating."

Nagkibit-balikat si Angelo.

"I don't. But I know human nature."

Iya rolled her eyes. Ever the academic. Manang-mana ito sa stepfather niya.

"You know, any other circumstance and you and Clark would hit it off. Pareho kayong technical sa mga bagay-bagay."

"Sadly, you won't give us a chance to get to know each other. Hihiwalayan mo na siya, eh."

Sayang nga, she wanted to say.

"Anyway, do I look okay now?"

Nagpa-ikot-ikot siya sa harap ng kapatid. She opted for skinny jeans and a peach cotton blouse that reached just above the waist band. Sa accessories niya ay naglagay lang siya ng maraming charm bracelets kasama ng relo niya. Inilugay niya rin ang buhok na malimit na nakatali tuwing nasa opisina siya.

"You look sixteen and waiting to lose your virginity on prom night," poker-faced na sabi ni Angelo.

Natawa nang malakas si Iya. Angelo could really say the weirdest things.

Maya-maya ay nag-ring ang phone niya. It was Clark calling.

"Hey, he's here."

"Hindi mo ba pa-a-akyatin dito sa taas?"

"And watch uncomfortably as you grill the poor guy? No, thanks." Humalik siya sa pisngi ng kapatid. "Wish me luck, brother."

"I wish more than just that for you, Iya," he said warmly.