"If tomorrow comes and I forget about this, and I forget about you, will you still love me?"
Yesterday. Love. Nothing else matters to Lee Gabriel than Odyssey Lee. If love was a manifestation, iyon ay ang pag-ibig ni Lee. At unti-unti rin yong naram...
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April 29, 2019
"Hindi naman kailangan Miz." Nagpupumiglas si Lee habang dinadala siya ni Mizzy sa isang mamahaling boutique.
"Anong hindi kailangan?! You're attending a grand reunion. Hindi lang basta batch lang natin! Which means—"
"Which means, I'll be meeting Julius Javier."
"Puro ka Julius Javier! Julius Javier! Bakit hindi ka magrelax at mag-enjoy. Just like before? What happened to my perky high school friend?!" Niyugyog niya ang mga balikat ni Lee as if she's trying to wake a sleeping soul inside her.
"Alam mo namang hindi na ako pwedeng magrelax-relax ngayon Mizzy. Hindi na 'to katulad 'nung high school tayo. Iba na ngayon."
Bumagsak ang mga balikat ni Mizzy.
"Fine, fine." Mizzy smiled. "At dahil iba na ngayon, ako naman ang manlilibre sa'yo." Ibinalik nito kay Lee ang sinasabi nito kanina.
"Mizzy..."
"It's my turn to pamper you this time, Lee."
Mizzy called the saleslady at nagturo ng kung ano-anong dress. Maxi dress. Slip dress. Lace dress. Pati na rin 'yung little black dress na pagkaliit-liit, kinuha ni Mizzy at pinapasukat kay Lee.
"Ang dami, Miz! Hanggang tatlo lang pwede isukat." Turo nila sa signboard na nakalagay sa labas ng fitting hall.
"Ano ka ba. Pwede 'yan! Regular naman ako dito. 'Di ba Miss?"
Ngumiti lang ang sales lady as she leads Lee inside.
One by one, isinukat ni Lee ang nga damit. And also slowly, her confidence started to drain out of her body. She was so slim now na hindi niya na kayang magsuot ng ganito na hindi nagmumukhang hanger. Unlike before where she can sport any clothes on the rack.
In between changing at kapag hinuhubad pa ni Lee ang damit at nakikita ang sarili sa harap ng salamin in this well-lit fitting room, mas lalo siyang naliwanagan sa laki ng ipinagbago niya. She an even see some of her ribs protruding when she inhales. Sobrang payat niya.
She just smiled at herself at pinakiramdaman kung may nararamdaman pa siyang sakit.
Parang wala na.
Lee didn't know if she just got better now or she just felt a little less of everything. Manhid na kumabaga.
Despite knowing the sadness and darkness looming over her, she just wanna live stably. She just want to exist peacefully.
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