Ashes in the Dusk [CBS#4]

Chapter 5

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"What's the update now, Syntia?" masiglang bungad sa akin ni Dana matapos kong makapag-half bath.

I slipped myself on the soft mattress of my bed and put my phone on the bedside table. I turned on the loud speaker icon while I put a lotion on my silky skin.

"Rahma will enrol me tomorrow."

Narinig ko ang dismayado nitong paghugot ng hininga. Umangat ang sulok ng labi ko habang inaayos ang aking buhaghag na buhok.

"A bad thing, eh?" I teased her.

She suspired in exaggeration. "I don't know. Ibig sabihin lang, diyan ka na nga talaga mag-aaral, Syntia. Hindi ko kayang dalawa sa grupo natin ang mawala! I couldn't reach Pykes anymore, ganun din si Gracie. I think their parents had already prohibited them from mingling with us."

Nalungkot naman ako sa narinig kay Dana. I also treasured our friendship but not as deep as how she did. Hindi na ako masyadong dumedepende sa mga kaibigan ko. I was happy when I was with them, whereas, I was also fine without them. Matagal ko nang itinanim sa utak na hindi lahat ng bagay nakatadhanang tumagal at manatili.

Trees die, flowers wither, things get destroyed, friends fight and forget one another, lovers separate, parents... leave.

If Gracie's and Pyke's parents deprived me from contacting them, fine, I'd stop. Kung ako naman ang sakaling i-contact ng dalawa, ayos lang din sa'kin.

Kung hindi ko lang kinamumuhian ang lugar na 'to, hindi naman ako magiging ganito kaatat na umalis. Dana wasn't the very reason why I wanted to fly back to the city. It was our old house where most memories of my sweet mother lingered in.

"Mabuti at naisipan ng Rahma-boy na 'yan na samahan ka sa pag-enrol?" pag-iiba niya ng usapan.

I stood up to put back the lotion on the vanity table.

"Must be my lucky day yesterday, Dana. Nagulat din ako nang magsuhestiyon mismo siyang samahan ako."

"Hmm... fishy!" She giggled.

Kumunot ang noo ko habang binubuksan ang double doors ng balkonahe. The wind blew my hair making me wince in annoyance. I perched myself on the outdoor chair.

"What's fishy about it?"

"Don't you think that the boy likes you?"

Natawa ako. He was calling Rahma a boy, like guys of our age--those who get involved in childish bar-fights. Kapag makita niya si Rahma sa personal, baka mahiya siya sa pinagsasabi nya.

He was always dark, formal, and... lean... and muscular. Hindi siya ang tipong nagbabasag ng bote ng alak sa tabing dagat o naghahanap ng away matapos magpakalasing. It was as if he was always aware of his actions. Calculated and well-weighted off.

He seemed goal-directed and productive. I guess his principles were far different from what the immature guys had. His movements were so manly, so as how he injected a conversation with my father. He sounded very knowledgeable of his career and he got a good background (as what Daddy enumerated how he started from the bottom before reaching the apex).

I snorted and wrinkled my nose. "No, I don't think so. He's quite snob..."

"Some guys are like that, Syntia. Kunwaring suplado pero gustung-gusto ka naman! You see, if his stares linger on you from time to time... iba na 'yun. So as if he offers you a ride to somewhere you're ought to go and drive you home right after. You told me he is a foreman in your father's farm, as far as I know, managers like him has a lot of works to do and to supervise. Pero kaya ka niyang isingit sa kabila n'un. Don't you think it is a bit unusual... or... hmm."