Not Now But Forever

Chapter 21

True enough to what I expected, my friends are all wasted. Mabuti na lang at hindi ako masyadong uminom. Stress ako pero hindi ko to idadaan sa alak!

"God! I'm going to kill you guys!" I whispered while letting my friends sleep on the couch.

I called Joy. She's Ali's friend. "Hello? Matutulog na ako, sis!" Singhal niya sa akin.

"I need help! They're wasted!" I shouted so she could hear me.

I texted the name of the club where in. Sabi niya ay dadalhin niya na lang ang sasakyan niya.

Pinagtulungan naming buhatin sina Rose, Ali, Ella, at Jerard. Halos mawalan kami ng hangin pagkatapos.

Hinatid ako ni Joy sa condo namin. Ali is living with her so we put the car in hazard mode.

"Salamat, Joy." I sincerely told her. She shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

"Sige na! Baka sumusuka na 'yon sa sasakyan ko!" She said and hurriedly went out.

Napahinga ako ng malalim habang pinagmamasdan ang mga kaibigan ko.

Pilit kong binuhat si Rose papasok sa kwarto niya. Kumuha ako ng mat para maging higaan nina Ella at Jerard.

"Stop it, Von!" Napakunot noo ako ng marinig ang sinabi ni Ella.

"Look who's fucking drunk. Mga gago kayo!" I whispered and let them lied on the mat.

Naligo ako at saka nagbihis na para matulog.

Nagising ako dahil sa ingay sa labas. I tried to covered my ears but the noise is just too loud.

"Ang sakit na nga ng ulo ko! Ang sakit pa ng likod ko!" Narinig kong reklamo ni Ella pagkalabas ko sa kwarto ko.

I mocked her, "Wow! Good morning naman sayo! Stop it, Von!" I tried to mimicked her voice last night.

"I don't even know what you're talking about." She replied and rolled her eyes.

Naabutan ko si Rose nagluluto ng almusal namin. Abala na rin magkape si Jerard.

"Nakauwi ba sa legit niyang address si Ali?" Bulalas ni Jerard.

I rolled my eyes for the second time, "Oo! Gago kayo. Ang bibigat niyo kaya tapos kami lang dalawa ni Joy ang nagbuhat sainyo!"

I helped Rose prepared the table. Buti na lang at Sabado ngayon. Alas nuebe pa ang pasok namin ni Rose. It's already quarter to seven.

"Kumusta nga pala dinner mo dun sa big time na project?" Halos mabilaukan ako sa tanong ni Jerard.

"Nagkita sila ng ex niya." Rose casually said.

Ella laughed, "Ayan! Sinabi ko naman na sainyo mag stick na lang kayo sa trabaho natin sa foodtech eh! May pa-passion passion ka pang nalalaman! San ka dinala niyan?"

"Edi sa ex niya!" Jerard said and they all bursted out in laughter.

"Tawa-tawa ka diyan, Rose! Sumama ka naman kay Charm kahit wala ka namang hilig sa pagsusulat!" Ella mocked Rose.

"Kaibigan eh! Magkasama na naman kayo ni Jerard!" Sagot naman nito.

"Kumain na nga lang kayo at may pasok pa kami! Wala ba kayong trabaho ngayon?" I asked Ella and Jerard while poking my hotdog.

"Meeting lang naman mamaya." Jerard shrugged.

Matapos kumain ay naligo na kami ni Rose. As usual, we wear our usual work outfit. I wore a black bodycon dress and brought my cardigan with me.

Quarter to nine nang dumating kami doon. Hirap din kasi kapag walang sariling sasakyan.

"Meeting daw mamaya with the committee of the movie." I heard Joy whispered the moment we sat on our cubicle.

Napahinga ako ng malalim. The way Joy looked at me, alam kong alam niya na kung sino ang bida doon.

Napangiti na lang ako. I didn't know what happened before. Why Dale cheated on me. Five years had passed, I know that it shouldn't affect me anymore.

"Miss Montes! Conference room!" Sir Arnel said too loud.

Inayos ko na ang mga kailangang dalhin sa conference room. Sir Arnel even allowed me to have my people while working on this project.

Kaya naman kasama kong pumasok sina Joy at Rose.

"You know...you can back out." Joy whispered.

I shook my head, "Minsan lang to kaya lulubos-lubusin ko na." I said with conviction.

Pagpasok namin ay naroon na sila. The director congratulated me. Nagpasalamat ako sa kanya at saka naupo na sa may dulong kabisera.

"These are the lead casts for the film, Dale Pangilinan, Amanda Cortez, Juancho Rivero." The Director, Direk Lopez said.

We all nodded at them. My eyes stared at Dale for awhile. He still look the same. But he's even unreachable now.

Nagdiscuss na ang director tungkol sa mga balak niya para sa pelikula.

"I think cutting some scenes and changing it won't make my story the same." I formally said. "These actors, I know, they can give justice to the characters. It's okay to change some lines but I don't agree in changing some scenes on it." I added.

Nakita kong napanguso si Dale sa sinabi ko. My eyes kept on wondering around Dale! Tangina, ano, marupok pa rin ba?

"I agree with our author, Direk Lopez." Nagulat ako sa biglaang pag sang-ayon ni Dale sa akin.

I pressed my lips in a thin line. Mahirap na at baka isipin niya'y hindi pa ako nakakamove on sa kanya. Oo na kaya!

Marami pang satsat pero sa huli ay nakumbinsi ko sila na walang baguhing eksena. I know my lapses. I know I need to improve my writing skills and I know what to do.

Kaya naman paglabas sa confession room ay may ngiti ako sa aking labi. This is a big project! Hindi ko ito sasayangin kahit pa nariyan si Dale.

"Congrats again, Miss Montes!" Bati sa akin ni Direk Lopez.

I bowed at him, "Salamat po."

"Anyway, we'll be having more meetings lalo na para sa script reading. So I'll see you again next time!" He gladly said.

"Sure po! Salamat po talaga!" I enthusiastically said.

"More meetings mean more Dale time! Kaya pa ba?" Asar sa akin ni Joy.

"I have you with me. Meaning, hindi naman pwedeng ako lang lagi ang nandoon, diba?" Bara ko sa kanila.

"Talino talaga eh! Sana pati sa lovelife!" Rose said and they both laugh.