Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
J U S T I N
Pat and I were sitting on an empty bench, waiting for her mom when she suddenly wanted a heart-to-heart talk. "Justin." I heard her call out my name.
"Hmm?" I looked sideways at her, and she wasn't even looking at me.
"Ano bang problema sa akin? I mean . . . may kulang ba? May sobra ba?" she asked, her voice raw with emotion as she stared far ahead. "May hindi ba 'ko nagawa?"
I wasn't expecting her to ask me that, but I quickly shook my head no. "Hindi. Huwag mong isipin 'yan. Tatagal ba tayo nang gano'n kung may problema sa iyo?" I answered, looking at her.
"Tumagal nga tayo, pero pinagpalit mo naman ako. There must be something wrong with me. Ano nga?" tanong niya pa ulit.
Hindi ko mapigilan ang mapabuntonghininga. Mahirap ipaliwanag. I was literally struggling to find the right words to say.
"You know your E-Heads shirt? The black one? Hindi ba ang tagal mong paborito 'yon?" tanong ko sa kaniya.
She nodded her head vigorously.
"Hindi ba suot mo 'yon araw-araw? Sobrang paborito mo 'yon. Tapos isang araw, binilhan ka ni Tito Paul ng Metallica shirt. Ito, 'tong damit na 'to." I said, gesturing to the exact same shirt she has on.
"No'ng una, hindi mo pinapansin 'to. Kay E-Heads ka pa rin. But you wore it once, and you realized that it was a better fit. After that, may bagong paborito ka na. Ito na 'yong mas madalas mong sinusuot," paliwanag ko.
"It doesn't mean na may problema sa E-Heads shirt. Gusto mo pa rin naman 'yon, and you still like wearing it once in a while. But . . . in your heart, you know that you and the Metallica one are a perfect match, and if you can only choose one—"
"Pipiliin ko si Metallica," mahinang bulong niya, nodding her head in understanding.
Tumango rin ako sa kaniya. "Walang problema sa iyo, Pat. That's why I felt so guilty for what I did. If you were a bad person, what I've done wouldn't have mattered to me. There wouldn't be any guilt. But you're not," I reassured her. "It's just that . . . Aubrey . . . she's my soulmate, Pat. I know she is," bulong ko sa kaniya.
Silence enveloped us for a few minutes before she finally smiled at me with a teasing look in her eyes. "Ninang ako, ah," biro niya.
"Oo naman," tawa ko.
Nagkuwentuhan pa kami tungkol sa Patterson, sa Dawson, kay Aubrey, at sa kung ano-ano pang mga bagay. Sobrang dami naming naipon na kuwento, and it's amazing how fast time flies when I'm with her.
It was close to 8 p.m. when I received a text from Aub.
