400 Days After Fina

Day 481

400 Days After Fina by JellOfAllTrades
Chapter 25

Angel and I bid our goodbye to the exhausted-looking Mrs. Romulo and made our way to my car parked on the other side of the road. We had a long day in the hospital, taking care of the injured Mr. Romulo, and assisting the couple wherever we can.

"Jell?" Angel tugged on my shirt before I opened the car door.

"Bakit?"

"Lakad tayo?"

"San papunta?"

"Kahit saan." She said shyly, avoiding my gaze.

Since it's only just five in the afternoon, we have the rest of the night to ourselves before we return to Manila. I was thinking of getting some sleep since it's a long drive back but I guess a short walk by the seaside wouldn't hurt.

I pocketed my keys and gave Angel a smile. "Tara?"

We walked side by side towards the seawall and made our way to the docks.

"Anong favorite color mo?" Angel asked.

"Black. Ikaw?"

"Red." She replied, looking out towards the sea. "Favorite place?"

I thought of the seaside playground and the roadside somewhere in Antipolo that Jaime and I found after I returned to Manila last year. I couldn't decide which one I liked best. The joy I had when I was with Fina in the playground or the silence and insignificance I felt in Antipolo. "Bakit mo tinatanong?"

She shrugged her shoulders and looked at me. "Gusto lang kita makilala pa. Bawal ba?"

"Hindi naman."

There was a pause as we reached the docks and made our way to the Letter C monument. I haven't been here since the day that Fina got sick and I rushed her to the hospital. Halfway through the dock, I stopped because I could almost picture the dark pool of blood on the concrete floor near Pong Pagong and I don't know if I'm ready to go back.

Angel looked at me curiously. "Anong problema?"

I looked at the monument, now just a few meters away. "May dugo pa kaya dun?"

She gave me a sad smile, realizing why I stopped. "Matagal nang wala yun. Hindi ka pa ba ulit bumabalik dito?"

I shook my head and she reached for my hand.

"Wag kang mag-alala, kasama mo ako."

She took a step towards Pong Pagong and carefully tugged my hand. She gave me a reassuring smile and I followed after her, oblivious to the looks we're getting from the other townsfolk.

When we got to the monument, I cautiously looked at the left side where Fina and I first met last year. It was the same spot where she collapsed to my arms and as Angel said, there were no marks of the bloody incident from last year.

For a moment, I was briefly horrified by the thought of Fina losing all her remaining marks in the world but calmed down after thinking that while we, her friends and family live, she'll live with us.

Angel squeezed my hand lightly and gave me a smile. "Okay ka lang?"

"Yes."

There was some sort of deja vu feeling as I stood there with Angel by my side, looking at the setting sun and her holding my hand. The soft crashing of the waves, the squawks of the sea birds, and the faint laughter of the few people around Pong Pagong could be the perfect backdrop to a romantic movie.

Can I really give this girl a chance?

"Nagugutom ako," Angel said after the sun disappeared from the western mountains. "Kain tayo?"