All Up In My Head [Completed]

29 The Storm

The Storm

The thunderstorm roared loudly as the rain poured heavily. On days like this, Lila just wants to crawl on her bed and sleep. Ngunit hindi pwede. May kailangan pa siyang pag-aralan at mga email na sasagutin. But she can't help being distracted. Padalang nang padalang ang pagkikita nilang dalawa ni Ewan. He's busy and she is too. Idagdag pa ang sunod-sunod na bagyong dumarating na palaging nagpo-postponed ng dates nila.

Something happened awhile ago. It bothered and upset her. Finally, she got her phone and called him.

"Nasaan ka pala?" bungad niya.

He was speaking unintelligibly.

"Hello?" usal niya ulit.

She ended the call. Where is he? To lessen the gloominess of the day, she decided to watch a movie but she later fell asleep. It was a deep slumber but she awoke to the ringing of her phone.

"Lila?"

It's Ewan. She got up. Kinusot ang mga mata.

"Bakit?" Her voice still croaky.

"I was out." There was a hesitation. "Kasama ko 'yong mga taga-review center."

She sighed deeply. "Hindi mo man lang sinabi sa'kin? Nalaman ko pa sa post mo. Ilang beses kitang tinawagan—

Napatigil siya sa pagsasalita.

She realized, for a moment right then, that she sounded like someone else. Jace. When he was always acting possessive that it felt suffocating.

"I'm sorry. Nakalimutan ko talaga. Gusto ko lang naman makisama sa kanila. Don't worry, hindi na mauulit."

Nasapo niya ang ulo. She has been stressed out lately. She felt guilty after what she just said. Pareho pa naman silang pagod.

"I'm sorry. Ang pangit pala ng dating." She tried to laugh. "It's okay. Hindi mo kailangang ipaalam sa'kin buong schedule mo. Do what you want. I trust you."

She bit her lip.

"So okay na tayo?" he asked, she can almost see him smiling.

Napatango siya kahit hindi nito nakikita

"Oo naman. Hindi ko kayang magalit sa'yo."

Later that night, he messaged again.

@thewancairo: sorry :((

Natawa siya sa chat nito. She just missed him so much. If she could only hug him right now.

@lilacj: It's okay. :) Hindi mo kailangan sabihin sa'kin lahat ng ginagawa mo. Medyo naging paranoid lang ako kanina.

@thewancairo: Still it's my fault I'll be better, okay?

She knows he will. And she, too, will be better for him.

Not until Saturday morning. When she got a call from someone. Gusto nitong makipagkita sa kanya. Binigay nito ang address ng isang magarang restaurant. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang aasahan. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang intensyon nito. But she decided to go.

“Mang, nasaan ‘yong payong dito?” tanong niya.

It was still raining hard.

“Naku, dinala ni Tommy ang isa. Teka lang...” Her mamang went back inside and got her another umbrella. It was the floral umbrella again, the one he gave her. Sinauli niya na 'to but it somehow made its way back to her again on one of their dates.

“Alis na ‘ko, Mang," paalam niya at tinahak ang maulan na daan.

Habang sakay sa taxi ay biglang pumasok sa utak niya ang sinabi ng abuela ni Ewan noong pumunta siya sa kanilang bahay.