MEET UP
1604 Words
Roanne Colasi
Kumuha ako ng tubig at snacks at binayaran yun sa counter. Wala sa sariling nag-abot ako ng bayad.
"May nakuha ka na bang lead?" Napa-tingin ako sa casier na nag-salita at duon ko namalayan na si Aiken pala yun. Yung dating ininterview namin.
"Wala pa" sagot ko. Binigay niya sa akin ang sukli.
"Puwede mo ba'kong antayin hanggang matapos ang shift ko?" Taka ko siyang tiningnan.
"It's already twelve am. Why?"
"Ahm baka matulungan kita" I stared at her for about three minutes.
"Are you sure?" Hindi maka-paniwalang sabi ko.
"Hhhm" tumango siya.
"Then kailan mata-tapos shift mo?" Tumingin siya sa relo niyang suot.
"Three thirty am." Tumango ako.
"I'll just wait you in the car." I pointed my car at her. "Duon mo na lang ako puntahan" tumango naman siya.
Habang umi-inom ako ng tubig sa loob ng kotse hindi ko mapigilan hindi mag-isip.
About to Rmall's m******e, about my work, about Ella and Bage, about Dred-—wait what? Bakit nasama si Dred?
I rember my number pala ako sa kaniya. I typed Sergeant Major on my phone book and call him.
Hindi sumasagot. I call again. Hindi na naman sumasagot. I call again. Hindi na naman sumasagot. This is the last.
"Ano bang problema mo?" Napa-takip ako sa bunganga sa sinabi niya. "Sparta tang*na mo lakas amats mo. Pag nag-kita tayo patay ka sa'kin buw*sit ka. Dis oras na ng gabi ang tang* nito. Nangbu-bulabog ka nakita mong tulog na yung tao!" Ah he think na I am one of his friends?
"Ano hindi ka magsasalita? TANG*NAMO, gag--"
"Dred"
"Sh*t--" bigla na lang niya pinatay yung tawag.
What the h*ck?
Minutes had passed before I heard my cellphone rang. I felt irritated in an instant. Don't know why.
"Who's this?" I didn't saw who's the caller. "And what's your problem. It's already twelve am in the morning and yes you have the guts to call me at this time. What a cowardly coward? Can you please talk?"
"Roanne," and I stilled. In an instant my world stop, the time stop, the minutes stop, I felt like my world stop.
This can't be happening.
"Roanne" pag-uulit niya.
"Sh*t" I immediately end the call.
What the heck? My heart beats so fast. I felt so very nervous. Myghaaad. I immediately wipe away the tears that can't stop from falling.
No, no, no.
"N-no" then my tears burst into a loud shout. "WHY?!" pinagha-hampas ko ang manibela ko.
I can see our history in my mind again. My anger consume me already. Pain coated my whole body. Again.
"It hurts a lot. A lot, Bage" why did he called me? When I heard my phone ring again I shut it down. I know it's Bage.
How he got my number? How? Why he called me? Why? How is he—-No he's happy.
F*ck that, Roanne. Move-on!
I closed my eyes. Inhale... Exhale... Inhale... Exhale.
"Three years had passed Roanne. Three years, so stop being affected by calling you like this. Maybe he was gonna invite you for his daughter's upcoming birthday party" pagka-usap ko sa sarili ko.
Just focus on your work and family. He ruined your life by cheating on you.
Stop it, Roanne.
Please. Maawa ka sa sarili mo. Maawa ka. Napa-yuko ako sa manibela nung kotse.
Lumingon ako sa bintana nung kotse ko nung maka-rinig ng katok at nakita ko si Aiken na maliit ang ngiting nakatingin sa'kin.
Inayos ko muna ang sarili ko bago siya pagbuksan nung pinto ng kotse at pinasakay siya.
Ang ganda talaga nung babaeng 'to.
"Umiyak ka?" Tanong niya. Umiling ako. "Bakit kaya ganito ang mga tao? Kapag tinatanong kabaliktaran naman ang sagot nito kahit halata naman sa kilos, salita at nararamdaman nito" makahulugang sabi niya.
Yumuko ako at sumandal sa upuan.
"I am tired" pagsisimula ko. I don't know why I have this feeling that I need to tell her what's my feeling right now. "So much tired" binigyan niya ako ng maliit na ngiti.
"Lagi mo sanang tandaan na hindi lang ikaw ang may problema, hindi lang ikaw ang malungkot, hindi lang ikaw ang suma-saya, hindi lang ikaw ang pagod, hindi lang ikaw ang nasasaktan" ngumiti siya sa akin. "Lahat ng tao Roanne may nararamdaman. Huwag mong kakalimutan" wala sa sariling tumango ako. "Wala man ako sa sitwasyon mo, hindi ko man alam pinagdaanan mo. Isipin mo na lang na kaya binigyan ka ng diyos ng ganiyan kasi kayang-kaya mo 'yan"
Hindi ko alam kung anong mero'n sa maganda niyang boses pero lahat ng yun sa oras na yun. Nawala ang sakit na nararamdaman ko.
"Thank you" naka-ngiting sabi ko at mabilis siyang niyakap.
Isipin man niyang feeling close ako bahala siya pero she make me feel okay right now.
"By the way my name is Roanne" sabi ko nung kumalas ako sa yakap niya kahit alam naman niya ang pangalan ko.
"Aiken" ngumiti kami sa isa't-isa.
"Friends?" Tanong ko. Tumango siya.
"Kahit walang lead ka na makuha sa kaso?"
"Grabe ka naman" at nag-tawanan kami.
"Puwede kitang tulungan gusto mo ba? Wala kang maku-kuhang statement sa akin kasi yun lang ang alam ko pero kaya kitang tulungan sa pag-interview mo" tinitigan ko siya.
"I guess you can't. It is like finding a needle in the middle of the dessert" yumuko ako.
"Bakit gustong-gusto mo yung kaso?"
"Actually now? I don't like it anymore. In CST station they always maked me felt useless and small. They're always estimating my skills—the whole me. Then, I begged for this case that I can do it and prove to them that they're wrong from judging me but our director said that If I can't do it. So sorry for me because he will fire me." Malungkot na sabi ko.
"May kontrata yun hindi ba?" Tumango ako. "Hindi ka mata-tanggal kung ganuon"
"But money do. Maybe baliktarin ako. They're my boss so they can do anything they want" malungkot na sabi ko.
"May na-interview ka na ba bukod sa akin?"
"Actually yes. One of the member of Alpha Team but just like before they didn't give their f*cking statement"
"Magkakilala kayo nuon?"
"What comes to your mind to asked that?" Tanong ko. I was just curious.
"Sa mata mo"
"W-what?"
"Sa mata mo, baka nga magka-kilala kayo. Puwede mo siyang kulitin ganuon Kita naman sa mata mo"
"I actually doing that"
"Bukas, makipag-kita ka sa kaniya. Sa pagkaka-alam ko ang mga sundalo bi-bihira lang magkaroon ng bukas na oras para sa kasiyahan dahil lagi silang may trabaho"
"Yeah" Hours had passed we just talked about the case of Rmall's. I drove my way home when I saw Maxine walking in the road while holding her phone.
"Hey" she faced me and smile.
"Taray pa hey-hey na lang 'tong gag*ng 'to" I am used to her attitude. Sanay na sanay na.
"I didn't see you these past few weeks"
"Ah nasa poder ako nung tatay ko"
"Ah, then how was it?"
"Kukuwento ko dito? Kung pasakayin mo kaya ako?"
I smiled then she tells about what happened to her. When I went home the lights are off and I think they're asleep now.
I woke up in the morning did my morning routine and went to CST station.
"Everytime I look at you my blood immediately boiled in an instant. That case is mine" ayan ang bungad ni Mindy sa'kin.
"Begged for this ha. What a pity?" Sarkastik niyang sabi. "You'll pay for this Roanne. I swear. Inggetera" then she left me.
My fault because from the very beggining this case is for her—is her.
"Ayos ka lang?" I look at Jevi who's holding his camera.
"If I'll say I am okay, do you believe me?"
"Hindi"
"Then I am not okay. Let's go"
"Ah eh kasi ano e.. eghh" he look stup*d.
"What the h*ck? Problema mo?" Inis na agad na sabi ko.
"Kita mo na kayo nung sundalo" My eyes widened.
"What?"
"Kasi naman kung maghahanap tayo ng lead mas wala tayong mapapala. Kung lalandiin mo yung sundalo tiyak may asawa ka na, may trabaho ka pa"
"What the fu—wait what? May trabaho pa ako?" Yumuko siya.
"Pinag-kalat ni Mindy at Paul na nagmakaawa ka para sa case na hawak natin at kapag hindi mo daw nagawa ng maayos ang case mawawalan ka ng trabaho. Totoo ba yun Roanne?"
"Yeah" no need to tell a lie.
"Kaya nga puntahan mo na si Mr. Sergeant Major. Tandaan ang trabahong may harot ganado"
"I don't believe on your beliefs, Jevi"
"Bilis na, Roanne. Huwag kang pabebe, h-huwag kang pabebe. Huwag pabebe, huwag pabebe huwag umarte ng di tama. Huwag kang pabebe-bebe buti nga. Manahimik ka walang makaka-pigil sa harot" napailing na lang ako kasi ang corny niya.
"Okay just please. Shut your mouth" umarte siyang zinipper ang bibig niya.
I went to star bucks. I texted Dred if he's free right now but he call me instead.
"Saan ba punta?" Bungad niya.
"Where you want?"
"Motel"
"Iw" I heard him laughed.
"Maka-iw amp*ta. May virus ako? Hahaha"
"Nah, I was just pertaining to myself"
"Reason" pang-aasar niya na ikina-tawa ko.
"So meet me?"
"Ngayon may kailangan ka na naman"
"H-hu?" I don't get him.
"Tumawag ka kagabi—"
"Yeah but you ended my call"
"Timawagan kita pero may kausap ka na. Ilang minuto bago kita tinawagan ulit pinatayan mo naman ako"
It was just me? Or he sounded sad. He called me? F*ck I shut down my phone.
"Kaya bigyan mo'ko ng rason bakit kailangan kong sumama sa'yo?"
"Because.... Because I want to see you"
"On the way na'ko"
- Writer
