Take Me Back

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1 I may not the be the smartest person in the whole world, or at least maging kasing-talino ng bestfriend ko, pero hindi naman ako tanga para magpadala na lang just because someone asked me to.

Habang patuloy akong hinahalikan ni Nathan, pilit kong inilagay ang mga kamay ko sa pagitan namin, inilapat ko ang aking mga kamay sa malapad n'yang dibdib at buong lakas ko s'yang itinulak. Nathan was shocked the moment his body was pushed away from mine pero kahit todo na ang pagtulak na ginawa ko, bagya lamang ang nagawa nong distansya para magkahiwalay kaming dalawa.

When his shocked expression subside, napalitan naman iyon ng ngisi na hindi ko alam kung ikaiinis o ikatatakot ko. He's different. He was never like this before, at lalong hindi n'ya tatangkaing halikan ako ng walang kadahi-dahilan.

"Nathan, ano bang nangyayari sa'yo?!" I sneered but he only stared before he turned his back on me then grabbed his glass of brandy again.

"You said you're going, right? Why don't you go ahead and leave me here Alice?" He suggested without looking at me and I almost wanted to run to him and slap him to death.

"After you just kissed me like that?! You're going to act now as if nothing happened? Wow Nathan, you've turned to be a big time jerk!" I said exasperated then grabbed my bag that fell on the floor the moment he kissed me just minutes ago.

I waited for Nathan to talk, but nothing. He said nothing and I just sighed not understanding his actions. Tumalikod na ako saka nagpatuloy na lumabas palayo sa unit n'ya at diretso sa elevator.

I was waiting for the elevator's door to open and as it did, kagyat na akong pumasok doon saka pinindot ang ground floor. Ngunit bago pa sumarado ang pinto, nakita ko pa si Nathan na humahangos habang tumatakbo papunta sa akin.

"Alice-" I was not able to hear the words he said after that dahil tuluyan nang sumara ang elevator. What was only left inside my brain was his face etched with sadness and then my body shaking.

"Hi ma..." Agad kong sabi nang mag-flash ang mukha ni mama sa screen ng ipad ko.

"Hi anak! Kumusta ka na d'yan?"

"Okay lang, ma. Na'san po kayo? Bakit parang ang ingay naman yata."

"Ahh oo. Nandito kami lahat sa back porch, alam mo naman yang papa mo, mahilig mag-barbeque. Are you in Ayala Triangle again?" Tanong ni mama nang makita kung ano'ng nasa likod ko. Chain of restaurants na nakahilera sa loob ng triangle. She might have seen Banapple, her favorite cakeshop.

"Ahh, yes ma. Nag-jogging lang ako kanina, nagku-cool down na lang po bago umuwi."

"Oh, okay. You take care anak, ha? Mag-isa ka lang sa bahay, hindi ka ba naiinip? Wala pa naman si Josette d'yan sa Pilipinas." Concerned na utas ni mama as she sat down on one of our high chairs back in our house in Canada.

"Nope, okay lang po ma. Mas mabuti na ring makapagpahinga ako before I start my business." I told her reassuringly, and though nakangiti si mama, alam kong nagaalala pa rin s'ya. Tumayo na ako bago pa kami magkaiyakan, ayokong nakikita s'yang ganito. I just want her smiling whenever I see her. Ayoko nang ipamahagi yung papalungkot na papalungkot na buhay ko sa mama ko.

"Anak, I know-"

"Ma, I have to go." Inunahan ko na si mama before she could start her motherly advices with me. She's been giving it to me for that past two years, nung una, it could give me a lot of help especially nung mga panahon na kaka-break lang namin ni Alex, but as time flew, I realized there was something else in me that was not right. Akala ko malungkot ako entirely because Alex and I broke up, but seeing things now, I guess hindi iyon lang ang dahilan.

I felt sad. And as much as I wanted to find that happiness, I just couldn't.

Maybe this was what they call mid-life crisis or maybe some sort of depression I myself couldn't know how to solve.

My mother sighed as she watched my expression.

"Take all the time you need, anak. It wouldn't be good if you get yourself in a business when you're not yet inspired, or at least... in your ideal self." Mama said and I nodded before I smiled.

"Yes, ma. Thank you po. Anyway, magiingat kayo d'yan. Kiss dad for me at yang makukilit kong kapatid. I love you. Gotta go." I said and mama smiled.

"Okay, i love you too."

I pushed the red button to end the video call saka naglakad-lakad palabas ng Ayala Tri papunta sa parking kung saan naroon ang kotse ko. I was nearing the spot when my mouth hanged open and my jaw almost fell on the floor.

"What the hell. Nathan?!" I shouted at halos mapatid na ako sa pagtakbo makalapit lang sa kanya.

His white shirt was stained with his own blood and his jaw was turning to dark purple dahil malamang sa suntok. His lower lip was also hurt at doon nagsimula marahil yung mga dugo. He was sitting on the pavement and he spitted blood but still, he was showing no sign that he was in pain.

"Ano'ng nangyari?!" Kagyat na sabi ko nang makaluhod ako sa harap n'ya. I held his face and I almost blew out a deep sigh nang hindi s'ya nagakmang tabigin ang kamay ko o kaya ay umiwas. "Nathan, I said what happened?" Ulit ko using a softer tone and he looked at me. He was about to answer when we heard someone from behind.

"Sir, ayos na po ba kayo? Pasensya na ho talaga, hindi kami agad nakadalo." Isang guard ang nagsalita at makikita sa mukha n'ya ang pagaalala at guilt.

"Manong, ano po ba'ng nangyari?" Tanong ko dun sa guard. Tumingin muna s'ya kay Nathan bago nagsalita pero hindi pa man s'ya nakakakalahati ay pinutol na s'ya ni Nathan.

"Eh kasi po ma'am-"

"Stop," sabi agad ni Nathan, tumayo s'ya mula sa pagkakaupo saka naglahad ng kamay sa akin. "Let's just go."

"T-teka, ano ba muna'ng nangyari?"

"Wag mo nang tanungin. It's not that important."

"What?! It's not that important pero ganyan at sugatan ka." Galit na sabi ko sa kanya bago hinarap yung guard, "manong, ano ho ba talagang nangyari?"

"Ma'am..." Nag-aalangan na sumagot na yung guard habang matalim na nakatingin sa kanya si Nathan.

"I'll just tell you once we're in the car, okay? Now, get in." Utos ni Nathan bago kinuha ang carkey n'ya at pinatunog ang sasakyan. Hindi pa ako makagalaw. Ano ba talaga ang nangyari? Bakit s'ya sugatan? Saka kung sasama ako ngayon sa kanya, papano nalang itong sasakyan ko?

"Pero Nathan, yung sasakyan ko-"

"We can just get it back later. And this guy will make sure na walang mangyayari sa sasakyan mo, or else..." ibinitin ni Nathan ang sasabihin tapos ay tiningnan ng makahulugan yung guard na s'ya namang halos mataranta na.

"O-oho sir, babantayan ho namin ng mabuti yung sasakyan ng girlfriend ninyo."

"Manong, hindi ko ho s'ya-"

"C'mon, let's go." Hitak ni Nathan sa kamay ko bago ko pa ipaliwanag dun sa guard na wala namang namamagitan sa amin ng lalaking 'to.

Nang makapasok na kami sa sasakyan, tahimik lang kami ni Nathan, although almost every now and then yata ay nagbubuntong-hininga ako. Hindi ako mapakali, I am dying of curiousity. What just happened back there? Bakit ayaw n'yang sabihin sa akin?

"Nathan-"

"Alice..." Putol na naman agad ni Nathan sa akin saka s'ya naman ang bumuntong-hininga. Lintek na lakaking 'to, tuwing magsasalita na lang ako ay ayaw akong patapusin lagi! "Alice, alam kong makulit ka. Pero pwede-"

"Hindi pwede!" Ako naman ang pumutol sa kanya, letche s'ya. "Nathan, you are going to tell me now what happened back there, or else hindi lang 'yang labi mo ang papaduguin ko!"

"Oh really? Ano naman ang kaya mong paduguin sa'kin sa liit mong yan?" He grinned and I almost smacked his head to the side kung hindi lang ako nakapagpigil.

"Aba't talaga namang hinahamon mo 'ko no?"

"Maybe."

"Nathan naman! Sabihin mo na, tatalon ako dito!" Sabi ko with determined voice at noon lang s'ya napatingin sa akin.

"You will not dare." He said at sa mata pa lang n'ya, malalaman mo nang may gagawin s'yang hindi mo magugustuhan kapag nakipagtalo ka pa. But no! Hindi ako natatakot sa kanya. Hindi!

"Try me." I hissed before I hastily unbuckled my seatbelt and reached for the lock. Bago ko pa maibukas ang pinto, the tires screeched as Nathan stepped on the brakes. Nabigla ako as my body almost banged on the dashboard but Nathan's arm was in front of me immediately kaya hindi ako tumama doon. Ang problema, yung boobs ko naman ang tumama sa braso n'ya kaya napasinghap ako.

"I said, you will not dare." Nathan said pointedly as he said the words slowly. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako mas kakabahan, sa mga mata n'ya na halos magbaga dahil sa pagkairita, or sa fact na nandito kami sa gitna ng kalsada habang yung ibang motorista ay halos pasabugin na ang mga busina nila dahil nakaharang kami sa daan.

Napalunok ako saka dahan-dahang umupo ng maayos.

"Okay. Sabi ko nga hindi na ako tatalon, diba?" I said carefully habang nakataas ang mga kamay, a sign of surrender. Nathan shook his head before he moved to drive again.

Sobrang katahimikan na naman ang nagdaan. I sighed as I tried to find the right tone or words para lang idisclose n'ya sa akin yung pangyayari kanina, pero ganun na lang ang gulat ko nang nauna na s'yang nagsalita.

"There were a couple of men who almost carnapped your car. And the guards weren't there yet so I had to fight them." Halos malaglag ang puso ko sa sinabi n'ya.

"W-what?" I said shakingly, trying to picture in my head how he fought with two guys at the same time. So that explains why he was injured.

"Now, will you shut your mouth until we get in your house, Alice?"

"B-bakit hindi mo sinabi sa akin?" Hindi ko napigilang itanong. Nathan's hand gripped around the steering wheel as his jaw clenched. "Nathan-"

"Because I don't want you to feel responsible for it, Alice. I just... don't."