Write About the City

Chapter 3 - His Paradise

JESSIE DECIDED TO HITCH A RIDE with her friends, packed her whole life, and moved in Dumaguete for good. On the first day, she updated her bank account’s information, listed her current place as the branch of her bank. Pumara siya ng habal-habal at nagpahatid sa malapit na mall. Sa parking lot ay nakita niyang nakatambay sina Mel at Dominic. 

Inakbayan siya ni Mel. “Last foodtrip. Sigurado ka bang hindi ka na babalik sa Manila?” paniniguro nito.

“I’m all good. Magpapakalunod ako sa silvanas nila, get a tan, visit a spring, die here alone, not in that order, I guess,” aniya.

“Paano ang tatay mo?” ani Dominic.

Umikot ang mga mata niya sa narinig. “This is his paradise. He only left his birthplace because of my mother. I’m sure he will visit me anytime he could afford to.”

Binaybay na nila ang entrance. “Nag-merienda lang tayo sa bahay namin, tapos nagdesisyon ka nang iwan ang bahay at kotse mo sa Manila,” si Mel.

“I trust Cameron with my car. I paid someone to check and clean my house once a week. Tatay has the keys also, he can drop by anytime, magpasok ng chicks niya, kung meron,” ani Jessie.

“Well, get a job already, ang dami mong binabayaran.” ani Mel.

“I’m on a trust fund. Thanks, mother,” aniya. 

Nagtinginan lang sina Mel at Dominic sa narinig. 

“Are you good with your mom now?” si Dominic na hindi nakatiis.

She shook her shoulders. “I don’t know. I don’t think I’ll ever know unless I get over myself. I’m not pursuing music anymore, the only thing we have in common.”

“But… you’re living off from the trust fund that your mother set up for you.” si Dominic.

“Which she happily gave me,” katwiran ni Jessie. Huminto siya sa paglalakad at hinarap ang dalawa. “Relax, my savings will last me for years. I never said anything about that trust fund because I’m afraid I’ll get judged for it but I mentioned it now and I’m not touching it unless I’m six months behind my rent. I told you, it’s all good.” Itinuro niya ang nakitang kainan na sa tingin niya ay masarap ang mga putahe base sa kulay ng ilaw na kumukutitap sa labas ng establisyimiento. Ganoon siya kadaling i-convince. “Let’s eat there? Hindi ko sagot.” mabilis na sabi niya.

Nang makapasok sila ay nakahanap agad ng mauupuan sina Mel ngunit ang tingin niya ay diretso sa direksyong tinutumbok niya ngayon. 

Huminto siya sa harap ng sadya niya. “May pera na ako ngayon,” ang sabi niya. “Hindi ko dala iyong resibo but rest assured, ito talaga ‘yong binayaran ko sa airport.” Inabot niya ang pera dito.

“Lucas, pare,” siko ng kasama ng sinadya niya sa mesa.

“Ito na, o.” Ipinatong na niya ang pera sa mesa. “I’m Jessica.” Inabot niya ang kamay sa bagong mukha. 

“Calil,” pakilala nito. Namilog ang mga mata niya at halos mabali ang leeg sa ginawang pagbaling kina Mel. Hindi maintindihan ng mga ito ang isinesenyas niya. 

Muli siyang humarap. “C-cielo…?” nanginginig na kumpira niya. Hango rito ang karakter na Calil Cielo sa librong Remember Me Fondly! Nasa harap na niya ang lalake. Walang binago kahit ang pangalan nito.

Malakas ang naging tawa ni Cielo. “Ako nga. So,” Nilingon nito ang kaibigan. “She’s a fan. Pare, are you gonna say something?”

Tumikhim si Lucas. “May kasama ka ba? Do you wanna join us?” anyaya nito.

Sa puntong iyon ay naramdaman niyang sumakit ang leeg sa muling pagbaling sa direksyon nina Mel. Pinapalapit niya ang dalawa. Nang makalapit ay hindi niya alam kung paano sasabihin sa dalawa kung sino ang kaharap nila nang hindi sumisigaw. 

“b***h, you should recognize him,” aniya kay Mel. Hinarap niya si Dominic. “What book are you reading right now? Still on the first one?” tanong niya.

“Are you asking about the trilogy you are so obsessed about?” 

Mabilis ang naging pagtango niya. “Still on the first one, yeah.”

Lumipad ang hintuturo niya at itinuro si Cielo. “In flesh and bones, I present to you,” aniya kay Dominic na sinamahan niya ng siko kay Mel. “Cielo. Calil Cielo. And this is the author friend, Edgar.” 

Tiniis niya ang naging tugon ng katawan ni Mel sa sitwasyon. Mahigpit ang pagkapit nito sa braso niya. Si Dominic naman ay napahimas sa baba at nahihiyang nakipagkamay sa dalawa. “Wow. I can’t believe I said it in front of you. I will finish the trilogy in thirty-six hours,” ani Dominic.

“Oh, pfft,” Edgar dismissed it. “Okay lang, pare. Maupo kayo.” Ito na ang nag-abot ng kamay kay Mel. Agad iyong tinanggap ni Mel at nakipag-shake hands. 

Nakaupo na sila ngunit tahimik pa rin si Mel. That is so unlike of him. Dumating ang waiter at inabutan sila ng menu. Pinasadahan niya iyon ng tingin saka binitawan, sabay pa sila ni Mel sa paglapag niyon sa mesa. “Marami akong tanong, uhm, can I call you Edgar?” si Mel.

“Actually—” si Cielo.

“Sure, yeah, what else would you call me, right?” si Edgar.

Tinikom niya ang kanyang bibig. Lucas. Lucas Lucas Lucas Lucas. 

Umulan ng iba’t ibang tanong mula kay Mel at fun facts naman mula kay Edgar. 

Sumingit si Cielo nang magkaroon ng dead air sa mesa nila. “Obviously, you’ve met before,” anito sa kanila ni Edgar. 

“Sa airport,” sagot niya.

“No’ng hinatid namin si Ignasi sa airport,” ani Edgar. 

“Okay, so who is Ignasi?”

“What were you doing there, Jessie, right?” sabay na tanong nila ni Cielo.

“Let me guess,” ani Dominic. “Evans is Ignasi?” 

“Look, maghapon tayong magsasagutan at magtatanungan who’s who. Hayaan na lang natin ang nakasulat sa libro. Let them be,” ani Edgar.

Nakaramdam sila ng pagkapahiya. 

“Jess?” si Cielo na hinihintay ang sagot niya.

“Oh. I missed my flight. I was crying. They asked me to eat with them. He paid for everything. Even the book I asked him to sign,” ang naging tugon niya.

Itinukod ni Mel ang siko sa mesa at tinaasan siya ng kilay. “I didn’t hear about this until now?”

“You can see the book but you’re not allowed to touch it. Baka nenokin mo lang,” aniya.

“Damn right, sis,” si Mel.

It took them a moment why Cielo and Edgar became silent. Dominic and Mel had to explain. “We’re a couple,” si Dominic.

“He’s God-sent,” si Mel.

“Whoa, baby.”

“I really love this guy. Still in love with him.”

“Oh, baby, give me a kiss.”

It was an awkward moment because she was sitting between them and she had to move away to give way to the couple. Goddamn lovers.

“Sa tanang buhay ko, hindi ko akalaing may magpapangalan pa pala sa anak nila ng Ignasi.” ani Jessie. Nakatutok ang lahat sa kanya. “I mean, I was with an Ignasi for years. Way, way back.” dugtong niya.

“That’s interesting,” si Edgar. Ramdam niya ang mataman nitong pagtitig. 

“Oh, he’s doing it!” puna ni Cielo. 

Everyone got curious. “What?” si Jessie. “What’s happening?”

“He’s plotting. He’s writing, memorizing, burying it deep in his mind genius. Ignasi s***h Evans x Jessie,” ani Cielo na tatawa-tawa.

“Ha-hah!” pagak niyang tawa, in two syllables. Natahimik ang mga umookupa ng mesa. Hindi siya interesado sa kapatid, interesado siya sa manunulat. 

“Order na tayo?” ani Mel. Tinawag na nito ang waiter. 

Nabalik sila sa pagkukwentuhan nang matapos silang um-order. “What’s your plan now, Jessie?” tanong sa kanya ni Edgar. “Considering you missed your flight and what was laid out on the table.”

Pinagsalikop niya ang mga kamay. “I decided to abandon everything, drop it all together, and start somewhere new. I thought I’d do it in Singapore, but, some low life fucker f****d me up big time and managed to snatch that ray of hope and took it with him, leaving me with little to no option. Naisip ko, I exhausted the city and in return it drained me of new experiences and maximized my comfort zone in what I like to call Manila life which gets really boring. However, for my father, this place will always be his paradise and he said he was at his best growing up here. Fishing, farming, mag-habal-habal. This is my first time here.”

“And won’t be the last,” ani Edgar.

“Amen,” aniya.

“You’re really moving here,” si Cielo. “Cheers to that.”

They raised their glasses.

“To Jessie!”

“To new experiences,” aniya.