After You

Chapter One: Running Away

It's been a month since I left my hometown. I badly wanted to escape from all the bullsh*t they have been throwing about me and my family. I decided to hide here in Lucena—this is far away from home. I changed my number, and even my name, just for a while. I'm using Linea as a fake identity. I don't want them to find me immediately for goodness sake.

I stayed on an island. The place is aesthetically beautiful, I can watch the waves of the sea in front of my cabbana every morning. What makes it more beautiful is that the place is not crowded which is good for an introvert like me. They have a specific spot for those people who like to party at night.

Ever since I came here, I stayed longer in my room-watching sunrise until sunsets and crying my heart out at night. I badly wanted to breathe from being stiff at home. They thought I'm strong enough to handle all the problems. I'm still healing but the environment is not helping that's why I ran away.

••———————••

"One margarita please," I ordered when I sat in front of the bar counter while not facing the bartender. I chose to explore the place tonight. This is new to me. I'm not a partygoer either.

"Excuse me?" I checked out the bartender to clearly tell my order but I found out that he's not wearing what the bartender usually wears. "One margarita?" I repeated.

"New face? What about trying this one? A welcome drink for a beautiful lady." Then he held out a small shot glass to me.

"I guess. This is not the one I ordered?" I questioned when I took the shot glass from him and drank it straight while looking at him. I almost spit when I finally realized the taste. I can almost feel my throat burning because of the alcohol.

I turned my head towards the crowd. The DJ started to play a slow song. A sadness hit me when I heard what the DJ was playing.

"Hey! May I have this dance?" The bartender held out his left hand and asked me to dance with him. I slightly laughed. Who will dance with the song like that.

"You're crazy. Who would like to dance in a sad song? I bitterly asked.

"Me!" he proudly answered then grabbed my hands going into the crowd. He put my arms around his neck and held my waist then pulled me closer to him that made me hug him.

My heart skipped a beat and my stomach started to feel something. . . something I didn't understand. The song ended but we are still hugging each other.

"You smell good." I was startled by what he said and gave me shivers. I pulled myself from hugging him. I got afraid of that part and ran away from the crowd, leaving him.

I decided to go back to my room. I didn't bother to tell the bartender guy that I am leaving. I know that would be our first and last encounter with each other.

••———————••

I woke up with a heavy head—hangover. I forced myself to get up from bed and take a bath. I need to have my free breakfast.

It's eight o'clock in the morning when I come to the usual restaurant I ate for breakfast. I'm busy scrolling the screen of my phone when someone sits across my table. I didn't bother to look at the person, maybe he can't find any other table.

"Here's your continental breakfast with orange juice, Ma'am. Thank you for waiting." I turned my head to the waitress and smiled. I've got a chance to see who sits in front of me. We made eye contact. The guy seems familiar to me.

"Hi! Margarita lady, right?"

I'm thinking about what he meant until I realized. "The bartender?" I asked. He is the guy I danced with last night.

"Correction. Stranger not the bartender." I gave him an upright eyebrow when I didn't understand what he said.

We shared a table to have our breakfast. He is explaining that I mistakenly assumed that he is a bartender. His friend, who is the real bartender, went to the locker room and asked him to watch the counter for awhile. I apologized to him for leaving without notice.

"It's okay. I made you uncomfortable that night—drunkenness drove me." He smiled awkwardly. D*mn. His chinky eyes and perfect jawline got me. I was suddenly ashamed of myself for fantasizing about his face.

"Ma'am, your card was declined," the waitress approached to our table. I was stunned for a while when I remember I didn't bring cash.

"Are you sure? Kindly check this two?" I asked her to check my remaining credit cards. I don't know what I would do if the other cards were declined too.

"I'll pay," the guy interrupted us and offered his card to pay for my food. Sh*t. This is embarrassing!

"uhm. Thank you."

". . .I will pay you next time," I continued.

"A dinner later tonight will be fine." He invited me for a dinner. I guess?

We exchanged numbers to communicate with each other before dinner. Then we parted ways after having breakfast together.

I called Lizel—my best friend. Papa froze my cards, that's why it declined when I used it earlier. He did it for me to make a call to my friends and find me.

Lizel won't tell Papa that I called her. I told her I'll be coming back yet I don't know when. She knew everything I have been through. I'm grateful to have a best friend like her.

••———————••

Isang linggo na ang nakalipas noong hindi matuloy ang dinner ko sa stranger na 'yon. I lost his number that day dahil nag-stroll ako sa beach at nalaglag ang phone ko sa dalampasigan. I tried to find him any where in this place but I guess we are not meant to be together.

"Ano ba kaya mong gawin, hija?" tanong sa akin ni Manang Sabel. Nakilala ko siya noong unang dating ko rito at naging guide sa area.

Nagpapatulong ako maghanap ng trabaho sa kanya dahil na-freeze ang account ko at wala na akong pera for the next coming weeks. Hindi naman ako mapahiram ni Lizel ng pera dahil tinakot siya nina tita na puputulan ng allowance kapag tinulungan ako.

"Hindi ko alam, Manang Sabel—pero madali naman po akong turuan." Napakamot ako bahagya sa ulo ko dahil hindi ko alam kung ano nga ba kaya ko maging siya ay napakamot din sa ulo.

"Hindi ka naman siguro maarte? Doon ka na lang muna sa kusina." Dinala niya ako sa kusina ng isang maliit na restaurant. Laking gulat ko nang may makita akong familiar na tao sa kusina.

Nakatalikod ito mula sa amin ni Manang Sabel dahil nagluluto siya. It's him—the stranger I met.

"Marco, nandito ka na pala." Lumingon ito sa'min at nagulat nang makita ako. "Hey, Margarita Lady!" malakas na tawag nito sa akin.

"Magkakilala kayo?" tanong ni Manang Sabel.

"Yes, Nanay." Mas nagulat akong malaman na mag-ina sila. Hindi ako makaimik dahil hindi ko alam ang sasabihin.

"Oh mabuti naman kung ganoon. Hijo, pwede bang ikaw na bahala rito kay Linea?" Iginaya ako ni Manang Sabel papalapit sa lalaki. So he is Marco.

"Ano pala ginagawa niya rito, Nanay?" takang tanong ni Marco sa nanay niya sabay tingin sa akin na may malawak na ngiti.

"Naghahanap ng trabaho at wala pang alam. Turuan mo siya rito sa kusina." Tumango naman si Marco bilang pagsang-ayon sa nanay niya.

Nagkwentuhan pa sila saglit bago tuluyang umalis si Manang Sabel. "So ano alam mo sa kusina?" tanong nito sa'kin.

"W-Wala eh," saad ko. Napayuko ako dahil sa hiya.

"Mabuti pa mag-observe ka muna. Sit here and watch me." Tinuro niya ang upuan malapit sa kanyang pinaglulutuan kanina.

"May utang ka pa pala sa'kin." May halong pagtatakang tiningnan ko si Marco.

"Our date last week?" saad niya. Napairap ako nang maalala ko 'yun.

"My phone broke. I was not able to reached you." Explain ko sa kanya habang nakayuko. Narinig kong tumawa si Marco at medyo nainis ako.

"Bakit parang nainis ka?—oh sh*t!" Hindi na ako nakasagot sa tanong niya dahil napaso ito. Mabuti nga. Nalaman kong kagagaling lang niya sa Manila kaya hindi ko siya mahanap sa area.

Dumaan ang katahimikan sa aming dalawa ni Marco dahil naging busy siya sa pagluluto. I must say, ang gwapo pala talaga niya at nakadagdag pa sa appeal nito na marunong siya magluto.

••———————••

Ilang araw pa ang nagdaan ay paunti-unti na akong natututo sa restaurant. Nalaman kong kila Marco at Manang Sabel ang restaurant na ito.

Napakabait ni Manang Sabel, she's like a mother figure to me. I missed mom but this is not the right time for us to talk.

"Tulala ka na naman." Umupo sa tapat ko si Marco habang nilalapag niya ang breakfast namin.

Simula nang magkatrabaho ako ay dito na rin ako kumakain ng breakfast dahil libre at para mas makatipid. Marunong na ako magtipid. Tinuruan nila ako. Dati ang hilig ko bumili nang bumili kahit walang kwenta ay binibili ko.

"I miss my family," saad ko. Napatingin ako sa beach. Naglalabasan na ang mga guest. Tanaw mula rito sa restaurant ang cabbana. I'm still staying sa cabbana dahil nagbayad ako for six months.

"I'm here to listen." Doon ko pa tiningnan si Marco. Wala pa pala itong alam tungkol sa akin pero hindi ko pa kaya mag-kwento tungkol sa buhay ko.

"Let's eat," pag-aaya ko sa kanya. Naintindihan naman niya ang nais kong iparating.

"Do you have plans later?" tanong ni Marco.

"Wala naman—" naputol ang sasabihin ko nang may biglang lumapit sa'min na babae.

"Who the hell is this b*tch, Marco?!" Woah. Sino naman kaya ito. Nakita ko sa mukha ni Marco ang pagkairita sa pagdating ng babae.

"Lilibeth, I told you we're over! Pwede ba? She's one of our staff-slashed-guest here. Stop invading my personal life," mahabang litanya ni Marco. Ramdam ko ang pagtitimpi nito sa babae.

"I think I'm done with my breakfast here. Mauna na ako," saad ko at agad niligpit ang pinagkainan ko.

Sinubukan pa akong pigilan ni Marco pero napatingin ako sa babae. Ang sama ng tingin nito sa akin. As much as possible ayoko ng gulo.

"B*tch," rinig kong bulong ng babae bago ako tuluyang umalis sa harap nilang dalawa.