Chasing Love

Three: The Waiting Game

“Teacher Sab!”

Nagtaas si Sab ng tingin at saka lang niya napansin si Sunshine, nakapasok na pala ito ng classroom niya, ‘di man lang niya napansin. She was so engrossed in deep thoughts that she didn’t notice that Sunshine was already in front of her.

“H-ha?” nagulantang niyang wika.

“Are you okay?” nag-aalangang tanong nito.

“Y-yes, of course,” aniya bago dali-daling tumayo mula sa kanyang chair at saka tumayo sa harapan ng klase niya. Nagkakagulo na pala ang buong klase, ‘di man lang niya napansin. Wala nga yata siya sa sarili.

“Kids, are you done?” aniya sa mga bata. May pinapagawa kasi siyang activity sa mga ito.

Magkahalong ‘yes’ at ‘no’ ang nakuha niyang sagot sa mga ito. She went on assisting some of them. She sat beside the kids to assist them on their activity. Nagpalipat-lipat siya para masigurong lahat ay naiintindihan ang gagawin. Natapos na siya’t lahat, naroon pa rin si Sunshine at tila inoobserbahan siya. She stood up and approached her. 

“What?” aniya rito. “Why are you looking at me that way?” wika niya rito nang makalapit.

“Are you sure you’re okay? It seems like something is bothering you. Last week pa actually kita napapansing tila wala sa sarili. Noong foundation day ng LLC. May problema ba?” anito.

“Oh, n-no, no,” mabilis siyang umiling. “Thanks for your concern, Teacher Shine, but I’m fine, really. Medyo pagod lang,” she lied.

Sunshine looked at her like she didn’t believe what she just said.

“I’m fine. Really. Just tired but fine,” aniya rito.

“Mag-boyfriend ka na kasi nang mabawas-bawasan naman ‘yang mga stress mo sa katawan,” pabiro nitong wika.

Mahina siyang natawa. “Jusko, baka mas lalo lang akong ma-stress niyan. What do you want by the way? Bakit ka nagpunta rito?”

“Ah, yes, muntik ko na tuloy makalimutan. Hihingi lang sana ako ng colored chalk, naubusan ako,” sagot nito.

“Oh, yeah, sure. Nasa box,” she pointed to a certain box. “Help yourself, please.”

“Oh, thanks.” Naglakad ito papunta sa itinuro niyang box at saka kumuha ng chalk mula roon.

Pero bago ito tuluyang lumabas ng silid-aralan niya’y muli itong lumingon sa kanya sabay sabing, “Ano? Ihanap na ba kita? Isang ad lang ‘yan sa Sulit. Hanap. Usap. Deal.”

“LL!” natatawa niyang wika rito. 

That was their code for ‘luko-luko’ or ‘loka-loka’ since they couldn’t really say bad words in front of the children. Thus, they came up with ‘secret codes’ for not-so-proper words. That was, of course, Sunshine’s idea.

Malakas itong natawa bago tuluyang umalis.

Iiling-iling na lamang siya noong makaalis na ito. Sunshine had always this special talent for making people smile even at their lowest point. Yes, she was feeling down at the moment. She was so bothered the past week. Nakakahiya mang aminin, it was all because of Chase.

Why, he hadn’t called. Not even a single text. Mahigit isang linggo na ang nakalipas pero ni-ha ni-ho ay wala siyang nakuha mula rito. And it was killing her. Waiting for any word from him was killing her like crazy.

Bakit hindi siya nito kinokontak? Mali kaya ang na-save niyang number sa CP nito? She was so nervous and excited at that time that she might have keyed in the wrong cell phone number on his phone.

O ‘di naman kaya’y baka nawala ang cell phone nito. Baka na-snatch?

Madami pa siyang naiisip na dahilan kung bakit hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin siya kinokontak ni Chase. And it was driving her crazy. Thinking of all those possibilities was driving her insane.

‘Wag naman sana, lihim niyang dasal. Kapag nagkataon ay baka imposible nang magkausap pa sila nito. 

God, she had been waiting for this moment for the past three years! Tatlong taon din niyang walang sawang ipinagdasal na sana’y bumalik si Chase sa buhay niya. Kahit medyo malabo ay hindi siya nawalan ng pag-asa. She patiently waited for his return. The chance was thin but she never lost hope. 

Sa lahat ng lugar na mapuntahan niya at sa bawat taong nakakasalubong niya sa araw-araw, ang mukha ni Chase ang laging hinahanap niya.

She was so certain that one fateful day, she would see him again. And that she would be able to say sorry to him. And that they would be able to patch things up. And eventually, their story will have its own happily-ever-after.

Was it too much to ask?

Kaya hindi puwedeng mawala ni Chase ang number niya. Hindi puwedeng hindi siya nito makontak. It was a chance of a lifetime. Baka hindi na iyon muling maulit pa.

But to her dismay, he was not calling her. Natatakot siyang baka nga totoo ang hinala niya, na nawala nga ang CP nito. Or worse, baka nga talagang mali ang na-input niyang numero sa CP nito.

Or maybe he didn’t really mean to contact you. Maybe he only asked for your number just for the heck of it, but he didn’t really have any intention of contacting you, anang kontrabidang bahagi ng kanyang utak. 

Imposible! Bakit naman gagawin ni Chase ‘yon?

No, no, stay positive, Isabella, aniya sa sarili. Hindi gagawin ni Chase ‘yon. He’s happy to see you again. You saw it in his eyes, didn’t you? Masaya siya’t nagkita kayong muli. Busy lang si Chase. But he’ll call you. Maniwala ka, he’ll call you.

Muli ay pasimple niyang sinilip ang cell phone sa kanyang bag, na madalas niyang gawin sa loob ng isang araw. Wala pa rin. Napabuntong-hininga siya. Ganoon pa man ay hindi pa rin siya nawawalan ng pag-asa. Malakas ang pakiramdam niyang tatawag at tatawag si Chase.

“Uuwi ka na, Teacher Sab?” ani Sunshine noong kinahapunan at papalabas na siya ng gate ng paaralan.

“Oo, pauwi na. Ikaw? Susunduin ka ba ni Lee?” she was referring to her boyfriend.

“You mean Jazz?” Sunshine corrected her.

“Ah, oo. Sorry,” aniya nang ma-realize na mali ang na-mention niyang pangalan. Lee was Sunshine’s ex. She silently reprimanded herself for being so tactless. “Sorry. Memory gap,” she apologized.

“No, it’s okay. It’s my fault, papalit-palit kasi ako ng boyfriend. Ayan tuloy , ‘di mo ma-memorize.” And Sunshine laughed out loud. Mukhang hindi naman ito na-offend, thankfully.

“I don’t mean it to sound that way, sorry,” aniya rito.

“Okay lang, jusko. No harm done. Kebs lang. Sabay na tayo, ha? May OT si Jazz , eh. Hindi niya ako masusundo today,” anito.

“Magko-commute lang ako. Na-confine na naman si Tam-Tam,” aniya na ang tinutukoy ay ang kotse niyang labas-pasok sa talyer.

“Then, we’ll just have to share a cab. Para tipid,” suggestion nito.

“Uhm, ano kasi, may dadaanan pa ako,” sagot niya.

Sunshine glared at her. “Ohmigod, don’t tell me, may date ka? Sino? Bagong manliligaw?” exaggerated nitong wika.

“Wala. ‘Wag ka nang umasa,” sagot niya rito.

Umismid ito. Sunshine looked disappointed. “Ay, sayang. Akala ko pa naman magkakakulay na ‘yang love life mo. Promise, cher, ihahanap talaga kita ng boyfriend. Cross my heart. Ano bang qualifications ang hinahanap mo, ha?”

“You’re crazy,” natatawa niyang wika. “Don’t worry, I’m alright. I’m not that desperate to get into a relationship, in case hindi mo pa alam. Spare yourself from all the troubles.”

“’Di. Totoo. I’m serious. Sa loob ng dalawang taon nating pagkakakilala, hindi pa kita nakitang nagka-boyfriend ni isa. Kaya ka siguro tila laging malungkot. Kulang sa excitement ‘yang life mo, eh. Kumbaga sa ulam, kulang sa sangkap. Kaya akong bahala sa ’yo! Lalagyan natin ng kulang ‘yang malamya at non-existent mong love life.”

She was about to say something to contradict her when she spotted someone familiar in her peripheral vision. Agad siyang bumaling sa direksiyong iyon. Ngunit kung gaano kabilis niya iyon nakita, ganoon rin iyon kabilis nawala. She looked closer but he was gone.

Was it Chase? Si Chase ba ‘yong nakita niya o nag-i-imagine lang siya?

Namamalikmata ka lang, Isabella. That wasn’t Chase. Kung si Chase man ‘yon, malamang, eh, kanina ka pa niya nilapitan. 

Gosh, nababaliw na nga yata siya.

“Are you okay? Para kang nakakita ng multo, ah,” agaw ni Sunshine sa atensiyon niya.

“W-wala. I just thought I saw someone I know. S-sige, Teacher Shine, mauna na ako, ha? See you tomorrow.” Pinara niya ang dumaang taxi. Sakto namang wala iyong sakay.

“Okay,” ani Sunshine. “Ingat!”

Sumakay na siya sa taxi at saka pabagsak na isinara ang pinto nito.

"Dalhin niyo po ako sa pinakamalapit na flower shop, Manong,” aniya sa driver.

Oo, bibili siyang bulaklak. She’ll give it to her mom. It was her third death anniversary today.

Three years ago, she lost her mom. Ang mas masakit pa, hindi lang ang Mommy niya ang nawala sa kanya nang araw na iyon. She lost Chase that day, too.

And tears began streaming down her eyes as memories of her painful past began to unfold. It was as if a virtual television appeared right before her eyes, showing her exactly what happened on the day she lost the two most important persons in her life.