Just A Dream : Fall for You

Chapter 21

Tinatamad at inaantok pa nang abutin ni Justine, ang kaniyang cellphone na kanina pa tumutunog. Wala naman siyang klase ngayong araw kaya naman ayos lang kahit pa na tanghali na siya gumising. Ngunit ang plano niyang tahimik na pagtulog ay nabulabog ng nag iingay niyang cell phone.

“Hello?” She answered the phone lazily. Her voice was hoarse and husky.

“Hoy! Justine, don’t tell me kagigising mo lang?” A man over the phone greeted back. Wala man lamang ‘Good morning’ , o,  kaya ay ‘Hello’ mula rito.

“Ikaw lang pala yan kalye.” Tinatamad at mapang-asar na sambit ni Justine. 

“What did you say?” Masungit na sambit naman ng nasa kabilang linya.

“Joke lang.” Natatawang sambit ni Justine. 

Justine could already imagine his eyebrows forming one line. “Ito naman hindi na  mabiro. Bakit ka ba tumawag ng ganito kaaga, ha? Mr. Kyle Rhodes?” Taong niya sa kausap habang sinadya niyang dininan ang pagbigkas sa buong pangalan ng binata.

The man on the other line was Kyle, he was her classmate, and she used to call him Kalye based on the full name that irritates him the most. He was twenty-one years old, but they never called her “Ate” even though she was the most senior in their department and class. They never did because they say that Justine didn’t look like twenty-five at all, which she doesn’t mind. Dahil ang mahalaga ay may kaibigan siya at mas halaga sa kaniya ang mag-aral.

“Oo na.” Kyle said after she heard him take a deep breath. “Ano sasama ka ba sa amin ni Carla? Ngayon na kami magpapa-register para sa next semester” He informed her.

“Oo nga pala!” Justine exclaimed. “Puwede ng mag-enroll. Sige, sasama ako tutal natapos ko naman ng ayusin ang mga requirements ko. Hintayin niyo na lang ako sa lobby ng school.” Nagmamadaling sabi ni Justine, habang nagmamadali siyang bumaba sa kaniyang kama para mag-ayos na ng sarili.

“Okay, bye.”  Kyle said from the other line before he hung up. 

While Justine started getting ready, she suddenly remembered their school yearbook. That’s why she hurriedly got it from her cabinet and started looking for Aaron. And there he was, Aaron was in the same class as her. It proved that Aaron was not lying to her. There is no doubt that it was him. Dahil may pangalan ng bawat estudyante sa bawat ibabang bahagi ng litrato ng mga ito. Aaron looks so young in there, wala masyadong pinagbago ang mukha nito maliban na lang sa mas nag-mature ito at lumaki ang katawan nito na maskulado na ngayon.

“Ano ba naman ‘yang iniisip mo, Justine! Enough with the compliments. Oo na, gwapo na.”A part of her mind scolded her. Kaya naman napailing na lamang siya.

Though, it was too bad that she can’t even remember any single memories of him.

“Justine! Halika ka na ready na ang agahan, bumaba ka na rito.” Her mom shouted from their dining area.

“Opo!” Tugon niya bago isara ang yearbook na hawak.

“Mama, may kilala ba kayong Aaron Collins?” Justine asked as soon as she entered their dining area.

“Aaron?” kunot-noong usal ng kaniyang ina, na tila ba inaalala kung sino ang binanggit niya. “Oo, bakit mo naitanong?” Nagtatakang tanong ng kaniyang ina.

“Wala lang po.” She shrugged off. Dahil baka kung ano pa ang itanong sa kaniya nito, lalo pa at pangalan ng lalaki ang kaniyang binanggit.

They are always telling her to go and try meeting new people, and try dating. Sa edad daw kasi niya ay normal at dapat lang na may nobyo na siya. Pero hindi dahil sa ayaw niya, o, dahil takot na siyang magmahal kaya hindi niya sinusubukan ang makipag-date at bigyang pansin ang mga kalalakihang nagpapahiwatig ng kanilang pag tingin sa kaniya. May ibang priority lamang talaga siya na mas gusto niyang bigyang pansin. At iyon ay ang maka-graduate at magtrabaho. And maybe after that, she could try going out and meeting other guys to let her heart love again.

“Aaron?” Simone suddenly murmured when she entered their dining area. “Si Kuya Aaron, po ba ang tinutukoy n’yo, Mama?” Baling nito sa kanyang ina na abala sa pagtitimpla ng kape.

“Kilala mo ba siya, Simone” Nagtatakang tanong ni Justine sa kapatid.

“Oo naman, Ate!” Masigla at malawak ang ngiti sa labi nitong sagot. “Hindi mo ba natatandaan si Kuya Aaron? None other than Kuya Aaron, the guy you’re always with when you’re in junior high school. Lahat nga ng estudyante sa school natin dati ay napagkakamalan kayong mag boyfriend-girlfriend, kaso isang araw bigla na lang silang lumipat ng bahay. And from there on, nawalan na kayo ng communication sa isa’t isa.” Imporma nito sa kaniya na para bang may isang malaking question mark na tumubo sa kaniyang noo. “Hindi mo po ba talaga siya naaalala?”

Now, Simone has said that, and as she tried to force her brain to remember everything, fragments of blurred pictures popped back into her mind like an old film, as it sent volts and volts of pain in her head.

Lihim siyang napahawak sa gilid ng lamesa habang pilit na nilalabanan ang sakit ng kaniyang ulo kasabay ng ilang malabong alaalang nanunumbalik sa kanya. But no matter how many fragments of blurred images popped up in her mind, she still can’t remember him at all. Ang alaalang malinaw lamang sa kaniya ay ang sabay nilang pag-uwi kasama si Keith, tuwing matatapos ang kanilang klase. And based on those tiny fragments of memories, she can conclude and see that they are close friends. She, Aaron, and Keith.

“Medyo.” Mahina niyang sambit habang pilit na pinapanatiling normal ang ekspresyon ng kaniyang mukha.

Dahan-dahan siyang naupo dahil hindi pa rin humuhupa ang sakit ng kaniyang ulo dahil sa mumunting alaalang nagbabalik. Hihintayin na lamang niyang humupa ito ng bahagya bago siya umalis ng bahay.

“Bakit mo nga pala naitanong ang tungkol kay Kuya Aaron?” Curious na tanong ni Simone, habang nagsasalin ng sinangag sa kaniyang plato.

“Ah. . . Kasi. . . Ano. . . W-wala lang. Naalala ko lang bigla ang pangalan niya.” Pagsisinungaling niya sa nakababatang kapatid.

Hindi naman na umumik pa si Simone, sa halip ay nag umpisa na lamang itong kumain kaya naman maging si Justine, ay nag umpisa na rin na kumain. Hindi ni Justine, mapigilang mas mag usisa pa tungkol kay Aaron, dahil tila may munting boses ang nagsasabi sa kanya na subukan niyang kilalanin ang binata.

“Mga anak, puwede bang agahan niyo ang pag-uwi n’yo mamaya? Lalo ka na Justine, okay lang ba kung umabsent ka muna sa part time mo?” Their mom asked in the middle of their meal.

“Okay lang naman po, pero bakit po? May okasyon ba?”

“Wala naman, gusto lang kasi na mag celebrate tayo mamaya. Kaya naman gusto ko na kumpleto tayo mamayang hapunan.”

“Celebrate?” Sabay na tanong ni Justine at Simone.

“Si Arlene, buntis siya. Five weeks na.” 

Halos lumuwa naman ang mata nilang magkapatid dahil sa anunsyo ng kanilang ina natutuwa sa balitang binanggit.

“Totoo po ba ‘yan?” Simone asked while her lips kept curling upwards. She can’t believe the news that they just heard. Her eyes were almost glittering in excitement.

“Oo” Malawak ang ngiting sagot ng kanilang ina.

Keith and Arlene got married two years ago after seven years of being in a relationship. A year after Justine woke up, they finally got married. The couple decided to get married when Justine got discharged from the hospital and fully recovered to complete their family on their special day. Now, after two years of marriage, their family is about to welcome another member—the future source of their happiness. That’s why Justine can’t measure how happy she was for her friend and twin brother.

“Ako kaya kailan? Mukhang matagal-tagal pa bago ako magkaroon ng sariling pamilya katulad ni Keith. Boyfriend nga wala ako, mapapangasawa pa kaya? At saka kailangan ko munang makapagtapos ng pag-aaral, dahil sa aming magkakapatid ako na lang ang hindi pa nakaka graduate. And I don’t want to be left behind. Most of all, I don’t want to disappoint my parents.” Bulong ng isang bahagi ng isipan ni Justine, habang kumakain at inaalala ang panahon na nagsisimula pa lamang ang relasyon ng kaniyang kakambal at ni Arlene.

After registering for early enrollment together with Kyle and Carla, she immediately went to her part-time job to ask for permission. And they did allow her to go home early, once she finished the work she left yesterday. That’s why she did it all and finished it all as fast as she could be. Para makauwi na at maka tulong sa paghahandang gagawin nila para kay Arlene.

“Ada, mauna na akong umuwi. Natapos ko na naman lahat ng ipinapagawa sa akin.” Paalam niya kay Ada, habang isinusukbit sa balikat ang kanyang bag.

Hindi na siya tinapunan pa ng tingin ni Ada, sa halip ay itinaas na lamang nito ang isang kamay. She formed an ‘okay’ sign with her fingers. 

“Okay, you may go.”

Lumabas na siya ng opisina, habang ang iba ay abala pa sa kani-kanilang trabaho. Laking pasasalamat na lamang niya at wala si Aaron, aka Mr. Sungit, sa kanilang opisina dahil nasa isang business meeting ito. Kaya naman magandang-maganda talaga kaniyang araw, lalo pa at excited siyang makita ang kaniyang kakambal at si Arlene. 

She can’t wait to see her upcoming niece. But that’s what she had thought. Dahil ang taong pinaka ayaw niyang makita sa araw na ‘yon ay nasa labas ngayon ay papasok na sa lobby ng building ng kanilang opisina.

“Good afternoon, Sir.” She greeted him as she walked past him.

“Talaga bang hindi mo na ako naaalala?” Mahinang tanong ni Aaron, ngunit sapat lamang para marinig niya at mapatigil sa kaniyang paghakbang.

“Ha?” Kunot-noong reaksyon ni Justine, nang lingunin niya ang  binata.

“Or, should I let you know me once more?” Aaron said with a playful smile on his face. The kind of smile that was telling her to back off, and stay away from him if she wanted to have a calm, and quiet life. That smile of his that makes her heartbeat at an unexplainable pace.

“No need!” She immediately contradicts. Her tone was almost a hissed because of the sudden change of pace of her heartbeat. “Because I’m not interested in knowing you once again, or remember what we used to be before. After all, ikaw itong bigla na lang lumipat ng bahay nang hindi man lang nagpapaalam.” Huli na nang napagtanto ni Justine, ang mga salitang lumabas sa kaniyang sariling bibig.

“Ano ba naman, Justine? Walang preno ang bibig mo.”  Sita niya sa sarili.

“Hindi nagpaalam? Ako?” Aaron scowled in disbelief as he pointed his finger at himself. “Excuse me Aisha, or, should I say Justine.” He said sarcastically as he mentioned Justine’s name, calling her Aisha, wherein only her twin called her by that name. “I tried to tell you, but, what? You’re ignoring me that time. That’s why I don’t have any chance to tell you.” He beamed at her. At sa tono ng pananalita nito ay tila ba may hinanakit ito sa dalaga.

“Ako?” Naguguluhang tanong ni Justine, habang pilit na hinahalukay sa isipan at alaala ang mga sinabi nito.

“Yes you are. May iba pa bang Justine Aisha Green, dito?” Aaron said mockingly, raising one of his eyebrows. “And now that the questions are answered, and solved it seems that I can get you back now.” He added, grinning at her as he took a step forward towards Justine.

“What are you talking about?” Matapang na tanong ni Justine. She tried her best to hide the tension building up inside her body as he took another step forward towards her.

“What I’m saying is that, I can finally make my moves onto you, and then--” He took another step while Justine took a step backward. “I’m going to make you say that you like me too once more. Just wait for it.” He said, smirking at her before he turned around and walked back towards the elevator.

Hindi naman makapaniwalang napaawang ang bibig ni Justine, dahil sa sinabi ng binata. Nararamdaman niya ang pag-akyat ng dugo sa kaniyang mukha at ang pag-init ng kaniyang mga pisngi at tenga. Ang kanina lamang na hindi maipaliwanag na kaba ay napalitan ng inis.

“Like you too? You wish!” Nakataas ang kilay at naiinis na singhal niya sa papalayong binata. “No way!” Puno ng inis niya pang singhal habang ang mga kamay ay mariing nakayukom. “Even if the world turn into ashes, I will never say those words to you!”

Tuluyan ng nawaglit sa isipan ni Justine, na nasa building pa rin siya ng publishing house at maaaring may ibang empleyado ang makarinig at makakita sa bangayan nila ng binata. 

“Don’t be so confident, and sure about it.” Aaron said mischievously as he winked at her. He tilted his head towards her direction before stepping inside the elevator.

“Ewan ko sa ‘yo! Bipolar!” Sigaw niya bago pa tuluyang magsara ang elevator at padabog na lumakad palabas ng building. Halos mag-apoy sa inis si Justine, sa hindi malamang dahilan.

 “That man! What a nerve he has. Ano ba ang mga pinagsasabi niya? Una gusto niyang maging magkaibigan kami tapos heto siya ngayon kung ano-ano na ang sinasabi. Daig niya pa ang sampung taong gulang na bata kapag nakakasalubong ko siya sa labas ng opisina. Habang sa loob naman ng opisina ay akala mo kung sinong kagalang-galang at may pagsusungit pang nalalaman.” Nakakunot ang noo at naiinis na bulong ni Justine, habang mabigat ang bawat hakbang ng kaniyang paa palabas.

Minabuti na lamang Justine, na pumunta muna sa pinakamalapit na mall upang magpalamig ng ulo at para mamili ng ilan pang kakailangin nila sa selebrasyong gagawin.

“I like you? No way!” 

For Justine, she will never repeat those words, not until she graduates and finds a stable job. Not until she became successful in her career. How ironic it is for her. She was already in her mid-twenties, but she acted like a teen in her high school years. And here she is reserving those three words for the man she will love and hopefully the man she will spend a lifetime with.