CHAPTER 2

Aya’s POV

Five Years Ago

We went out of the conference room while my workmates were either looking at me or talking about me. But I couldn't blame them. Kung ako rin naman sila, magtataka rin ako kung bakit ako tatanungin ng ganon ng boss namin, lalo’t higit hindi naman siya familiar sa amin.

“Anong sinasabi ni Mr. Vale na kung nagkita na raw kayo dati, Aya?” Curious na tanong ni Dani. Hinila ko siya papalayo sa mga katrabaho namin at pumunta sa may hagdan sa fire exit. I hurriedly checked whether the hallway was clear or not. Mahirap na, ayoko magkaroon ng issue sa bago kong trabaho.

“Dani, I need to tell you something.” Kinakabahang saad ko rito. 

“Kinakabahan naman ako sayo eh!”

“Ex ko sya!” Mabilisang pag-amin ko. “Ay mali, boyfriend ko siya bago siya mawala.” Nagmamadaling sabi ko.

“Girl, nilalagnat ka ba? Anong kadeluluhan ba yang sinasabi mo?” Napabuntong hininga ako. I know she won’t understand easily so I decided to get my phone from my pocket and open a hidden folder sa gallery ng phone ko. 

“Here. Look at these.” Binigay ko sa kanya ang phone ko. Muntik na syang mapamura sa sobrang pagkabigla. Tila ba shocked at hindi makapaniwala sa mga nasaksihan.

“We were together for three years before he asked my hand for marriage.” Her jaw dropped with the information I just spilled. 

“But on a random day, he disappeared. I never saw him after that. I searched everywhere but nothing. I was so helpless for years. All I could do was cry myself to sleep and wake up the next day feeling hopeless.” Tila ba bumabalik sa alaala ko ang mga nangyari. Tears started falling. Ang bigat bigat pa rin. 

Dani was speechless. I could not blame her. She hugged me tight as if she was trying to calm me down.

“Grabe…” mahina niyang sabi. “Aya, hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko.” Napangiti na lang ako sa kanya ng malungkot. Because honestly, I am not sure kung ano ba talaga ang gusto kong marinig. Maybe comfort. Maybe answers. Or maybe reassurance lang na hindi ako nababaliw.

“I really thought I had already moved on.” Pag-amin ko. “I thought I was okay. Five years na, Dani. Limang taon ko siyang hinanap.”

She slowly pulled away and held me on both my shoulders.

“Wait,” ani nya, trying to process everything. “So sinasabi mo, si Mr. Vale, ang bagong CEO natin ang lalaking nang iwan sayo?”

“Hindi niya ako iniwan,” mahina kong sagot.

“Nawala sya.”

“Aya, parehas lang yon!”

Hindi ako makasagot. I couldn’t even look her in the eye. Because honestly, hindi ko na rin alam anong totoo. Iniwan niya ba talaga ako or may nangyari sa kanya?

“Pero Aya,” Dani continued, lowering her voice. “Kung boyfriend mo siya dati, bakit parang hindi ka niya kilala?

Ayun rin ang paulit-ulit kong tanong sa isipan ko. 

“Hindi ko rin alam,” sagot ko. “Pero kitang-kita ko sa mukha nya. Hindi nya talaga ako naaalala.” Tumahimik kami parehas.

Napaupo siya sa hagdan habang nakatitig sa akin. “Grabe naman pala ang napagdaanan mo, Aya.”

Napangiti ako ng mapait. “It was tougher before I met Adrian.”

The memories flashed before my eyes.

The memories.

The happiness.

The pain.

Eight years ago, my life was different. Far worse before meeting Adrian. I was still living in my father’s house. After my mom died, my dad remarried. At first, akala ko hindi man magiging kasing saya nung una pero magiging okay naman kami ni dad. But it was far from that.

My stepmom never liked me. She never admitted she despised me but her actions said otherwise.

“Aya, ikaw na ang maglinis sa kusina.”

“Aya, nakapaglaba ka na ba?”

“Aya, prepare me food.”

She made sure my dad never see pero halos lahat ng gawaing bahay ako ang gumagawa habang siya ay nagshoshopping or nag-eenjoy. He loved her too much and it blinded him. I don’t like fighting with my dad so I kept quiet. 

Until one night, it was too much to bear.

Dahan dahan akong pumasok sa bahay. Inabot ako ng gabi sa paggawa ng project sa bahay ng kaklase ko. Wala naman akong choice kasi malapit na ang deadline. Habang isinasara ang main door, nakita ako ng stepmom ko.

“Aya!” Sigaw nya habang pababa ng hagdan. “Anong oras na? Bakit ngayon ka lang?” Napahawak ako sa bag ko habang tila nagkukumawala ang puso ko. 

“I had to finish my group project. Dad knows.” Napakagat ako sa aking labi. Alam ko na ang mangyayari. Napahawak na lamang ako sa bag ko.

“Umalis ka na dito kung ayaw mong sumunod sa utos ko!” Pagalit niyang pagbabanta.

“Excuse me?” Hindi makapaniwala sa sinabi niya. Bahay namin ito. My parents put all their money into providing me this house. I looked at my dad. But the person I thought was my ally was just staring at me. 

Dad said nothing.

 Not a single word.

Parang may kung anong nabasag sa dibdib ko. He doesn’t care. 

Dali-dali kong kinuha ang gamit ko at lumabas ng bahay. Hindi ko alam saan ako pupunta. I just kept walking. I was hurt and at that moment, all I wanted was to stay away. Until it started to rain. Hindi ko na napigilan ang mga nagbabadyang luha. I never felt so alone in my life.

I decided to stop in a shed hanggang sa tumila lang ang ulan. I know I lost my mom and I can’t depend on my dad after he remarried but today was the day I felt most alone. 

Until a car suddenly stopped in front of me.

“Aya?” Napalingon ako.

Adrian.

Back then, we were just classmates. Kilala ko lang siya pero hindi ko siya gaano kaclose.

“Why are you here, soaking wet? Tanong nya. Hindi ako makasagot kaagad, marahil dahil sa lamig na nararamdaman ko or dahil sa sobrang pagod sa mga nangyari. 

“Aya, what happened?” Ani nya habang nagdadrive palayo.

“Nothing.” he stared at me for a few seconds.

“Really, nothing? You know it’s not safe here during this hour.” He looked worried. Wala na ako nagawa dahil kinuha niya na sa akin ang maleta ko. Tahimik lang kami habang nagmamaneho siya.

After a few moments, he spoke. “Did you run away?” Tanong nya , tila ba may pag iingat sa bawat salitang binibitawan. Napatingin naman ako sa kanya.

“Something like that.” Sagot ko.

“You should have called someone…anyone.” 

“I don’t have anyone.” Nakatungo kong sambit, nahahabag rin sa kalagayan ng sarili. Hindi ko rin alam  kung saan ba nagsimulang magbago ang lahat, kung paano humantong dito ang pamilya namin. 

Then he pulled over in front of a small cafe that was still open at this hour.

“Tara.”

“Bakit?”

“Mainit na kape, parang kailangan mo eh.” Sagot niya. 

That night, we talked for hours. About my family. About my life. About his upbringing…that was too far from mine. 

Who would have thought it would be the beginning of something…more?