Isang Gabing Pagkahumaling

When Ali found out about the incident that happened at the bar, she immediately went to me, nonstop as always, half worried and half teasing, clearly trying to confirm if I was really okay.“Girl, seriously? Bakit ngayon mo lang sinabi?” she kept asking, her voice full of disbelief habang sunod siya nang sunod sa akin na parang hindi ako pwedeng makaiwas sa mga tanong niya.I could only sigh, shaking my head a little as I continued what I was doing. “I’m fine, Ali. It already happened.”A week had already passed since that night. And thankfully, nothing like it happened again.Thank God, the man who harassed me never came back to the bar. “Sabi ng mga coworkers ko ay ipina-banned na raw yon sa bar.” I said. The management didn’t take it lighty, mabuti naman. And somehow, hearing that gave me a small sense of relief.“Good. Dapat lang sa kanya,” Ali said firmly, crossing her arms like she personally made the decision herself.“But still, sana sinabi mo agad ng mas maaga sa akin. I woul

“Girl? What the fuck did you just did? Talagang sa exit ng bar niyo pa naisipan?” Gulat na sambit ni Ali her eyes wide in pure shock matapos marinig ang kwento ko.She literally stopped in her tracks, turning to face me fully like she was trying to process every single word I just said. Her expression was a mix of disbelief, confusion, and concern all at once, parang hindi niya alam kung maiinis ba siya o mag-aalala, o matatawa.Napabuntong hininga nalang ako, leaning slightly against the counter habang iniiwas ko yung tingin ko sa kanya for a second.“It’s not what you think,” I said quickly, raising my hand a little like that could somehow soften whatever picture she already built in her head. “It happened so fast. I was just trying to breathe and rest, and then—”“And then what? He just blocked you in the exit? Asking you if you want to try it?” She cut in, her voice getting louder, halatang hindi pa rin convinced at invested lalo.Nag alangan tuloy ako magsalita dahil sa reaction

“Scylla, ikaw na nga ang magdala nito sa room 1167.” Our manager said, already pushing the service trolley toward me, hindi man lang huminto para hintayin kung may sasabihin ako.Napatingin lang ako sa trolley sa harap ko. “Focus,” I whispered under my breath.For a moment, parang nag-pause yung paligid ko. My eyes slowly traced everything on it. Maayos ang pagkaka-lagay ng mga pagkain, bawat plato ay parang pinag-isipan kung saan ilalagay. The bottles of liquor looked expensive, tipong hindi mo basta-basta hinahawakan. Even the glasses were polished to perfection, catching the soft light above. When the trolley settled, may mahinang tunog ng salamin na nagbanggaan, and somehow, it echoed louder than it should. Pag-angat ko ng tingin ko, wala na yung manager ko. “At iniwan na nga ako.” She was already walking away, calling out instructions to someone else, moving fast like everything needed to be done agad agad. Walang lingon lingon. Walang tanong tanong kung kaya ko ba o hindi.

“Palagi ka na lang tulala at wala sa sarili. Ano bang nangyari?” tanong ni Ali, her voice cutting through my thoughts dahilan para mapabalik ako sa aking huwisyo. I blinked, parang doon lang ako tuluyang bumalik sa reyalidad. Unti-unting bumalik sa pandinig ko yung ingay sa paligid namin, the music pulsing through the speakers, the chatter of customers, the clinking of glasses—yung pamilyar na gulo ng bar na dati kong kinagigiliwan. Pero kahit bumalik na lahat ng ‘yon… sa loob ko, parang ang layo pa rin ng lahat. Parang may parte ng sarili ko na naiwan kung saan. Huminga ako nang mahina, pilit hinahanap yung sarili ko sa sandaling ‘yon bago ko siya tuluyang tiningnan. “What are you doing here?” Gulat na tanong ko kay Ali. Ngayon ko lang siya nakitang nagpunta sa bar na pinagtatrabahuhan ko. “Huwag mong ibahin ang usapan. Anong nangyayari sayo?” Taas kilay niyang tanong at tila walang planong tumigil hanggat hindi niya nalalaman ang sagot ko. “Wala…” panimula ko, pero kahit ak

“Oh, by the way, Scylla,” Manager started, her tone unusually casual as she approached our table. Breaktime namin ngayon. Dapat relaxed lang, tahimnik, pahinga kahit sandali mula sa pagod, ingay at stress sa loob ng bar. Pero imbes na makaramdam ako ng gaan ay kaba nanaman ang nararamdaman ko. This is not her casual tone, kaya pakiramdam ko ay may masama o mali nanaman akong nagawa. “What?” sagot ko, bahagyang nakanguso habang nakasandal sa upuan, hawak pa rin yung kinakain ko. Pilit kong pinapakita na wala akong pakialam, pero sa totoo lang, ubos na ubos na yung energy ko makipagkulitan. Manager crossed her arms lightly, looking at me in a way that made me feel like may sasabihin siyang hindi ko magugustuhan. “Bayad na yung shift mo last time na tinakasan mo,” she said, straightforward. Bahagya akong napakurap-kurap. For a second, I thought I misheard her. “Huh?” sabay na reaksyon namin ni Giselle, parehong napatingin sa kanya. “Paid na, as in bayad na.” Pag-uulit