Chapter 8

They were walking on the sidewalk looking for a cab, it just stopped raining and cars are rare at this time of night. The street rested in silence under the cloudy black sky, trees on the roadside are dancing along with the cold breeze. This brings them peace.

“This is what peace looks like,” Apollo said

“Peace has different faces, it’s just a piece of it,” Mayari said then smiled

They stopped at the waiting shed and sat on a cold metal seat.

“You haven’t mentioned your brothers huh?” she said and lean back

“I don’t want to talk about them,” he said then shook his head

“Hmm, anyway, malapit ko nang matapos ‘yong film ko. You want to see it?” she offered to change the topic

“Yeah, sure, some other time,” a cab stopped in front of them, they stood up then walk towards it.

“Just give me a call, if you need anything, ha?” she said then tap Apollo’s head

“I’ll be fine, go home and get some rest, let’s start looking for that woman who wrote on that bottle tomorrow, that would be our first novel,” he poked Mayari’s forehead and opened the door for her

“Yeah, see you tomorrow,” she said and went inside the cab

“See you,” he responds and closed the door

Mayari was looking at him from the cab while he was waving at her. This night feels heavy for the both of them, they can feel that things are on their shoulders. Giving them so much weight that made it impossible for them to even walk properly.

 “Message me when you got home :)”

Mayari smiled after reading Apollo’s text message, she could imagine his face with his smiling face emoticon.

“Stop, Mayari,” she whispered and shook her thoughts off her head

“And all the roads we have to walk are winding~” the cab driver turned the radio on and the song that came from it put a smile on Mayari’s face

“And all the lights that lead us there are blinding~” the radio keep singing

“There are many things that I would like to say to you but I don't know how~” she imagined her Dad with his guitar, playing that same song over and over. She’s not quite familiar with its tune anymore… with his Dad's strum and the sound of his voice. She’s longing for those.

“Because maybe you're gonna be the one that saves me, and after all, you're my wonderwall~” even if she tried to reminisce his voice, she just can’t. She used to cover her ears on that song when she was young, now she knew she shouldn’t. The only thing she has in mind was the image of her Dad playing his guitar, but it’s muted like a silent film. There were images but she can’t hear the sound, not anymore.

“Ma’am andito na po tayo,” the cab driver wakes her up from her thoughts, they stopped in front of her apartment.

She went out of the cab and walked to the green, rusty gate. This has been her home since she was a kid and now it’s slipping right through her palms.

“Sa’n ka nanggaling?” bungad sa kanya ng isang babae pagkabukas niya ng pintuan.

“Tita?” takang salubong niya rito

“Nabalitaan kong pinuntahan ka na no’ng bagong may-ari nitong building kaya pinuntahan kita, baka kailangan mo ng tulong sa pagliligpit ng gamit,” malumanay nitong sabi at tinapik ang upuan sa tabi niya na animo’y inuutusan si Mayari na umupo.

“Kasama mo sila Michael?” tanong niya at pinunan ang bakanteng silya sa tabi nito.

“Oo, nakatulog na nga kahihintay sa’yo, nagluto ako ng hapunan kaso baka malamig na rin ‘yon iinit mo na lang, saan ka ba kasi galing?” muling tanong ng tiya.

“May inasikaso lang, bukas na tayo magligpit pagod na rin ako,” sagot niya rito at agad na tumayo papunta sa kwarto niya.

“You must have questions, it’s time to take it out of your chest,” napahinto siya sa tinuran ng tiyahin, tama ito, madami siyang tanong sa isip niya.

“Bakit? Bakit hindi man lang nila ‘ko binigyan ng heads up na magiging ganito kahirap? Na wala silang ititira sa’kin bukod sa responsibilidad?” tanong ni Mayari, bakas ang pagkalito at sama ng loob sa boses niya.

“Don’t get me wrong, tita. I love them... so much. Gusto ko lang malaman, bakit? Bakit iniwan nila ‘kong wala, bukod sa mga bigat na kailangan kong dalhin lahat nang mag-isa?” muling sambit niya.

“Palagi naman tayong hindi handa sa pag-alis at pamamaalam, ‘nak, hindi rin naman ginusto ng magulang mo na iwan ka sa ganito kagulong mundo, wala lang talaga silang choice,” tugon ng kaniyang tita

“Para namang may choice din ako,” sagot niya at diretsong pumasok sa loob ng kanyang kwarto.

Masyadong mapang-api ang mundo, mas nagiging mahirap ito dahil wala sa tabi niya ang mga magulang niya. Hindi niya rin alam kung pa’no lalaban.

Sa kabilang banda ay nakabalik na si Apollo sa pinagbuburulan ng kanyang lola, sinalubong siya ng nakatatandan kapatid at inakbayan.

“Got a new girl huh?” Aman said with a smirk

“She’s not my girlfriend,” sagot ni Apollo at hinawi ang kamay ng kuya

“Well, she better not be your girlfriend. There are promises out there that you cannot break,” makahulugan nitong saad at lumakad palayo kay Apollo.

Lumipas ang ilang araw ay tuluyan nang nilisan ni Mayari ang inuukupahang apartment at pansamantalang nakituloy sa bahay ng kaibigang si Chloe, patapos na rin ang klase kaya’t abala sila sa pag-aayos ng kanilang unang kontribusyon sa taunang pagdiriwang ng departamento nila. Sa kabilang banda’y pinipilit ni Apollo na gawing abala ang sarili sa pag e-edit ng manuscript ng kaniyang nobela, ilang araw na ring nakalipas simula nang mailibing ang kanyang lola at pilit niya pa ring iniiwasang maramdaman na wala na nga ito.

Bahagyang bumalik na sa dati ang lahat.

 “Dad, can you just give it a try? Just read the first five pages then if you don’t like it, fine, hindi kita pipilitin but just try, please?” sambit ni Apollo sa kausap niya sa kabilang linya, kapapasok lamang ni Mayari sa kanilang opisina, pagkababa ng mga gamit sa kaniyang lamesa ay marahan itong umupo sa tabi ni Apollo.

“Really? Okay, I’ll take it to your office after my shift,” maligayang tugon nito saka ibinaba ang telepono.

Nakangiti niyang hinarap si Mayari at bahagyang niyakap ito.

“I made it,” saad niya at hinawakan ang magkabilang balikat ng dalaga

“What? What just happened?” takang tanong ni Mayari

“I called my Dad and asked him if I could publish my novel if he’ll help me. Sabi niya iccheck niya raw ‘yong novel ko and then we’ll see,” masayang balita ni Apollo

“Sayang ano? If only my Abuela was here to see this,” sa isang iglap ay nagbago ang ekspresiyon sa mukha ng binata, bumagsak ang balikat nito at nagpakawala ng isang malalim na buntong hininga

“That’s a great start, Apollo, you’ll do great,” she held Apollo’s chin and wink before heading back to her table

“Hey, people! How’s the project I asked you to do?” Aaron, their team leader, walked in with a question like a bucket full of ice that wakes Mayari and the whole team up…

She looked at Apollo with her “Ow-shit-we-almost-forgot!” look and the latter responds with a “what-should-we-do?” face

“It’s okay, pinaalalahanan ko lang kayo. You must have started something now,” he said then sat on his table

 “So let’s start searching?” she asked while riding her swivel chair going to Apollo

“How? Ang laki ng pilipinas,” he asked

“Hm, social media? Blogs?” suhestiyon ni Mayari

“Well, let’s give it a try,” pagkibit balikat ni Apollo

Nilaan nila ang buong araw sa paghahanap sa babaeng nagngangalang “Diana”

“This will take us forever, ni wala tayong alam tungkol sa kanya bukod sa Diana ang pangalan niya at nag-cheat siya sa asawa niya by hopelessly loving her ex,” walang pag-asang sambit ni Apollo

“Let’s just wait, okay? ‘Wag kang nega diyan, just wait,” pagsaway ni Mayari sa kanya

“Alam mo, humanap na tayo ng back up plan in case this won’t work,” muling suhestiyon ni Apollo

“Let’s just give it a week, kapag wala then we’ll stop, okay? A week,” pangungumbinsi ni Mayari, tumango na lamang ang binata at tumayo mula sa kanyang upuan

“Oh sa’n ka pupunta?” Mayari asked and held his wrist

“Don’t tell me you’re gonna stay here for a week? Our shift’s done, I have to go to my Dad’s office pa,” sagot nito

Mayari looked around to see that they are the only person inside the office

“Ikaw? Do you have somewhere to go?” he asked

“Uuwi na kaila Chloe, ando’n din kasi ‘yong editing team ko baka may maitulong ako sa kanila,” Mayari grab her things on the table and walked with Apollo

“Samahan na kita, I’ll just drop this off sa office ni Dad. Just wait for me in the lobby,” he offered, Mayari just nodded and head to the elevator.

She puts her headphones on as the elevator door opens, Mayari looked at the man standing at the edge of the elevator, with his polo, aviator shades, and a buzz cut. She has an idea who it was.

“Are you going in or are you just gonna stand there while checking me out?” Aman said and made his annoying smirk

Bahagya na lamang na umiwas ng tingin si Mayari at diretsong pumasok sa elevator.

“So, dito ka rin pala nagttrabaho? Dito ba kayo nagkakilala ni Pol?” tanong nito at tumayo sa tabi niya, hindi naman umimik si Mayari.

“Did Pol said anything about me? We were good last time ha?” Aman asked and face her direction

Hindi niya rin alam subalit hindi siya komportable sa presensiya nito. Sakto namang bumukas ang elevator at agad siyang lumabas upang makaiwas sa kapatid ni Apollo.

“Do you need a ride?” Napatigil na lamang si Mayari nang malamang nakasunod pa rin ito sa kanya, huminto siya at hinarap ang binata.

“I was waiting for Apollo,” sagot niya rito

“Are you really into him?” nakangising tanong nito

“Magkaibigan lang kami ni Apollo, and kung higit pa man do’n ‘yon, I’m sorry but I guess it’s none of your business,” masungit niyang tugon at muling naglakad palayo

“Well, maniniwala ako sa’yo but if that time comes na hindi na lang kaibigan ang tingin mo kay Apollo, you better stop. He’s not who you think he was,” seryosong sambit nito at diretsong lumabas ng building.

Naiwan namang nag-iisip si Mayari, hindi niya maintindihan subalit may bahagi sa kanya na gustong maniwala at usisain ang sinabi ni Aman.

“Hey, let’s go?” Napalingon siya sa elevator kung saan naglalakad papunta sa kanya si Apollo.

“Mahal,” muli niyang narinig ang boses ng lalaki sa kanyang panaginip.

Hindi niya alam ang koneksiyon nito kay Apollo subalit parang tinuturo siya ng mga ito patungo sa kaibigan, dagdag pa sa isip niya ang sinabi ng kapatid ng huli.

“He’s not who you think he was,” bakit? Sino ba talaga si Apollo?