At Least We Met Mga Nobela at Kwento

Kahit hindi kami magkakasundo minsan — we always ended up at each others back. "DUDES! The 'O FREAKING GIRLS' are here." ---

“You, uh, probably don't remember anymore but, we've already met when we were younger. At the ballroom party.” It does ring a bell for me. Nginitian ko naman siya. “I think I remember,” I said in a soft voice, trying to sound friendly towards him. Nagpatuloy kami sa pag-uusap hanggang sa marating namin ang lamesa kung saan nakahanda na ang mga pagkain. Maayos naman ang aming pag-uusap ngunit may iba akong nararamdaman na hindi ko gaanong maipaliwanag.

Nanuot agad sa ilong ko ang kaniyang pamilyar na amoy. Our eyes met and content was written on it. Content that we were together despite our guilty situation. "What's on your mind?" he asked. Humaplos ang palad niya sa mukha ko, napapikit ako. Dinama ko iyon na para bang ito na ang huling araw na magkasama kami. We've been together for a month that was supposed to be a week only. We live here peacefully. We live freely but it couldn't deny the fact that this is forbidden.

"I think we need to talk about that matter in person." "Alright. Let's meet."

Tumaas ang kilay ko sa sinabi niya. Alam ko naman na ang tungkol sa set-up nila kaya wala na lang sa akin iyon. At sa malamang . . . kahit saan ba naman eh, nagtutukaan ang dalawang iyon. Hindi na katakataka iyon. “That’s before we met,” Walang emosyong saad ko. “Wow, taray! Napa-english.” nagtawanan na lang kami sa pag-aasar naming dalawa sa bawat isa.

Gumaralgal ang kanyang boses. Umiling ako. "We've met in a fake world. Kaya hanggang dito na lang. Tama,..na dahil tayong dalawa ay hindi dapat t-tayo?!" sabi ko habang pinipilit pakalmahin ang pag-hinga ko.

"Is it okay with you, Ry?" He simply responded, "I don't mind." At the Elyxir Cafe, Zaria and I could be heard filling the air with our infectious laughter as we shared a nice seat together. Na-realize ko na marami na pala talagang nagbago at ang dami naming na-miss sa isa't isa. Even though it had been several years since we had last seen each other, it felt as though not a single moment of that time had been wasted.

You looked at me like I am a the most wonderful person on Earth. And I'll tell you something, you and Alexander already meet at that age. Hindi niyo na maalala dahil sa murang edad but you've already met each other way back. You ate together and have slept together with the same bed while holding each other's hand. At ako ang nagbantay sa inyo. You looked so good together.

It’s a good thing na nagkita kita ulit kami and hindi namin masabi kung kailan ulit ang susunod na makukumpleto kami. “Keep in touch!” Ria said to everyone as she waved goodbye to us.

I hoped the good partnership we had started would continue. ********