Make You Happy

*Theia's POV*

"Wala parin ba siya, bessy?"

"Wala pa.."

Hinihintay namin dumating si Nate. 1 pm yung schedule namin sa toga. We even took an early lunch para sigurado na hindi kami ma-late. But it's almost 12 at wala parin siya.

"Did you call him?"

"Oo, pero hindi siya sumasagot." I said. "Kahit sa texts ko, walang reply."

"Tama ba yung number mo?"

"I think so. Siya mismo nagbigay nito e."

Nasaan na kaya siya?

Baka may nangyari sa kanya.

Tulad nung..

"Bessy." Napatingin ako kay Charm. "Stop."

"Kasi---"

"Don't overthink this, Theia." Sabi niya. "Baka naman na-traffic lang."

Baka nga. Sana nga.

Tama si Charm. I shouldn't think this way.

Okay lang siya.

He's just..

"Oh, hindi pa kayo naalis?" Tanong ni Kuya pagbaba niya.

"Wala pa kasi si Nathan."

"Wala pa?"

"Hindi siya sumasagot sa mga tawag ko, Kuya."

"Do you want me to call Naomi?"

"Pero--"

"Yes, Kuya." Sagot ni Charm. "Nag-aalala na naman kasi si Theia."

Hindi ko na mapipigilang maramdaman yun. I almost lost him when he had the accident.

"Sure. Wait lang."

Umupo siya sa tapat namin at kinuha yung phone niya sa bulsa.

"Hi, love."

"I just wanted to check kung nandyan pa si Nathan."

I was watching his face habang kausap si Ate.

"What? Why?" He frowned.

Kinabahan ako lalo.

"Did you check on him?"

May nangyari kaya sa kanya?

"Oo. She's worried kaya tumawag ako."

"That's fine, love. Ako nalang muna."

Siya nalang ang alin?

"Thank you, love. I love you."

"Ano daw nangyari??"

"He's still home, Theia."

Nakahinga ako ng maluwag.

I'm glad he's safe.

"Why did you asked her if she checked on him?"

"Naomi hasn't seen him get out of his room since last night." Sagot niya. "Hindi din daw siya nag dinner. Dumiretso lang siya sa kwarto pag uwi niya."

"Sigurado ba siyang nandun si Nate?"

"Yes. Apparently, kakapunta niya lang sa kwarto nung tumawag ako and he answered her." Sabi niya. "Gusto niya daw muna mapag-isa."

"May nangyari ba kahapon, bessy?"

"Wala naman.."

Wala akong maalala.

Hindi naman kami nag-away.

"Hindi niya nga pala tayo hinatid pauwi." Sabi ni Charm. "Did he tell you why?"

"Kailangan niya daw kausapin si Ivy."

"Si Ivy?"

I nodded.

"Oo nga pala." Charm said. "Didn't you noticed, bessy? Hindi sila nagpapansinan nung mga nakaraang araw."

"Maybe they had a misunderstanding."

"But it's still weird." Sabi niya. "Laging nakadikit si Ivy sa kanya tapos ngayon ang ilap nila sa isa't isa."

I have an idea kung anong dahilan.

Me.

***

"Nate!"

I couldn't stop myself from smiling pagkakita ko sa kanya. I run towards him.

"Theia."

His smile was a bit different from yesterday which made me think na baka may problema nga.

"Anong oras ka dumating?" I asked. "Nakapagpa-picture ka na ba?"

"Yup. Actually kakatapos ko lang." Sagot niya.

"Are you going home?" Tanong ko ulit. "Gusto mo ba sumabay sa'min ni Charm?"

He looked away. "May gusto sana ako sabihin kaya pinapunta kita dito."

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry, Theia."

"For what?"

Hindi siya sumagot.

"Dahil ba sa kanina?"

Yun lang naman yung bagay na dapat niya ika-sorry.

"Ayos lang." Sabi ko. "I thought something happened to you kaya tumawag pa kami kay Ate Naomi. I'm glad you're okay."

His accident scarred me.

I never wanted to see him experience that pain again.

"Nakapag-usap ba kayo ni Ivy?"

Tumango naman siya.

"That's great."

Iiwan din naman kita kaya mas okay na makita kang masaya kasama siya.

"I'm sorry.."

"Why do you keep apologizing?" I looked at him. "Wala ka naman ginawang masama."

"Wala pa."

Huh?

He took a deep breath before looking at me.

"Let's stop, Theia."

"What?"

"Let's stop this." Sagot niya. "Kung ano man yung tawag dito."

Hindi agad ako nakapagsalita.

I suddenly felt cold.

Bumilis din yung tibok ng puso ko.

This is the normal reaction of my body kapag may maririnig ako o malalaman na hindi ko gusto..

Parang binabalaan na ko agad ng katawan ko.

Bigla akong natakot at kinabahan sa pupuntahan ng usapan namin.

"Y-you want to stop?"

He nodded.

"W-what do you mean..?"

"Ivy doesn't want me to do this, Theia." He said. "And I can't continue knowing na natatakot siyang mawala ako."

Mali yung tinanong ko.

I know what he meant and having him elaborate it, hurted me even more.

Ako ba hindi natatakot?

"Y-un din ba yung gusto mo..?"

"I don't know what I want anymore." Sagot niya. "But I can't lose her, Theia. Muntik na kaming maghiwalay noon."

Paano naman ako?

Oo nga pala, I don't mean a thing to him kaya okay lang kung ako yung mawala.

"When my little sister was diagnosed with cancer, everything changed." He said. "Ivy didn't understand na kailangan kong bantayan siya noon."

Their break up.

His mind deleted the most painful memory and continued with the memories he had with me.

Kaya para sa kanya, hindi sila naghiwalay.

Tama si Kuya. Other memories were erased and Ivy replaced me in some.

"It wasn't Nicole's fault."

Napatingin siya sa'kin.

"Hindi niya kasalanang may sakit siya." I said. "Hindi niya naman piniling magkasakit."

"Ivy didn't realize how much you needed her that time." Sabi ko. "She chose to leave without even considering what you were going through."

What am I doing? Mali to.

Pero hindi ko kayang marinig na sinisisi nila si Nicole. She's innocent. Bata lang siya. She really wanted to fight kaya kahit hirap na hirap siya, she undergone chemo.

But cancer didn't give her the choice to live.

Tulad ko.

Wala akong magagawa kundi iwan lang din sila.

Ayaw pa sana kita iwanan, Nate.

But if this is what you wanted..

"Theia--"

"Nate." I interrupted him.

Hindi ko na kayang makarinig pa ng kahit ano.

Huminga ako ng malalim bago magsalita ulit. I needed to calm myself.

Want to know a secret? Pag paiyak ka na, you just need take a deep breath para pigilan yung luhang lalabas.

If I don't go now, iiyak ako sa harapan niya at ayaw kong makita niya yun. I can't cry in front of him.

Not anymore.

This is not the person I love.

My Nate is gone.

"If ending this will make you happy, I will gladly give you your happiness." I smiled at him. "Tigilan na natin 'to."

I turned away from him.

Wala nang dahilan para ituloy pa to.

******

*Charm's POV*

"The number you have dialed..."

Ghad. Panglimang tawag ko na sa kanya.

Nasaan na ba si Theia?

Kailangan na namin umalis para maabutan pa naming bukas yung boutique.

They sent me a text message telling us to come para sa fitting. I don't know what happened pero nung paalis na sana kami sa school, Theia run away while smiling at sumigaw lang ng "Babalik ako agad!".

How will I know kung babalik nga siya? Ni wala akong natatanggap na reply sa text or sagot sa mga tawag ko.

"Hanapin ko lang po si Theia sa loob." Sabi ko kay Kuya Rod tsaka lumabas sa kotse.

"Nasaan na ba yung babaeng yun??"

Sinusubukan ko parin siyang tawagan habang naglalakad sa corridor. Wala na masyadong tao.

Lagot ako nito kay Kuya pag hindi ko inuwi si Theia.

"Charm!"

I looked up and saw Ryan walking towards me. May buhat buhat siya.

"Bessy?"

Si Theia nga. Ry was carrying her in his arms. She was even wearing his jacket.

Tumakbo ako papalapit sa kanila.

"Anong nangyari??" Tanong ko. "Okay lang ba siya???"

"Calm down, bessy.." She opened her eyes. "I'm okay. Wag ka masyado mag-alala."

Ry's expression tells me that nothing's okay pero hindi na siya nagsalita pa. Binaba niya lang si Theia nung nasa sasakyan na kami.

Hinawakan niya yung dulo ng polo ni Ry.

"Please, don't."

"Theia--"

"Ry, please.." She pleaded. "Hayaan mo na siya."

"Having amnesia doesn't give him the right to hurt you." He said and looked at me. "Charm, take care of her. Mag-iingat kayo."

"Ry!"

He didn't looked back. Tumakbo siya papasok sa school.

Ano ba talagang nangyari??

******