12

Cruise ship

"Ano ba to! Hindi na natapos itong mga pinapagawa ng mga prof natin!" Irene said complaining as we were doing our Marketing plan.

I took up Bachelor of Science Business Administration major in Marketing Management and si Irene din.

"Ganyan talaga, Irene. College na tayo kaya normal lang lahat ng to'." I replied while typing on my laptop. Nasa school pa kami dahil tinatapos namin to'. "Uy, shantal! Nandito pa pala kayo." Narinig kong sabi ni Nathan na kaklase din namin. "Nako, Nathan. Hanggang jan ka nalang, wag ka ng lumapit pa kay Shantal at baka talagang masapak ka na ni Tristan." Natatawang biro ni Irene habang hinaharangan si Nathan.

"Irene! Ano ba! Wag ka ngang ganyan. I'm sorry, Nathan. Just don't mind her." I said annoyed dahil nakakahiya kay nathan. Irene talaga.

Nagseselos kasi si Tristan kay Nathan, ewan ko nga ba kung bakit, eh wala namang ginagawa si Nathan. One time habang hinihintay akong sunduin ni Tristan naabotan ako ni Nathan kaya nag usap kami at nilibre ako ni Nathan ng kwek kwek tsaka naabotan kami ni Tristan at ayon galit galit pag pasok namin sa sasakyan.

Hindi na rin kami masyadong nagkikita ni Tristan dahil sobrang busy nya na talaga dahil graduating na sya ay kailangan nya ng taposin lahat ng papers nya.

I looked at the time and it's already 5:28, may dinner pa kami nila Tristan and my friends mamaya so we have to leave now.

"Irene, tara na baka ma traffic pa tayo. Nathan, sorry but we have to go." I said shutting down my laptop and keeping my stuff. "Ah, okay sige. Ingat kayo." Nathan said waving at us as we walked towards the parking area. "Nandon na ba daw sila?" Irene asked referring about our friends. "Hindi ko alam, eh. Walang text si Tristan, tsaka si Rose hindi rin nag rereply. Busy talaga ata sila sa kaka process ng papers nila." I replied as I started driving to I. T park. We're having dinner at the Pyramid restaurant in I. T Park, I made the reservations.

After 20 minutes nakarating din kami and I called Tristan to ask kung asan na sila.

"Babe, I. T park na kami ni Irene, kayo asan na kayo?" I asked locking my car and walked towards the pyramid. "Uh, parating na rin kami." Tristan replied laughing and I could hear someone in the background laughing too. Nagkasalubong ang kilay ko ng marinig ang tawa ng isang babae.

"Tristan! Ano ka ba, dahan dahan nga nahihilo na ako! Wait, Gusto mo ba ng tubig? Inom ka muna, painomin kita."

Natatawang sabi ng babae.

"Sino yan babe?"

I asked curios and stopped walking. Hinayaan ko na si Irene. "Ah, si Rose, baby kasi sakin sya sumabay." He replied normally.

Si Rose?

Ba't parang ang arti ng boses nya?

"Ah, okay. Ganun naman pala. Sige kita nalang tayo dito. Bye." I replied and hang up. Ewan ko na bwebwesit ako.

"Ano problema mo?" Irene asked as we were already sitted on our table. "Si Rose daw yung kasama ni Tristan sa sasakyan nya ngayon pero bakit parang hindi si Rose yun kasi ang arti arti ng boses, tangina parang ng aakit kay Tristan." I replied irritated and ran my hand through my hair. Irene sighed and placed the menu down to look at me.

"Yan yung sinasabi ko sayo gurl, ewan ko ha. Kaibigan natin si Rose, Oo. Pero may iba sa kanya, eh." She replied and I don't know how to react.

"Hindi, wala lang yun. Ikaw irene, masyado kang judgemental." I replied because despite my doubts I choose to believe in them na wala lang yun talaga. "Okay, fine. Sabi mo, eh." Irene replied looking back at the menu.

Sabay Sabay dumating si Tristan at sila Benji at timing dahil naka order na kami ni Irene. We greeted each other and started catching up dahil ngayon lang nagkita ulit. Tristan hugged and kissed me and sat beside me while Rose sat across him.

Ewan ko, wala na talaga ako sa mood. "Babe, ba't tahimik ka? May problema ba?" Tristan whispered as he placed his hand on my hips. I smiled at him to assure him that I'm fine. "Wala, okay lang ako babe. Kumusta nga pala yung pag poprocess nyo?" I asked changing the topic.

"Ay, oo nga pala. About that, okay na. As in okay na lahat. Thank God and kay daddy. May barko na akong masasampahan pagka graduate ko at sa isang Cruise ship pa kami ni Rose." Tristan replied smiling and at first I was really happy for him pero wait, tama ba yung narinig ko?

"Ano? Magkasama kayo ni Rose? Sa iisang barko?" I asked at hindi ko na ma intindihan ang nararamdaman ko. "Oo babe, nagpatulong kasi sya sakin. Alam mo na, ako yung may connection dahil kay daddy at kailangan na kasi talaga ni Rose sumakay alam mo naman, mahirap lang sila." He replied eating his pizza like it was nothing and all I could do was nod not knowing what to say.

The dinner was good it lasted for like 3 hours and we were just talking, catching up. However, hindi ako masyado maka focus while tristan was enjoying and always laughing with the group, I stayed quiet and just drank my wine.

"Irene and Rose, kila Benji muna kayo sumakay ha kasi mamaya pa kami uuwi ni Shantal." Tristan said when we were walking to our cars and I was still not saying anything.

"Huh?" I asked at nagulat sa sinabi nya. He just smiled at me and placed his arm on my waist as everyone said good bye already at kami nalang ang naiwan sa parking area.

"Shantal, anong problema? Kanina ka pa tahimik." Panimula ni tristan as he cornered me para hindi ako makaiwas sa kanya. I leaned on his car at nakatingala sa kawalan.

"Tristan, alam mo naman dba na supportado kita sa lahat ng pangarap mo kahit ano pa yan dahil mahal kita, wala akong maraming tanong basta ba't nakikita kitang masaya pero ngayon lang, may tanong ako." I said and stared in his eyes.

Those eyes I fell in love with.

"Ano yun?" He asked calmly looking back at me. "Bakit, I mean bakit magkasama kayo ni Rose sa isang barko?"

There I said it.

It has been bothering me the whole fucking night. "Yan ba ang dahilan kung bakit ang tahimik mo?" He answered me with a question then I felt him kiss my forehead. "Babe, I'm sorry but wala ng ibang choice, yun nalang at kaibigan natin si Rose kaya please wag kang mag isip ng masama, pwede ba yun? I vow, shantal, wala kang dapat alalahanin. You don't have to worry about anything, okay? Please just trust me." He said leaning his forehead on mine.

I do trust you, tristan.

I do.. Pero ewan. Baka nga wala lang to, baka selos lang.

Okay fine, okay lang to. Kaibigan ko si Rose at mahal ako ni Tristan kaya walang masamang mangyayari.