His Visit

*Alec's POV*

"Ry, where are you? Kasama mo ba si Theia?"

"Hindi, Kuya." Sagot niya. "Nanunuod sila kanina sa practice game namin pero pagtapos, wala na sila. We thought they went home."

"Tumawag ako kanina sa bahay. Wala pa daw sila dun sabi ni Manang." Sagot ko. "I couldn't contact, Theia. Hindi rin sumasagot si Charm."

"I'll try contacting them, Kuya. Alam naman nating kung saan saan lang hinahatak ni Charm si Theia."

Sana nga.

"Please." I pleaded. "Sabihan mo ako agad kapag nakausap mo sila."

"Sure, Kuya."

"Thank you, Ry."

Nasaan ba sila? Nag-aalala na ko.

*Charm calling*

"Charm!"

"Kuya, I'm sorry..."

"Kasama mo ba si Theia? Hindi ko siya ma-contact."

"Kanina lang.. kanina lang nandito siya.."

"Charm, what are you saying? Nasaan siya??"

Naririnig kong umiiyak siya.

"A-anong gagawin ko?? Nawawala siya.."

"Ano??"

"Nanunuod lang kami ng practice game nila Ry tapos tumawag sa'kin si Gab. When I came back, wala na siya." Sabi niya. "Kanina ko pa siya hinahanap. Nilibot ko na yung buong school but I couldn't find her.."

"Wait for me, Charm." Sagot ko. "Papunta na ko."

Please, Theia.

Please be safe.

I quickly drove to their school.

Kailangan ko na makita si Theia.

Baka kung ano na yung nangyari sa kanya.

"Kuya!!"

Charm ran pagkakita niya sa'kin.

"Nandyan si Kuya Rod sa labas." Sabi ko. "Umuwi ka na sa bahay. Ako nalang maghahanap kay Theia."

"Pero.."

"Please, Charm. Mas mahirap kapag parehas pa kayong nawala."

"..."

"It's going to be okay. Mahahanap ko rin siya."

Yun din yung sinasabi ko sa sarili ko kanina pa.

"Sige.." Sagot niya. "Pero tawagan mo ko agad kapag nakita mo siya ha?"

I nodded.

We needed to calm down. Makikita ko rin si Theia.

***

Nilibot ko yung buong school.

I had limited access since gabi na at yung ibang facilities sarado narin. Buti pinayagan parin ako nung guard after i-verify na alumni ako. Tulad ng sinabi ni Charm kanina, wala nga si Theia.

"Tinakas siya ni Ivy."

"He went to school with her."

Kinakabahan ako sa mga sinabi ni Naomi kanina.

I can't even imagine how painful this was for her kaya hindi ko siya pwedeng hayaan na nag-iisa. Lalo na ngayong yung taong kailangan niya wala sa tabi niya..

I stopped.

I was already catching my breath. Kanina pa ko tumatakbo. Madilim at kumukulog narin. Baka maabutan siya ng ulan.

Nasaan ka na ba?

Think, Alec. You need to find her.

Posible kayang nandun siya..?

I ran back to my car and drove papunta sa direksyon ng bahay. Malapit lang yun dito.

She might be here.

Yung ulan na nagbabadya kanina, unti unti naring bumuhos. Hininto ko na yung sasakyan nung malapit na ko. I took out an umbrella and walked towards the playground.

Someone was sitting on the swing.

Of course, she's here.

This was the place where he asked her to be his girlfriend. The place where he gave her their promise ring.

A promise that he doesn't even know he's already breaking.

"Theia."

Dahan dahan siyang tumingin sa'kin at ngumiti.

She was crying.

The rain couldn't hide her tears.

"Kuya." Sabi niya. "You found me."

Ito yung pinakamasakit na ngiti para sa'kin.

"Let's go home, Theia."

I couldn't be mad at her. Tulad ng sinabi ni Naomi, she's longing for him at ayaw kong dumagdag pa sa sakit na dinaranas niya.

I held out my hand to her. Slowly, inabot niya yun. Pero bago ko pa mahawakan yung kamay niya, unti unti siyang bumagsak sa harapan ko.

Binitawan ko agad yung payong at sinalo siya.

"Theia?? Theia???"

Oh please...

"Wake up, Theia.."

"ALTHEIAAA!!!"

******

*Charm's POV*

Wala parin akong natatanggap na tawag mula kay Kuya. Nahanap niya na kaya si bessy? Sana okay lang siya.

*Psycho by Red Velvet playing*

🎶 Neol eojjeomyeon joeulkka

Ireon mameun tto cheomira

Up and down-i jom shimhae jojeori jakku jal andwae

Hana hwakshilhan geon I don't play the game 🎶

I answered the call without even bothering to check kung sino yung tumatawag.

"Kuya? Did you find her??"

"Charm, it's me."

"Ryan??"

Nilayo ko saglit yung phone para tignan yung screen. Siya nga.

"May problema ba?" Ry is not fond of calls. Parati lang siyang nagtetext kapag may sasabihin siya.

"Hindi niyo pa nakikita si Theia?"

"Paano mo nalaman?"

"Tinawagan ako ni Kuya nung hindi niya kayo ma-contact." He said. "Sinubukan ko rin siya hanapin sa school pero hindi ko na siya ulit nakita.."

"Ulit?? Nakita mo ba siya kanina?"

Baka alam niya kung nasaan si Theia.

"Did you see her?" I asked. "Saan mo siya nakita??"

"I saw her leave while we were playing. Wala rin kayo ni Erica kaya akala ko kasama niyo siya." Sagot niya. "But Nathan was also looking for her..."

Her?

Imposible namang si Theia yung hinahanap ni Nathan..

"When I went out, they were together." He said. "Ivy was talking to her."

I dropped the phone on my lap then the screen brightened. Pagtingin ko there was a text from Kuya Alec.

Pauwi na kami, Charm. Please call Tita Ella.

***

"She's burning up, Kuya.."

Basang basa sila parehas ng ulan pagdating. Manang helped me change her clothes. Sobrang init niya.

I held her hand.

Please be okay..

"Kung nahanap ko lang sana siya ng mas maaga.."

"Where did you find her?"

"Sa playground.."

The place where he asked her to be his.

The place where their memory remains.

"Sana nalaman ko agad na nandun siya.."

"Edi sana.. edi sana..."

Without even looking at him, alam kong umiiyak na siya. I felt the same way..

Kung hindi lang ako umalis sa tabi niya kanina, hindi mangyayari to.

Pero hindi kami yung may kasalanan kundi si Ivy.

"When I went out, they were together."

"Ivy was talking to her."

This time, ako naman.

Kailangan niya pagbayaran yung ginawa niya kay Theia.

******

*Alec's POV*

"Good morning, Hijo." Bati sa'kin ni Manang. "Aalis ka na ba agad?"

"Good morning, Nang." Sagot ko. "Baka hindi po muna. Gusto ko po sana bantayan si Theia."

Naghahanda na pala siya ng agahan.

"Tulungan ko na po kayo." I charged my phone tsaka ako lumapit sa kanya.

Nakasalang na yung bacon sa isang pan at yung bawang sa katabi. Ang bilis niya talaga magluto.

"Ako nalang, hijo." She smiled. "Matatapos narin naman ako."

"Thank you, Nang."

Kinuha ko yung phone kahit nagchacharge pa and tried to open it.

May texts sina Mommy, Charm at Naomi.

Sabi ni Mommy, they needed to stay for a few more weeks. Yung kay Charm, kagabi pa. Mga hindi ko nabasa. Naomi has the most text.

Ano kayang problema?

*ding dong*

"May bisita yata tayo, hijo." Sabi ni Manang. "May hinihintay ba kayo?"

"Wala naman po, Nang." Sagot ko. "Ako nalang po magbubukas."

I looked at my phone. 5%? This should be fine. Mabasa lang yung text niya.

Habang naglalakad ako papalapit sa gate, I opened her message.

It made me stop.

Hindi ko akalaing sasabihin niya yun.

"Kuya?"

Napatingin ako sa taong tumawag sa'kin.

Tama ba yung nakikita ko? Nandito ba talaga siya ngayon sa harapan ko?

"Nathan??"

Tama yung sinabi ni Naomi. He's really here.

Love, where are you? Bakit hindi ka nagrereply at sumasagot sa tawag ko? Pupunta dyan si Nathan. He'll be there any minute now.

"Nathan, hijo." Parehas kaming napatingin sa may pintuan.

Dali daling siyang lumapit, binuksan yung gate at niyakap si Nathan.

"Manang Rosa?"

Akala ko ba may amnesia siya?

******