You Belong To Her

*Nathan's POV*

"Babe, we're here."

Kami nalang dalawa yung naiwan sa loob dahil tulog pa siya. I stretched when she woke up.

"Sorry, nangalay ka ba?"

"It's okay, babe. Tara."

A rose garden was on the entrance.

The others seem to be having fun while taking pictures but Ivy stayed beside me.

"Don't you want to do that?"

Umiling siya.

"Why not?" I asked. "That's your favorite flower, right?"

Napatingin siya sa'kin. "Sunflower."

"..."

Kanino ba talaga yung alaala na meron ako?

I stared at Theia.

She was smiling so brightly.

It might be her.

Is it really her?

Ivy took my hand. "Let's go, babe."

"Gab, we'll go first." Sabi ko pagdaan namin sa kanila.

"Sure."

I knew he planned the whole trip pero hindi ko inakalang aabot siya sa ganito.

The six of us were already in the same team.

Hindi pa ba sapat yun?

Does he really have to go this far??

Charm was the first one to complain.

Girlfriend siya ni Gab at bestfriend ni Theia. She should atleast say something.

Pero mukhang wala rin siyang nagawa.

Gab even glared at me when they came back.

Ano naman kayang nalaman niya?

"Let's go."

The cottage.

There were three bedrooms inside. Each door holds a small wooden board with names written on it.

Theia & Charm.

Gab & Ry.

Ivy & Nathan.

Tinignan ko siya saglit.

Is this how you're going to play?

Fine.

Dumiretso lang ako sa kwarto namin nang hindi lumilingon sa kanila. I even heard Ivy followed behind me.

F*ck.

Iisa lang yung kama.

Ano bang ginagawa niya??

Ivy didn't say anything.

Binaba niya lang yung bag sa gilid and started unpacking her things.

"What's wrong?"

I just took a shower.

Pagkalabas ko, she had all of her things scattered on the bed.

Kanina lang ayos niya na diba?

Bakit magulo na naman?

"Nandito lang yun.."

"Nasaan na ba??"

Hinawakan ko siya sa magkabilang balikat at hinarap sa'kin.

"Breathe." I instructed her.

Sumunod naman siya.

"..."

"May nawawala ba?"

"Yung locket na binigay mo.."

"Maybe you left it at home."

"Hindi, babe." Sabi niya. "Lagi kong sinusuot yun. Ngayon ko lang napansin na wala sa'kin."

"Saan mo ba huling nilagay?" Sinubukan ko ring hanapin sa gamit niya.

"Sa bag ko lang.."

I gave up.

Wala nga talaga.

"Babe, don't worry." Sabi ko. "It's just a locket."

"It's not."

"Bibigyan nalang kita ulit, okay?"

"You don't understand!" She was crying. "Importante yung laman nun!"

I didn't know what to say.

Nagulat din yata siya sa pagsigaw niya.

"I'm s-sorry, babe.."

"Ano ba yung nakalagay dun?"

"Yung singsing.."

"Your promise ring?"

Nabanggit niya na nga pala yun nung nakaraan.

"O-oo.." Sagot niya. "Yun nga."

"It's fine." Sabi ko. "It's just a ring. Bibilhan nalang kita ulit."

"I'm s-sorry.." Niyakap niya ko. "I didn't mean to shout at you."

"Alam ko." I patted her back. "You do know that I had that custom made right?"

"Y-yes.."

"Tahan na, babe." Sabi ko. "Pagagawan nalang kita ulit."

"Thank you.."

***

Tinignan ko yung babaeng nasa tabi ko.

I tried hard to calm her down earlier. Buti nalang nakatulog na siya.

"You do know that I had that custom made right?"

"Y-yes.."

You're wrong, babe.

No one knows that except Cole and Ate.

Because Cole designed that.

It's based on Theia's favorite flower.

Rose.

"You don't understand! Importante yung laman nun!"

If she had the real ring, what did you keep inside the locket?

My phone suddenly vibrated.

A text from Gab.

If you want to escape, you can sleep here.

"Sinasabi ko na nga ba."

I did what he told me to do.

Pumunta ako sa kwarto nila.

There was a comforter and pillow lying on the floor.

"Kasalanan mo kaya 'to."

"Ang kulit mo kasi."

"Ako pa?"

"Oo." Sabi niya. "I'm just doing the same thing as you, Nathan. I wanted to know the truth."

I didn't answer.

"Be ready tomorrow." He said. "Make sure you won't back out."

"Whatever."

Kahapon din ganyan siya.

"Gab?"

"Nathan."

"What are you doing here?"

"Sinabi ko naman sa'yo na pupunta ako diba?"

Oo nga pala.

"So?" I sat on the bed. "Why did you visit?"

"Wala lang." He walked around my room. "I was just checking kung katulad ka parin ng dati."

I was watching the clock.

It took me 5 minutes to start talking dahil mukhang wala naman siyang balak magsalita.

"Is this about Theia?"

"Wow." Huminto siya bigla. "I didn't expect that you're going to mention her first."

"Because that's the only reason why you're here."

He smiled at me and continued walking.

"Just get to the point, Gab." I said. "Kung sasabihin mo rin na dapat ko siyang maalala, ayaw ko na."

"Ayaw mo na?"

That is one of his strengths.

Alam niya kung paano magsalita yung tao.

I kept my mouth shut.

Mali yung nasabi ko. I slipped.

I should've said "Ayaw ko" instead.

"Ayaw mo na?" Ulit niya. "Bakit? Sinubukan mo na ba?"

Adding "na" in the end made it sound like I gave up after trying.

"I've talked to your doctor." Sabi niya habang nakatingin sa'kin.

He's waiting for me to make a mistake again.

"I don't care what she said."

"Easy, bro." He said. "Wala naman siyang sinabi tungkol sa'yo."

Tita told me to keep it from everyone. Syempre hindi niya sasabihin sa'yo.

There was no exception.

"I only asked about your amnesia but Dra. Guevarra automatically answered that it was confidential." Sabi niya. "Her reaction made me realize one thing, Nathan. Ibig sabihin, may ginawa ka na."

"Gab--"

"I won't tell anyone." He interrupted me. "May sarili din naman akong plano."

He suddenly started walking towards the door.

"Akala ko ba may sasabihin ka?"

"Nasabi ko na."

Tinitigan ko siya ng maigi. "That's it?"

"Uh-huh." Tumango siya. "Hindi ko nga inakala na matatapos agad yung pag-uusap natin. I thought I'll have a hard time trying to convince you pero mali ako."

Ano bang binabalak niya?

"Nasagot na yung tanong sa utak ko at nanggaling pa mismo sa'yo, Nathan." Sabi niya. "I'm done checking and I was able to confirm na bumalik ka na sa dati."

"What are you planning??"

"It's simple." He smiled. "Pababalikin lang rin kita sa kanya."

"Gabriel--"

"Trust me, Nathan." He said. "You belong to her at papatunayan ko yun sa'yo. In no time, maaalala mo na lahat ng nakalimutan mo."

******