Another Nerdy Love Story(COMPLETED)

Chapter 18

Elle's POV

Hindi ako makatulog. 1 am na at for sure tapos na ang party. Tumingin ako sa bintana at wala nang tao sa function hall. Lumabas ako at pumunta umupo sa pampang. Nakaka-relax ang paghampas ng mga alon at ang tunog ng mga crickets. 

"Akala ko ba inaantok ka?", lumingon ako at nakita si Luke na may hawak na dalawang soda. Binigay niya sa akin ang isa. "Okay ka lang?" Hindi ako sumagot. "Hey, don't take what she said into heart, alam mo namang walang kwenta sinasabi niya eh."

"I know that." 

"Then why are you here sulking? Kailangan nating gusmising ng maaga mamaya para makita mo ang sunrise.", sabi niya. 

"I hate the sun."

"Liar.", sabi niya. "I know you love the sun and the beach." 

"How?"

"Well, your eyes scream that you do.", sabi niya at uminom ng soda. 

"Why are you even here talking to me? Hindi ka ba matutulog?"

"Hindi ako makatulog eh. There are a lot of things in my mind that I need to let out." 

"Like? You can tell me." 

"Okay. I have a friend who has a friend who sees little of himself. That friend of his is being bullied and looked down by his peers. But that friend, despite how awesome he is kept on letting himself be affected by the words said by the bullies. They called him dumb, ugly, desperate and has a bad personality despite them not really knowing him personally. My friend tried his best to console his friend and protect his integrity but his friend took it the wrong way. He thought that the reason why he was helping him is because my friend looked down on him. And now, he doesn't know what to do anymore."

"And you're affected by this deeply how?" Tumingin siya sa akin. 

"I care about my friends you know, their problems are my problems too. I badly want to help my friend fix his problem."

"Is your friend by chance gay?"

"What no."

"Oh, well para kasing sobra siyang affected doon sa circumstances ng friend niya to the point. it sounds so cheezy to me."

"You say that because you have no bestfriend."

"Easy there, don't trample on my weakness. Bakit? Na experience mo na ba na magkaroon ng bestfriend?"

"Yes, years ago but we don't communicate anymore. And now I do have now, but I don't think that person regard me as a bestfriend. Ayaw niyang mag open up eh. Anyway, you can care for a friend even though you have no romantic feelings for them."

"Maybe for same sexes, but I don't think so for the opposite sex. There will always be feelings involved."

"That is what the  mainstream tells you. But no, you can be friends with someone from the opposite sex and not have feelings for them.", sabi ni Luke na para siyang nakikipaglaban sa korte. 

"Okay, fine. Nahiwalay na tayo sa main topic. What is the intention of your friend? Why is he helping that friend?"

"Because he feels bad for him. He feels bad that while he was living a grand life, his friend is living a miserable one."

"And what made him think that that friend is living a miserable life, did he tell him?"

"No."

"Then how? What if that person, despite all the hardships in his life is actually happy?", tanong ko. He looked at me in the eyes. Naluluha siya. "How?" Inaalis niya ang tingin niya sa mata ko at tumingin sa dagat. Humigop uli siya sa soda can at huminga ng malalim. 

"He can see it in his eyes." Hindi ako nakasagot. Katahimikan ang bumalot sa amin. Katahimikan na tanging mga alon lang at naririnig namin. Tumagal 'yon ng ilang minuto. "So, what do you think my friend would do to help his friend? He did everything he could." 

"First, I think that his friend should open up and let him know his worries. Your friend can't keep guessing, although he thinks that he is a 100 percent sure that his friend is miserable, your friend might be wrong."

"What if that friend doesn't want to open up."

"Then maybe he doesn't regard your friend as a friend after all." Napatahimik siya. Tumayo nalang siya bigla at huminga. "Where are you going?", tanong ko. 

"Sleep.", sabi niya. "Good night." Bumalik na siya sa loob at ako nagtagal pa sa labas. Humiga ako doon at ipinikit ang mata ko. Nagising ako sa isang boses.

"Ma'am, okay lang po ba kayo?" Binuksan ko ang mata ko at nakita ang isang lalakeng na gumising sa akin, staff siya ng resort. Umupo ako bigla. "Akala ko po ma'am nahimatay kayo o ano. Bakit po kayo natutulog dito?"

"Sorry po hindi ko namalayan, nakaidlip ako." 

"Ah ganon ba maam? Sige po, maiwan ko na po kayo, balik na po kayo sa loob maam. Magb-breakfast na po.", nagpaalam siya at bumalik sa loob. Pinagmasdan ko ang dagat, magssunrise na. Pinagpag ko ang buhangin sa buhok at likod ko. 

Unti-unting nawala ang itim sa kalangitan at pinalitan ng asul na langit pagkatapos ay unti-unting sumilip ang araw. Sa paghampas ng alon, tumulo ang luha ko. Hinulma ako ng mga nangyari sa buhay ko, malakas ako, yan ang alam ko. Pero parang unti-unti akong napapagod. Habang tumatagal, mas mahirap magsalita. 

Tumayo ako at pumasok sa kwarto ko dala dala ang buhangin. "Good morning ma'am, kumain na po kayo." Ngumiti ako. Bumalik ako sa kwarto, naligo at bumalik sa pagtulog. 

Nagising ako sa isang katok. "Elle? Nandiyan ka ba?" Bumangon ako at binuksan ang pinto. "Hindi ka nag-breakfast, hindi ka rin magl-lunch?" Tinignan ko ang orasan at ala-una na. Hindi ko alam pero hindi ako nakaramdam ng gutom. 

"Anong oras tayo aalis?"

"Four PM. Come on, you have to eat." Umiling ako. "Kakain ka ba o hihilain kita pababa?", tanong niya ng seryoso. Bumalik ako sa loob, kinuha ang cellphone ko at sumama sa kanya. Open view ang restaurant kaya nakikita namin silang naglalaro. Hindi ko makita si Angelica. 

Hindi ako nagsasalita at kinain ang chicken na hinanda nila. 

"Sem break is coming, what are your plans?", tanong niya. 

"I'm gonna find part time job, of course.", sabi ko. "You?"

"Tour.", sabi niya na parang nahihiya. "Why are you even working during the vacation? Ayaw mo bang magpahinga?"

"Sa dalas kong sumasama sa inyo nakalimutan mo na atang hindi ako mayaman."

"But you're not that poor.", sabi niya. 

"I want to get out of our house.", sabi ko. Hindi siya nakasagot na parang hindi niya alam kung tatanungin niya ba ako kung bakit. "My life is miserable.", sabi ko sakanya habang sinisimot ang kanin sa pinggan. Ininom ko ang mango shake. 

"Elle-"

"I'm that friend, right? You were talking about me." Hindi siya nakasagot. "How much do you know that you actually feel bad about me? Sinabi ba sa'yo ni Kuya Sean?" Umiling siya. "Hindi ko kailangan ng awa mo Luke. Hindi ko kailangan ng awa ng kahit sino. I need someone who believes in me and who will walk with me and cheer me on. Hindi ko kailangan ng pinorprotektahan, I have been protecting myself for many years now." 

"That's not what I mean."

"I thought that we're really friends Luke, but if our friendship is based on you feeling bad about my shitty life, then maybe it's not friendship at all. I'm not some kind of a charity." Tumayo ako. "Thank you for the meal." Pumunta ako sa kwarto ko at nagimpake. Umuwi ako, mag-isa. Tinext ko nalang si Genny na kailangan ko nang mauna saka ko pinatay ang cellphone ko. 

Ganito pala mawalan ng mga taong pinagkakatiwalaan mo.