Love of my life

Track # 03

What the...?

"I mean, why Dionysus? Why?"

We were driving back to CLPH and my brother just gained four hours of bunganga time. Bubungangaan ko talaga siya hangga't hindi kami nakababalik ng CLPH. Nananahimik ako buong umaga pagkatapos bigla siyang kumatok sa pinto ng silid ko para sabihing mag-bihis na raw ako at aalis kami. I asked him where to, and he just said that he'll treat me to lunch.

Four hours, we drove for four hours just to eat lunch in the Metro. Kung tutuusin pwede kaming kumain sa restaurant ni Ino or sa café niya, but no, he said that he wanted this day to be special, pero infairness naman sa kanya, dinala nga niya ako sa isa sa pinakamasarap na restaurant sa Metro and I was full. After eating, he said that he had another surprise for me. Ako naman, excited, sumama ako sa kanya.

I grew up with Dio and it's only us together. We're close as in super close. He's my best friend and even though he fails me one hundred per cent of the time, I still love him with all my heart. Kaya noong araw na sinabi niya sa akin na gusto niyang lumagay sa tahimik kasama ang bago niyang minamahal – si Ate Molly – I cried like a little girl, because, finally, he will have the ending he had always deserved.

"What?" He said calmly. "Your friend sounded so sad on the phone, Calli. I only helped her. Plus, Biboy seemed like he's really dying."

"Of course, he'll die! They stopped all the medications. You know better than this, Dio, may units ka ng medicine!" I hissed at him. "Hindi ko sila maintindihan. They were always trying to decide based on their feelings not based on what they need. Poor, Biboy, I love him with all my heart but he's really going to die. His body will crash, his health will deteriorate. Hindi nila dapat sinunod si Biboy. He just wants the band together again, that's it. Hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi naisip ni Atlanta iyon. She knew better."

"Maybe because, Atlanta is a good friend and she wants the sick dude to be happy, unlike someone here, who is always trying to find dirt at everything."

Pinaniliitan ko siya ng mga mata.

"Are you trying to imply something?" I asked him. He shrugged.

"Anyway, Sis, did you like my gift?"

"You should've just bought me bags and shoes."

"This is my present to you, your past." Ngising – ngisi siya. Sa inis ko ay hindi na ako nakapagpigil, hinampas ko siya ng bag sa mukha. It hurt him, I can see the pain in his eyes and I love it.

I know. I am a bad sister.

I sighed again. I cannot believe that after ten years, Aeneas Altarde will have that kind of effect on me – not the good effect – but his presence, triggered my anger. I could feel my blood boiling in turmoil. I really wanted to slap the hell out of him earlier, but I didn't do it because I didn't want him to think that I feel something for him.

One thing he didn't know is that I am a Consunji and no one can ever shake the ground I am standing.

Also, I am the captain of my own boat. I rock the boat so hard that whoever gets in it, falls flat on their assess.

"You, okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just imagining the number of bags and shoes you're gonna buy for me to make up for this quasi birthday gift you called a surprise. Fuck, Dio, this is the first time you ever let me down and I hate you."

He just laughed. Buong byahe ay ipinamumukha ko sa kanya kung gaano ko ayaw ng regalo niya. Hindi naman kasi nakakatuwa talaga. Ang pinakaayaw ko ay iyong sinusurpresa ako, I don't ever want to be caught off guard – ever again. Kaya maingat na maingat ako.