kKk:
Bigla siyang natahimik sa narinig, si Clark ay magta-trabaho na sa fast food restaurant na katapat lamang ng kumpanya kung saan sila nagta-trabaho ni Sol.
Sol: Great.
Mark: Congrats.
Nginitian lamang siya nito at agad na tinunghayan si Sol. Alam niyang medyo naiilang pa ito sa kanya.
Bahagya siyang nakaramdam ng kaba. Ano ba ang nangyayari at bakit tila lalong nilalapit si Clark ng tadhana sakanila?
Clark: Let me treat you, guys.
Sol: W-Wag na, baka pagod ka na rin, umuwi ka nalang. Atsaka, wala ka pa nga'ng sweldo e.
Clark: Okay lang yan.
Nakunot bigla ang noo niya nang marinig ang mga sinasabi nito, ano ang ibig sabihin nu'n? Bakit ba kasi sila nag-uusap sa harap niya gamit ang ibang lenggwahe?
Clark: Is it okay with you, Mark?
Mark: W-What?
Clark: I--I'll treat you, guys, if it's okay.
Mark: Oh, yes, it's definitely fine with me.
Bahagya siyang tinunghayan ni Sol atsaka nginitian na tila nag-aalanganin pa ito.
Sol: Is it really okay with you?
Mark: Of course.
Sol: I was just thinking.. maybe you're tired now, and you have to rest.
Hinawakan niya ang kamay nito. Samantala, pigil na pigil naman ang selos na nararamdaman ni Clark habang pinaanood ang dalawa.
Mark: Hey, it's okay. *dry smile*
Sol: O--Okay.
Nakangiti lamang si Mark habang tinatago ang inis sa loob. Kung kutsilyo lamang siguro ang kanyang mga tingin siguro ay nahiwa na si Clark.
Nakatingin lamang siya nang hawakan nito ng braso ng dalaga. He gritted his teeth.
Lumingon ang mga ito sa direksyon niya, a faked smile flashed his lips.
He just smiled, but deep inside? He wanted to cut off his hand and throw it so far away.
Mabuti nalang at nakakaya niya pa'ng magtimpi.
Sol: So, how did you get the job?
Kasalukuyan na silang nasa loob ng isang restaurant at kumakain.
Clark: Actually, ang in-apply-an ko lang, waiter. Pero nung nalaman nung may-ari na nag-maneobra na ko dati ng fast food restaurant, tinanggap niya na ako bilang manager.
Sol: Nice.
Kinakain na ng dalawa ang pasta nila habang nagku-kwentuhan, ayaw niyang sumali sa usapan ng mga ito. Kaya tumahimik lamang siya at tila naging batang pinaglalaruan ang kanyang pagkain at hinahalo-halo ang shake na nasa harapan.
Sol's:
We asked him if he wanted us to bring him home but, he refused. So, dumiretso na kami sa kotse at nag-drive na siya pabalik ng bahay.
Pero, may napapansin talaga ako sakanya. Kanina pa siya tahimik, e. Ano ba ang nangyayari sa lalaki'ng to?
Mark's:
She's now inside the restroom to have a shower, preparing for bed.
I still can't stop thinking about what we've learned. Clark? He's going to work at that restaurant? Ugh!
Sol's:
After I took a shower. Pumasok na rin siya sa rest room at nag-shower.
kKk:
Maya-maya pa ay lumabas na rin ito sa naturang banyo, agad itong umupo sa right side ng kama at tumingin sakanya na tila ba nagtataka.
Mark: Why is it? What's with that look?
Tumingin siya dito ng diretso at seryoso.
Sol: Is there something you want to tell me? Are you okay?
Mark: Why asking me that question? *smile*
He held her right hand and squeezed it gently, to assure her that he's definitely fine.
Mark: I'm surely okay. *smile*.
Nag-poker face si Sol. At bumuntong hininga na lamang si Mark, senyales na sumusuko na siya.
Mark: Okay, okay.
Unti-unti siyang tinitigan nito mata sa mata. Unti-unting bumangon ang kaba sa kaibuturan niya.
Mark: When you're together, can't you see it?
Sol: *frowning* W--What do you mean?
Inayos nito ang upo at tuluyan nang humarap sakanya.
Mark: The way he looks at you. The way his eyes touch your face, body, it's different. I--I think, Clark likes you. Like.. so much.
Lalong kinabahan si Sol. Ah, nagseselos pala si Mark kanina kaya ito tahimik.
Nakaramdam siya ng guilt, siguro ngayon na ang tamang oras para sabihin kay Mark ang nakaraan.
Sol: I was still in high school back then, we. We were still in high school...
Nakunot ang noo nito sa mga sinasabi niya.
Ano kaya ang sinasabi ni Sol sakanya?
Sol: When..When he-- confessed me that-- indeed, he likes me.
Tumingin siya dito at ganun rin ito sakanya.
Sol: *sarcastic laugh* And me, too numb without even noticing that.
Hinawakan niya ang kamay ni Sol at nginitian ito.
Bakit tila may pagkaka-pareha ang kwento ni Sol at Clark sakanila ni Kalley?
Sol: I--I was so confused. I-- *sad face* I rejected him.
It's because I like you that time, I can even say that I already loved you.
Even if you didn't even know me that time, you didn't even know that there's someone out there adoring you like I do who named Soledad. *giggles*
I chose my dream, and that dream is you.
How mean and selfish I was, without giving him a chance.
Lalong humigpit ang hawak niya sa kamay nito. Dati pa lamang pala ay gustung-gusto na siya nito. Napaka-swerte niya naman.
Natuwa siya sa narinig na kwento mula sa dalaga, ngunit nakaramdam siya ng awa para kay Clark.
Sol: But, I didn't feel like regretting. *sweet smile* Cos, now, you're here. Sitting right next to me.
Hinawakan niya ang pisngi nito gamit ang isa pang kamay. He flashed a sweet smile.
Naalala niya ang nangyari sakanila ni Kalley.. na may pagkaka-pareha kay Sol at Clark. Sa sinabi ni Sol ay nagkaroon na rin siya ng lakas ng loob na ikwento ito sa nobya.
He gave her a cheap smile.
Mark: Can I tell you a story,too?
She just frowned.
Mark: A--About me and Kalley. We have the same story.
Teka, ano? H--Hindi kaya-- nagtapat rin si---.
Mark: That time, we graduated high school. After that, we went to a club to celebrate. We danced, we laughed, we just enjoyed it! *smile*
Napangiti na rin siya nang makitang ngumiti ito. Ngunit nawala iyon na dahilan ng pagkawala rin ng matamis niyang ngiti.
Mark: We went at the park. Remember the park where we first met?
Yeah, I surely do., Sol
Mark: There, she confessed me everything. That-- That she likes me. I--I didn't know what to do that time. You know, knowing that the one to you think your best friend has a very special feelings for you. I--I was confused. I tried to walk away, but she told me that she'll go to US to study college there. I--I know that she knew I was gay. I told her to fix everything up before she fly to US, she agreed.
But, when I met you, I didn't know why my heart just skipped a beat or two.
She smiled sweetly and also him. Ipinatong ni Sol ang kamay sa kamay ni Mark na nakahawak pa sa isa niya.
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To Be Continued
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