Secrets Left Untold By: Akhi It's 5am and everybody else is alseep except for Rocel na nakikipag text lang kay Richard. *Texting...
Secrets Left Untold
By: Akhi
It's 5am and everybody else is alseep except for Rocel na nakikipag text lang kay Richard.
*Texting*
Rocel: Bakit parang di kana masyadong bumibisita dito sa bahay?
Richard: Busy lang talaga ako lately. Tsaka I'm kind of having emotional problems at the moment.
Rocel: Hmmm... Would you like to talk about it?
Richard: Hahaha I don't think there's anything you could do about it.
Rocel: You know sometimes it's nice to have someone to confide with. When the going gets tough, it's not easy to take it on by yourself so you should at least let yourself open up to a person you could trust.
Richard: Yeah maybe you're right. But that person is exactly the one giving me these problems.
Rocel: Marami pa namang iba dyan na concern about you. Like for example, ako because we've been quite close already. All I wanted to say is you can trust me. I am here for you. :))
Richard: Thanks... I guess...
Rocel: Let's meet up at DCC this afternoon and just hangout. Is that alright?
Richard: Well how could I say no to that? Gayong ikaw na nag invite sakin imbis na ako dapat. Hehe
Rocel: We are millennials after all and this is the new custom. So get used to it.
Richard: Alright I get you. But if we're gonna be hanging out I prefer to be somewhere else.
Rocel: I thought you'd like to be in DCC kase magkakasosyo kayo nila Cherry at Akhi dun.
Richard didn't reply anymore. She waited for about 20 minutes at wala parin so she thought baka nakatulog na ito then she decided to get out of her room and make herself some coffee.
Pagkarating nya sa kusina, Miko was right there, sitting and deep in his thoughts...
Rocel: Good morning Miko.
She passed by him and put the kettle on the stove to boil some water. Mukhang hindi sya napansin ni Miko.
Rocel: Ang lalim yata ng iniisip mo?
She leans on the counter with her hands on both sides as she turns to face Miko.
Rocel: Uh, hello?
Hindi parin sya napapansin ni Miko.
Rocel: Earth calling Gab!
Nagkamali ng banggit si Rocel. It was an unconscious mistake. But to her surprise, Miko responded.
Miko: Uh what? Oh Ross, andyan ka pala.
Rocel: Oh that's strange. *crosses her arms and raises a brow*
Miko: What is?
Rocel: Tinawag kitang Gab ng di sinasadya tapos napansin mo ko. Samantalang kanina pa kita tinatawag pero tulala ka lang jan.
Miko: You called me by that name? I didn't really hear it.
Rocel: *sigh* Oh well. Bakit parang may problema ka?
Miko: Meron lang kaming misunderstanding ni Cindy. But it's not that big of a deal.
Rocel: Hmmm...
Kumulo na ang tubig at nagtimpla na ng kape si Rocel then sat across the table from where Miko is.
Rocel: It's really troubling me...
Miko: Huh?
Rocel: There's something about you.
Miko: Oh is this a "Gab" thing again?
Rocel: Well actually yes. I know you're sick of being compared to him. It's just, I don't see you as someone I've just known. Yung parang komportable akong kausapin ka in anyway and being around you feels so familiar.
Miko: *sigh* I can't really blame you. Anyway, you can just be yourself around me. However you wanna talk to me or however you wanna treat me then just go ahead.
Rocel: Well okay. Then kung ganon, magtimpla ka ng kape mo at samahan mo ko.
Miko: Hahaha okay sige na nga. Ikaw naman ang reyna ng bahay na ito eh.
Nagtaka si Rocel. Eversince Gab died hindi na nila nababanggit ang tungkol doon. Yung royal nicknames nila and that being Rocel as the queen, me as the "princess", Harold as the "servant king" and Gab as the prince. Pagka balik ni Miko sa upuan napansin nyang nakatulala lang sa kanya si Rocel.
Miko: Uy, bakit nakatulala ka jan? *snaps his finger in front of her*
Rocel: Uh, w-wala.
She's thinking "I smell something fishy. May kakaiba talaga kay Miko."
Miko: Oh look at that, the first ray of sunshine. *points to the window*
Rocel: yeah, sunrise it is.
Then they both watched as the sun rise from the window pane.
---
It is about past lunch time and I am just sitting by the window on our living room. It is pouring outside at malamig ang simoy ng hangin.I'm watching every rain drops Medyo awkward ang lunch namin kanina because of Cindy and Miko. It was contageous that everyone else felt uneasy. So many thoughts are running through my head. After a while Cindy Joined me looking so gloomy and sighing repeatedly.
Akhi: You wanna talk about it?
Cindy: Kuya Akhi, so many thoughts are running through my head right now.
Akhi: Like what?
Cindy: Kuya, I'm sorry if I kinda spied on you and listened to your conversation on the phone yesterday. I've heard everything, about kuya Miko possibly being Gab's brother.
I was startled but at the same time na curious ako. I wanted to know directly from her if it is true that Miko is not her real brother.
Akhi: Well... *curled my feet up the couch and hugged myself while looking at her* is it true that Miko isn't your real brother?
Cindy: Well *sigh* I am as clueless as you are kuya. I mean there are rumors around our neighborhood but I never really entertained them before.
Cindy started crying and I kinda have the feeling that there's more to it.
Akhi: What else do you know?
Cindy looks at me brows furrowed and with tears on her eyes.
Cindy: I wish I could tell you as much. But for now let's just say kuya na may mga bagay na hindi ko pa pwedeng sabihin.
I was puzzled. what could it be? That she gets so emotional like this? we sat in silence for a moment.
Cindy: I have to go back to my room now kuya. I need to do some homework.
Akhi: Okay Cindy.
I smiled at her as she went back to her room. After a while it finally stopped raining and I saw Rocel all dressed up at parang may lakad.
Akhi: Saan ang punta mo?
Rocel: Ah pupunta lang sa Cat's eyes. Makikipagkita kay Richard.
Akhi: He invited you?
Rocel: Well it's the other way round. Ako nag invite sa kanya kase parang may problema sya.
I whisper to myself "Yeah I know and that's probably because of me. Yup! That's me, Akhi. Heartbreaker of the year."I realized I was spacing out when I snapped out of reality because Rocel was calling me.
Rocel: Huy bakit ka tulala jan?
Akhi: Uh, sorry. May iniisip lang ako.
Rocel was starting to get suspicious. She senses tension from me whenever she mentions Richard. She eyes me with suspicion then replied
Rocel: Hmmm... Ooookay. Maiwan na muna kita because I am about to be late.
Akhi: *sigh* Okay, take care! Have fun.
Then she left looking so determined as if she has a plan.
---
nasa DCC si Cherry that afternoon nang makita nyang may nangyayaring kaguluhan sa may entrance ng cafe. lumapit sya para malaman kung anong nagaganap.
Lorraine: Let me in!
Guard: Ma'am pasensya na po talaga, pero nang gulo kayo dito dalawang beses na at naka ban na po kayo sabi ng boss namin.
Lorraine: I don't care! I need to speak to my friends!
Cherry enters the scene arms crossed and with a smug look on her face.
Cherry: Friends? Hibang ka ba? Sino namang friends ang tinutukoy mo?
Lorraine: I don't have to tell you anything.
Cherry: Oh but you do or else I won't let you in.
Lorriane: Fine! I'll find a way!
She turned around and walk towards her car and drove away.
Cherry: Ang laki ng saltik sa utak ng babaeng yun!
But Cherry couldn't shake the thought that there is something wrong. Sino yung mga "friends" na sinasabi nya? She looked around the cafe until her eyes landed on her two newest employees. She thought to herself "I have a feeling these two have something to do with that woman and with what's been happening to the cafe.She came up with a decision. "Come tomorrow and then I will take action." Then she went back in and continued what she was doing.
---
At home, di sinasadyang nagkasalubong kami sa hallway papuntang kitchen ni Miko. We stared at each other for a moment. I can tell that he's worried about me dahil sa nangyari kahapon.
Miko: Akhi... I... I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.
Instead of being appeased, parang nainis ako. Kase naalala ko yung mga sinabi nya sakin kahapon. He doesn't know me at all, so those words we're so judging and hurtful.
Akhi: How can you be so insensitive?
He looks me in the eye.
Akhi: Is that what you do to people you just met? Judge them while they're vulnerable?
Miko: *sigh* I... I'm sorry.
obviously there's nothing else he can do but say sorry. I can tell that he's sincere but I am still pissed off. I shook my head and passed by him but before I could get away he suddenly hugs me from behind out of nowhere.
Akhi: *with an angry tone* What are you doing?
Yung yakap nya masikip sa dibdib. Not literally but emotionally. It is so f*cking familiar and comforting that I hate it so much. I just stood there for a few moments while we're in that position then after a while he released me.
Miko: I don't know how to make it better.
He looks down and guilty. I raised my head shutting my eyes tightly to suppress my tears and shook my head. I turn to face him and sigh.
Akhi: How about we start again?
I forced myself to be okay and to forgive him. He lifts his head to meet my eyes with that f*cking beautifully handsome bashful smile that can melt any girls heart.
Miko: Y-yeah. I'd like that.
I pursed my lips as I was taking him in. How cute this guy in front of me really is.
Akhi: I better get back to my room.
Miko: M-me too.
We said to each other forgetting that we reside in the same room and only realized it nung sabay kaming naglakad sa iisang direction. Nagkatinginan kami then laughed at each other as we seemingly have a telepathic communication saying "Oh you totally forget we stay in one room". Suddenly he instinctively holds my hand as we walk side by side towards our room. When we reached the door, he was still holding my hand. I cleared my throat to let him know. At parang nagulat sya at bigla nyang tinanggal ang kamay nya sa kamay ko.
Miko: Umm... you first.
I didn't say anything at pumasok na ako then went to my side of the room. I can't help but think "Why is he acting like this? This is obviously not normal unless he likes me. But that would mean he isn't straight or is he? Do I really look like someone who could charm guys like that?"
---
At Cat's Eyes Cafe
Richard: I'm sorry Rocel.
She sighs then resigns to it. She feels bad, but then it's not like she's deep into the feeling that she's developing for Richard.
Rocel: Alam mo, I will be honest. I thought you were gonna be the one. Finally I can break from the curse of being inlove with someone I can't have but I guess that guy's grasp in my heart is bigger than I thought.
She was referring to Harold.
Richard: I guess I look stupid to you.
Rocel: Not really. Di naman kita masisi. Di naman ikaw ang unang lalaking nagka gusto kay Akhi if we're talking about straight guys.
Richard: Are you gonna be okay?
Rocel: Psshh... Wag naman masyadong GGSS ha? I mean if I was totally inlove with you I wouldn't be pero I realized that I wasn't. Dina-divert ko lang yung feelings ko and jump at the first guy who showed me signs that maybe a good relationship would bloom.
Richard: What are you gonna do?
Rocel: Well duh! I support my friend Akhi kung ano man ang gusto nya. That has always been the setup. I am not complaining though. That's just how our friendship works and has always been. Kase lagi naman ako yung pinaka malakas sa tropa. Ako yung reyna, and no one can bring this queen down.
He smiles at her. At this point he admires her for being that kind of friend.
Richard: Maswerte sila they have a friend like you.
Rocel: I know. Someday I'm gonna cash in all the favors. hahaha
They finished their coffee and said their goodbyes as they headed their own ways.
COMMENTS