Chapter 20 - Missing You
1998 Words
Sage’s POV
It has already been two weeks since my last chat with Margaux. I went online every night in the past weeks hoping I would find her online, too, but to no avail. I terribly missed her that I was starting to get frustrated. Nawawalan na ako ng pag-asa. Kung ano-ano na ang pumapasok sa isipan ko, na baka nagsawa na siya sa kaka-chat sa akin, o di kaya ay pinagbawalan na siya ni Josha, at kung ano-ano pa na mas nakadadagdag sa pag-o-overthink ko. This has never happened to me before, not even once. Kung iisipin ay sa chat ko lang naman siya nakilala. Ano ba ang ginawa sa akin ng babaeng iyon? Baka ginayuma o dinasalan ako? Hanggang sa napapangiti na lang ako kapag umaabot na sa gayuma o dasal ang takbo ng isip ko.
Lumipas pa ang halos dalawang linggo. It had been almost a month, and I was already on the verge of losing hope that Marg would contact me again. Dumalang na rin ang pag-log in ko sa messenger. Despite that, I continued to send her messages whenever I went online, kahit hindi na araw-araw. Somehow, I still believed in fate. I knew we met online for a reason, so, I made a promise to myself. Just one chance. One chance to talk to her again, and I promise, I will never let that chance go to waste. I will tell her how I feel. Bahala na talaga si Batman. Ayaw ko nang magpatumpik-tumpik pa. By hook or by crook, I am going to win her.
It’s Saturday morning. Wala akong klase, but I went to the university to finish a design I was working on for a multi-million-dollar company. Bayad na ito kaya kailangan ko na lang ihabol sa deadline na ibinigay ng kliyente ko. Dahil maaga pa naman ay nagpasya muna akong mag-swimming. I took my clothes off and left them inside my private room in my office. Isinuot ko ang aking roba bago lumabas. I went to the Olympic-sized pool on the top floor of the Engineering Building.
After a quick shower, I placed my robe on the sun lounger and dove straight into the water wearing nothing but black swimming trunks. Wala sa sariling nagpabalik-balik ako sa paglangoy. My mind wandered, thoughts drifting aimlessly like the ripples I left in my wake. Finally, I decided it was enough. I finished one more lap, touching the cool tile at the end of the pool, and lifted myself out of the water. Isinuot kong muli ang aking roba at bumalik sa opisina ko.
After fixing myself, I took the almost completed design from the steel cabinet behind my office table. I have the Auto-CAD software on my laptop, but I always prefer to do my designs manually. When I was about to start working on my drawing table, an unexpected message suddenly popped on my computer screen. It’s from Margaux.
“Hello, Sage! Kumusta ka na? Sorry kung hindi ako nakareply sa mga messages mo. A lot of things came up. How are you? Thank you for checking on me often these past few days. Just message me back when you get online. Bye!”
I was stunned for a moment. Nakatitig lamang ako sa screen ng computer na nasa ibabaw ng office table ko. My right hand which was holding a technical drawing pen was shaking. Ilang minuto akong nasa ganoong ayos. But when I realized what was happening, I immediately leaped from where I was standing and rushed to my desk. Nakapako ang mga mata ko sa screen habang unti-unti nang bumibilis ang t***k ng puso ko. Sliding into my chair, I positioned myself in front of the computer, my fingers were hovering over the keyboard. Sa nanginginig kong mga kamay ay mabilis akong nagtipa ng sagot bago pa mag-log out si Margaux. I can no longer wait for another day to talk to her.
“Hey, Marg! Still there?”
I felt elated when I saw on the screen that she was typing. My heart was beating so fast I could almost hear it. Nagmistula akong teenager na excited na makatanggap ng sagot galing sa kaniyang crush. Tila hindi ako makahinga sa labis na antisipasyon.
“Hi, Sage! Yes, am still here. I was about to log out because I’m going to bed. Buti naabutan mo ako. Kumusta ka na?”
I didn’t know what to say. Parang hindi ako makapag-isip at makapag-type nang maayos dahil sa nararamdaman kong kaba. I tried to calm my nerves. I have waited for this moment for days now, tapos hindi ako sasagot? No way!
“Sage, nandiyan ka pa ba?”
Muli akong nagtipa ng sagot. I have completely forgotten about the design I planned to finish today.
“Yes, yes, Marg. I’m here. Sorry. May inayos lang ako sa kabilang table ko. Kumusta ka na? Ako heto, miss na miss ka na,” I truthfully said. Hindi ko napigilang sabihin sa kaniya na miss na miss ko na siya. Iyon naman talaga ang totoo. Bahala na. Ang mahalaga ay malaman niya ang nararamdaman ko.
“Ayan ka na naman. Bolero ka talaga kahit kailan.”
“Of course not. Totoo ang sinasabi ko. Ang tagal mo kasing nawala. Akala ko ay nagsawa ka na sa kaka-chat sa akin. Parang gusto ko na ngang umuwi ng Pilipinas at hanapin ka. Baka naman pwede mong ibigay sa akin ang mobile number mo para kapag hindi ka online ay matatawagan kita anytime?”
I knew that I was bold to ask for her mobile number. But it’s the only way that would keep us connected. Baka kasi bigla na naman siyang mawala ng ilang linggo or worse, months or even years. I can’t let that happen, can I?
“Ay sus! Grabe, ang tamis magsalita. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ano’ng ganap sa buhay mo ngayon?”
“Marg, I am serious. Hindi ako nagbibiro. May I please have your number. Sige na, please? Baka bigla ka na naman kasing mawala nang matagal. Mababaliw na siguro ako kapag nangyari pa ulit iyon.”
“Ano kasi. Sige na nga. Ang kulit mo rin, ‘no? Tapos ang dami mong drama.”
“I can be tenacious, you know,” sagot ko na nilagyan ko pa ng winking emoticon.
“Oo na. Ito ibibigay na nga. 0927-832-3571. Happy?”
“Ecstatic!”
“Weee, bola!”
“Hind, a! Anyway, how are you and Josha?”
Kahit ayaw kong malaman ay nagtanong pa rin ako. Gusto kong maging updated sa magiging karibal ko kay Marg. Napangiti ako. Hindi pa nga ako nagsisimula, karibal na kaagad ang nasa isip ko. Pero mali yata ako ng timing. Hindi na siya sumagot sa tanong ko.
“Hey, Marg. Are you still there?” kinakabahan kong tanong.
Nabuhayan ako ng loob nang makita kong nagta-type siya. Ngunit natigilan ako sa kaniyang sagot.
“Ahm, sige, Sage. I have to go. Matutulog na ako. Bye!”
Just like that, she went offline. Nag-log out nga. Hindi man lang hinintay ang sagot ko. Nalungkot ako pero nang maalala ko ang mobile number niya ay nag-scroll back ako sa conversation namin. Nang mahanap ko iyon ay mabilis kong kinuha ang cellphone ko sa aking bulsa at tinawagan siya. I knew it’s already past eight in the evening, her time, but I didn’t care anymore. I needed to talk to her.
Nag-ring sa kabilang linya ngunit walang sumagot. I again dialed her number and this time she picked it up. But I was surprised when I heard a man’s voice.
“Hello, may I know who’s on the line, please,” saad ng nasa kabilang linya.
Hindi kaagad ako nakasagot.
“Who the hell is this guy? Ito ba ang Josha?” wika ko sa isip ko.
“H—Hi! Good evening. Is Margaux home?” sa halip ay tanong ko.
“Yeah? Who are you?”
“I am Marg’s friend.”
“I can see that you are calling from outside the country. I didn’t know she had a friend overseas.”
“Bakit kailangan pa bang i-report ni Marg ang lahat ng friends niya sa lalaking ‘to?” sa isip ko.
“Yeah, I am calling from New York. Is she there with you now? I badly need to talk to her.”
Akmang sasagot na ang kausap ko ngunit hindi natuloy dahil may tumawag dito. I can hear a woman’s voice from the background.
“Hi, Kuya! Bakit gising ka pa?”
“I was about to bring you a glass of milk, sweetheart. Ikaw? Bakit lumabas ka pa? Akala ko ba gagawa ka ng assignment?”
“Oy, napaka-thoughtful talaga. Thanks, Kuya. It’s getting late at malamig na rito sa garden. Sabay na tayong pumasok ng bahay. Tapos na rin naman akong gawin ang assignment ko. Anyway, have you seen my phone? That’s the reason why I’m came downstairs. Hindi ko kasi mahanap sa bag ko.”
Sa pagkakataong ito ay medyo nakalapit na siguro ang babae sa kausap ko dahil dinig na dinig ko na ang boses nito. And, oh boy! She has the sweetest voice I’ve ever heard in my whole life. Napakamalumanay, tunog mabait.
“Yeah, it’s with me. Naiwan mo sa sasakyan kanina.”
“Ay, oo nga. I was texting Maurine earlier. Sabi niya ay mauuna siya sa pagkuha ng exam dahil aalis na sila ng family niya. They are migrating to Canada and they’re leaving at the end of the week. Nakalulungkot nga. Wala na akong malapit na kaibigan.”
“Hey, don’t worry. Nandito pa ako.”
“Thanks, Kuya.”
“Come here, sweetheart. Let me give you a hug para mawala ang lungkot mo.”
Nauubos na ang pasensiya ko habang naghihintay kung kailan matatapos ang usapan at lambingan ng dalawa. Mukhang nakalimutan na ako ng kausap ko. Gusto ko mang patuloy na makinig dahil sa malamyos na boses ng babae, pero this wasn’t the reason why I called. Si Margaux ang gusto kong makausap. It’s her voice that I was dying to hear.
“Oh!” muling saad ng lalaki na tila may biglang naalala. “Someone’s on the line, calling from New York. You haven’t told me you have a friend overseas.”
Nagulat ako sa sinabi ng lalaki. Si Margaux ang kausap niya? No s**t, Sherlock!
“Hey, man! Are you still there? Marg is here with me now. I’ll hand her the phone.”
Hindi ako nakasagot. Kanina, atat na atat akong makausap si Margaux pero ngayong nasa kabilang linya na siya ay parang umurong ang dila ko. Bigla akong natuliro.
“Hey! Are you there? Hello?”
“Yeah? You were saying?” sagot ko nang mahimasmasan ako.
“I was asking you. Do you still want to talk to Margaux? She’s here now,” sagot ng kausap ko.
“Y—Yeah, yeah. I do, I do. Th—Thank you,” nauutal kong sagot. f**k! Why was I acting like a teenager? Ngali-ngaling kutusan ko ang sarili ko.
Maya-maya pa ay may nagsalita sa kabilang linya.
“Hi! Good evening! Sino po sila?”
“Oh, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! Lord, nasa langit na ba ako? Bakit parang bigla akong nakarinig ng nagsasalitang anghel?” parang tangang saad ko sa isip ko. I knew I sounded like a complete idiot.
“Hello? Are you there? Hello? Kuya, wala na yata sa kabilang linya ang tumawag. Walang sumasagot, e.”
“What? Kausap ko pa iyon before I handed you the phone.”
“Wala, e. Hindi sumasagot pero connected pa rin naman ang call.”
“Hayaan mo na. Just end the call. Tatawag ulit iyon kung talagang mahalaga ang pakay niya.”
“Alright, Kuya.”
“Hello. Tumawag na lang po kayo ulit kasi hindi ko po kayo marinig. Bye.”
The call ended. Ni hindi ako nakasagot kay Marg kahit isang salita. Damn! I was dumbfounded!
- Writer
