Her Heart

Chapter Eight

HAPPINESS isn't all about the exact things we pictured out. Sometimes, happiness depends on the contentment someone has. And right now, kontento siya na makita ang kasiyahan sa mga mata ng pamilya niya. Everything was settled, they had to start house blessing earlier than expected. Natapos ang lahat at sila-sila lang ang nandun sa bahay. Her relatives were on their way and so were her friends but she couldn't tell them to hurry and asked the priest to wait.

Her family were enjoying the moment. She had to act like it was nothing but her heart screams more. In any minute she'll meet Von Rix again and her Pandora.box will be open again. Leaving her in pain.

She was sitting on the sofa sipping wine once in a while. But her heart tells the opposite. Kahit na kabado siya ay naghihintay siya upang masilayan ang binata. She knew her family would think otherwise. But will that even matter?

A loud noise filled the entire house. The door opened lightly. Sunod-sunod na iniluwa ng pintuan ang kanyang mga kaibigan.

"Ave!" sigaw ng mga ito. Kumpul-kumpol ang mga babaeng pareho ang kha mukha.

Mainit na yakap ang sinalubong niya sa mga kaibigan, "Mabuti at nakarating kayo!"

"Gaga, congrats!" JM greeted her.

Her friends greeted and congratulated her, but what shook her was Von Rix bringing a bouquet of flowers. His expression remained stoic, he was slowly walking towards her. Her eyes were fixed on him. He was wearing his usual outfit, a pair of pants and a shirt.

"Congratulations on your achievement," he uttered as he closed the distance between them.

She shyly nodded, "Thank you. Nag-abala ka pa."

Pilit niyang kinakalma ang sarili, na sa pagtanggap niya sa bulaklak ay hindi nanginginig ang kanyang kamay. When their hand touched, she jolted a bit. Hindi naman nakahalata ang kanyang mga kaibigan so she acted like nothing happened.

Kahit ang puso niya ay naghuhumiyaw sa tuwa. Pero ayaw niyang bigyang kulay ang mga ito She doesn't to get hurt again, nakakasawa ng umasa at masaktan sa paulit-ulit na katangahan na kung tawagin ng iba ay pag-ibig

"Anyway, kumain muna kayo. Suit yourself guys," she said and led them to the extension dining area.

"Magandang tanghali po Tita at Tito!" JM greeted with all smiles. Sa kanilang magkaibigan, JM has the power to get close with anyone. Ultimo matanda mabilis niyang makasundo.

Unlike her other friends nahihiya ang mga ito. Si JM lang talaga ang walang hiya sa kanila, literal na walang hiya.

Her Papa nodded and her Lola on the other side smiled at her friends. But as they saw Von Rix with her circle of friends ay tahimik ang mga ito. Marahil siguro sa gulat. After Nine years, they saw them together at dinala niya sa pamamahay nila. However, they are not together anymore. Just plain friends because they have the same circle of friends plus she is close with his family especially his sister and parents. Ninang rin siya ng mga pamangkin nito.

"Kumain kayong lahat!" paanyaya ng ina niya. Pero hindi nakaligtas sa mata niya gulat na reaksyon ng ina.

Her mother handed plates and utensils, including him. Her mothers eyes lingered on him.

"Hijo kumain ka na," her mother urged him as she handed the plates.

"Salamat po," he said as his eyes landed on her.

It made her happy. Kahit wala naman siyang dapat ikatuwa. She never formally introduced him as her boyfriend. He never asked, he never said anything against her parents. He stayed silent all throughout their entire relationship.

Malaking bagay sa kanya na wala siyang galit na makita sa mga mata ng binata. But it saddens her as his eyes never sparkled for her anymore. Na hindi na niya makikita ang ngiti nitong nagpapayapa sa kanya.

She owed him an apology for not fighting enough for him. But she did everything to work out their relationship, kahit na maubos siya sa kakabigay.

"Bongga!" JM screamed, ang kakaibang aura ay napalitan ng tawa.

She was holding the bouquet in her arms. The house was filled with banters and laughter as JM and Aena comically fight. Tatlo na lang kasi silang single, Aena and her ex didn't work out. Habang si JM puro landian lang ang alam sa buhay. At lastly siya, single rin. Kasi in love pa sa ex niya.

She has no plans in rekindling their romance. Baka kako may jowa na ang binata o anak. She has no plans in ruining someone's relationship dahil mahal niya pa ang binata. She knows her boundaries, kahit na ang mga ex ng ex niya noon ay walang respeto sa kung anong meron sila.

"Girl, akala ko pa naman pag-uwi mo ng Pinas may bitbit kang afam!" eksaheradang saad ni JM na ikinatawa niya.

"Akala ko talaga may iiuuwi kang lalaki para sa amin," segunda naman ni Aena.

"Hoy! FYI hindi ako factory ng mga lalaki no," pabiro niyang sagod.

"Hindi ka ba nagkaroon ng boyfriend sa Australia, Ate?" biglang singit Nala.

She smiled, "Nah. Hindi ko bet mga foreigner, beh. Masyadong mabibilis!"

"Pero nakatikim ka na ng blue eyes?" singit ni Mary na ikinaubo ni Von Rix. Lahat tuloy ay napatingin sa binata maliban sa kanya, "okay ka lang Von?"

Tumikhim ito bago sumagot, "Wala. Nasamid lang tuloy niyo kwentuhan."

Bumaling lahat sa kanya, "Ano girl na ipresenta mo ba ang Pinas sa labanan?"

Pinandilatan niya ang mga kaibigan. Jusko, hindi naman siya tanga para hindi ma-gets kung ano iyon. They were pertaining to her s*x life.

"Pati ba naman kayo?!" ungot niya

"Sus, tayo tayo lang naman. Nasa taas mga magulang no," Jervy encourage her to answer.

"Fine!" kahit labag sa loob niya. It isn't the same back then that she would spill some about her s*x life. "I am celibated for years. I didn't date anyone for five years or casually f**k. Jusko ha!"

Pulang-pula ang pagmumukha niya. Hindi naman siya mahiyain when it comes to her s*x life back then, ang kaso her ex is with them and it is too awkward to talk about s*x and stuffs. Naaalala lang niya ang mga kalandian niya noon. Kung anu-anong kalandian niya sa buhay noon, she had her first when she was eighteen. Hindi naman bago sa kanya ang usaping ito.

Von Rix was her first, he was her first in everything. Kaya hirap siyang palitan ito sa puso niya. Kaya kahit anong pilit niya lumandi, hindi pa rin talaga. Hinahanap-hanap ng puso niya ang binata.

"Welcome to the El Niño club!" Aena jokes.

Natawa na lang silang lahat. Napuno ng halakhakan ang silid. Kahit sa loob loob niya ay hiyang-hiya siya. Maybe Von Rix thinks that she is lying or anything, dahil napaka-imposible naman na limang taon siyang single. O baka isipin ng binata na hanggang ngayon ay hinihintay niya pa rin ito—he is probably correct. But she doesn't want to push things.

Kasi noong mga nagdaang taon na pinilit niya ang mga bagay-bagay siya lang ang lumuha at nasaktan.

"Seryoso you never dated anyone?" Meira asked.

She nodded, "I don't really have time for dating. I am taking my masters too, saka I am not really into foreigners. "

"So ibig sabihin si Von Rix lang—"

"Ang alin?" putol niya kay JM na may malaking ngisi sa labi.

She is trying to ignore the topic. She knew how her friends are crazy about them. Noong nag-aaway sila noon ay ang mga kaibigan ang gumagawa ng paraan magkaayos lang sila ni Von Rix. And she knew they are pulling the cards.

"Ex na kayo, wala naman sigurong mali kung sabihin kong ang huling dilig mo ay si Von Rix—"

They both coughed at what JM had said . Their gaze met, her face turned crimson at what JM said. Hiyang-hiya na siya sa pinagsasabi ng binata.

"Wow sabay na naubo," Mary sarcastically remarked earning a laugh from them.

"So yun nga Ave. Balik tayo sa 'yo. Huwag mo kaming pinagloloko, sagot o lagot?" JM asked like he was a host in a tv show.

"Wow, Boy Abunda is that you?" Aena remarked.

Jusko. Riot talaga pagmagkasama ang mga kaibigan niya. Isang maling tanong ng mga ito, delikado siya. Everyone is staring at her including him. At that moment she wanted to vanish, admitting that he is the only man who touched her implies she only wants him in this lifetime.

"Huwag niyo ng nga pag-usapan ang karanasan ng pekpek kong nanahimik! Anyway, let's plan a beach night out."

Well, she is hitting two birds with one stone. Diverting their topic away from her non-existing s*x life and love life. And planning another get away, she misses spending time with them.

"Kuu. Sige, next week mag-beach tayo. Na-miss ko rin mag-swimming, sa stress kasi ako nagsi-swimming ngayon." Mary uttered.

Noon, si Mary lagi ang nagpaplano ng mga gala nila. And what she loves about Mary is that when she knows anyone of them doesn't have money, sinasagot nito lahat. That's the best she learnt about her and their friendship, kung sino ang wala babawi na lang next time. Now that they all have work and savings, panahon na para sila naman ang bumawi.

Panahon na rin siguro gumawa ng nga bagong memorya at kalimutan ang kahapon.