THIRTY-SEVEN
"Hello, Song One." Bati ni Rosie sa kotseng na-reveal ng tinanggal na tarp ni Wendy.
Ngumiti lang ang may-ari. In-unlock ang kotse, pinagbuksan ng pinto si Rosie.
Pinindot ang busina pagkasakay sa loob. "Song One says hi back." Sabi ni Wendy. Natawa sa gulat na itsura ni Rosie. Pinindot ulit ang busina. "Song One..missed you daw." Dagdag niya.
Ngumiti lang si Rosie. "Yeh. I missed Song One too." Pabulong na sagot.
------------------------------------------------------------
"Ilang linggo na akong lasing." Natatawang comment ni Rosie habang binubuksan ang can ng San Mig Light na inabot ni Wendy.
Nasa hood nanaman sila ng sasakyan.
Inaabangan ang sunset.
"Na-mention nga nila Lisa na nagiinom kayo lagi." Sagot ni Wendy.
Nag-toast sila ng alak.
"Keri nalang din." Sabi ni Rosie. "I've got nothing lined up for the next couple months anyway."
"Bumming around?" Tanong ni Wendy.
Tumango si Rosie. "Yup. I think I earned the pahinga."
"I suppose. Considering ilang taon ka din na puro trabaho.."
"Right? I've got job offers pero meh..yoko muna isipin."
"Future Rosie problem?"
"Mhmm.."
"Makes sense."
"How're you?" Tanong ni Rosie.
"Happy.." Sagot ni Wendy.
"Good to know. You never did tell me which restaurant you're working at. Takot ka bang pumunta ako?" Biro ni Rosie.
Natawa lang si Wendy. "Not scared, Rosie. Just waiting for the right time to bring you there."
"Uhuh. Excuses."
"Fuck off."
Tinawanan siya ni Rosie. Tahimik silang nag-inom. Pangatlong can na pareho ng mag-usap ulit.
"This is nice." Comment ni Rosie. Humiga na. "Place is always the safe spot."
Tumabi lang si Wendy. "Yeh it is." Sabi niya.
"Theungwan?" Tawag ni Rosie.
"Yeh, Rothie?" Sagot ni Wendy.
"It's Friday."
"Is it?"
"Yup."
"Huh..neat."
"Can we talk?"
"About what?"
"About us."
"What about us?"
"Hmmm.."
Tumingin lang si Wendy kay Rosie. Huminga ng malalim. "You happy where you are?" Tanong niya.
"I am." Humarap si Rosie kay Wendy. Tinapik siya sa pisngi. "Are you?"
"Yes..I really am. There's stuff I still have to work through pero happiness wise..I've got no complaints. I feel like I found my place."
"Okay.."
Sabay silang bumalik sa panunuod ng langit.
"Remember what we said when we first went for it?" Tanong ni Rosie.
"Alin dun?" Sagot ni Wendy.
"We said we'd quit if it gets dicey."
"Ahh..yeh.."
"In hindsight..we kind of did."
"Hmm.."
"Kaso at the same time..too late nadin nung nangyari."
"Hmm.."
"We were both way too deep into it to not have it damage what we had before we got together."
"Yeah..I..I'm sorry.."
"Done now, Seungwan..kahit mag-sorry pa tayo sa isa't-isa ng paulit-ulit..di na mababawi yung nawala."
"There's always gonna be that thing hanging over us huh?"
"Yup.."
"Hmm.."
------------------------------------------------------------
"So..uhmm..you and Jisoo huh?" Sabi ni Wendy.
Napatapik sa noo si Rosie. "Shet." Sabi niya.
"Hmm?"
"Di ko nga pala nakwento. Tangina. Of all the things I could forget for a whole year."
"Ha?"
"That never worked out." Sabi ni Rosie. "Di naman nagtagal yun."
Napabangon si Wendy mula sa pagkakahiga. Kumakabog ang dibdib sa narinig na balita. "Ha?" Ulit niya bilang wala ng ibang masabi.
"Yeh. Uhh..so ayun. We kissed last year New Year like I told you." Paliwanag ni Rosie. "Figured we can maybe try kasi why not so we did."
"Kamo that didn't work out? What..ohmygod.."
"Yeah it didn't. We went out on like three? five dates? Labeled it and then called it quits after a couple of months anyway. Didn't even end up sleeping together which is weird considering it was the ONE time doing that would make sense."
"Jesus christ.."
"We realized that we could barely stand each other as tropa so what more if jowa? All we did on those dates was fight about what to do pati."
"Tanginaaaaaaaaaaa!" Sigaw ni Wendy sa langit.
Tinapik siya ni Rosie sa balikat. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just genuinely forgot. Tsaka sobrang bilis lang naman nung thing and it ended up not being anything important to Soo and I."
"So ano kayo ngayon?" Tanong ni Wendy.
"Wala. Same old us except burado na completely yung idea na baka may something more pa na pupwedeng mangyari." Sagot ni Rosie. "Kasi nga tried and tested na and walang pinatunguhan."
Tumitig lang si Wendy sa view ng city lights sa baba ng bundok. "Tangina.." Bulong niya. "Did you know I was wallowing in pain over missed chances all last year?"
"Were you?"
"I asked you to call that night kasi I wanted to ask if we can try again."
"Shit son."
Tumango lang si Wendy. "Yup..shit son."
"I'm sorry, Seungwan."
"Nah don't be. Don't be sorry, Rosie." Sagot ni Wendy. "I realized now that it wasn't the right time back then. I wasn't in the right state of mind to take care of you yet..and looking back, I only wanted to ask dati because I was neck-deep in regrets and everyone was yelling at me about being stupid."
Natawa si Rosie. "Well..yeah. You were kind of dumb."
"I was a lot dumb. Which is why di ka pwedeng mag-sorry sakin about not telling me about you and Jisoo. In a way..that woke me up."
"Hmm?"
"Pushed me to strive better? I don't know. Tsaka the thought of you being happy about something else created that distance I needed from you. Enough for me to work on myself without worrying na I have to check on you all the time. Kumbaga..hindi kita naistorbo. You grew into your own." Sabi ni Wendy.
"Hmm..well what if Jisoo and I worked out then?" Tanong ni Rosie. "Say we're exactly where we both are right now except my answer to your first question was that Jisoo and I worked out. What then?"
"We keep on going where we're going."
"That's it?"
"Well yeah." Sagot ni Wendy. "I mean..we're back to being bestfriends the way we were before we dated right? Sorted it all last year kasi we both knew on the few occasions that we did talk..na hanggang dun lang yun right?"
"You kept mum kasi you were thinking I was with Jisoo the whole time." Sabi ni Rosie.
"Yeah I did. Pero point still stands. That misunderstanding still helped both of us get back to our friendship in peace."
"Hmm.."
Natahimik sila.
"Heard of the novel 'Love in the time of Cholera'?" Tanong ni Wendy.
"Yeah I read that." Sagot ni Rosie. "Kind of weird but meh. Was a pretty great novel. What about it?"
"Parang same idea. Remember the premise to that?"
"Uhh..guy and girl met when they were young. They fell in love except girl ended up marrying a rich doctor guy so guy sets off to wait for the doctor to die so he can be with the girl again." Litanya ni Rosie.
Tumawa si Wendy. "Yeah when you put it like that it does kinda sound weird."
"So ano nga?"
"Ganto..guy 1..si Florentino yata yun?" Kwento ni Wendy. "Diba the girl, Fermina, went and dumped him to marry the doctor?"
"Okay?"
"What did he do while he waited?"
"Uhh..ewan. Diba he went and had like a million 'love affairs'?"
"Shet oo nga pala."
"You're not doing a very good job of explaining why that relates to us." Deadpan na comment ni Rosie.
Umiling si Wendy. "Ganto. Sige. Redo."
"Go ahead."
"Oks. So barring all the 'love affair' shit.."
Pumitik si Rosie. "I just remembered he also slept with his underage niece! Weird shit bruh."
"Stop cutting me off!" Reklamo ni Wendy.
"Bagal kasi mag-explain!" Banat ni Rosie.
Pumalakpak si Wendy. "Eto na game na talaga."
"Bilis. Na-intriga na ako paano mo ilulusot."
"Ganto. So Florentino..when Fermina dumped him, he went and decided that he will wait for her right?"
"Mhmm?"
"So he did. But what he also did was quote, 'do everything in his power to win fame and fortune in order to deserve her' unquote."
"Okay? Are you Florentino in this scenario? Coz I didn't dump you, you dumped me." Sagot ni Rosie.
"Tae naman..well..yes. Pero that's not the point..what else did he do?"
"Other than the love affairs?"
"Mhmm.."
"Well he waited for the doctor husband to die. Which I'm going to assume is Jisoo in this comparison. Were you really set on waiting for her to die kung sakali? Kasi masamang damo yun. Gonna take a while."
Tumawa sila pareho. Umiling ulit si Wendy. "No mahn..what I meant is..Florentino..he basically let Fermina do her thing. Like..he let her be with someone else which is what she wanted and was happy about to some degree..tapos what he did the whole time was work on himself..para when they met again when they were admittedly a little older..they were also wiser. Tipong..they deserved each other by the time they met again."
"Can understand each other better kasi they both had more knowledge on how to navigate the world?"
"That and also they can compromise more kasi nandun na yung wisdom from experiences they had without each other..na pwede nilang i-apply."
Tumango-tango si Rosie. "Could write a whole paper with that analogy." Biro niya kay Wendy.
"Yeah I loved that book when I read it."
"So yun ang explanation mo on what you would do kung sakaling nag-work nga kami ni Jisoo?" Tanong ni Rosie.
"Yep."
"You'd pull a Florentino."
"Yup."
"Well buti nalang hindi yun yung nangyari coz like I said, masamang damo si Jisoo."
"Yeah I guess..pero if you think about it..I kinda did pull a Florentino anyway." Sabi ni Wendy.
"Ahhhh..except I'm not with anyone you just thought I was."
"Mhmm."
"Nice."
"The difference with us was that we just went and worked on our friendship at the same time. Except ayun nga..andun yung space for both of us to grow still."
"I suppose you do have a point."
"Mhmm. Kaya now that you're home..umuwi ka as a better version of yourself..and umuwi ka to a better version of your bestfriend. Exactly what I intended. It worked out."
"Mhmm I guess it did."
------------------------------------------------------------
"So hanggang dito nalang talaga?" Tanong ni Rosie.
Nagliligpit sila ng paligid, nagpe-prepare na umuwi.
"Hmm?" Sagot ni Wendy.
"Us I mean." Sabi ni Rosie. Tinuro si Wendy, tinuro ang sarili. "Hanggang bestfriends nalang talaga?"
Binaba ni Wendy ang hawak na trash bag. Umupo sa hood katabi ni Rosie. Kibit-balikat. "You know I'd love it if we try again. Kasi alam ko na we'll be even better than before if we did."
"So why aren't we?" Tanong ni Rosie. "Trying again, I mean."
"Do you want to? I mean..are you ready to try again?"
Nag-isip si Rosie. Pinanuod na nauubos ang mga ilaw sa city dahil malapit na ang sikat ng araw. "Not yet to be honest." Sagot niya. "I feel like I still need to see exactly HOW we can be better..gets?"
Tumango si Wendy. "Gets." Sabi niya.
"Sorry, Seungwan."
"Don't be. I was the one who messed up. Wala kang kasalanan so don't say sorry."
"Still.."
"Ayos lang. We do things your way. Let me know when you're ready. Until then..I'll keep working on showing you that how okay?"
------------------------------------------------------------
Sinara ni Wendy ang trunk ng kotse kung saan niya binalik ang lahat ng ginamit nila ni Rosie sa tambay. Dinukot sa bulsa ang cellphone, binuksan ang isang natanggap na text, nag-reply.
Binulsa ulit ang phone tapos sumakay na sa kotse para ihatid pauwi ang kasama.
------------------------------------------------------------
"Sumagot yung unknown number." Sabi ni Rosie. Nakatitig sa cellphone.
Binaba ni Wendy ang bintana ng kotse. "Ansabe?" Tanong niya.
Kibit-balikat si Rosie. "Sent a dumb pick-up line."
"Ansabe?" Ulit ni Wendy.
"Don't make me read it out loud. Parang ewan."
"Dude just do it. Ako lang naman makakarinig."
"Tsk. Fine." Bumuntong-hininga si Rosie. Binasa ang natanggap na text. "Are you a cucumber? Coz if you are you'd be a cute-cumber." Nagtakip ng mukha tapos umiling.
Tumawa lang ng tumawa si Wendy. "Oh wow. That was a nice one. Nice one. Replyan mo baka mag-send ng bago." Sabi niya.
"Parang gago. Of course you'd appreciate it. This sort of cheesy shit is right up your alley."
"I appreciate game bro. Someone has to give credit to that person."
"Buset."
"Mag-reply ka. Baka naman yan na forever mo."
"Lul. Are we going there? Ipapasa mo na ako?"
Tumigil si Wendy sa tawa. Saktong stoplight kaya tumitig kay Rosie na namula naman sa tinginan.
"I don't think I could ever let you go, Rosie. I really don't. Not this time anyway. Pero..malay mo naman? I've made peace with the idea na kung saan ka sasaya..dun na din ako." Sabi ni Wendy. Nag-drive na ulit nang mag-green ang ilaw.
"Fucking A." Bulong ni Rosie.
------------------------------------------------------------
Gumulong si Rosie sa kama.
Di siya makatulog.
Kinapa ang cellphone sa paligid, binuksan ang text na natanggap earlier.
"Hmmm.." Sabi niya.
Nag-reply.
------------------------------------------------------------
EIGHT MONTHS LATER
"Ngiti ngiti ka diyan?" Tanong ni Joy kay Rosie.
Nasa coffee shop sila. Nakapagkita na sa wakas.
"Ha?" Sagot ni Rosie. Binulsa ang hawak na cellphone.
"Nangiti ka kako sa cellphone mo. Sinong ka-text mo?" Ulit ni Joy.
"Ah! Wala yun.." Sabi ni Rosie.
"Gurl wag nga ako! Kwento mo yan!"
Umiling nalang si Rosie. Natatawang nagkwento.
Uminom si Joy ng kape habang tumatango pagkatapos marinig ang lapag ni Rosie. "Siz. Ang landi? Textmate talaga with matching harot?"
"Bakit ba ang judgy mo?" Sabi ni Rosie. "Eh ano naman? Laughtrip kaya kausap. Tsaka di kami naglalandian hoy! Tamang tropa lang. Friends ganern."
"Lul. Alam mo ba pangalan niyang kaharutan mo?"
"Di nga kami naghaharutan! Tsaka hindi ko alam pangalan niya. Ang alam ko lang eh Chef siya. Also, di rin niya alam pangalan ko pero alam niyang Lawyer ako."
"Luh parang tanga."
"Keri na. That way..organic ang usapan?"
"Dahell does that even mean?"
------------------------------------------------------------
"Lam mo, erp? Kung magtetext ka lang naman pala ng magtetext..bakit mo ako tinawagan?" Tanong ni Jisoo kay Wendy.
Nakangiti niyang binulsa ang phone. Natatawa padin sa huling natanggap na message.
"May purpose ba tong pag-istorbo mo sakin?" Dugtong ni Jisoo.
Tumango-tango si Wendy. "May itatanong ako sayo." Sabi niya.
"Oh?"
"Anong nangyari sa inyo ng bestfriend ko?"
Tumitig si Jisoo kay Wendy. Ngumiti. Tapos nagsimulang tumawa.
Matagal. Swak na limang minuto, binilang ni Wendy.
Nagpunas ng luha si Jisoo. Ininom ang kape na hawak. "Shet. LT. Di ba kinuwento ni Roseanne sayo?" Sabi niya.
"Cut the shit, Jisoo. Sagutin mo tanong ko, I need to hear your side of the story." Nakasimangot na utos ni Wendy.
"Ganto kasi, erp..nag-'break' kami ni Roseanne kasi na-realize namin na hindi magwo-work yung kaming dalawa."
"Bakit?"
"Kasi mahal ka pa din ni Roseanne at masyado kong mahal ang sarili ko."
"Lul. Bakit?"
"Tangina? Ayaw maniwala? Ano bang gusto mo marinig? Yung generic na keme like we hate each other blah blah?"
"That's what Rosie told me."
"Well sabagay..part din naman yun..masyado kaming mabilis magka-pikunan nun alam mo naman. Kaya di talaga pwede. Malaking gulo lang pag tinuloy."
"Hmm.."
"Pero ang tingin ko na talagang reason..is yung una kong nilapag. Mahal ka pa din ni Roseanne. Mas matimbang ka sa kanya, di na mawawala yun. Masyado kong mahal ang sarili ko para magjowa tsaka ayokong gumitna sa epic bff love affair kineme na meron kayo, di ako ganun ka sira-ulo."
"So ano? Excuse nalang na mabilis kayo magkagalit?"
"Sabihin nalang natin na yung una kong lapag is probs the biggest reason why mabilis kami magkagalit. Oks ka na?"
------------------------------------------------------------
Sinampal ni Rosie si Wendy.
Pikon na gumanti.
"Aray ha! Putangina?" Sabi ni Wendy.
"Kaka-check ko lang ulit ng phone ko." Sabi ni Rosie. Binaba sa gilid ang nasa lap na pocpcorn bowl.
Nagmu-movie marathon sila sa tent nila sa tambayan. May dala kasing projector si Wendy.
"Oh ano naman?" Sagot ni Wendy. "Bawal phone, bestfriend time."
"Yeh yeh sorry." Sabi ni Rosie. "Pero kaka-check ko lang ulit ng phone ko."
"Ano nga? Worth bang sampalin ako for that?" Reklamo ni Wendy.
"Tsong nagtatanong kung pupwedeng makipagkita sakin yung textmate ko." Balita ni Rosie.
Kumurap si Wendy. "May textmate ka?" Sabi niya.
"Yeh mehn. Yung sabi mong replyan ko dati na nag-send ng cute-cumber keme."
"Tangina? Are we in the 90s? Textmate amputek yan."
"Osige gago ka."
Pang-asar lang na nagtaas ng kilay si Wendy. "So bakit mo ako sinampal?"
"Kasi nga gustong makipagkita nung textmate ko!"
Tumawa nanaman si Wendy. Umiling. "Pota. Di ako maka-move on. Textmate. What.."
"Dali na, Seungwan tulungan mo ako!" Sabi ni Rosie.
"Anong itutulong ko sayo?" Sabi ni Wendy. Pinause ang pelikula. "Malay ko diyan."
"Hoy in fairness laughtrip siya kausap. Crush ko na nga eh."
"Okay? Edi makipagkita ka."
"Luh? Paano kung serial killer pala yun tapos bina-butter up niya lang ako as next victim niya?"
"Pota? Di naman horror pinapanuod natin san mo nakuha yun?"
"Seungwan!" Reklamo ni Rosie.
Nagtaas ng dalawang kamay si Wendy. "Legit naman tanong ko ah!" Sabi niya. "Malay mo naman trip lang maging legit na friend mo yan."
"Ehhhhhh."
"Ehhhhhh ano? Makipagkita ka."
"Baka mamaya pag ginawa ko eh biglang sabihin na trip niya manligaw." Lapag ni Rosie. "I mean..crush ko siya pero.."
"Ay. Ganda ka? Assuming?" Sagot ni Wendy.
"Luh? Ako? Di maganda? Sure ka?" Banat ni Rosie.
Ngumiti nalang si Wendy. Inakbayan si Rosie tapos hinatak para mayakap. "Yeh..joke lang..ikaw na pinakamaganda kong kilala." Sabi niya.
"You hitting on me?" Tanong ni Rosie.
Tumitig si Wendy kay Rosie. "What if I am?" Bulong niya.
"I..surprisingly don't mind."
"Okay. Then yes. I am hitting on you."
"Good to know. Back to my problem. Anong gagawin ko sa textmate ko?"
"Makipagkita ka. I've a feeling it'll be good."
"Can you stick around to keep an eye on me while I do that?" Request ni Rosie.
"Yeh sure. Whatever. I'll do it."
"Oks. I guess I'm going for it. Lemme reply real quick and set a date."
Tinapik lang ni Wendy sa balikat si Rosie. Hindi pinawalan sa yakap. "Bawal phone. Bestfriend time." Sabi niya. Pinlay na ulit ang pinapanuod.