01

"I'm breaking up with you"

I stopped looking at the menu and face him. We're here at Sweet Fury, the cafe of his mom. I can't see any emotions on his face. Is he serious?

"Nice joke Miru but it's not april fools so stop it." I said.

"I'm serious" he said.

I chuckled nervously. His aura is different. The atmosphere is so heavy.

"Okay. Joke time's over. Stop–"

"I'm not joking Bella. I'm seriously breaking up with you."

"I said stop" slightly raising my voice.

I inhaled deeply. He is breaking up with me? Two years in a relationship tapos ganito kadaling bitawan ang meron kami?

"Bakit?" I asked.

Kumunot ang nuo niya. "Do I really need to reason out? What part of I'm breaking up with you do you not understand?"

Anger rushed through me? What the hell is happening? This is not Miru. Never did he once told me those kinds of things. Never did he once question the things I demanded. And for goodness sake I'm demanding an explanation needed for me to process everything!

"You won't give me a reason? Okay. Hindi ako papayag." I said.

"Who told you I needed your consent to end this relationship?"

I gasp. This is really not Miru. How can he say that?

"I'm breaking up with you. Whether you like it or not. Whether you agree or not, you can't stop me."

Right after he said that tumayo na siya at lumabas ng cafe. I, on the other hand, was stunned. Unable to move. I breathed heavily. Paano? Bakit?

Two years. We've been in a relationship for two years. Miru Guerrero is my best friend since high school. He's the only trusted friend I have. Hindi din naman kasi ako pala kaibigan. I'd rather be alone than be with those bunch of people who only talked against my back. In short, I was a loner. When Miru transfered in my school, he did everything for us to be friends. Sinusundan niya ako, sumasabay siyang kumain sa akin, hinahatid niya ako sa bahay. At first akala ko gusto niya lang talaga ng bagong kaibigan. But it turned out na sa akin pala talaga siya may gusto.

I enrolled in architecture, surprisingly sinundan niya pa din ako. And then when we're on our third year, he confessed. A confession na hindi niya plinano. Ever since naging kami, wala masyadong problema. Both of us are so alike. Kung anong gusto ko yun din ang gusto niya. Kung anong ayaw ko, ayaw na rin niya. We just clicked.

They say opposite attracts. But what about those who are similar?

Sa loob ng dalawang taon plinano na namin kung saan kami mag'a apprenticeship. Kung saan kami mag'e enroll para sa reviews for boards. At kung saan yung goal namin na firm. Tapos ganito? Makikipag hiwalay lang siya ng wala man lang maayos na dahilan?

I remember the time when he confessed to me. Dala dala ko ang plates ko kasi for submission na siya. I went to their cafe to order cappuccino kasi antok na antok na ako pero may isa pa akong klase. Around 2 in the morning ko na natapos ang plates ko kaya naman wala talaga akong maayos na tulog.

"One cappuccino for Bella"

I heard my name being called by the counter. I tapped my face twice before standing up. Para na talaga akong lumulutang sa ere.

"Thank you." I said and asked. "Si Miru?"

"Ay hindi po pumunta dito ma'am Bella eh" she said.

Tumango lang ako. I was about to turn my back when someone tapped my shoulders aggressively and shouted my name. I was so shocked kaya napatalon ako at natapon ang kape ko sa akin mismo.

I looked at the person who did that, it was Miru laughing with his eyes almost closed. When he saw my reaction nawala ang ngiti niya. He's eyes went down to my uniform na puno ng kape and then he looked at my left hand. His eyes widened even more.

Tiningnan ko ang tinitingnan niya. I gasp! My plates! Basang basa na siya ng kape. I was so stunned na hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko. Isa isang tumulo ang mga luha ko. Pinaghirapan ko, pinagpuyatan ko, pinagpaguran ko. Ngayon basang basa na ng kape.

"Oh my goodness Bella I am so sorry." Miru said.

Dali dali siyang kumuha ng tissue sa counter at pinunasan ang plates ko. He was cursing softly as if he regretted what he did. Pilit niyang binubura ang katas ng kape sa plates ko. Pero kahit naman anong gawin niya hindi na ito matatanggal.

I cried even more.

"Miru naman kasi–" hindi ko matapos ang sasabihin ko kasi iyak nalang ako ng iyak. "Bakit mo ginawa yun?"

He looked at me with pleading eyes. Hindi gagana yan sa akin ngayon kasi yung plates ko. I wiped my tears and run papalabas ng cafe. I run towards the nearest national bookstore and brought an A3 size paper. Wala na akong ibang choice kundi ulitin nalang lahat.

Good thing I always bought my materials with me. Isang oras nalang deadline na kaya naman nagmamadali talaga ako. Then Miru came with a coffee, he handed it to me shyly.

I rolled my eyes and said. "Ano tatapunan mo nanaman to?"

He shook his head. "I'm really sorry Bella. I–"

Hindi ko siya pinansin at tinapos na ang plates ko.

"Bella, Miru ano pang ginagawa niyo dito? Tara na...Bella ba't ngayon ka lang gumagawa niyan? Deadline na oh" our classmate.

Hindi ko din siya pinansin. Galit na galit ako pero wala akong time magalit. I needed to finish this. Sobrang terror ng prof ko sa subject na 'to. Kung hindi ako makakapasa ngayon hindi ko nalang talaga alam.

He talked to our classmates kasi alam ni Miru na hindi ako kumaka-usap sa hindi ko kilala. Malay ko ba kung sino yun, at malay ko ba kung bakit kilala niya ako. It's not new to me na maraming nakakakilala sa akin. Si Miru kasi ang daming kaibigan kaya nakilala nila ako through Miru. But I never really cared about them. Pangalan ko lang naman ang alam nila.

"Bella I'm really really sorry. I never–"

"Miru pwede ba. Kita mo naman diba? Naghahabol ako ng oras kaya please wag kang magulo? Umalis ka nalang, ipasa mo nalang yang plates mo okay?" I snapped at him.

I felt guilty for what I did kaya bumalik nalang ako sa plates ko. As what I said wala akong oras sa ibang bagay maliban sa plates ko!

After that Miru turned his back at me at umalis na. Tignan mo tong tao na to, iniwan nga ako. Mas lalo lang akong nagalit! Bakit niya ako iniwan! Siya ang may kasalanan nito kaya dapat lang sabay kaming magpasa!

When I finished doing my plates, dali dali akong tumakbo papunta sa faculty room. Tapos na ang klase, late na ko. Hindi ko din alam kung tatanggapin pa ba tong plates ko pero bahala na.

I knocked on the door before going inside. I went to the table of Mr. Ino. He was just sitting there and seems like he's waiting for someone to come.

I smiled nervously. Ito ang pinaka strikto kong prof. I handed down my plates.

"Sir, sorry po late...may nangyari po kasi...ano po eh ano"

Hindi ko matapos tapos ang sasabihin ko. Takot na takot kasi talaga ako sa kanya. At alam ni Miru yan! Kaya how dare he passed his plates without waiting for me?!

I sighed. Wala na hindi na tatanggapin 'to.

"Sir sorry po talaga. Ano po–"

"It's okay, Miss Lopez. I understand." He said.

My forehead creased a bit. Bakit parang ang bait niya today? Anong nakain ni sir? He looked at my plates.

"Wow. I didn't know you're good at making plates under pressure." He said. "You may go now Miss Lopez."

I nodded and said thanks.

When I was walking down the corridor I received a text message from Miru.

Baklang Miru:

Can we meet at the cafe?

Ako:

Ok

***

:)