XI. The Bestfriend's Comfort

Tanghali na nang bumangon si Trisha and lazily went to the kitchen to prepare something to eat.  Ginising siya ng kumakalam niyang sikmura.  She was yawning when the front door opened and revealed her bestfriend.

“Chlo!” sabay takbo ni Trisha and affectionately hugged her bestfriend.

Niyakap din siya ni Chloe at natatawa sa ginawa ng childish niyang bestfriend.

Minutes passed, Trisha was still clinging to her.  “I’m so glad you’re here,” prolonging the so.

“So how are you?” Chloe asked as she pulled Trisha towards the sofa.

“I’m fine,” hinawakan niya ang mga kamay nito.  “Really, I am,” pangungumbinsi niya dito nang mapakunot-noo ang kaibigan.  She really did feel fine.  Remembering Marsden’s help last night, she told her friend everything that happened.

“That Jade I would really skin her alive, bruha talaga.  Friends with the same feathers really flucks together,” galit na galit na turan ni Chloe.  “Wait! Like, the Marsden you kissed at the airport, the Marsden in the bar?” Hindi makapaniwalang tanong nito kay Trisha.  “Oh my God Trish, it’s fate!” kumikinang ang matang turan nito.

Binitawan ni Trisha ang mga kamay nito at tumayo para ipagpatuloy ang pagluto ng itlog, her babies were having a war inside her stomach because of hunger, not because of nerves or fluttering brought by the words her friend uttered. Really not!  Kagabi pagkatapos magpaalam ni Trisha kay Marsden, there was a sudden thought that lingered in her mind, were they being played by fate? For Trisha, sometimes it is hard to believe that the person who always gave her comfort these days was her long lost friend whom she never thought she would met again.   But before it takes root, she strugged it off and just thankful that she had a  friend she can cry on during her bad days, she wasn’t abandoned, she wasn’t alone.

“Pwede ba Chlo, tumigil ka nga, I know what you’re implying and it’s definitely not that.”

Umupo ito sa upuan across her.   ”Okay fine, I’m just so thankful that he’s there.  I should have been there for you.  Sana hindi na kita pinilit na pumunta,” pagsisisi ng kaibigan.

Trisha stopped scrumbling the egg.  “Kung hindi ako pumunta, hindi ko malalaman agad na may kumakalat na picture namin ni Marsden.  We wouldn’t have met at the hotel and he can’t help me put it down.”

“Sabagay tama ka.”  Pero hindi pa rin mawala kay Chloe ang galit.  ”Subra na talaga ‘yang pinsan mo, hindi ata kayo magkadugo eh, ang sama ng ugali.  Why would she do such a thing.  You’re demon ex is already hers, what else does she want?”

Remembering Drake still pained her but she have to face the fact na wala na ang three-year relationship nila.  She have to move on.

“I don’t know, nagulat din ako sa ginawa ni Chelsea, hindi ko inakala na magagawa niyang planuhin ang lahat, it’s like she hated me too much because of something I did but I don’t remember doing anything to hurt her,” naguguluhang saad ni Trisha.

“Well, she’s just a natural b-i-t-c-h.”  Chloe pretended to whisper her words by slightly covering her mouth with her hand.  But the words  were loudly uttered that made Trisha laughed.

“Hmmm…smells good!  Nagutom tuloy ako, we should go to an  Eat-All-You-Can Restaurant, heartbroken ka, you should change your eating habit.”

Trisha smiled.  “ Gusto mo ba akong tumaba bestfriend dear?”

Tumawa ito.  “Mostly, heartbroken people eat, eat and eat because of depression.  You know while crying their hearts out,” sabay pahid ng hintuturo sa daluyan ng luha.

“Kakainis ka talaga!” natatawang nilagay ni Trisha ang lutong itlog sa harapan nito.  Kumuha siya ng bread at nilagay sa toaster.

“Just wanna make you laugh.”

“Thank you Chlo!” saad niya sa kaibigan, she really mean it. 

“So, Eat-All-You-Can later?” sabay subo ng malaking hiwa ng egg.

“No!”  she doesn’t feel like going out and eating too much.  Sayang lang ang ibabayad niya.

★★★

“Gosh!  I’m so full,”  saad ni Trisha habang hawak-hawak ang tiyan.

Trisha and Chloe walked home after they ate at Chawmi Eat-All-You-Can Seafood.  She had eaten probably the plentiest food her entire life, she ate like a brokenhearted without the crying of course. 

“If only…naniwala ako sayo nang sinabi mo’ng may kadudaduda, maybe It wouldn’t be this painful kung nalaman ko ng mas maaga,” seryosong saad ni Trisha.

“Alam kong masakit best and I understand if you wanted to cry pero remember this,” pinisil nito ang kanyang kamay, ”he doesn’t deserves it, he doesn’t deserves you.”

Trisha wanted to cry.  She expected too much from their relationship…of being a family in the future, no matter how much she tried, she can’t help the feeling of loss and if she would be honest with herself, maybe even regrets, for denying Drake her whole self, her virginity. 

“Well, Chelsea is…gorgeous, sexy, seductive…sino ba naman ang hindi papatol sa kanya,” Trisha said bitterly.

“Hey, don’t you dare act like that.  ‘Wag na ‘wag mo ikukumpara ang sarili sa bitch na ‘yon.  Weak lang talaga ‘yang boyfriend mo.  Again best, he doesn’t deserves you,” inis nitong turan sa kanya.

“Okay fine, I promised to wallow for a week, no, three days and then move on,”  determinado niyang turan sa kaibigan.  She really wanted to move on.  It was hard but she had faced worse.   This one would not quenched her positive look in life so she resolves to forgive and forget.

When they got home, they had a movie marathon.  Ironically instead of watching funny movies Chloe insisted on playing hearbreaking ones.  “So you can start wallowing already and end it on three days,” she said.  It is so annoying to have a bestfriend.

★★★

Monday came at kinakabahan si Trisha nang pumasok ng opisina.  Her friends talked to her this weekend through video chats.  She explained everything from what happened at the airport and even how Marsden helped her out on putting down the picture and blocking it from any sites. The only thing she doesn’t share was the beautiful place Marsden showed him. It’s their little secret.  Her friends got so angry with Drake.  Brix even threatened to punch him when he see him next but Trisha pleaded to just let it slide.  No matter how they think of it, Drake was at the higher position and if they charged impulsively they might lose their jobs.  Hence, they cheered her up and erased her fears that they would judged her just like at the beginning of their friendship when they thought she flirted with Brix.

Ipinagpatuloy niya ang kanyang trabaho just like normal days.  Hindi niya pinapansin ang mga tingin na ipunupukol sa kanya ng ibang mga katrabaho na para bang  sinasabi ng mga ito na kilala na nila kung ano talaga siya.  Their eyes were accusing and it hurt, but Trisha knew it’s not her fault at all and she clinged to this thought.

Nasa cafeteria silang lima, Trisha, Abby, Jay, Brix and Joyce.  They talked and laughed as if nothing happened. 

“Itong si Trisha kanina, akala ko kung anong report ang deadline na, subra kung makatrabaho. Sabi ko sa sarili ko hindi ako efficient na employee kasi wala akong ginagawa tapos nang pumunta ako ng cubicle niya busy pala sa g****e, hoy girl, ‘yang figure mo please ‘wag mong sayangin,” saad ni Abby na katabi niya sa mesa.

Nakita siya nitong nagba-browse ng mga lutong bahay sa kanyang computer.  Akala nito nagsisimula na siyang madepress at nagbabalak  idaan sa kain ang kalungkutan.  The truth was, the other day she contacted Marsden for a dinner treat.  She was ready to treat him sa mamahaling restaurant pero nagulat siya nang sabihin nitong he wanted homemade foods especially adobo and kare-kare, he said these were the foods he’d missed when he was in America.

“Hindi ah, I just wanted to practice my cooking more, alam n’yo naman na hobby ko ang pagluluto,” paliwanag niya sa mga kaibigan nang tumingin ang mga ito sa kanya.  She hated lying but it will not hurt them.  She had to or else they would believe her and Marsden really have a thing just like what the picture implied.

They believe her and they continue talking while drinking and eating delicacies from this cafeteria they love to hang-out after eating lunch at the canteen.

Marami ang kumakain ng desserts dito from different companies around the Business Center.  For five years it continues on expanding until tatlong blocks na ang sakop nito.  Sabi nila ang may-ari at partner nitong chef ay dating trabahante ng White Marz Hotel, one of the biggest and luxurious hotel in the city with branches nationwide and abroad.

“Tingnan niyo guys, that guy na nakasalamin, special order nanaman mula sa may-ari,”  saad ni Joyce.

“Baka naman anak niya lang, just like Jay kapag pipabaunan siya ni tita ng lunch,”  sabat naman ni Abby dito.

Everyday for more than a week na nilang nakikita ang isang lalaking naka-eyeglass na bumibili ng special macarons dito sa cafeteria.  Matanda lang ata ito sa kanila ng ilang taon, payat ito, hindi rin katangkaran pero sophisticated, siguro secretary ito ng mga nasa higher positions sa malaking kompanya. May tatlong server na nasa counter para eaccommodate ang mga customers pero sa tuwing dumarating ang lalaki tinatawag nila ang may-ari at ito mismo ang umaasikaso dito.  Sure si Trisha na mataas ang position ng amo nito dahil ‘yong kagagaling pa ng kitchen ang binibigay dito.  Minsan nga nakita ni Trisha na ang chef mismo ang nagbigay ng isang malaking box ng macarons.

“Iba talaga ’pag mayaman, special treatment, makahanap nga ng mayaman,” saad ni Abby na nakatingin sa lalaking naka-eyeglass.

“Girl, bakit ‘di na lang kaya siya, look at him, gwapo naman ah, medyo nerd nga lang pero pogi oh.”

Natawa ang lahat sa sinabi ni Jay.  “Pwede ba ang sabi ko mayaman, ‘yong CEO or Politician.  Mangagarap na lang din ako lulubus-lubosin ko na noh!”  pairap na saad ni Abby kay Jay dahil  mahilig nga siya sa mga pogi pero ‘yong macho, malaki ang katawan dahil nga plus size siya.

“Sa mukha mo’ng ‘yan choosy ka pa!” 

“Bruha! Sa tingin mo bagay kami?  Baklang to, tiyak na mas mabigat pa ako sa kanya noh!”

They all laughed and the banter continues.  Nang marinig ang sinabi ni Abby, Trisha remembered when Marsden told him she’s heavier than him when they we’re both drowning.  She can’t help the smile creeping on her face.  Then she heard someone said the name Marsden.  When she looked at the direction where she thought it came from, likod ng lalaking naka-eyeglass ang nakita niya.  Guni-guni ko lang siguro.