Chapter 4: Susundan ko sya

Emuel's POV

Ang lungkot nman dito. Simula nung umalis si Yana which is isang buwan na, naging wala na kaming buhay.Kahit nagbibiro at nagpapatawa si Tan, parang wala lang samin, kasi nasanay kami na pagnagbiro sya gagantungan ni Yana na lalo nagpapatawa sa amin.

"I miss Yana so much na. Can't we go there? I badly want to see her." naiiyak na sabi saken ni Xyra.

"Sorry to say phar pero hindi ih. May pasok pa tayo, tas andami pa nating kailangang gawin na school works."

"Pano mo nagagawa yan Emuel? Yung hindi sya mamiss." napatingin ako kay Tan. "Bestfriend ka nya pero parang wala lang sayo na malayo sya."

"Namimiss ko rin nman si Yana. Pero gaya nung sinabi nya saken bago sya umalis, ako nalang yung inaasahan nya na magbabantay sainyo." huminga muna ko ng malalim bago ulit nagsalita. "Tsaka diba sabi natin suportado natin sya sa pag-alis nya, inaasahan nya na walang ganto. Sa tingin nyo ba hindi sya malulungkot kapag nalaman nya na ganto tayo nung nawala sya, malungkot."

"And we also become inattentive with our studies. I think Yana would not like that. If we want to go to Yana we should study more, so our parents will let us do what we want. Right Emuel?"

"Tama si Xyra, Tan. Kailangan nating mag-aral ng mabuti kung gusto talaga natin makita si Yana."

"Kayo bahala."

Tan's POV

Gaya nga ng sinabi nila Emuel at Xyra, nag-aral kami ng mabuti ng buong dalawang buwan. Halos wala na kaming time para maglaro o gumawa ng ibang bagay. Puro lang kami aral, siguro nagpapahinga lang kami pagkausap namin si Yana, pero kailangan naming umakto ng normal para hindi nya mahalata na pinepressure nmin yung mga sarili nmin.

Ayaw kasi nya nun. Kahit nung andito sya, hindi nyang hinahayaan na mag-aral lang kami, kasi ang gusto nya magsaya rin kami. Maybe we spend a day for studying or advance learning, to some topic na sa tingin nmin mahirap. She always make sure na tapos kami sa lahat ng activities na dapat gawin at may natutunan kami.

"Ipapaalala ko lang sainyo, wag kayo puro aral. Mamaya pinapabayaan nyo na yung sarili nyo, make time for have some fun. Yung tambayan ba natin pinupuntahan nyo pa ba? Baka pinapabayaan nyo na yun ha." nakaphone call kami ngayon. Ayaw magpakita ni Yana dahil haggard daw sya.

"Ikaw ba dyan Bespren---ayos ka ba dyan?" nag-aalalang tanong ni Emuel.

"Ayos nman ako dito Bespren. Nosebleed nga lang mga Phar." she even laugh sa joke nya kaya napatawa na rin kami. "Got to go mga Phar. Tinatawag na ko dito ni Tito, kakain na kami. Kain na rin kayo jan. Byiee."

Inend na nya yung tawag pagakatapos nyang magpaalam at ipaalala samin na mag-ingat kami, na wag nmin pababayaan ang mga sarili nmin. By the way, Yana is with her Tito na kasi umuwi na dito si Kuya Ali dahil dalawang buwan lang yung sembreak nila, dapat yung Mama nya yung makakasama nya ngayon but I guess change of plans.

"I need to go home na mga Phar, see you tommorrow nalang." paalam ni besphar saken.

"Ako rin Tan, sabay nalang ako paglabas kay Xyra. Magpahinga ka na dyan."

"Ghe. See you tommorrow mga Phar." paalam ko din sakanila.

Humiga ako sa kama ko, tas tumulala sa kisame. Hindi ko na alam yung gagawin ko, napapagod na ko, kami. Pero hindi...hindi kami susuko. Hayy

Xyra's POV

"Xy?" Emuel suddenly calls me.

"Why?"

"I have something to tell you. I'll... I don't know if you will understand. But please just.." he stutters.

"What it is? Hey, you can tell me everything." I assure him.

"I was offered to be an exchange student."

"Wow! Where? It's a great offer to you, Emuel. Take it."

"It's in America, Xyra. Where Yana it is. Sayo ko lang masasabi to kasi alam kong magagalit si Tan kapag nalaman nya."

"So you gonna leave us too? Maiiwan kami ni Tan dito together?"

"I haven't said yes to the school, so I don't know, okay."

"Pero Emuel that's your chance." I stop for a second. "If you think we need you here, well I think Yana needs you there more than us. You're her best friend. Ako nang bahala kay than when you leave."

"But Xy."

"You need that. Don't limit yourself because of us. We should learn to live without each other Emuel. Don't hesitate to leave us."

I see how his tear fell. I feel bad about what I have said, my words made him that we don't need him in our lives.

"It is worth it? To leave." I hug him, or I should say comfort him.

"Of course. We will be alright, it takes time."

"Pano si Tan?"

"Just leave him a letter. he will understand it through."

We go to our house after that scene. To be honest, I feel sad, we're starting to go on a different path. Through we are too young for this. Can't we just study together? Graduate together? Live together? Oh, I just wish for that.

From: Emuel phar

'I'm leaving in 2 weeks. I just want you to know.'

I cried that night because of what he said.

Emuel's POV

"What is your decision, son? Are you going or not?" my mom asked me last night.

I am having a debate in my mind. Should I take that or what? Kapag kasi tinanggap ko yun kailangan kong iwan sina Xyra, but I can't. Pano nalang sila kapag wala ako, kapag wala kami ni Yana? They will be a chaos.

'If you think we need you here, well I think Yana needs you there more than us. You're her best friend. Ako nang bahala kay Tan when you leave.'

"I'm going." coz my best friend needs me there.

"You will leave 2 weeks from now, that is what your school said if you take the offer."

2 weeks, huh?

After I know that. I text Xyra immediately. ' I'm leaving in 2 weeks. I just want you to know.' She didn't textback, baka tulog na.

"Anong sabi mo?"

"I will leave too."

"Bakit? Para saan?" Tan really can't believed.

"I was offered to be exchange student." tinignan nya ko ng masama. Alam na nya kung saan ako magiging exchange student.

"Ang unfair nyo." yun ang huli nyang sinabi bago padabog na umalis.

Napatingin ako kay Xyra, nakatingin din sya saken. She is a soft-hearted girl. I know she's hurting inside sa nangyayari samin.

"We need to understand him, you know. Oh, my childish best friend. Like what I said, ako nang bahala sa kanya."

"Thank you, Xy."

Days passed so fast. Parang kelan lang nagpapaalam pa ko kina Xyra at Tan. Ngayon nasa airport na ko kasama si Mama.

"Now boarding.."

"Let's go." aya saken ni Mama.

Pagkasakay sa eroplano ay natulog lang ako. Ihahatid lang ako ni Mama sa tinutuluyan ni Yana at pagkatapos ay uuwi na ulit sya sa Pilipinas.

"Son, wake up. Andito na tayo."

Kahit inaantok pa ko ay tumayo na agad ako. Para siguro akong walking zombie sa paningin ng ibang tao. Sumakay lang kami sa may cab at whala after 5 minutes nasa tapat na kami ng bahay ni Yana. Agad namang kumatok si Mama dahil nilalamig na sya.

"Wait a minute!" rinig kong sigaw ni Yana.

"Who are you--- Emuel?!"

"Surprise?" tanging nasabi ko nalang.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?"

"Iha, pede bang pumasok muna kami. Malamig kasi dito sa labas eh."

"Oo naman, Tita. Pasok po kayo."

Sa loob ng dalawang bwan andami na agad nagbago kay Yana. Naging slang yung tagalog nya tas lagi nang nakabagsak yung buhok nya.

"Emuel was offered to be a exchange student. Luckly, dito yung school na nag-offer. So I talk to your parent kung pede na habang exchange student dito si Emuel ay sa iisang bahay nalang kayo tumira. Para na rin kampante ako na ligtas sya at may mag-aalaga sakanya. Isang quarter lang naman. And your parents sad no problem." pagpapaliwanag ni Mama

"Really? Wow, that is a good offer."

"Pero bukas kailangan ko ng umuwi. You know naman, bussiness. Kaya anak, be good here, okay?"

"Opo."

Hinatid na ko ni Yana sa magiging kwarto ko. Katapat lang nun ng kwarto nya. Inayos ko na agad un gamit ko dahil may nakahanda naman ng kabinet.

"How's them?" tanong nya habang nag-aayos ako.

"Okay naman sila." nakangiti kong sagot.

"I mean when they knew that you will leave. What is their reaction?"

"Una kong sinabi kay Xyra dahil alam kong maiintindihan nya ko. While Tan said that I'm unfair, typhical childish Tan."

"He is just hurt. Hindi pa tumatagal nang umalis ako tas andito ka na. We're used to stick together, then that day happened...I leave."

"But it will be worth it, that we leave. Tsaka babalik rin naman ako agad."

"Si Xyra nagpush sayo no?"

"Yeah. Sabi nya sya na ang bahala kay Tan."

"Arat tulog na."

Nakitulog muna si Mama sa kwarto ko dahil aalis rin naman sya bukas ng maaga. Nagchat na rin ako kay Xyra na andito na ko, ang sabi lang nya 'take care'.

"Hey Emuel! Wake-y wake-y, papasok pa tayo."

"Okay. I'm up, Yana."

Naging sobrang energetic si Yana ngayon dahil para lang daw kamig dormmate, she even fix my uniform and school supplies.

"Yana I'm not your husband so stop fixing my stuff."

"What? Of course your not. We're best friends, you know."

I just roll my eyes at her, and she starts laughing at me now.

"Dadi, we gonna goooo." paalam nya sa tito nya.

"Take care!"

Our school was just walking distance, so it's convient. Yana seems to be everyone's friend here. Kakapasok pa lang kasi namin sa school may bumati na agad sa kanya...na agad naman nyang kinawayan.

"Hey! I been to your house and your uncle said that you are already in school." nagulat ako ng biglang may umakbay sa kanya na lalaki.

"Oww..sorry. I didn't mean to leave you." Yana playfully answers the guy.

I am standing right here, like a streetlight.

"Btw, Emuel this is Dan my so-called friend. Dan this is Emuel, my best friend." she sounds proud of having her as her best friend.

"Nice to meet you, dude. I hope we can be friends too." he extended his hand.

"Hopefully." I take his hand and smile at him.