Ikalawang Tawag

Ikalawang Tawag
9:45 p.m.
September 22, 2000
Rodriguez Residence

“Good evening po. Pwede po ba kay Mika?”

“Musta?”

“Hmm… Are you asking me if I am well or if I am in a good mood? Or are you asking me if life has been cruel to me?”

Napabugtong hininga si Mikaela. Two years, and he still hasn’t changed a bit. “All of the above.”

“Ok lang naman.”

“Anong ok lang?”

“Isn’t it customary to say ‘Okay lang’ when a person asks you ‘Kamusta’?”

“No its not.”

“Yes it is. Filipinos don’t like making others worry of their present situation. Kaya sinasabi nilang ok lang sila kahit hindi naman talaga.” He explained.

Naki-ride on na lang si Mikaela. “So, are you implying na di ka naman talaga ok?”

“Hindi naman. When I said ‘Ok lang’. I meant it.”

Nag sisimula na naman maasar si Mikaela. “O, bakit ka napatawag? Sabi mo kagabi tatawag ka ulit. Pero di ka na tumawag. Di ka na pala tumutupad ng pangako.

“Tumawag naman ako ulit ah.”

“Ngayon lang.”

“I tried to contact you last night, but your phone line was busy.”

So, tama pala ang hula ko kagabi. “Gamit ni Kuya kagabi ang phone.”

“Ah, I see.”

Biglang natahimik ang linya. Naghihintayan kung sino ang magsasalita.

“Leo, kung wala ka namang importanteng sasabihin, ibababa ko na itong telepono.”

“Are you busy?”

“Not really. Why?”

“Nothing.” Saglit na natahimik si Leo. “How about you, Mikaela? Has life been cruel?”

“Not really. Wala naman masyadong happening. Madami lang ginagawa sa college. Nakausap mo na ba sina Timothy at Jerome?”

“You’re the only person from our class whom I’ve contacted so far.”

“Talaga?”

“Yup.”

Natahimik na naman ang dalawa. It was Leo who spoke up this time.

“Um, Mika?”

“Hmm?”

“I… I don’t really know how to say this, but…”

“But?” Natigilan din si Mikaela. Sa loob loob niya, tila may idea na sya sa kung ano ang gustong sabihin sa kanya ni Leo. Could it be that he has feelings for her? Biglang namula si Mikaela. Pasalamat na lang sya at hindi sila sa video conference nag-uusap ngayon.

“Ahh… I don’t know if I should say this…” Saglit na natahimik si Leo. “Will you– Umm…”

“Leo. We promised to each other, remember? That you and I… We cannot fall in love with each other…”

Nagulat siya nang biglang matawa si Leo sa kabilang linya. “Tell me the truth, Mika. Do you have feelings for me or what? Seriously. You’ve been defensive about this since last night.”

“I’m not in love with you, Leo! Nor do I have any feelings for you! Ilang beses ko ba sasabihin yan bago mo matandaan yan sa kukote mo?”

Leo laughed again. “I was just going to ask you if you could be my girl Best friend again!”

Best… friend? “Yun lang?”

“Oo. Yun lang. Ikaw lang naman ang nag-iisip ng kung ano-ano.”

“I’m not delusional.” Asar na sagot ni Mikaela. “And I never stopped being your girl best friend even after graduation.”

“Really?”

“Uh-huh. Ikaw lang naman dyan ang hindi tumatawag sa akin eh. Masyado ka kasing ma-pride.”

“Does it matter?”

“Of course! Sabi nga ni Jude Deveraux: ‘Pride is a lonely friend…**”

“You’re still reading romance novels? You know that ‘love at first sight’ and ‘happily ever after’ doesn’t happen in real life, Mika.”

“So? None of your business if I still read them, Leo. As I was saying… You cannot love a girl if you have too much pride.”

“Paano mo naman nasabi yan? You’ve never been in love. You just based that from all those fantasies you’ve been reading.”

“Well, just look at yourself. I doubt you’ll get a decent girlfriend. A wife even.”

“That’s where you’re mistaken, Mika.”

Natigilan si Mikaela. “You’re joking.”

“No, Mika. I’m serious. I do have a girlfriend. Her name’s Kristine. You should meet her sometime.”

Nanatiling tahimik si Mikaela at halos di makapag react. Si Leo? May girlfriend? Bakit di yata siya makapaniwala?

“Hello? Mika? Are you still there?”

“May… girlfriend ka na?” ulit nito.

“Yep.”

“I can’t believe it.”

“You can’t believe that I already have a girlfriend?”

“No! That her name’s Kristine! Oh my. Tama talaga ang theory ko.”

“What? Theory?”

“Theory. The ‘Kristine’ Theory. Every guy in the world had been involved with a Kristine, Christina, Crystal, Cris, etcetera etcetera…*”

“That’s a wrong theory. It’s not even a theory. It hasn’t been actually proven by scientific means. Therefore, its just a hypothesis.”

“Still, that doesn’t change the fact that that’s the name of your first girlfriend!”

Tumawa si Leonard. “Are you jealous of Kristine, Mika? Or the whole female population given that name, for that matter?”

“Tigilan mo nga yang kakatawa mo, Leonard!” sagot ni Mikaela na halos sumigaw na ito sa telepono. “I’m not jealous, okay? Why should I be? I never had feelings for you.”

Patuloy na tumawa si Leonard. “Really, Mika? You sound like you are.”

“Kung ayaw mo maniwala eh di wag mo. Sige, good night!” Galit na sagot ni Mikaela sabay bagsak ng handset ng telepono.

Inis na inis si Mika habang tinititigan ang telepono. Who does he think he is? Naisip nito. Tumayo ito mula sa kama na hinihigaan kanina para pumunta ng banyo. Pagdaan niya sa salamin, napansin niya na kanina pa pala siya namumula. Sa galit? O sa selos?

Argh! Malamang hanggang ngayon tinatawanan pa rin ako ng loko na iyon! Kabagan ka sana! Galit na hiling ni Mikaela habang padabog na bumalik ng kwarto niya.

Hindi na muling tumawag si Leonard nung gabing iyon para mag-apologize na lalong ikinagalit ni Mikaela.

Inisip na lang niya na malamang kinabag na nga si Leonard.

To be continued…