Chapter 70
The bell above the bar door chimed softly when Kairi and Maya stepped inside.
Maya pushed the door open first and held it for Kairi, both of them pausing for a second as they adjusted to the shift in noise and light.
The place was already fuller than Kairi expected.
Mahinang tumutugtog ang music sa background na halos hindi na marinig dahil sa mga kwentuhan at tawanan sa paligid, while glasses clinked against tables and the bar counter.
The place felt warm and alive.
Sa bandang likod, agad silang napansin ni Ella.
"There you are," tawag niya habang sumisingit sa pagitan ng mga tao hanggang makarating sa kanila. Without waiting, she threw an arm around Maya first, then Kairi, pulling them into quick hugs. "Late na kayo."
Bahagyang lumayo si Kairi at napakunot-noo. "We're on time."
Ella ignored her and looked behind them. "Nasaan si Zoe?"
"May family thing pa, ate," sagot ni Maya. "Sabi niya, susunod na lang siya."
Ella clicked her tongue, shaking her head. "Of all nights."
"She'll be here," Kairi said. "Relax."
For a second, Ella just looked at her and something unreadable passed over her expression. Something Kairi couldn't quite read. Parang may kung ano pero nawala rin agad.
Then ngumiti ulit si Ella at sinenyasan silang sumunod. "Come on. Everyone's in the back."
She led them deeper into the bar, weaving past tables and bodies until they reached the reserved area at the back where her guests had already gathered. May drinks sa tables at nagsasabay-sabay ang iba't ibang usapan habang may mga bumabati at tumatawa paglapit nila.
Meanwhile—
At the bar counter, nakaupo pa rin si Gianna habang may kausap na halos hindi na niya pinakikinggan.
One of Ella's coworkers had been talking for almost ten minutes tungkol sa startup na hindi nag-work. Tumatango naman si Gianna sa tamang pagkakataon at sumasagot kapag kailangan, pero matagal nang wala roon ang isip niya.
Halos kalahati na ang laman ng glass niya nang maramdaman niya ang isang kamay na marahang dumampi sa gitna ng likod niya.
Ella leaned down, close enough para marinig siya ni Gianna sa gitna ng ingay.
"She's here."
And just like that, Ella pulled away and waved at one of the bartenders for two more glasses.
Gianna went completely still.
Kusang humigpit ang hawak niya sa glass habang nakatitig lang sa row ng taps sa likod ng counter. Hindi siya makagalaw. Hindi niya alam kung anong gagawin.
It was ridiculous how one sentence could still do this to her after almost three years. Her pulse had jumped so fast she could feel it in her throat and her breathing had become uneven before she could even control it.
She told herself na huwag agad lumingon. To wait. To breathe first.
But she could already feel it.
Just knowing Kairi was somewhere inside the room changed everything.
Slowly, after what felt much longer than it probably was, Gianna turned.
And there—
There she was.
Sa bandang likod, nakatayo si Kairi habang kausap ang isa sa mga pinsan nila ni Ella. Napatawa siya sa kung anong sinabi nito.
The sight alone made it harder for Gianna to breathe.
It wasn't that Kairi looked completely different. She didn't. Pareho pa rin ang mga mata niya. Pareho pa rin ang ngiti. Pareho pa rin ang expression niya kapag nakikinig sa kausap.
Pero may mga bagay na binago ng panahon in ways Gianna hadn't prepared for.
Iba na ang tindig niya ngayon. Straighter. And she seemed more certain of herself.
There was confidence in the way she moved, in the way she held conversations, at sa gaan ng pagtawa niya. Mukha na siyang mas mature in the way people did after surviving things that changed them.
She was no longer the eighteen-year-old girl Gianna left behind. Not the girl na nanginginig sa mga kamay niya habang nasa shower sila. Not the girl na umiiyak sa harapan niya.
This was a woman now. A woman Gianna had never gotten to watch become one.
And that realization hurt.
Then Kairi turned slightly and Gianna reacted on instinct, spinning back toward the counter so quickly na halos matapon pa ang hawak niyang inumin.
"Fuck," she muttered under her breath.
Sobrang lakas ng tibok ng puso niya na halos sumakit ang dibdib niya.
Pinilit niyang ituon ang tingin sa harap habang sinusubukang kumalma. But then, she heard Kairi's voice. It was clearer than she expected and much closer.
Gianna frowned slightly before realizing Kairi had taken one of the chairs just behind her section of the bar. Ilang hakbang lang ang layo.
Close. Close enough to hear every word.
At first, it was easy to ignore. Pieces of conversation floated over. Something about a professor. Isang class presentation. Pero habang tumatagal, humahaba ang usapan, at hindi na niya namalayan na nakikinig na siya.
Kairi talked about deadlines, internships, exams, and graduation plans. She sounded sure of herself, like someone who had finally settled into the life she'd built.
At one point, one of her cousins asked what she planned to do after finishing her degree.
Kairi let out a soft laugh before taking a sip of her beer. "I'm thinking maybe graduate school. I'm not sure yet."
Gianna smiled into her drink bago pa niya napigilan ang sarili.
Of course.
The same smart girl na dating nakaupo lang sa likod ng classroom, acting like she didn't care and staring out the window as if none of it mattered. Ngayon, graduate school na ang iniisip.
The irony almost made Gianna laugh.
And the guilt came right after.
Because she knew na naging parte siya ng pagbabagong iyon. She had seen something in Kairi long before Kairi ever saw it herself. Years ago, she would've said it out loud and proud nang walang pagdadalawang isip.
I knew you could do this.
Pero ngayon, sitting only a few feet away, hindi na niya alam kung may karapatan pa ba siyang sabihin iyon.
At parang may kung anong kumirot sa dibdib ni Gianna.
Because that laugh answered a question she'd been carrying for years.
Kairi survived.
The grief.
The leaving.
She survived everything Gianna left behind.
For the longest time, natatakot siyang isipin na baka tuluyan niyang nasira si Kairi. Na baka may winasak siyang taong masyado pang bata, masyado pang vulnerable.
But listening to her now? Hearing her laugh and talk about the future like she belonged in it, Gianna realized she hadn't.
Kairi was okay. She was more than okay. She was actually living.
And somehow, that was both the most beautiful and the most painful thing Gianna had ever witnessed.
Makalipas ang ilang sandali, tumayo si Maya mula sa mesa, lifting her glass and grimacing at it.
"This is stronger than I thought," she muttered, glancing at Kairi. "I'm getting something lighter."
Mahinang natawa si Kairi. "You're the one who said you could handle beer now."
"I can," Maya defended. "Pero not this liquid fire."
Iniwan niya ang mesa at dumaan sa pagitan ng mga tao papunta sa bar.
Habang papalapit siya, mas lumalakas ang ingay sa paligid. Mas amoy din ang alak at citrus sa harapan.
Huminto siya sa counter at tiningnan ang handwritten menu sa likod ng taps. Dahan-dahan niyang binabasa ang mga choices habang iniikot-ikot ang hawak niyang baso.
"Citrus wheat...honey ale...peach lager..." bulong niya sa sarili na bahagya pang nakakunot ang noo habang sinusubukang basahin ang maliliit na percentage sa ilalim. "Bakit ba ang liit lagi ng font ng mga ito?"
Bahagya siyang umusog para makakita nang mas maayos.
And that was when she saw her.
Just for a second.
A face at the far side of the bar.
Familiar enough na nag-react agad ang katawan niya bago pa makapag-isip ang utak niya.
Mabilis siyang napatingin ulit sa menu.
No.
Dahan-dahan siyang lumingon ulit. This time, talagang tiningnan niya ito.
And there, seated only a few feet away with a drink in hand, was Miss Herrera.
Napatigil si Maya. Parang biglang tumigil ang lahat sa loob niya.
Three years. Almost three years of watching Kairi break herself apart and put herself back together piece by piece.
Tatlong taon ng tahimik na pag-iyak, paglayo sa lahat, at paulit-ulit na pagsasabing okay lang siya hanggang sa dumating ang araw na naging okay nga siya. Three years of Maya and Zoe pulling her out of bed, pinipilit lumabas, at sinasamahan siya sa pinakamabibigat na araw.
Tapos ngayon—
The person at the center of all that was sitting right there.
Buhay na buhay, humihinga, at umiinom na parang wala lang. Parang hindi siya nawala and left a wreck behind.
Gianna looked up and their eyes met.
Recognition came instantly.
And Gianna froze too.
Maya saw it all in a second. The guilt, fear, and hesitation.
Parehong mga bagay na matagal niyang nakita kay Kairi.
Then Gianna looked away quickly. Parang hindi niya kayang salubungin ang tingin ni Maya.
Mas humigpit ang hawak ni Maya sa glass.
A hundred thoughts hit her at once.
Sasabihin ko ba kay Kairi?
Should I wait?
Or should I drag Miss Herrera across the room and make her explain herself?
The temptation existed briefly before disappearing.
Where the hell is Zoe?
Huminga siya nang malalim, saka tumalikod bago pa siya makagawa ng isang bagay na pagsisisihan niya.
Hindi na siya naka-order pa at naglakad na lang pabalik sa table nila.
When Maya came back, Kairi noticed the empty glass in her hand right away.
"You didn't get anything?"
Hindi agad sumagot si Maya.
Nakaupo lang siya, hawak pa rin ang parehong baso, while her eyes fixed somewhere past Kairi's shoulder toward the bar.
Kahit may mga taong dumadaan sa pagitan nila, with guests moving around and bodies brushing past each other, she could still see her.
Miss Herrera.
Nakaupo pa rin siya roon. Still only a few steps away. Still looking like she hadn't disappeared for years and left Kairi bleeding from it.
"Kairi," Maya said, quieter than she intended.
Kairi looked at her, already frowning at her tone. "What?"
Maya swallowed. Tell her. Don't tell her.
Siguro nakita ni Kairi ang pag-aalinlangan sa mukha niya, kasi mas naging seryoso ang expression nito.
"What, Maya? May nangyari ba?"
Maya didn't answer. Her eyes shifted again, just for a second pero nahuli ni Kairi ang tingin niya at instinctively, nagsimula itong lumingon sa direksyong tinitingnan niya.
Bago pa siya tuluyang makaharap, biglang nagsalita si Maya.
"Nag-text na ba si Zoe?"
Huminto si Kairi sa kalagitnaan ng paglingon at napatingin ulit sa kanya.
"Huh?"
Maya forced herself to keep talking, even though her heart was pounding.
"Si Zoe. Sinabi na ba niyang papunta na siya?"
Kairi stared at her for a second, clearly thrown off by the random question, before pulling her phone halfway from her pocket and checking it.
"No," she said after a glance. "Wala pa."
Mabilis na tumango si Maya. "Right."
Kairi narrowed her eyes. "That's what this is about?"
Maya gave her a tight smile. "Yeah. Naisip ko lang."
Hindi agad inalis ni Kairi ang tingin sa kanya na parang alam nitong may mali. Hindi nga lang niya ma-pinpoint kung ano.
Bago pa siya makapagtanong ulit, sumingit ang isa sa mga kasama nila sa usapan at agad siyang hinila sa panibagong usapan tungkol sa graduation, internships, at kung sino ba talaga ang may balak mag-stay sa city after college.
And somehow, it worked.
For now.
The table slipped back into noise. Nag-o-overlap na ang usapan at habang tumatagal, lalo lang lumalakas ang tawanan. Kairi laughed along when someone said something ridiculous, but Maya barely heard any of it.
Kasi every few seconds, bumabalik ang tingin niya sa bar.
Nandoon pa rin si Miss Herrera. Nakaupo pa rin. Still close enough that one wrong move would ruin everything.
Maya kept thinking she should do something. To warn Kairi. Pull her outside. O hanapin si Ella para sabihing ayusin ang kung ano man ito.
Pero bago pa siya makapagdesisyon, Kairi tipped back her glass and finished the last of her drink, setting it down on the table.
"I'll get us more."
She reached for Maya's untouched empty glass.
Maya caught her wrist immediately.
"Kai, ako na!"
Napakunot ang noo ni Kairi. "Hindi ka nga nakakuha ng drinks mo kanina."
"Uhm I...I changed my mind!"
Mahinang natawa si Kairi habang binabawi ang baso. "Ako na. I'll get you something lighter. Trust me."
Maya didn't let go.
"Kai, wait!"
Hindi niya namalayang humigpit na pala ang hawak niya.
"Maya, what the hell are you—"
Napatingin ulit si Maya sa bar.
At bigla siyang natigilan dahil bakante na ang high chair.
Miss Herrera was gone.
Mabilis siyang bumaling ulit kay Kairi and she forced out an awkward laugh, releasing her wrist like nothing had happened.
"Five percent," mabilis niyang sabi. "Get me something five percent."
Ilang segundo pa siyang tinitigan ni Kairi, halatang sinusubukang intindihin kung ano man ang nangyari. But the alcohol had softened her focus enough that she didn't push.
Instead, she shook her head.
"Five percent," she repeated.
Then she stood and made her way toward the bar.
Maya watched her go, dread twisting tighter in her stomach with every step.
The front of the bar was even more crowded now, with bodies packed closer together. Sumingit si Kairi hanggang sa makahanap siya ng mas maluwag na puwesto sa gilid ng counter, kung saan may isang bakanteng high chair sa dulo.
Beside it was an abandoned glass.
She noticed it for a second.
Probably taken, she thought.
Kaya hindi na siya umupo.
Sliding both empty glasses across the counter, she gave her order and waited.
Hindi naman siya naghintay nang matagal. Bumalik agad ang bartender dala ang dalawang bagong baso ng beer at inilapag ang mga ito sa harap niya.
Kairi grabbed both glasses and turned too fast—
Straight into someone.
The impact hit shoulder-first, knocking them both off balance. And beer splashed over the rims, spilling over Kairi's hand and splashing across the front of the other person's shirt.
"Fuck—"
The curse came out low, almost breathless.
Napaatras agad si Kairi, nearly dropping both glasses.
"Shit, sorry—"
She looked up.
And froze.
The woman in front of her was already staring back.
Her chest rose once, slow and uneven. Nakatitig lang siya kay Kairi, parang nakalimutan na niyang kumurap.
The noise of the bar faded into nothing.
For a long second, neither of them moved.
Then, after almost three years of silence—
"Kairi."