Strings of Fate

Pagbalik namin ni Rhyler sa loob, medyo napansin ko agad ‘yung tinginan ng mga kaibigan ko sa’min. Hindi man sila nagsasalita, ramdam ko ‘yung mga mata nila — parang may mga gustong itanong pero hindi nila alam kung saan magsisimula.

We made our way pabalik sa table namin. Doon nakaupo sila Atasha, Louise, Mariel, Graciel, Kathrina, Janice, at siyempre si Athena — the star of the night, na kahit pagod, mukhang alert pa rin sa chismis.

Pagkaupo ko, agad na nagsalita si Louise. “Oh diba, ang tagal niyo sa veranda?” sabay taas ng kilay.

“Ay, true,” second ni Graciel. “Nagpa-aircon ba kayo doon?”

“Baka nag-emote-emote sa stars,” si Mariel naman, obvious ang pangaasar.

“Pucha, ang lakas maka-Kdrama n’yo kanina,” tawa ni Janice.

Rhyler just smiled a little and sat beside me. Hindi siya nagsalita agad, pero hindi rin siya mukhang uncomfortable.

Atasha leaned in, eyes on me. “Okay ka?”

I nodded. “Okay. Masaya.”

“Masaya nga,” singit ni Athena kahit medyo paos na ang boses. “I was watching you two from afar. Ganda ng kuha ng photog n’yo sa veranda, by the way.”

Napatingin ako agad. “Wait, ha? May kuha kami?”

She nodded smugly. “Yeah. Don’t worry, candid. Mukhang magazine cover.”

Everyone laughed — including Rhyler. And that’s when I realized something.

He wasn’t shrinking into the background anymore.

In fact, he was… present.

“Wait lang,” Kathrina said, squinting playfully. “Seryoso, paano nga ba kayo naging close? Kasi ‘yung last na kwento ni Eli sa’kin, hindi pa sila sure eh. Tapos ngayon, PDA level na.”

I was about to answer pero nauna si Rhyler. Calm, composed. He looked around the table, then said, “Nagtagal. Ang daming hindi sinabi. Pero eventually, nagkaintindihan rin.”

Then he looked at me. “Ayoko kasi ng half-hearted. Saka ko lang nilaban nung sigurado na ako sa nararamdaman ko.”

Tahimik. As in literal na walang kumibo sa table.

Si Athena pa ‘yung unang bumawi. “Grabe ka. Bakit parang may script?”

“Hindi ko sinasadya,” sagot ni Rhyler, almost shy. “Galing lang talaga sa puso.”

Nagtilian na sila Graciel, Louise, at Mariel.

“Eli. Girl. Grabe ka. Tinalo mo na kami.”

Atasha leaned her chin on her hand, smiling. “You like being seen with him, no?”

Ngumiti lang ako. “Oo. Kasi for the longest time, tinatago namin ‘tong connection. Ngayon… wala na. Wala nang kailangan itago.”

Sabay-sabay silang ngumiti. Walang judgment. Walang tanong. Just genuine support.

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By the end of the night, habang palabas na kami ng venue, hawak pa rin ni Rhyler ‘yung kamay ko. Marami nang nakakita. Marami nang nakakaalam. Pero wala na akong pake.

“Pagod ka?” tanong niya.

“Hindi gaano. Masaya kasi ako,” sagot ko.

“Good,” he murmured, then gently kissed my cheek before opening the car door for me.

At that moment, na-realize ko…

This isn’t just a debut party.
This was the official start of something we didn’t have to keep behind closed doors anymore.
This was us.