Have you ever had that moment where everything is so perfect. No, there's nothing special going on... You're going through the normal course of your life. Going to work, there's no traffic. All the lights are green. You pass by a pretty road and you see the light seeping through a large tree. You get the feeling of summer when you were a kid. When you're out of the house and playing on the street as early as 2 pm and seeking refuge from the sun underneath huge Mango trees. Everything seemed so simple then. And you get a taste of what it was like for 5 minutes. For 5 minutes, everything is quite. For 5 minutes, you have peace.

I wish I could have that 5 minutes again.

Mige: "Gay,mige hir.Pog got n an accident dis am on d way 2 admu.He's n medical city n hes askin 4 u.Pls pnta ka."

Parang gumuho ang mundo ko. Sobrang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko. Nanghina ako. Para akong nagexercise habang nagyoyosi. Naisip ko lang kung anong nangyari the night before.

My sister, cousin and I went to Rockwell to watch a movie. We were supposed to watch Raising Helen but Secret Window seemed more appealing. We passed by Fully Booked to buy a history book for my niece. Then I remembered there was a book I saw on the net that I wanted to buy, but I couldn't remember it. Finally, it was time to go then just when we were about to pay the parking fee, it hit me! It was Judith McNaught's Someone To Watch Over Me.

I texted Pog right away because from school, he goes to Rockwell to fetch his cousin everyday. He said he'd love to do it. I even texted him the book's title and author twice to make sure he got it and his reply was, "Oo! Kulet!"

So I went home, watched TV. I was having a good night. Had a good meal. I was finishing the other book that I'm re-reading in preparation for the new one I was going to read. Then tadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... 10:30 Pog called to say he was on his way.

He arrived at 11.

When he walked up the second floor where we usually hang out to watch debede, I noticed he was carrying an unusually big book. I don't remember JM's books being ever that big. I asked him for the book and he handed me this mala-bibliya black book with a grin on his face.

"Ano yan?"

"Jonathan Strange and Mr. Something," he said with a grin. "New York Time's bestseller daw yan. Sabi nung guy 4 and a half stars daw yan out of 5."

"Eh nasan na yung pinapabili ko?" I said, starting to become infuriated.

"Walang kwenta naman yon eh," he said. "Mas maganda yan. Parang Harry Potter."

"Pog!!!" I cried. "Di nga?"

(Knowing Pog, I figured it was just a ploy to piss me off. I bet he had the book in his car and this is just a cruel joke.)

"Oo nga," he said. "Tama na ang kakabasa ng mga love stories. Kaya ka nagkakaganyan eh!"

I punched his arm.

"Ouch!!" he said rubbing his arm. "Ano ba problema mo?"

"Pare ang simple simple ng pinapagawa ko eh!" I yelled. "Pwede ba for once pakinggan mo naman kung ano gusto ko and hindi nalang yung parating gusto mo ang nasusunod?!"

"Don't be so dramatic Gaye, it's only a fucking book!"

"Ganon naman palagi eh!" Somehow we managed to move in to my room so that people downstairs wouldn't hear us. "You always make me feel lik shit when you act like you don't care about things that are important to me."

"How can you say that?! Eh ikaw nga palagi ang iniisip ko!" (Or samteeng!)

"Kung ganon, wag mo na akong isipin!" I bitched. "Stop thinking you know what's best for me when you don't even know what's best for you!"

"Will you listen to yourself!" Nagagalit narin sha. "Galit na galit ka over a book! Bukas na bukas bibilhan kita nung putanging librong yan! Puneta!"

Then he went on about how I'm living in a wonderland where girls always get what they want and how that's not reality. He said that somehow I'm still hoping that I would get *** back and I'm living my dreams through these type of books.

Helloooooooooooooooooooo...

"Pwede ba pagbigyan mo man lang ako sa gusto ko pare," I shouted. "I AM NOT YOUR PROBLEM TO SOLVE!!!"

Then nag-intercom si ma tinatanong kung bakit ang ingay namin. Finally, tumayo si Pog from the bed and said, "I don't have to listen to this." And umalis na siya.

It was a stupid fight, I know. Pero I'm sick of him dictating what I should and should not do. He didn't call or text the whole night and ako naman ma-pride ang lola mo, hindi rin ako nag-text or tumawag.

The next day I went to NSI's basketball game in RFG. Everything was going well. Cris and I were supposed to go to greenhills afterwards, wala lang... Lakad lakad... Then I received that message from Mige.

Oh

My

God!

I almost couldn't drive.

(To be continued...)