One Lost Summer (Brave Series #2)

Chapter 12: Majarlika

Majarlika De Luna

She likes him.

Majarlika likes Grale.

Napagtanto niya iyon nang magising kinabukasan hawak ang kamay ng binata. Magkatabi silang natulog nang gabi ring iyon dahil masyadong nag alala ang binata at ayaw siyang lubayan. Lalo pa't tumaas na naman ang lagnat niya.

She woke up on her side, facing him. Ganon din ang posisyon nito kaya't kitang-kita niya ang mapayapang mukha ni Grale habang natutulog. There was a pillow in between them, but their hands were laced together above the pillow.

It was her fault. It was because she felt it again. The familiar air stuck on her throat, tearing on her chest. She needed to hold something and Grale was kind enough to offer his hand.

He's just being kind.

Natigil sa pagiisip si Majarlika nang muling mag ring ang cellphone niya na naka magnet sa dashboard ng kanyang sasakyan.

It was Tria who has been calling her since this morning. She probably saw the pictures on the internet by now and was dying to hear a word from her.

Napangisi siya sa sarili sa posibilidad na magiging reaksyon ng kaibigan. Alam naman niyang hindi ito galit dahil nakasama niya ang 'sumira' ng pinakamamahal niyang loveteam. But she's probably wondering like crazy right now.

She pressed the accept button before the call even died.

"Thank god you answered!"

"Good day to you, too, Tria," she chuckled, eyes still on the road.

"Don't use that calm and sweet talking to me, Maja. You have a lot of explaining to do!"

"Start asking then."

"Are you dating him? Kailan pa? Saan? Bakit? Paano? How did everything happen? God ang dami kong tanong and I don't even know where to begin!"

Maja chuckled as she maneuvered the steering wheel to the left. Naka silip din siya sa side mirror upang tingnan ang mga sasakyan sa kanyang kaliwa. Kakagaling lang niya sa coffee shop ni Clementine kaya't may tatlong yellow box ulit ng pastries sa backseat ng kanyang kotse. Ngayon naman ay tinatahak niya ang daan papunta sa paborito niyang flower shop dito sa Ilocos.

"Hindi kami, Tria. We're just... friends."

"Pero paano? You are not into showbiz things, Maja." As if she was reminding her.

"Guest siya sa resort, Tria. Dito kami nagkakilala."

"And then you two just dated? That fast?"

"Again, we're not dating," paglilinaw niya. "Magkaibigan lang talaga kami."

"That's not what the pictures are saying, my dearest best friends. You two were holding hands and--"

"Dahil may sakit ako. Inalalayan niya lang ako, Tria. He's just being... polite."

She doesn't know why, but her last sentence gave her heart a little blow. Umiling siya at lumunok para alisin ang kakaibang bigat sa kanyang dibdib.

"No, no, no. The pictures tell otherwise! Something different, Maja. Something I can't explain."

"You're just hallucinating, Tria. Sino bang mas pinaniniwalaan mo?" She chuckled. "It should be me, you know."

"I know! But..." she sighed. "Bakit hindi mo ako sinabihan? I felt betrayed."

"Talaga ba?"