My Sweet Revenge

Chapter 14: Stuck With Each Other

 

July 3, 2010

 

Naomi’s POV

 

“Sa wakas at dumating ka na rin ‘te!” Agad na salubong sa akin ni Ericka the moment I stepped out of Tita Lorraine’s car that early Saturday morning. Pumunta siya sa tabi ko at pinatong yung kamay niya sa balikat ko in greeting.

“Ako na lang ba yung hinihintay?” Tanong ko habang tumitingin-tingin sa loob ng bahay nila.

Maaga pa naman ako pumunta ah. The meeting time is 7:00 AM. It’s only 6:45. Pinaaga ba nila o sadyang excited lang talaga ang mga kasamahan namin na makaalis agad?

Ericka gave me a reassuring smile.

“Wag kang mag-alala. You’re not the last one to arrive. Hinihintay pa naman namin sina Summer, Gab at Emily. Sige, pasok ka na sa loob. Ako na bahala sa bag mo.” Sabi niya sabay kuha sa bag na dala-dala ko.

Tita rolled down the driver’s side window and looked at us.

“Sige, alis na ako. Have fun on your trip, okay?” Paalam niya habang nakangiti sa amin. “And Belated Happy Birthday Ericka. Pasabi na lang rin yan kay Adrian ha?” Dagdag pa niya.

My bestfriend beamed at her.

“Thank you Tita!” Ngiti niya.

Tumango si Tita at nagdrive paalis. Nilagay ni Ericka yung bag ko sa loob ng trunk ng van nila.

“I almost forgot, Belated Happy Birthday.” Pahabol ko.

She grinned at me.

“Batiin mo na lang ako sa debut ko. Right now, it’s Adrian’s celebration kaya siya dapat yung i-greet mo.”

I rolled my eyes at her.

“I already did. Yesterday afternoon. During dismissal.” Sabi ko.

Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay.

“Talaga? Sigurado ka bang narinig niya yun?”

Naglook-away ako. Okay, maybe hindi niya narinig yung pagbati ko kahapon since ang ingay ng classroom namin. Pero that still counts as a greeting diba? At least nag-effort akong batiin siya. Problema na niya kung hindi niya yun narinig. Basta’t para sa akin, na-acknowledge ko na yung fact na birthday niya kahapon. There’s no need to do that again.

Besides, ever since that incident during drama club practice, hindi na kami masyadong nakikipag-interact sa isa’t isa. Well, siyempre kinakailangan pa rin naming pansinin ang isa’t isa during class since seatmates kami. Lalo na kapag nagbibigay yung mga teachers ng activities na nagrerequire ng partner. But apart from that, we barely speak to each other unless necessary. Ni hindi ko nga siya tinitingnan paminsan-minsan. In fact, I even try my hardest to avoid him. And I know that he is doing the same. Wala rin naman kasing patutunguhan kung pag-usapan pa namin yung nangyari nung araw na yun. Mas lalo lang magiging awkward sa aming dalawa.

It’s not that first time ko lang mahalikan ng guy. Of course not. Ilang beses na rin naman akong nakipaghalikan sa ibang lalaki. Past boyfriends, MUs, kahit sa mga kasamahan ko sa drama club at sa mga school play. And I have to admit, nasanay na ako sa ganun. The experience isn’t new to me anymore. Pero hindi naman ibig sabihin nun na papayag lang akong makipaghalikan kay kung kani-kanino lang. I have self-respect pa rin noh. Tsaka none of those kisses even matter much to me. Para sa akin, it’s just a slight brushing of lips. Nothing more, nothing less. Kasi all my life, only one kiss ever mattered to me.

And I shared it with the guy I’m seeking revenge on.

Oo, si Adrian ang first kiss ko (Can you giys believe that?!). And I could still remember how it happened even after all these years. Mga bata pa kami nun. Innocent, bratty little kids who didn’t even know what a kiss equated to. Akala namin pwede yun gawin kahit kanino lang. Akala namin walang masama kung gawin man namin yun. Maybe because we always see other people do that without any hesitation. Kaya akala namin okay lang na gawin rin namin yun. And I have to say, we were so naïve when we were young. So oblivious. So immature.

Naglalaro kami nun ng kasal-kasalan. Just a simple game. Katuwaan lang kung tutuusin. Nag-insist si Ericka na siya yung maging pari. And of course, that leaves me as the bride and Adrian as the groom. And after Ericka said the words “You may now kiss the bride.”, Adrian kissed me. Just a peck on the lips. In fact, nothing much at all. Pero kahit ganun pa man yun, it was still special to me. Kasi that was my first kiss. And I shared it with my first crush. My first MU. My first love. And my supposed-to-be first boyfriend. But there’s no point in dwelling on those memories right? Kasi it’s all in the past na. At kahit anong gawin ko, hinding-hindi ko mababalik ang mga panahong iyon. Kasi they’ve already ended. And it’s already too late to resolve anything.

After a few minutes, dumating na rin sina Summer, Gab at Emily. Umalis kami agad pagkatapos nun. Dalawang van yung ginamit since ang dami namin. Si Adrian yung nagdrive sa isa, si Ervin naman yung sa ikalawa. Buti naman at kela Ervin ako nakisakay. That way mas lalo ko siyang maiiwasan. Kasama ko sina Ericka, Luis, Alyssa at Gab. Sina Vince, Summer, Emily at Justin naman yung sumakay kela Adrian. Hindi naman ganun katagal yung ride papunta sa Tagaytay. Mga about two hours lang yung lumipas bago kami makarating sa villa nina Ericka.

“Okay, yung mga room assignment ipopost ko na lang sa living room para makita ng lahat.” Sabi ni Ericka na agad-agad namang pumasok sa loob.

Sumunod na lang kami sa kanya after getting our bags. In fairness, ang laki ng villa nila. Spaceous, organized and has a very welcoming feel to it. The kind of place na parang ayaw mo nang alisan. The perfect vacation spot.

It’s been years since I last came here. Mga around twelve years old pa ata kami nun. I used to spend my first two weeks of summer vacation here with Ericka and Adrian. Yearly namin yun ginagawa noon. Their parents would always insist na sumama ako. Kaya nasanay na rin ako sa pagpunta dito.

Pagkatapos tingnan ang mga assigned rooms, nag-umpisa nang magsipuntahan ang mga kasamahan namin sa kani-kanilang kwarto. Tiningnan ko yung ginawang listahan ni Ericka.

Room 1:

Ericka – Summer

Room 2:

Ervin – Vince – Luis

Room 3:

Alyssa – Emily

Room 4:

Justin – Gab

Huh? Nasaan naman yung pangalan ko? At bakit hindi ko roommate si Ericka? Sabi niya magkasama daw kami. So why is it that…?

I scanned the list and finally found my name. Room 5. The last room. Pero agad namang nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang makita ang pangalan ng magiging roommate ko.

This has to be a mistake right?

No freaking way!

Room 5:

Naomi - Adrian