CHAPTER 22 (Always been afraid)

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I went back sa pwesto nila Amalie while wearing my white v neck shirt, high-waisted acid wash shorts, Birkenstock sandals and my shades. I went back hipster style… again.

“Wow, ang ganda ng legs mo Victoria. Ang haba.”

“Thanks, Amalie.” I smiled and she introduced me to all the girls in the group na hindi kabilang ang mga babaeng nakahubad (well not literally naked, but in their skimpy bikinis).

“Buti na lang hindi ka katulad nung mga nandun sa kabilang table. Look at them, sadya yung paglalagay ng buhangin sa boobs nila. Sluts!” She smiled at me. “By the way, I’m Veronica, pareho tayong letter V ang simula ng name. V for Veronica and V for virgin!” I laughed.

I like her sense of humor.

“Ako, V for Victoria, and V for virgin!” She laughed too.

“Virgin ka din? Akala ko ako na lang ang hindi eh.”

“Nope, kahit laking US ako I remained chaste.”

“Hep! Hep! Hindi na ako virgin pero I lost it after marriage ha!” Then we both laughed at Amalie na napakadefensive.

“Chill!” I smiled at her. “Tatlo lang siguro tayong matino dito.” Sabi ko.

“Eh tayo kasi ang pinagchichismisan nila eh. Sabi nila, ikaw daw Victoria ang mayabang, feeling girlfriend, feeling matalino at snob kasi mayaman. Sabi naman nila sayo Amalie, feeling mo bagay daw kayo ni Engr. Santos eh nagkataon dawn a Chinese ka lang daw naman. At ako, sabi nila dahil daw galing ako sa magandag University at nakakotse ako eh feeling sosyal na daw.”

“Chill! Inggit lang yan. Anyways, wag kang papadala sa mga yan.” I told her kasi medyo naasar na siya.

“Well, we’re not sluts kaya ganyan. Ang hirap magtrabaho sa male-dominated field, ganito ang mga ibang babae. Desperadang makadagit ng engineer.” Amalie said.

“Wag na natin sila pag-usapan. I think they just enjoy looking like… FHM models?”

“Victoria! FHM ba yan? Talo pa nila… gosh nauubos pasensya ko ha.” Veronica uttered at natawa ako kasi para silang mga bata, ang cute.

“Ang ganda ng bag mo, Veronica. That’s Balenciaga brogue. Wow.” Sabi ni Amalie habang hinahawakan ang texture ng bag.

“Yep, galing kay dad.”

“Ikaw, Victoria ang ganda ng sling bag mo.” Amalie pouted with her pink-stained lips.

“Yes, this is from Prada nabili ko bago ako bumalik from US. Actually noong nasa US ako, di naman ako palaporma kasi hindi sila vain sa katawan, kaya kahit simple lang. My mom actually ordered me to buy stuff pagbalik ko dito para daw maganda naman ako.” I answered.

“Eh ang ganda ng bag mo, Amalie. I bet galing abroad yan.” Veronica said touching Amalie’s bag.

“This is from Alexander Wang, binili ni hubby noong nagpunta kami ng Macao last year noong nagbakasyon kaming pamilya.” I love her face when she talks about her husband and her kid. I felt warmth na parang nakakaganda ng pakiramdam.

“Hmmm… those girls feel like they’re socialites. Nakakainis kasi kanina pa sila nagmamayabang ng mga gamit nila ang how expensice their shades are! Kaya ayoko kausapin ang mga yan sa bus eh, napakainsekyora kahit di ka nagmamayabang.”

“Chill, Veronica. At least, kami ang kausap mo at hindi sila kasi obvious na naiirita ka na. Let’s grab a drink?” I asked her.

Tumayo na kami para pumunta sa isang maliit na bar na nagtitinda ng refreshments. I saw Andrei looking at me with a disapproving look. Ano na naman kaya ang problema nito?

I saw him coming and I went back facing the guy selling the smoothie.

“Victoria… bakit nakashorts ka?”

“Eh… okay naman na ako. Mainit kasi atsaka ang KJ ko naman super ballot ako. Yung iba nga eh nakabikini pa.” I smiled at him baka mag-iba ang mood.

“No. Iba ka at iba sila at hayaan mo kung maghubad na sila kasi nga iba ka.”

“Andrei, pasalamat ka at ‘di ako nakabikini kasi sa US every Spring break at summer vacation ko lagi akong nakabikini na strapless pa!”

“Don’t you dare wear bikini here, Victoria.”

“Wala naman akong dala eh! Atsaka nakashorts lang naman ako, mukha na nga akong santo dito eh. Nagkataon lang na mahaba at mapuputi ang legs ko kaya attention-grabbing pero nonetheless, I look decent.”

“Okay, I get you point. I’ll play Frisbee with the other guys, okay? Don’t flirt or else mawawalan ng balls ang lalaking lalapit sayo.”

“Andrei! Wag ka nga dyan manakot. Customers lang iyong iba kaya please… don’t be jealous. Hindi ko naman kasi sila kilala at… alam mo naman na hindi ako ganyang babae.” I pouted at the thought na maglalandi ako sa iba eh napakafaithful ng buong pagkatao k okay Andrei.

“Victoria, I’ll be forever jealous kasi wala akong pinanhahawakan sayo. I want to own you, but you keep rejecting me. I don’t know where to hold on.” He held my hand and caressed it.

“Whatever it is, I’ll hold on to you. I love you… okay? I’m just quite fvcked up pero, I’ll be a better version of me when time comes. I just have issues I need to deal with.” He smiled and kissed me on the forehead.

Amalie squealed. Sobrang kinilig siya.

Me? I guess I’m frozen where I am standing.

“Okay.” I said as I was blushing really hard that time. Kahit ano naman kasing gawin niya nakakapanlambot. Habang tumatanda si Andrei, lalong gumugwapo at habang tumatagal, lalo yata akong nababaliw sa kanya kahit ayoko.

I’m resisting for the sake of protecting myself. Hindi ko na din siguro makakalimutan ang history namin noong high school. It will always be a reminder na hindi perpekto ang buhay, na meron at merong mapait o iyong sinasabing ‘sukdulan’ sa bahagi ng istorya. Well, I’m being unfair to him because he clearly likes me, but I can’t really blame myself if I have been… always

Kiss me hard before you go (#Wattys2015)Tahanan ng mga kuwento. Tumuklas ngayon