When Blood Turns Pale

004

004: e

"M-Madam?–"

Everything about me screamed confusion, I knew, but I just can't seem to move.

"Ano ba 'yan, Sumi! Ang tagal!"

Hinawi ako ni Dani papunta sa gilid upang mauna siya sa linya.

I noticed how the man and my friend looked at each other with a sense of familiarity. And unlike what Dani said earlier, they looked like they were already friends.

"Glyxx! I knew you were going to be here!" Dani pulled the man, whose name was apparently Glyxx, into a tight hug.

With no hesitation, I looked away when we locked eyes.

"'Di lang ako, 'no! Si Lucas din!" Glyxx says after they separated from the hug.

Before calling his friend, who I realized was the one who asked me to dance, Glyxx greeted Francine with a sheepish look.

"Uy, Dani the beautiful binibini!" the so-called Lucas greets Dani and she immediately becomes annoyed.

"Lucas, mukhang gasgas."

While the three of them laughed at Dani's remark, I met eyes with Lucas. With the subtle shock on his face, I could tell he recognizes me. Unlike his friend, he remembers me—however, he chose to say nothing about it.

After we listed our names, they told us to stay for a while since there would be some sort of orientation about the organization. We decided to sit down on a bench few meters away from the seniors who were enlisting members.

"Thought you only knew Glyxx from chismis?" Francine asks intently at Dani who was seating between us.

"Joke lang 'yun, s'yempre! Para naman you'd laugh," Dani says while repeatedly raising her eyebrows. "I first knew his friend, 'yung Lucas, kasi I'd meet him at parties. Ang dami kasing kaibigan nu'n."

Francine nodded before turning to me.

"You know Glyxx?"

I know I made no mistake, but why am I feeling so guilty?! Like I'm a suspect being interrogated!

"N-No, ah..."

My eyes were glued somewhere so I didn't know how she reacted, but I heard her amused chuckle.

"Crush mo?"

"Huy! Hindi kaya!" I defended myself immediately. The two of them found my reaction funny as they were laughing so hard.

"Huy, hindi kaya," Dani mocks me while Francine was laughing audibly.

Alam kong mas tutuksuhin lang ako nila kapag lalo pa akong magsasalita, kaya tumahimik na lang ako.

"That's fine, Babes! We all have our first-day-crushes," Dani comforts me while tapping my back and my annoyance just grew bigger.

"Fine!" I broke out of my cage. "I know him from two months ago. Birthday ni Kuya Khierro."

They grew invested in our first encounter so I told them everything I could remember about it.

"Sus, I really thought talaga na you had a crush on him," Dani tells me, "You could've told us na you knew him na pala!"

"Kunwari ka pa. As if you won't make fun of me for it." I rolled my eyes at her while she was trying so hard not to tease me.

She knows I'm very awkward with men and she finds that very funny!

"Ang cute lang kasi ng first encounter niyo!"

"Oo, nga. Cute," Francine mutters with a small smile. "But I think he's in a relationship na–"