Deceret Series #2: Bleed for Love

Chapter 24

I never texted him.

Ang plano ay magpahinga sa apartment ko bago ko simulan ang mga assignments na na-miss ko dahil sa mga nangyari. But even before I could reach for my notebook, my phone rang.

Shantel's name flashed on the screen.

"Oh ano? Mangdedemonyo ka na naman?" pambungad ko sa kaniya.

It's crazy how we've gotten close in the past four days. She did nothing but be there. She didn't offer any comfort words, or hugs, or all will be alright bullshits. She just lingered around and it made me comfortable. She sat with me in the car when I can't enter Sorcha's funeral. Sometimes, she'd buy me a drink or whine about her boring classes just to fill the silence.

"I'm sooo bored." She moaned on the other line. "Let's go party."

I glanced at my clock. It's half past 8 in the evening.

"Wala ka bang ibang ma-disturbo dyan, ha?"

"Stormie's sleeping. I don't want to disturb her." I could already picture her pouting, probably in her ridiculously expensive robe inside her room.

I sighed. "Fine. Dala ka car. Ayokong magpasundo kay Rigor ngayon."

"Yay!" she squealed on the other line, and doesn't even try to ask what's wrong with us, which I really liked about her. "Be there in 15. See ya!"

Napailing ako at kaagad na binaba ang tawag. I abandoned my notebook and stepped inside the restroom to take a quick shower. Nasa loob pa lang ako ng banyo nang marinig ang malakas na pambubusina ni Shantel sa labas. I yelled at her to come in and stop disturbing my neighbors. Pumasok naman siya na ngiting-ngiti.

She sat on the edge of my bed and looked around my tiny apartment. She spotted one of my paintings, and pointed at it.

"That looks nice. Can I buy it?"

"Hindi." Suplada kong sagot sa kaniya. "Hindi mo yan afford."

"Hey! I still have my savings!" protesta niya.

I decided to wear a brown leather skirt and black cropped top tonight. Shantel will be taking us to one of the bars in town, so I guess this will do. She herself is just wearing a casual white eyelet bandeau top and black highwaisted flared pants.

Tumayo ang babae at nilapitan ang painting para inspeksyunin ito. Hinayaan ko nalang siya habang tinatapos ko ang makeup. My heart constricted painfully when this scene reminded me of my late best friend, how she's barge into my apartment, demanding me to go to a party with her, and then we'd exchange opinions about each other's outfits before going out.

"Dad has smuggled paintings in the house," she said with a laugh, putting back my own painting. "Stormie likes to stare at it. I guess it sparks her imagination. I just really don't have the heart to tell her that those paintings are literally stolen pieces because it would ruin her fantasies."

"Talaga?" nagtaas ako ng kilay habang nag-aapply ng lipstick. I watched her from my mirror.

She nodded. "Yup. He had more expensive pieces in his study, but we're not allowed to go in without permission. Yung naka-display sa grand parlor at dining hall, pati na rin sa staircase, yun lang ang nakikita namin."

The words grand parlor and dining hall made me dizzy. I'm sure this girl is living in a freaking mansion just like the Treverons.

"Anong ginagawa ng nanay mo?"

"Mommy doesn't work." She chuckled. "She's a socialite, I guess." She shrugged and looked away.

I nodded in understanding. She doesn't want to talk about her. I can understand that. I don't want to talk about my own mother, too.