After the Twilight (Iska Series #1)

03

I chuckle when I hear the whining and groaning from my room, lalo na galing kay Demi. Umiling nalang ako habang inaabot ang paper bag na dala kanina ni Leo at agad na napangiti ng nakita ang laman nitong Jollibee. 

"Leo!!!" Demi whines as Leo pushes her out of my room, hila hila pa si Ada na halos hindi na mapinta ang mukha. "Ang sakit pa ng ulo ko," reklamo ni Demi, kinakamot pa ang likod ng ulo. 

"Iyan kasi napapala niyo," saad ni Leo, umiirap ng tignan si Demi. "Mga walang hiya kayo, nag night out kayo nang hindi ako sinasama? Mga traydor kayo! Pwes, nandito ako ngayon para pagmasdan kayong magdusa," dagdag niya as he sits on one of the bar stools by the counter. 

"Para ka namang makakasama even if we invited you," Demi retorts habang inaagaw ang basong iniinuman ko ng tubig. 

Leo rolls his eyes, crossing his arms over chest. "Well, it's the thought that counts Demi Valeria," he says with so much sass. 

"Plus it was a girl's night out," sabi ni Demi habang binabalatan ng wrapper ang burger na hawak, "weekends ka pa naman nagiging girl, so di ka rin pasok sa criteria."

Leo let's out a scoff, "Eh di sana you scheduled it on a Saturday night, o kaya Sunday night!" He stands up and snatches the burger from Demi bago pa man ito makagat, "akin na nga iyan, hindi mo deserve ang ayuda."

"Hey! It's not my fault. These two won't go out on a Sunday kasi nga may pasok ng Lunes, and they won't go on a Saturday kasi magsisimba daw sila. Alam mo na, pinaglihi sa kabaitan at kabanalan ang mga 'to," Demi whines, giving me the stink eye as she tries to grab the burger back from Leo na mas inilayo lang din mula sa kanya. 

Umirap nalang si Leo. "Ewan ko sa inyo, mga traydor."

"Love naman," pagsusuyo ni Demi sa kanya as she walked around the counter to go to him. She wraps her arms over his shoulders and squeezes him tight. "Huwag ka ng magtampo, I'll go with you tonight, don't worry. My cousin will be there with his friends, gusto mo ipakilala kita to his hot friends? Ano gusto mo? Pilot?"

"Hoy Demi, magbabar ka na naman mamaya?" Sita ko sa kanya. "Nakakalimutan mo yatang hindi gawa sa bakal iyang atay mo ha," dagdag ko. 

"I didn't drink much naman kagabi, eh. And that's because you two were such a pain in the ass, gosh," bumaling siya kay Leo, "you should be thankful you weren't there, Love. Napaka epal kasama ng dalawang yan. Si Celeste biglang naglaho, tapos si Ada hindi ko inexpect marunong pala magwalwal." 

Pinanliitan lang ni Leo ng mata si Demi habang patuloy itong sinusuyo, raising his brow at her. Pouting, Demi squeezes him tighter. "Love!! Sorry na kasi! Ang bilis naman magtampo nito, sama nga tayo mamaya. Tsaka hindi naman kawalan na wala ka kagabi, ang pangit kasama ng dalawang iyan. Tayo nalang magnight out later, alam mo na, Demi and Leo night. 

Leo just stares at her sharply. "Sige ipagpatuloy mo pa iyang pag Love at Leo sa akin, talagang hindi kita papansinin. Weekend na ngayon diba? Lea na ako! Hindi pa ba obvious sa suot ko?"

I smiled at that. Leo Vaughn Romero lives two lives: filial son of Senator Romero on the weekdays and wild free spirit on the weekends. Kahit patago, masaya pa rin ako na at least may araw na nagiging malaya ang kaibigan ko to be who he truly is, and to be who he really wants to be. We all call him "love" dahil para namin siyang conjugal boyfriend. Kahit hindi obvious sa suot niyang pink ngayon ay lalaking lalaki ito tuwing nasa school. Very boyfriend material, pero boyfriend nga lang din ang hanap. 

He's like our bodyguard, lalo na at lagi kaming magkasama kahit na magkaiba ang course namin. We're just lucky na halos classmates kami sa lahat ng minor subjects. He's a business administration student kasi, pareho sila ni Demi. He wards off the dudes that try to approach us, lalo na yung mga mukhang bad boy. Pero at the same time, namimili lang din siya for himself.