Two Ghosts

Chapter 13 - Wish You Were Sober

"Jane, ano ayos lang... Ba kayo dyan?" Napatigil ako sa pagpahid kay Jea ng ice.

"Oo naman." Buti nalang, mas mabilis pa kami sa alas kwatro kumilos.

Narinig namin parehas na may footsteps, sa lakas ba naman maglakad ni Alex eh, sinong di makakarinig?

"Alex, ikaw na nga muna dito." Binigay ko sakanya 'yung pinapahid kong ice kay Jea. "Sa'n ka?" Tanong ni Alex.

"Kausapin ko lang si Zoe. Take a good care on Jea, she's already drunk." Lumabas ako ng kitchen tapos sumandal muna ako sa wall, katabi ng door ng kitchen namin.

Shit, i wish you were sober, Jea.

I touched my lips, tapos i came to my senses na agad at naglakad papuntang sala, kung saan naroon si Zoe, mama at papa.

I saw na kinakausap na sya ni mama at papa. She's crying. Pinagalitan kaya sya?

Mukha namang hindi dahil mama is hugging her.

"Ja-neh, ikaw na muna dito kay Zoe ha? Magliligpit na muna kami ni papa mo." This is mama's way or code for me na kausapin at i-comfort ko si Zoe at iiwanan nya muna kami together.

I nodded.

Pagkaalis nila, tsaka ako nagsalita at kinomfort si Zoe.

"Why did you do that earlier?" Tanong ko sakanya, habang nasa isip ko pa rin ang halik ni Jea.

It's been so long, holy shit.

That was my first ever kiss, in five years.

Kahit sa acting, hindi ako nagpapahalik. Double.

"Because i... I like you, Jane." Alam ko naman na 'yun, you already said that, Zoe.

"I'm sorry sa ginawa ko, you know that i didn't mean that. She's just so pakialamera." Ito naman kasing si Jea, kumakanta 'yung tao, biglang inagawan ng mic.

Na-beast mode tuloy.

"I know what you feel, pero what you did isn't right."

"I know Jane, i know. Kaya nga i'm apologizing, right?" I nodded again. "Pero hindi ka dapat sa'kin nag s-sorry. Kay Janella dapat."

"No! Never akong mags-sorry dun sa babaeng 'yun!"

"Zoe..."

"Sige, i'll apologize to her pero i'll do this for you, okay?" I nodded and smiled at her softly. She hugged me out of nowhere.

I can't refuse naman dahil sya ang magiging director ng GL series namin ni Jea.

Hindi ko alam, pero bigla kong inisip na si Jea ay si Zoe at this moment, kaya tinanggal ko sya sa pagkakayakap sa'kin at niyaya nang pumunta kay Jea sa kitchen, with Alex.

"Ano let's go?" She nodded tapos tumayo naman sya.

Pagpasok namin ng kitchen, grabe napaka-init... Ng tension nilang dalawa.

"Hey." Malamig na tawag ni Zoe kay Jea.

She replaced Alex's place, sya na nayon ang nagpapahid ng ice sa pisngi ni Jea. "I'm s-s..." A long pause.

Nag buntong-hininga muna si Zoe bago nya ituloy.

"I'm sorry about earlier." Jea's frowning at her.

"I can't hear you." Itong si Jea, mang-aasar pa eh. Nags-sorry na nga 'yung tao. Sabagay, Zoe doesn't sound sincere rin naman.

Jea deserves a sincere apology.

Not to be biased though.

"I said i'm sorry for slapping you earlier. Gusto mo pa 'yung sinasabi lahat eh. Arte mo talaga." Oh tignan mo 'tong dalawang 'to, baka mamaya mauwi sa round two away nyo dyan, hindi ko kayo aawatin, sige.