Beautiful Beasts (Lovestruck Series #1)

Chapter 14

JASMINE

Today is the first day of the Intramurals. As tradition, it starts off with a fun run. I usually join just for the sake of supervising the class, but today, I decided to skip it. It also helps to know that Chase is there to keep things organized on my behalf.

"Magkaaway nanaman kayo?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Essie.

I was at home, taking what everyone calls a "beauty rest." But in truth, I'm just using it as an excuse to escape. Pagkatapos ng naging sagutan namin ni Chase kahapon, hindi ko na alam kung paano pa siya pakikitunguhan.

At hindi nakakatulong na panay pa ang banggit ni Essie sa kanya. Even through the phone, I could hear his curiosity.

"Sa'n mo naman napulot 'yan?" Maang-maangang tanong ko.

Natawa siya, "So tama nga ako? Nag-away nanaman kayo?"

Umirap ako. "Pwede bang 'wag na natin siyang pagusapan? Nasisira ang araw ko!"

Tumawa siya, "Kaya naman pala hindi maipinta ang hitsura ng isa rito."

Suddenly curious, I asked: "Bakit?"

"Akala ko ba ayaw mong pagusapan?" Pangaasar niya na agad.

Nag-init ang pisngi ko sa kahihiyan.

"Whatever. Hayaan mo siya! Ewan ko sa kanya! Hindi ko siya maintindihan." Sunod sunod na reklamo ko, nawawalan na ng pasensya.

"Ano nanaman ba kasing nangyari?" He sounded like this whole dynamic is tiring him out already.

Pinagisipan ko pa saglit kung ikukwento sa kanya ang nangyari, but in the end, I decided to just go for it. Maybe he has some insights that might help me figure out why Chase reacted the way he did.

"Seryoso, hindi mo alam kung bakit siya nagalit?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya matapos kong ikwento ang lahat. "Ang tanga mo naman!"

Kumunot ang noo ko.

"At akala ko ba pansamantala lang ang relasyon na 'yan? Na hindi naman seryoso?"

"Oo nga." Sagot ko, nalilito na kung bakit biglang napunta roon ang usapan.

"E bakit parang totoong magjowa na kayo kung mag-away?" He asked. "Isang nagseselos. Isang manhid."

"Hindi ako nagseselos!" Depensa ko kaagad sa sarili.

He chuckled, "Hindi ko naman sinabing ikaw 'yon."

"So ako 'yung manhid?"

"Sa'yo nanggaling 'yan." Aniya na agad.

I rolled my eyes. Naalala ko tuloy ang sinabi ni Chase.

"Pa'no ako naging manhid?" I was genuinely confused.

"Hindi pa ba obvious? May gusto sa'yo 'yung tao!" He sounded frustrated, as if I should have known it by now.

Nagulat ako sa pandederetso niya. I thought about it for a while...

Hindi naman na bago ang lahat ng 'to. Noon pa man, lagi na kaming naga-away. It has always been like that with Chase and I. But it's always just about useless and petty things. However, lately, our fights seem to be stemming from much deeper causes.

"Pero 'pag tungkol kay Enzo, magrereply ka, diba?"

It was that fight that started it all.