BEST-Friend-Zoned (Book 2)

Chapter Twenty

Dalawang sasakyan ang ginamit namin - kotse nila Ian at Matthew. Hiwalay ang mga lalaki sa mga babae.

Si Ian ang nagmamaneho ng kotse niya at kasama niya doon ang tatlong lalaki. Well, goodluck to him. Tingnan lang natin kung hindi pa siya niyan bumigay. Si Ate Nathalie naman ang nagmamaneho ng kay Matthew.

Si Ate Nat ang nag-insist ng paghihiwalay. Para DAW walang halong awkwardness na magaganap. And the better way DAW to spend a road trip is the separation of boys and girls. Para hindi rin DAW nagkakagulo sa kung anumang gusto ng isa't isa. Like in music, girls have a different point of view in music from the boys.

Well, for all I know, she only want this separation para ma-interrogate ako. Maybe same thing why Matthew allow this to happen -- to ask Ian.

I just hope Ian and I would have the same answers, then. Sana kahit papaano, magtugma naman lahat ng sinasabi namin sa kanila. 'Cause if it did not, then we have no choice but to drop the curtains and finish the show.

Nang makarating kami sa expressway, doon na nagsimula ang lahat ng tanong nila. Ate Nat shut the music and all that remains is the unbearable silence from among us four.

"So, now that we're all away from the guys, do you mind to spill it?"

Huminga ako ng malalim at matapang na tumingin sa harapan. I know their eyes already landed on me. Ate Nat's on the front mirror and with the two other girls facing me awkwardly, eager to know anything that I can spill about.

"Angela?" Alam kong wala pang ideya si Ate Ruth. Masyado kaming nagmamadali kaninang umalis kaya pagkarating niya, hindi ko na nagawa pang mapakilala si Ian. I thought I'll have the chance to introduce him when we're finally on Baguio. But seems like I have to give her the idea then, just like how Ate Nat and Ate Kristen are kneeling over my explanation.

"For your good Ruth, Angela HAS a boyfriend. And the guy's name is Ian - the one driving the other car." pagsalo naman ni Ate Nat para sa basic information.

"May boyfriend ka?!"

"Shocking di ba? May nakwento man lang ba siya sa'yo?"

Agad na umiling si Ate Ruth.

"Fine! It's my fault that I didn't say. Masyado lang talagang naging busy nun kaya wala man lang ako na-mention." Good, Angela. Keep it up! Malulusutan mo din ito.

"Good thing, you admit..." Doon ko na narinig si Ate Kristen na nagsalita, and there's a warning with what she said.

"Okay, sorry, I didn't at least give some details of it. But in any way, would there still be a chance you'll forgive me?"

"Not unless, you spill something. Pero kung ayaw mo naman ng something, everything will do. Wag na wag mo lang kaming bibitinin." si Ate Nat naman ang nagbanta.

I just laugh at their reaction. Ganun ba talaga kalaking issue ito? As if, I didn't do it when I had Jaspher.

I sigh many times. They're just waiting for me to talk.

"Ian is my colleague in Harvard. Actually, noong elementary pa, classmate ko siya noong final year na. Kaya nagulat din ako nang makita ko siya sa US, and we're studying at the same university. Hindi ko rin siya agad nakilala nun dahil sa dami ng pinagbago niya." Including his gender...  

"How come, you recognize him? I mean, even if it's name, matagal na panahon na rin yun."  

They really want it word by word. Hay! "Talaga sigurong nakatatak na sa utak ko ang pangalan niya. Una, dahil siya ang pinaka-pasaway sa batch namin, ni hindi ko nga alam kung bakit ko ba naging kaklase yun, I mean, you can't regard him to be the studious type. At isa pa, nanligaw rin kasi siya sa akin -- not really, nagtapat lang pero hindi na tumuloy manligaw."