Friendshipidity (Chase #3)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14
Is This It?

"I still can't believe you sacrificed your friendship with Sien. I mean, what's even the problem? You are one heck of crazy girl!" Aria continued to blab. Dati pa iyang mga 'yan. Hindi matigil simula nang malaman nila ang balita.

"Aria, if you don't shut up I'm gonna throw you a time turner and let you live in the past forever."

Marami rami rin ang kakilala kong pumunta sa party sa bahay nina Jesca ngayon. Karamihan ay batchmates namin, of course. Ngunit may ilan din kaming schoolmates. Tinanguan ko ang posibleng natipuhan ni Sien noon, and I'm surprised I don't feel anything at all. Kung meron man ay awkwardness iyon.

Nakilala ko rin ang ilang pinsan at relatives ni Mae ngunit may isa akong napansin. A guy in a grey shirt. Kanina ko pa siya sinusundan ng tingin habang hinuhukay ang memorya ko kung kilala ko ba siya. But I got nothing. He's got to be a new guy in town.

I was ready to look away but then he looked back. He smiled and seemed to have welcomed my stares. Bigla akong nakaramdam ng hiya!

"Earth to Mae? Yuhoo," Elaine called.

"I'm sorry, what?"

Nagpatuloy sa pagkukwento at pang gigisa sa akin ang tatlo. Hindi kasama sa circle ngayon si Jesca, we don't know where she is. It's actually a bad timing for her to not be around. Hindi ko na kinakaya ang pag tingin noong lalaki sa akin. Gumaganti ba siya? Para kasing ang imposible namang ma-getlak siya ng nonexistent kong beauty.

"How about our Summerridge girls? May schedule na ba kayo?" tanong ni Elaine na siyang nagpabalik ng atensyon ko sa kanila.

"I'm not sure. Actually, hindi ko rin alam kung paano ko malalaman," sagot ko.

Nang magbago ng topic ay nawala na naman ang atensyon ko. Nawala sa pwesto iyong lalaki at madali naman siyang hinanap ng mata ko. I found him by the door. Shiit ano nagninilandi na ang hormones ko ngayon?

Dumating si Jesca na may dalang tray ng pagkain. Exactly on time because there's something I've been meaning to ask her. I eyed my friends and I saw Elaine peeked once at the guy I was just looking at. Good, Elaine. We might be on the same page, then.

"Sino ba 'yong bago mong lalaki rito, Jesca?" Hindi ko na napigilang itanong.

I have to let this out. If it's not his cousin, nor a familiar relative then who is he? Imposibleng nakahanap ng bago si Jesca. For all I know she is almost obsessed with Drian Xih!

Elaine and Aria were also keen and patiently waiting for Jesca's answer. Na tila nagiging pabitin at pa-suspense na!

"Lalaki ko?" tanong niya pa, ngunit sa isang segundo ay mukhang nakuha na niya ang punto ko. "Hindi man ako kagandahan, pero yuck, Mae! That guy is sick. 'Wag niyo iyong kakausapin. Nako!"

What's so yuck about him? Hindi ata applicable iyon sa kanya. I couldn't describe him easily because of the dim lights and the people wandering around. But one thing's for sure, he really caught my attention.

"We just want to know the name, that's all," Elaine followed up. Magaling talaga itong kaibigan ko!

Jesca hesitated but surrendered anyway. "Okay. That guy is Gage. Okay na ba? Do you need to know his age, height, phone number—"

"Yes, please!" masaya kong biro. Although I may have said it with excess excitement.

Jesca shooed the fun away when she diverted the topic. Pilit niya pang isinasali ang pangalan ni Sien sa usapan, sinasadya ko namang manahimik kapag napupunta sa ganoon ang topic. Mabuti na lang at hindi dumalo si Sien ngayon kung hindi ay paniguradong mas malalala pa ang nararanasan ko ngayon. I don't want to sound exaggerated but that's how I feel. I just need less of him. Lalo na at nakarating sa kanya ang sulat na nasa deliberation pa lang noon kung ibibigay ko ba iyon o hindi na lang.