Paradox [BoybandPH]

e l e v e n

Joao Micael Constancia added you as a friend.

Yan ang bumungad saken the next morning. Ang una kong napansin ang second name niya. So he didn't make it up? Totoong pangalan niya yun?

Sunod-sunod na nagsipasukan kanina ang mga notifications ko when I turned on my phone's internet connection. I didn't hesitate when I accepted his friend request. Nakita kong mutual friend na namin dun sina Neil.

I saw my Dad sitting in front of the television but his eyes are on the newspaper. I joined him, grabbing my favorite mug which Manang Fely placed.

My phone pinged and I opened the messenger app. Janella sent a screenshot image to our group chat. I clicked it and the image appeared in full screen at halos naibuga ko ang iniinom kong cereal drink.

Stephanie Lagera and Joao Micael Constancia are now friends.

"Are you alright, Stephanie?" Dad asked.

"Yes Dad, sorry. May nabasa lang akong news." I lied.

Tinignan ko ulit ang sinend ni Janella. Sa ilalim non, may mahigit 30 comments. Seriously? Wala pang five minutes nang inaccept ko siya ah. Una kong nakita ang comment ni Tristan na "UP" which I don't have a slightest idea kung anong ibig sabihin. May iilang di ko kilala na nag comment pa na broken heart na emoticon. Messages came in, pero syempre una kong tinignan ang group chat.

Loisa:
Nangangamoy love life

Sue:
BES, DALAGA KA NA. OH MY GOD.

Tristan:
Sabihin mo dumaan muna samen ni Ford bago ka jowain ha.

Ano pinagsasabi nang mga to? Mga baliw.

Magtatype pa sana ako nang irereply nang may bumungad na incoming video call. Nanlaki ang mata ko nang makitang si Russell yon. Hindi ko na muna sinagot yun at tumakbo sa banyo para maghilamos. Inihagis ko lang sa kama ko yung phone. I was taming my hair using my fingers nang mag-ring ulit ang phone ko. Umupo ako sa dulo nang kama ko at kinuha ulit ang phone. I swiped it to the right para sagutin yun.

"What do you need?" I gave him a bored look. Di ko pinahalata ang panic na naramdaman ko kanina.

"Oh, hello to you, too." Bati niya gamit ang mapanuyang boses.

"Ano ba kailangan mo? Ang aga-aga, ha."

"Wow. I didn't expect you missed me that much." Halakhak pa niya.

"Wag ka nga tumawa."

"Why? Is my smile too much to bear coz I'm so attractive?" He said, wiggling his brows.

"No. Lumalaki kasi ang butas nang ilong mo."

His smile dropped and that was my turn to laugh at him. We catch up like good ol' friends. Kwinento niya saken na okay na sila nang Dad niya. Kahit naman siya ang pinaka-hate kong tao sa mundo dahil hobby niya ang bwisitin ako, I can't help but be happy for him. I'm sure masaya din ang barkada sa kanya.

"So, who's Joao?" He asked all of a sudden.

Pati ba naman siya? Pero I don't want them to think na sobrang big deal non. Kasi ang totoo, hindi naman talaga big deal. I honestly don't know why they're making a fuss about it.

"Friend ni Neil." I answered nonchalantly.

"So the guys let him near you?"

Natawa ako sa sinabi niya. Hindi ko kasi alam kung dahil ba ako ang pinakabata sa kanila sunod kay Sue, or dahil sa pinsan ako ni Tristan, kaya sobrang overprotective nila saken. Hindi sa NBSB ako. I already had two boyfriends, pero lahat sila dadaan muna sa butas nang karayom. Mas protective pa nga sila kay Dad.

"He's okay naman. You should meet him pag-uwi mo. He's actually funny." I grinned, remembering what happened yesterday.

"You're quite fond of him, huh?"

Umismid ako sa kanya. Why the sudden curiousity, Russell? Gusto kong itanong sa kanya. Pero parang natatakot ako sa isasagot niya.

"Well, at least he's not a bully like you."

He scoffed and mumbled something pero hindi ko na narinig. Hindi ko na lang din pinansin. Di nagtagal ay tinapos din namin ang tawag. He bid goodbye to my Dad when he saw him at the background before hanging up.

"Nanliligaw ba sayo yang Russell na yan?" Tanong saken ni Dad.

"Dad!"

He's still sitting on the couch, his feet on the table in front of him. He just shrugged at me. Unbelievable.

"Nak, okay lang. Nasa tamang edad ka na. May sarili ka naman na sigurong savings. You can even have the unit, your mom left you before she died." I just rolled my eyes, watching TV absentmindedly. "Bilin niya ibigay daw sayo yun pag ikakasal ka na."

"Dad! Walang ikakasal. Drop it."

But he's stubborn, of course. San pa ba ako magmamana?

"Sinasabi ko lang naman. Pwede ka nang mag-asawa. You know. Besides, Russell is a great guy."

Huh. Great guy, my ass.

"Daddy, seriously. Stop it. Pwede ba?"

Tinawanan niya lang ako. Akala ko dun na matatapos ang panunukso niya, nang marinig ko si Manang Fely.

"Russell? Eh sino yung nagsundo sayo nung isang araw, iha? Yung Jao ba yun?"

I groaned. My goodness. When will I ever hear the end of it? Di ko na pinansin ang pagtawag ni Dad at dumiretso na sa kwarto ko. Magkukulong na lang ako, o di kaya'y tatapusin na ang librong sinimulan kong basahin last week.

I'm already settled in the velvet sheets of my bed, ready to busy myself with reading my copy of Tuesdays with Morrie, when I heard another notification from my phone. I totally forgot about about the group chat because of Russell.

It's a notification from our group chat.

Neil Murillo added Joao Micael Constancia.

Ugh. Kill me now.