Every Bad Thing

Chapter Forty-Three

"Yup." simpleng sagot ni Silas. He seemed oblivious with how their little interaction is affecting me. 

"Gusto mo bang sumama sa spot ko? I'm already way ahead." masayang aya nito.

I loosened my fingers from our intertwined hand. That caught Silas' attention. Mas hinigpitan niya ang pagkakahawak sa kamay ko. Never minding that I let him go, he filled what I didn't give. Napalingon siya sa akin. Maamo ang mga mata niya. Wala pang sinasabi pero halos nanunuyo na agad.

"Oh, Laurene." dinig na dinig ko ang gulat sa boses ni Francheska. Nang ilipat ko ang tingin sa kanya ay nakita ko na may bahid din ng gulat sa mukha niya. She didn't pretend that she didn't see me.

Her eyes found my hand intertwined with Silas, quickly averting her attention from it when she realized she was staring too much. Sa akin siya tumingin.

"Why don't you two join me, Laurene? That way you won't wait long." she courtly suggested.

"No need, Ches. But thanks." maagap na sagot ni Silas.

Hindi hinintay ni Silas ang pagsagot ni Francheska. He released my hand and snaked his arm around my waist, pulling me to him in a protective manner. Nasa akin na ang mga mata niya. He looked at me like I'm the only person in the room. He knew how to make me forget about my insecurities.

"Stay here. I'll just get the forms." he softly uttered. His tone of voice was different from the way he spoke to her. It comforted me... a little.

Naiwan kaming dalawa ni Francheska. An awkward silence stretched between us. The warmth in her face disappeared. She's done faking pleasantries with me. Highschool pa lang, alam ko na hindi siya ganoon kabait kagaya ng ipinapakita niya sa iba. Or maybe she's just like this with me?

"So you returned." she tried so hard to be casual. I could see the horns that she'd been concealing from everyone.

"I did." I shortly answered.

"You shouldn't have. Hindi kailangan ni Silas ng distraction." kalmanteng sambit niya.

She knew my weakness and she used it to her advantage. Pinilit kong palamigin ang kumukulo kong dugo. I could chokeslam her right here and now, but that would make me the sore loser. I need to keep calm. Violence won't get me anywhere. L, let's try not to make a scene. You've had your fill of that for four years.

"You know, L. I really applauded you when you broke it off with Silas. Pero ngayon na mukhang bumalik ka na naman... It's disappointing but I'm not surprised that you'd be this selfish. You just want him so bad that you don't care if you drag him down with you." she continued, her teeth were slowly growing sharper and sharper. I nodded at her.

"Are you done?" I politely asked. Her forehead creased because of it. She was expecting a violent reaction from him. I smiled. "Kung tapos ka na, bumalik ka na sa pwesto mo, Francheska. Baka may sumingit. Maagawan ka pa ulit."

Her eyes glinted with anger with what I said. She gritted her teeth and murdered me with her stares. "You're pitiful, L. Hindi kayo bagay ni Silas."

Humahalakhak ako. "Edi kayo na bagay. Ang tanong, gusto ka ba?"

She sneered at me. Mukhang wala na siyang insultong maitatapon sa akin dahil tinalikuran niya na ako at naglakad pabalik sa kung saang lupalop man siya nanggaling.

Nang maiwan ako mag-isa ay naglaho ang tuwa sa mga labi ko. Now that I'm alone and there's no noise to silence my thoughts, her words came back with a vengeance. 

Damn it. I know. Silas doesn't like her. Dahil kung gusto niya si Francheska ay di sana naging sila o kahit papaano may nangyari sa kanila sa nakalipas na apat na taon. But no, it looked like they just remained casual friends.