The Bitchesa's Downfall

Dumbfounded

"I'm still having second thoughts about going back to France" seryosong sambit ni Vince at sumubo ng maliit na hiwa ng steak.

"Is it because you want to stay here with me?" She cocked her head on the side and smiled at him seductively.

Umiling-iling lamang ito at mahinang tumawa. Parang wala lang dito ang pang-aakit na ginawa niya. Oh well, there's really no malice between them! They're close but they never had that romantic feelings for each other.

"Of course not!" Pabirong pagtanggi nito. "I don't want to suffer that much in life."

Napaikot ang kanyang mata sa narinig. Ugh! Bestfriend niya ba talaga ito? Can he at least support her ideas? Ngayon na nga lang ulit sila nagkausap ng magkaharap, babarahin pa siya nito. Just effin' great! Note the sarcasm there.

"Whatever, freak." She emphasized every syllable she has uttered as she crossed her arms above her chest. "I'm absolutely gorgeous!"

"You are as proud as a peacock," he commentedㅡsmirkingㅡand shook her head for a few times. "Ain't you, white-haired bad girl?"

Nanlilisik ang kanyang mga matang tinitigan si Vince. "Don't use your idioms on me, smarty pants. I may be a bitch but I'm still brainy."

Hindi ito natinag sa masasamang tingin na pinupukol niya dito. Sa halip ay ngumisi lang ito na para bang may masamang balak. Yeah, that's how unpredictable her bestfriend is.

Gumapang ang mga kamay ni Vince papunta sa kanyang kamay na nasa ibabaw ng table. Mabilis nitong hinawakan ang kamay niya at marahang pinisil. "You remember that promise we made when we were inside our treehouse?" Seryosong tanong nito. Nawala na ang ngisi sa labi nito.

Tumaas ang kanang kilay niya. "What promise? Iyon bang magpapakasal ka sa akin kapag 27 years old na ako?"

"Yeah, that one." May lumitaw na ngisi sa labi nito. "I'm glad you remembered."

She faked a gasp. "That was silly!"

Sure they made that promise but they were too young back then. There's nothing serious about it.

"No, I'm serious when I made that promise." Kampanteng sagot nito. Puno ng kompiyansa ang boses nito. "You're 26 years old now. And 1 year later, you'll be Mrs. Vince Singe."

Her eyes automatically landed on the table next to theirs when she heard a loud slam of the table. Napahugot siya ng malalim na hininga nang masalubong ang masamang tingin ni Daniel. Nakakunot na naman ang noo nito. Ang kamay nitong nasa ibabaw ng table ay mahigpit na nakakuyom. Nakikita na niya ang ugat ng kamay nito. Gosh! It's effin' sexy!

Napansin niyang wala na si Mr. Roosevelt sa table nito. Pero ang mata nang mga taong nakapalibot dito ay nasa kay Daniel. Even Vince. He was looking at Daniel with a wide grin on his face. Maraming mata ang nakatutok kay Daniel. Pero hindi nito pinansin iyon. Diretso lamang ang titig nito sa kanya. She just rolled her eyesㅡnot minding Daniel's glaresㅡand moved her gaze away.

"Vince." She calmly called for her bestfriend's attention. "Let's just talk about your promised weddingㅡ"

Malakas siyang napatili nang may biglang humablot sa kanyang braso. Napakagat-labi siya nang makita si Daniel. Humigpit ang hawak nito sa kanyang braso at marahas siyang hinila patayo.

"Ouch!" She flinched. Her arms starting to redden. "Dan!"

Biglang nawala ang pangungunot ng noo ni Daniel nang dumako ang tingin nito sa kanyang braso. Lumuwag ang kapit nito at marahan siyang kinaladkad palabas sa restaurant. Hindi siya nakapalag at nagpahila na lamang. She turned her face back and stare at Vince with pleading eyesㅡmentally asking for helpㅡas she was being pulled away from her table. But Vince just shrugged his shoulder off and raised two thumbs up in the air. What the heck?! Her bestfriend is so wicked!

Tila napapasong binitawan ni Daniel ang braso ni Chandria nang makarating sila sa labas ng restaurant. Marahang hinaplos ni Chandria ang braso niyang namumula habang hinihilot ni Daniel ang sentido nito. Nasa madilim na parte ng parking lot sila ngayon.

"What the hell is your problem?!" Naiinis niyang tanong kay Daniel.

Napahinto ito sa paghilot ng noo nito. Agad itong lumingon sa kanya at sinibat siya ng malamig na tingin.

"You!" Pagalit na sambit nito habang tinuturo siya. "Ikaw ang problema ko!"

"Excuse me?" She asked, crossing her arms above her chest. "Why would I be your problem?"

Mariin itong pumikit at tumingala sa madilim na kalangitan. Napahawak ito sa sariling beywang at bumuga ng hangin sa ere.

"God, she's unbelievable!" She heard him murmur which caused her to roll her eyes in irritation.

"Stop murmuring there and just talk to me, will you?" Manghang niyang tanong dito. "You can't just drag me out and ignore me afterwards!"

Bumaling ang tingin nito sa kanya. And just like the old times, his eyebrows were meeting halfway when he stared at her.

"Hindi mo ba maintindihan? Ikaw ang problema ko! Ikaw at iyang asal mo!" Galit na wika nito habang dinuduro siya.

Yeah, here they are again. Talking about her bitchy attitude. Kelan pa kaya matatangap ni Daniel na ganito siya? It stings a little to know that Daniel sees her as a low-profiled woman. But that tiny pain she felt in her heart slowly vanished away as she saw that certain emotion reflecting on Daniel's eyes. Is that guilt?

"Why do I have this feeling that you're too concerned about my attitude?" Tumaas ang isang sulok ng labi niya.

"Bakit, hindi ka ba nag-aalala sa kung anong tingin ng ibang tao sayo? Hindi ka ba nababahala sa reputasyon mo?" Seryosong tanong ni Daniel habang humahakbang palapit sa kanya. "I can see no elegance in you, Chandria. You have all the wealth but you look so cheap."

Tila huminto ang paggalaw ng lahat ng bagay sa paligid niya. Walang siyang marinig kundi ang boses ni Daniel na paulit-ulit na binibigkas ang salitang 'cheap'. She felt numb all of a sudden. She could not even move one finger. And her heart seemed to stop pumping. What he said was a slap of her reality.

A few seconds later, when everything seems to go back to normal and moving, she composed herselfㅡchin upㅡand stared at Daniel blankly.

"What can I do, Dan?" She crossed her arms above her chest and painted a smirk on her face. "This is me. This is Chandria Arylle Bernardo. And I won't change myself just to please you."

Napahugot siya ng malalim na hininga nang hawakan nito ang beywang niya. Hindi siya nito hinila palapit ngunit ramdam na ramdam niya ang lapit nito sa kanya. She can even smell his manly scent. Gosh! This is the very first time he got real close to her. Like, what the fuck! He's holding her and their standing in the dark under the moonlight. And Daniel is just few inches away.

"Don't do it for me." Ipinaglandas nito ang daliri sa kanyang buhok. "Do it for the betterment of yourself. Okay?"

She nodded and secretly giggled. Her heart's beating uncontrollably. Tango lamang ang naging sagot niya sapagkat hindi niya maibuka ang bibig niya. She's damn shocked!

"Alright." Nagpakawala ito ng malalim na hininga at dumampi ang labi nito sa kanyang noo. "Good night."

Right after bidding her good night, Daniel just turned his back on her and went straight to his car, leaving her dumbfounded.

*****

A/N

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