Distance Is Just A Number [Taglish]

Chapter 3

"I think he's cheating on me."

"What?!"

Sobrang lakas ng boses niya muntik ko na mahulog yung phone. Buti na lang nakaupo ako at nasalo ng lap ko. My friends looked at me. Baka sa sobrang lakas eh narinig din nila. Baka lang naman.

"I'll talk to him, Drei." He said it in such a way na para siyang promise. Not a question but a solid promise. "When I come back to the Philippines, the first thing I'll do is punch his face. How can he cheat on the perfect girl?"

My heart stopped. Perfect girl? Amidst all the problems, his words made me smile. He's still the sweetest guy ever.

But sometimes, he said things that made me uncomfortable. I know we're friends pero kung makapagsalita siya minsan, it's as if there's something more. At ayoko naman umasa. First of all, it's stupid. It's an unwritten rule that you shouldn't fall in love with your best friend. Recipe for disaster yun!

Second...

We're not just several thousands of miles apart... We're worlds apart.

"Wag na, Reeve."

"No! Gago siya."

Alam ko sobrang inappropriate ng timing pero natawa ako. Nanlaki mata ko at natawa talaga ako. What he said actually sounded like gagow shuh.

"Did I say something funny?" tanong niya na may halong asar.

Pero tawa pa din ako ng tawa. Di ko talaga mapigilan eh!

Si Reeve kasi hindi gaanong marunong magTagalog. But he tried to learn. Kaso lang his Filipino yaya was the one who was teaching him. Bisaya un so Reeve knows a bit of Bisaya too. Tapos mas madami pa siyang alam na bad words.

A tagalog bad word said in his beautiful British accent? Hilarious and priceless.

"No. Don't mind me, sorry," I answered nung nakahinga na ako ulit.

"I don't know what I did but at least I got you to laugh," he admitted. Natunaw naman ako dun.

"Thanks, Reeve. You got me feeling better already."

"Still, I want you to tell me what he did. So I can say it to his face when I punch him."

Ang kulit talaga. I sighed. Then, I lifted my head. Narealize ko lang na nagsimula na pala yung game. Players were already scattered on the field and the ball was zigzagging across the grass. I saw Mike running towards the goal; his lean physique clearly on display.

The crowd loved him and they chanted his name.

"Drei?" Reeve called. "No secrets, remember?" Paalala niya.

"Sorry, got a bit distracted. Reeve, why don't we talk about this when I get home?"

"Fine, then. I'll call you and don't dare make up an excuse."

"Oo naman."

"Alright, bye for now."

"Bye, Reeve."

The crowd shouted and my friends jumped. Nagulat ako at muntik ko nanaman mailaglag yung phone ko. Hindi ko nakita yung nangyari but I saw the scoreboard change.

Our team did it! We scored a goal!

Mike had his fists up in the air and his teammates were clapping his back and giving him high-fives. The crowd also chanted his name louder. I clapped with the rest of them pero hindi pa din maalis sa isip ko yung nangyari kaninang umaga.

I turned my head and scanned the thick crowd who came here to watch. Nasaan kaya yung Valerie na yun?

While I was looking for her, Mike's eyes met mine from across the field. He shook his head and there was an so much anger in his features. He shook his head and turned away.

"Anong nangyari?" I asked my friends.

"Nakita ka niya. You were talking to Reeve and you were laughing," Ellie said.

Shoot. Patay.

Mike hated it when I'm talking to Reeve when he was there. Lalo na yung sa game. This happened before and pinag-awayan na namin to. It was a huge fight back then.

I bowed my head and placed my phone back in my bag.

Pero wait lang. Bakit ako pa din yung mag-aadjust eh siya nga itong nahuling may kasamang ibang babae? Bahala na! Mag-aaway din naman kami mamaya ni Mike because of what happened earlier. Dagdag na lang tong kausap ko nanaman si Reeve.

"Bayaan mo na yang boyfriend mong parang ewan. Let's just enjoy the game. Tapos after this, punta tayong mall. Bili tayong pizza and chips for later," MC said.

"Anong meron?"

Grabe. Di ko na talaga alam ano mga pangyayari sa mundo.

"Mamaya yung documentary about Rivendell! Ano ka ba, Drei?! How can you forget? Two weeks na natin tong hinihintay! Akala ko pa naman alam mo kasi suot mo pa yung Rivendell shirt mo o!"

Ay. Oo nga pala! Wala na talaga ako sa sarili ko. Die-hard fans talaga ng Rivendell sina MC, Ellie and Aubrey. I've never been into music much pero dahil sa kanila nahila na din ako.

"Sobrang sikat na nila pero masyado pa din silang mysterious," Aubrey said.

"Eh kasi naman sabi sa rumours, mga mayayaman daw sila tapos hobby lang nila yung music. I think they're trying to protect their identities para private pa din yung buhay nila," MC piped up.

"Sana may mga pictures sa documentaries! Sobra naman kasi yung pagtatago nila! Napakakonti ng pictures sa internet! Pero there are rumours din na magcoconcert na sila soon."

"Naku pag nagconcert yan dadami pa mga fans nila. Tapos mga wala namang alam tungkol sa kanila tapos yun pa ang mauuna sa VIP tickets. Yun pa ang mga iiyak at magpapainterview sa media. Ugh," Ellie said.

"Ah bahala sila. Basta kapag ang Rivendell nagconcert dito, magcacamping tayo sa ticket booth!" MC shouted.

"But Drei's family owns the largest malls and coliseums here. She can get us tickets. May backstage pass pa," Ellie pointed out.

"Iba pa din yung experience ng camping," MC said.

And after that we all laughed.

Mamaya ko na iisipin si Mike. Mamaya ko na papagurin ang sarili ko sa kakaisip what went wrong between us. Hindi naman kami ganito dati pero look at us now.

For now, I'll enjoy the game. Later, I'll watch the documentary and gush and fangirl with my friends. After that, I'll talk to Mike.

And after him... Reeve.

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