Love Next Door

Chapter 11

Nang matapos yung short program isa lang ibig sabihin nun. Party time!

"Miguel, Gabriella, Ryan, Jack, Zoe, Maureen, Denise, Ace, Beau," isa isa kaming tinawag ni Harry.

Sumenyas siya na lumapit na kami.

"Yung tatlong Juan?" tanong ko sa kanya pag lapit ko.

Yung tinutukoy kong tatlong Juan eh sina Kuya Zac, Kuya Dane at Kuya Anthony. Sila yung pinakamatatanda saamin magpipinsan.

Panganay si Kuya Zac, pangalawa si Kuya Dane, tapos si Kuya Anthony, sunod sunod yung edad nila tapos mga lalaki pa kaya naging tatlong Juan. Sina Dad and yung mga tito ko rin ang nagbigay sa kanila ng name na yun.

"Ayun, marami pang kausap. Mamaya nandito na rin yun," sagot naman niya sabay labas ng isang bote ng tequila.

Kawawa naman si Ate Alexi panigurado wala rin yun ligtas kasi magkasama sila ni Kuya.

"Whoa, saan mo nakuha yan?" tanong ni Jack nung umupo siya sa tabi ko.

"Hiningi ko dun sa bartender," sabay turo niya dun sa kabilang dulo kung nasaan yung mini bar.

"Binigay agad sa'yo?"

"Oo naman. Sabi ko kasi para kina Daddy," sabay tawa niya ng parang proud siya sa sarili niya.

Though pwede naman kami uminom dahil pinapayagan naman kami as long as hindi sobra and must be at the age of 17.

Kasi malamang kapag sobra malalasing kami tapos pagagalitan kami. As long as we have it under control, we're fine. 

"Ano game na?" sumulpot naman si Kuya Dane sa likod ko.

"Game na. Kayo na nga lang hinihintay eh," unti unti na rin sila kumuha ng sari-sarili nilang upuan.  

"Let's get started!" excited na sigaw ni Ingrid.

Binigyan muna namin ng initiation rights si Jack and Maureen tapos sinali na rin si Beau dahil 17 na sila. Basta kapag nag17 kasi sa family bibigyan ka ng Tatlong Juan ng initiation sa ayaw mo o sa gusto. So far wala pa naman nagrereklamo dahil lahat kami game sa initiation na tinatawag nila. Wala pang kill joy. 

Ginagawa daw yun iniation para hindi na kailangan magpaalam kina Tito or Tita kung iinom sila. Kumbaga bahala na sila.

So, kapag nakatanggap ka na ng initiation mula sa Tatlong Juan no questions asked you're good to party. Pero siyempre sa family ko lang nagaaply yun.

"Oh next year si Denise naman!" sigaw ni Kuya Dane. Excited masyado para sa younger sister niya.

"Woooh!" Nag cheer kaming lahat dahil si Denise yung pinakabata sa amin. Tapos ilang years pa bago sumunod yung batch nila Zab and yung maliliit ko pang pinsan.

"This family is cool," sambit ni Ace habang halos abot hanggang tainga yung ngiti niya

"Yeah, They are!" sangayon naman ni Beau.

"You guys see what I mean? Mga party animal 'tong family ni Zoe kaya masarap magpaampon sa kanila," I heard Miguel say.

Nabitin kami sa isang bote ng tequila dahil ang dami na namin ngayong umiinom.

Super nagenjoy talaga ako ngayon. Hindi ako iritable kahit nandiyan si Ingrid. Must be the alcohol in my system.

Nagset up kami ng table para sa beer pong. Nagpalit na rin kami ng mga damit. Nag jean shorts na lang ako tsaka t-shirt, nag cap na lang din ako para hindi ako mahamugan sa labas.

Kakampi ko si Miguel dahil magaling siya magbeer pong.

Kalaban namin si Ace and of course, si Ingrid who insisted na magaling siya dun. Not.

In the end magaling din pala si Ace mag beer pong nakadalawang rounds kami Tie ang score.

After nung game umupo na lang muna ako dun sa mga poolside recliners para magpahinga habang yung mga kuya naman ang naglaro ng beer pong.

Naparami na ata nainom ko. Usually kasi kapag napapansin kong malapit na kong ma-tipsy titigil na agad ako.

Good thing I don't get wild when I drink. I'm the quiet-drunk type of person.

As I was watching them play hindi ko naramdaman na may umupo sa tabi ko.

"Hey," he said.

Lumingon ako sa kaliwa ko para makita ko kung sino. Nakaupo rin siya sa katabing poolside recliner at nakatingin sa akin.

"Ikaw pala," binalik ko na ulit yung tingin ko sa kabila kung nasaan sila naglalaro.

"You okay?" he asked with a tinge of concern in his voice.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" I said, confused.

"You drank those beer as if they're water," he said with a bit of amusement in his voice.

"Oh, that. Don't worry. I've done worse. I can handle," I said as if it was nothing.

Is it just me or the most quiet person I've ever met is making an effort to talk to me?

I wonder if he's just totally drunk.

"I'm sorry. I really am," bigla niyang sinabi.

Napaisip naman tuloy ako kung bakit siya nagso-sorry.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" tanong ko pero hindi pa rin ako sa kanya nakatingin.

"Nothing. I just  felt like I owe you an apology," sagot niya. Lumingon na ako sa kanya.

"Shouldn't I be the one apologizing for being such a brat?" I said smiling.

"We probably just got off the wrong foot," then he also smiled.

I nodded.

"Let's pretend this is the first time we met," he fake coughed. "Hi, I'm Ace and you are?" he reached his hand out for a handshake.

"Are you serious? For a quiet guy like you, you are something. And, by the way, you winked at me a while ago," 

He just shrugged then laughed. That boyish laugh I seldom hear. So, I just played along. 

"I'm Zoe," I shook his hand.

"The talented girl with a nice name. Good job back there, you were awesome," 

"Uhm. Thanks," bigla naman ako nahiya. Hindi ako sanay na may nagko-compliment sa 'kin. 

"Akala ko sa photography ka lang mahilig so I never thought marunong ka tumugtog ng instrument,"

"Yeah, I was really into playing violin until I was 13 and then I discovered photography just recently," I explained.

"Oh, I see." he nodded. "By the way, you were right about Ingrid. She's starting to get clingy," he said changing the topic.

"Of course I am. Ingrid's like an open book. She loves attention. Really, it's not that hard to notice," I said matter-of-factly.

"Why do you hate her?" Ace asked.

I froze and stared at him for a second,"It's a long story. And, I don't hate her. I hate what she's done," 

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I think I'm just gonna update anytime I want. LOL

No more promises. Haha