Allexa's POV
It's already dark, but it's so bright in our front yard! Everyone is here kasi kaya naisipan nilang magpicnic sa labas. Some are drinking and some are playing, others are chatting and reminiscing the past while us; me, Bryce, Jason, Kurt, Nathaniel, and Allen, are sitting in our bench, watching our friends having fun.
"Parang walang nangyari" sabi ko and Bryce hugged me tighter.
"Wala talagang nangyari, forget about it and just remember this moment" sabi niya.
"Oo nga, isipin mo nalang na commercial lang yun" said Nathaniel.
"Easy to say" I muttered, "anyway, ano na ang mangyayari sa Phoenix?" I asked and they tensed. Dahan dahan akong binitawan ni Bryce at bumaba sa bench. Tumayo narin sina Nathaniel, Kurt, and Jason except for Allen na pareho kong hindi namin alam ang binabalak nung apat.
"Uhh" said Jason, "may tatawagan lang ako" sabi niya't daling umalis.
"I'll get us some drinks" sabi ni Bryce.
"Sama ako" said Kurt and followed Bryce.
"Ow!" screamed Nathaniel sabay hawak sa tyan niya, "Natatae ako! Excuse me!" sabi niya't daling umalis.
"Mga kuya! Andaya! Sabi niyo tutulungan niyo ako!?" pasigaw na reklamo ni Allen pero walang bumalik sa apat, he pouted and looked at me.
"Ano'ng meron sa mga yun?" tanong ko sa kanya, "Ba't nila tayo iniwan?"
"Ano kasi..ate.." sabi niya habang nakayuko at sinisipa yung grass, he's so cute! He looks mature pero he still acts so cute! Hindi ko tuloy mapigilang ngumiti.
"Ano?" tanong ko.
"Ako kasi ang..pumalit..kay Uno.." pakonti konting sagod niya hanggang sa whisper nalang yung word na Uno.
Wait, what did he just say?
Nakangiti parin akong nakatingin sa kanya pero hindi na genuine yung ngiti ko, I gritted my teeth and he backed away.
"A..no?" tanong ko ng hindi naghihiwalay ang upper and lower teeth ko, my smile slowly turned into a snarl.
"Ch..chill ka lang ate, I..I..I can..explain" sabi niya while backing away. I slowly stood up.
"How could you!?" sigaw ko't napatingin yung iba sa amin.
"Ano..kasi.." natatarantang sabi ni Allen habang humihingin ng tulong kina Kalbo na malapit sa amin. They took 5 steps backwards while looking at me.
"As a punishment!" siksik ni Jason na biglang lumitaw sa tabi ni Allen at inakbayan siya, "Itapon si Allen sa pool!" sigaw niya't nagsigawan yung iba saka lumapit sa amin.
"Teka!" sigaw ko pero walang pumansin sa akin, "sandali! Huwag kayong agaw eksena!" sigaw ko pero wala paring pumapansin sa akin. Binuhat nila si Allen saka itinapon sa pool, tapos nagsitulakan sila hanggang sa naglalaro na sila.
I just stood where I was, arms crossed over my chest, smiling at these idiots playing at the pool.
"Feeling better?" tanong ni Bryce, nakaupo na pala siya sa bench, hinanap ko sina Kurt at Nathaniel, kakatalon lang nila sa pool with the others.
"Better?" tanong ko't umupo ako sa tabi niya, "bakit niyo namang hinayaang si Allen ang pumalit kay Uno?" I pouted.
"It's his choice, not ours" sagot niya't inabutan niya ako ng barbeque, "of course hindi kami pumayag, pero he insisted. At tinalo niya si Uno sa one-on-one duel kaya he really deserves the position.
"Wait," sabi ko, "One-on..one? Does that involve..guns?"
"Nope,"sagot agad ni Bryce, "fist fight"
"Wha—"
"You know, Allen is really good, sa tingin ko para sa kanya talaga ang Phoenix" he looked at Allen with a proud smile.
"Pero—"
"It's good you know" sabi niya, "I feel like, all this time, I just prepared Allen for being the leader of a group I created."
I felt the proudness in his voice kaya hindi ko siya pinigilang magshare ng saloobin niya.
"I mean, we saw him grew up, from that little boy sleeping on the grave of his sister, to a leader of a gang, doesn't that make you feel proud?" he asked and looked me.
"Ahhh, I see" sabi ko, "you're making me realize that there's nothing wrong about the situation" I nodded, "But I still don't like it. Tignan mo ang nangyari kay Nathaniel—"
"Tan is different, it wasn't his choice."
"Eh ikaw? Di ba nung una, nakakatakot ka."
"I had the burden of keeping the gang alive. The situation this time is," he looked at Allen, "The gang is already alive, thanks to that kid"
"Cooooffffiiiiii" I whined.
"Maybe he needs it," he said and held my hand, "gusto niyang maging malakas, let's give that to him. Sooner or later, marerealize niya rin kung ano talaga ang importante sa kanya."
"It's just, it's so..dangerous" sabay kaming tumingin kay Allen, binuhat na naman siya't itinapon sa pool.
"It is, but it will make him stronger"
I sighed and leaned on his shoulder, "Sigurado ka bang makakabuti talaga sa kanya?"
"I'm not sure, but I am hoping. Let's just let him discover new things by himself, okay?"
"Ano pa ba ang magagawa ko? Eh andyan na yan" sabi ko.
He chuckled softly and we watched our friends.
Baka nga para kay Allen talaga ang Phoenix, maybe he and Bryce met for a reason. Maybe Bryce is right.
Just...maybe.
Pero I'll support him. If it will make him happy, I'll support him.
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Next update will be on Saturday OR Sunday.
Thank You!
