Safety Pin

Chapter 37: Monday Blues

"Oh my God, Prim. Stop, okay? I know you liked winning but you're wrong this time," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Right. You'll say I was assuming when you can't even explain yourself," I mumbled sarcastically. "Just the Rylie types."

"How did you get in anyway?" she asked, challenging me.

"Do you think I'm that stupid to trust you again?" I asked dubiously. "Don't you even remember what I said during Moby's birthday? I saidㅡ"

"Ladies," Sam warned, looking at us through the rearview mirror. "Let's all calm down, okay?"

"Then you should've made your friend act civil, Sam. She's been very disappointing," I snapped.

"Wow. See, lumabas rin ang tunay na anyo mo. Judgmental, fake andㅡ"

"What did you say?" I asked, my voice rising. "I wouldn't have said that if you weren't being a bitch!"

"What?! Bitchㅡ"

"Please, stop! I won't have you two fighting in my own damned car!" Sam hissed at the both of us. This will be the first time Sam ever raised his voice at me. Now I get how he managed to make George's face bruise overnight.

I pursed my lips, adrenaline gone just as fast as it arrived. I can hear Rylie breathing loudly but I don't care about her. I'm mostly worried about Sam and the worries I caused him today.

"Sorry," I told him, lightly pressing my palm in his arms. I tried not to distract him but it didn't work. "I shouldn't haveㅡ well, don't worry. Matutulog nalang muna ako."

He nods at me through the rearview mirror and gave me a small smile. "I'll wake you," he promised.

I can't toss and turn, obviously, but minutes of trying to sleep and silence ran my remaining patience out. I wanted to open my eyes and watch cars drove by but that would make things more awkward. At least, dito hindi namin kinailangan mag-usap kasi akala nila tulog ako. I justㅡ I never expect her to have so much hate and judgment towards me. I honestly didn't give her reasons and she didn't give me one.

"You know, you really should stop antagonizing her like that," Sam whispers to Rylie, thinking I was asleep. "She's going through so much already and you aren't really helping with your snarky attitude."

"Oh, shut up, Sam. I know about your favoritism issues."

"Favoritism issues?" he asked, amusement evident in his voice. "Ano naman iyon?"

"Tumigil ka nga. Kanina pa ako asar sa iyo," she huffs a breath. "You're supposed to side with me since we're friends, not the other way around. It's comical really. She is the bestfriend of the woman who hurt you."

"Oh, it's about Rose, then?" he asked. "Prim is my friend, if not my neighbour, before she even became Rose's bestfriend. And now, she's dating my best friend. We're really close-knitted, if you ask me."

"And that's supposed to help everything?" Rylie scoffed. "She's so annoying and prissy. Too fragile for us."

"What exactly annoys you about her?" Sam asked, confused. I found myself sitting up, still acting asleep as I try to eavesdrop more of this conversation. "Hindi naman ito tungkol kay Jack, hindi ba?"

Tungkol kay Jack? What about him? Is there a history between them? Kung oo, bakit walang nasasabi si Jack sa akin? I know I'm not his first girlfriend, hell, maybe he's not even a virgin but that doesn't mean keeping his exes from me is okay. Especially close friend ex-girlfriends.

"What? No!" Rylie laughs, fakely, in that annoying voice of hers. "That's old school, Sam. What's this? A throwback?"

Sam laughs with her and I can almost see him shrugging, like he always do when embarrassed. "Hindi... pansin ko lang kasi. Simula nung sinabi sa atin ni Jack ang feelings niya tungkol kay Prim, parang naging malamig ka na sakaniya. It's a good thing Prim's a really polite woman. Sobrang unfair din naman kasi yung treatment mo sakaniya. Remember Moby's party? You brought that to yourself too."