Deceret Series #1: His Lips On My Neck

Chapter 23

"—because you're not really thinking, Joachim! Stormie is not fit for that! She even lost the necklace, that child!"

Natigil ako sa pagbaba sa hagdanan nang marinig ko ulit ang away nila mommy at daddy. I wanted to prepare myself a glass of milk since I can't sleep that night. I froze in my spot. Mukhang nasa dining hall silang dalawa. I could hear the sharp clicks of my mother's heels.

"Leonora—"

"And what are we gonna do if they found out that she lost the necklace? They'll be disappointed at us!"

"Makikita din natin ulit iyon," narinig ko ang kalmadong sagot ni Daddy.

"If you only gave it to Shantel, then we wouldn't be stressing out like this! Stormie is nothing compared to Shantel! She's more brilliant, suitable, and a genuis kid—"

Hindi ko na ipinagpatuloy ang pakikinig sa kanilang usapan. Dali-dali na akong umakyat sa aking kwarto at pinilit ang sarili na matulog. My heart ached that I carried the weight of the pain the next day in school.

"Matamlay ka ata?" puna sa akin ni Nick habang kumakain kaming dalawa.

I shrugged and sipped on my glass of water. "Kulang lang sa tulog."

"Mm-hmm..." I could tell that he's not convinced. Tipid ko na lamang siyang nginitian, hoping he'd not grill me more. "By the way, Elton is throwing another party again." He grinned. "And bitch, I finally got invited for the first time!" kumislap ang kaniyang mga mata at humalakhak. "You'll be there, right?"

Hindi ako kumibo. I don't even know that he's hosting a party again. Well, he likes to party a lot and wouldn't mind having it on his house. Iyon na ang napansin ko sa kaniya noon pa man bago pa maging kami.

"What do you think should I wear?" excited na tili ni Nick at sinundot-sundot pa ang aking tagiliran. Ngumuso lamang ako.

"You can wear anything."

"Wear anything?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya sa akin. "The Treveron brothers will be there! You know? Rigor and Thyron!" niyugyog niya ang aking balikat at tuwang-tuwang nagkuwento. "I heard they have high alcohol tolerance. Hindi basta-basta nalalasing. Ohhh, it would be really a good show watching them down bottles afte bottles of beers! Mas nagiging hot sila sa aking paningin!"

Natawa na ako sa pinagsasabi ni Nick. He's got a crush on Rigor, as what he's told me. Rigor is very snobbish. Nakakatakot lapitan. Even some of the seniors are hesitant to talk to him but they couldn't just ignore his excellent art skills. Siya palagi ang pambato kapag may contests. Palagi ring nasasali sa mga art exhibits ang mga obra niya.

"You saw his eyes, right? He's really handsome!" Nick sighed. "May tawag dun sa condition ng mga mata niya eh. Hetero... Hetero... ano nga yun?"

"Heterochromia." Sagot ko.

"Yes! Exactly!" pumapalakpak pa sa sobrang tuwa si Nick. "Ugh. He's my kind of aesthetic! An sexy art student with six-pack abs! Ano pa bang mahihiling ko?"

Natawa nalang ako sa mga litanya ng aking kaibigan.

Rigor's brother, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. He is outgoing and friendly. Minsan nga ay kinakausap niya ako kapag naaabutan ko siya sa bahay ni Philodemus. But then again, with his good looks, he is also a notorious playboy. Nag-iinit pa rin ang pisngi ko sa tuwing naaalala ko ang unang pagkikita namin. He is screwing some woman in Philodemus' bed. Tumawa lang siya na para bang hindi nakakahiya ang kaniyang ginawa.

Philodemus told me about the party later on in the parking lot when we met. Tinanong niya kung gusto ko ba daw pumunta. I nodded my head and told him I'll see what I can do regarding my parent's approval.