lies // ricci rivero

61

"Oh, nag-dala kami ng cake kasi birthday mo tomorrow," Sabi ni Olivia

"Birthday mo? Hoy, Ricci! Anong regalo mo?" Tanong ni Diego kay Ricci.

"Ang ingay mo!" Sabi lang naman ni Ricci, tumayo siya at pumunta sa kwarto ko.

"You two had a fight?" Kobe asked and I just looked at Camila.

"You could say. Kilala niyo pala si Anna?" I asked.

I saw Olivia and Athena's face got confused. "Anna? Sino 'yon?" Olivia asked.

"Ex ni Ricci, they broke up two months before you started dating," Sagot ni Kobe. Ah talaga? two months before we got together? SCAM!

"May alam ka ba na hindi namin alam?" Javi asked.

"Uh, uhm... wala," As much as possible, gusto ko na mag-stay lang between me and Ricci kung ano man ang nangyari sa condo niya.

"Bitch, we've been friends for ten years. We know something's up." Sabi ni Athena. Bigla naman lumabas si Ricci sa room ko.

"Uh... Uhmm. Wala nga, promise!"

"Sasabihin mo ba or..." Sabi naman ni Camila.

"Anong nangyayari? Anong sasabihin?" Sabat ni Ricci. "You broke up with Anna two months before you flirted with Raffy online, right?" Tanong ni Juan.

"Can we just drop it, okay? It's not that big of a deal," I demanded.

"No, no, Rafaela. Kapag ex na ng tropa, we act like they don't exist anymore, unless, of course pag naging close talaga namin. Now, I saw how your face went bitter when I mentioned Anna's name. Kasi if it's the first time you heard her name, Sino si Anna? Ang tanong, hindi, kilala niyo rin si Anna?" Camila paused. "So tell us, anong meron?"

I looked at Ricci as a sign to help me, kasi ayoko mag-mukha siyang masama sa mga kaibigan niya.

"I cheated, she caught me," He said nonchalantly, na para bang it's okay to cheat.

"Gago ka pala eh" Sabi ni Diego.

"Yes, we broke up two months before I flirted with Raffy. We got back together a week after Raffy and I went out. I know it was a dick move, but I got confused," and then the tears fell out out of nowhere.

"Bro, tangina ka! Napaka gago mo," Kobe was about to punch Ricci pero pinigilan ko. "Nope, don't!" I said. "I need some air," I added, grabbed my car keys and ran outside, sinubukan nila ako pigilan pero di ko na sila nilingon. Luckily the elevator door is open so I closed it quickly as soon as I entered the elevator.

Hindi ko naman alam na sa panahon na lumalabas kami, Anna was there. Fuck! Bakit ang tanga ko?

Happy Birthday to me, I guess?

Hindi ko alam kung saan man ako dadalhin ng sasakyan ko, I just need to get some air, I need to be calm.

I decided to go sa Antipolo, kung saan niya 'ko dinala dati. Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero doon ko napili pumunta for some peace and quiet.

Malapit na mag-sunset nung pag dating ko doon, tahimik kaya mas na-enjoy ko yung paligid.

Sun is getting real low when I heard a car pulling over next to my car, I turned around and saw Ricci's car right next to mine.

"I knew I'd find you here," He said and took a seat next to me on the hood of my car.

"Tangina!" that's all I said, and I just cried.

"I'm sorry, I know na walang sapat na paliwanag para patawarin mo 'ko."

"Okay," that's what all that I said.

"Raffy, I'm really sorry. I called things off immediately with her," He said.
"Called things off immediately? Gago ka ba? Eh I saw you and her making out," I said.

"Bakit nga ba ako nagagalit, ano ba tayo? Hindi ba, we're just dating for a fucking contract, to boost our career. Pero alam mo, tangina, ang hirap pala mag mahal ng isang tao na hindi pa tapos mag mahal ng iba," I added.

"I love you, that's why pinatawad kita agad, not just for the sake of the contract but because I really love you," Tumayo ako at binuksan ang sasakyan para sumakay at makaalis na pero pinigilan niya ako.

"Ricci, bitaw," I commanded him.

"Let's fix this." He said.

"Anong aayusin? eh una sa lahat wala naman talagang tayo. A contract is the only reason why we are together," Natahimik siya.

"You know what, make up your mind, sino ba talaga ang gusto mo, sino ba talaga ang mahal mo. And then, let's talk, for now, I need space." I said at sumakay na sa sasakyan para makaalis na.