Felix Culpa (Valmont's Consigliere/CamRen)

Live Fast, Die Young

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

R e e s e

I have been nursing my skull-breaking headache since I woke up. I rubbed my forehead, staring at the abyss, where my mind had gone to. "Okay ka lang, Reese?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" Both of my friends were not convinced. They know me too much not to notice my nervous tick. The new feeling of touching Mackenzie like that was nearly overwhelming.

"Right..."

If Teegan didn't pull me away from the inmate, I could've overreacted. I hate being in a situation wherein it's new to me. 'Yun bang hindi ko alam kung paano takasan ang bagay na 'yon. The fact that I don't know how to escape it, I feel like suffocating. "Mackenzie's looking at me, isn't she? I can feel the heat creeping up on my neck. Is she?"

"Ay, hindi, De Leon. Ilusyon mo lang 'yan." Binawi naman ito agad ni Teegan at sinabing biro lang. Oo daw; mas malagkit pa daw kasi sa suman ang tinginan ni Montefalco. "Or you're just horny, Reese. Ken-Ken's making you feel that kind of stuff, eh?"

"Ugh. So annoying."

"Napaka-arte." Centeno slapped my arm playfully. "Look, you even have your sexy lipstick on. Now, that's saying something." We all shifted our look at the detention prisoner besties, Jamie and Mackenzie. Better look away now, Robin. That's not healthy. "Staring again, are we? So, subtle."

"I wasn't staring," That's the lamest excuse ever, I know. I haven't seen her all morning, taking the chance to appreciate this fine figure won't hurt me. The girls and I were sent out to escort some detainees on their trial. "She's looking at me again, Jesus." She's so gorgeous; I can't help to look. "Ang ganda talaga niya." I whispered to myself, smiling.

"Yes, bitch," Teegan reacts. I must have forgotten that they were sitting next to me. "Too bad you can't just walk over there and kiss her. Sucks, right?"

"And yet some people take their freedom for granted." I chewed my food, kinking my eyebrows at my curly-haired friend. "Isn't that right, Centeno?"

"Whatever, De Leon."

"Break na kami," says Justine, leaving Teegan's jaw drop in wide awe. "I, um, I like someone else."

"Whoa, Juju. Where did that come from?" Teegan excused herself, now making her way to the counter to get another of that brownie that she likes. Jamie's the one who bakes them. Going back to Rivera, I asked, "Uy, girl, seryoso?"

"Teegan..."

"And all this time, I thought it would be a one-sided love story."

"So, she feels the same way?"

"You two need to talk."

"No, Reese, don't. Not now." Centeno came back, acting weird. I can't take this kind of awkwardness anymore. "It's almost time. I'll wait for you back there, Teegan."

"Um, okay?"

"Seriously, Teegan, you don't know how lucky you are."

"Alam ko. Duwag lang siguro talaga ako."

-

The staring game is on again and my mind automatically played Hayley Kiyoko's Sleepover. Hala, sige, titig pa. It only stopped when some girl wearing a nice dress walked in and sat in front of her.