Chapter 11
Nakabalik agad kami ni Kuya Rap even before the others came back from swimming. Walang nakakaalam na nagkasama kami kaya wala akong narinig na tukso about it. It was an advantage for me.
We decided to have our dinner at the same resto. This time ay hati na kaming lahat sa gastos. Unfair naman kung aasa lang kami kina Kuya Ethan at Kuya Rap. We asked them to join us, kami ang nagplano and it's not good to let them shoulder all the expenses. Nakakahiya rin naman.
After it ay nagkayayaan ang lahat na tumambay sa may shore. We have grahams and marshmallows kaya nagkayayaan ring mag-smores.
Nakaupo kami paikot sa apoy. On my right is Mel, sa kaliwa ko naman ay si Fiona. Halos kaharap ko si Kuya Ethan na napapagitnaan naman nina Ate Marian who is next to Mel, and Kuya Rap who is next to Fiona.
"Ay, laro tayo!" Biglang suggest ni Mel. Itinaas niya pa sa ere ang hawak niyang stick na may marshmallows. Para siyang tanga kaya medyo natawa ako, only to stop chuckling nang mapatingin sa gawi ko si Kuya Ethan.
Bakit ba kasi siya napapatingin?
"Ay, gusto ko 'yan!" Komento naman ni Fiona.
"Truth or dare!!!" Mel shouted that it almost hurt my ears. Kung makasigaw kasi siya ay parang hindi kami nagkakarinigan.
"Ay pangmalanding laro!!!" Sagot naman ni Fiona. Pakiramdam ko ay mabibingi na ako dahil napapagitnaan ako ng dalawang nagsisigawan. Ni hindi ko na nga namalayang naitakip ko na ang mga kamay ko sa tenga ko.
"Mabibingi talaga si Dane kapag kayo lagi niyang kasama. Panay kayo sigawan," I heard Ate Marian said while laughing.
"Hala, sorry Dane! Ba't ka kasi diyan nakaupo!" Fiona said at yumakap pa sa braso ko.
"Oo nga! Palit nga kayo. Para makurot ko rin si Fiona," sabi naman ni Mel. Napatingin pa 'ko kung sino ang katabi ni Fiona, which is a wrong move. Kasi nakatingin pala sa akin si Kuya Rap and he smiled and now I have to return that smile.
Nakipagpalit nga sa akin ng pwesto si Fiona. Wala na akong nagawa kasi agad na siyang tumayo at medyo tinulak ako.
"Hi," I heard Kuya Rap whispered. Lumingon ako to check if he was really talking to me.
"Hi Kuya," pabalik na bati ko. He just smiled.
"Okay. So pano tayo maglalaro ng truth or dare?" Tanong naman ni Mel when we settled.
"Should we use the sticks?" Ate Marian asked. Napakunot-noo naman halos kami lahat. "I mean, someone will lead. Hahawak siya ng sticks na may different sizes and the one who got the shortest stick will do the truth or dare," she suggested.
"Naks, ang creative," komento naman ni Kuya Ethan, to which Ate Marian replied with an eye roll.
So we did just what she suggested. Since it was Ate Marian's idea, we let her lead the first round. Siya ang hahawak ng stick at magpapapili sa amin and she will also give the question if the person will choose truth. Siya rin ang magbibigay ng dare kapag dare ang napili ng taya.
"I love that it's my idea!" Nakangiting sabi ni Ate Marian habang dini-disarrange ang sticks sa likod niya.
"Gulat nga ako na ikaw ang nakaisip eh," komento naman ni Kuya Ethan. I don't know what's with them. Lagi silang nagbabangayan, but they seem to really care about each other.
"Wait," biglang singit ni Kuya Rap. "Do you girls drink?" He asked while looking at us.
"Bakit Kuya? Manlilibre ka?" Tanong naman ni Mel.
"If you want me to," he responded.
"Ay, gusto ko 'yan!" Agad naman na sabi ni Ate Marian.
Tumayo na agad si Kuya Rap and went somewhere.
"Wag masyadong uminom, Dane ha?" Mel said with a hint of smile.
"Gusto ko pa naman makitang lasing si Dane," Fiona butted in. Sinamaan ko lang siya ng tingin.
"Huy ikaw rin! Magda-drive ka bukas. Bawal ka magka-hangover," narinig ko namang sabi ni Ate Marian kay Kuya Ethan. Tumango naman si Kuya Ethan without saying anything else.
Really, I can see Kuya Ethan and Ate Marian are very close. I really thought they're together. Iba kasi talaga 'yong closeness. Too bad they aren't.
Few minutes later, Kuya Rap arrived with two bottles of beer. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko.
"What, Dane? Scared?" Tukso ni Mel to which I just replied with a glare.
"Let's start!!!!" Ate Marian shouted.
Isa-isa kaming pumili ng stick namin. The first person who got the shortest stick was Mel and she chose dare. Ate Marian then dared her to dance to a whole song. Pumayag naman si Mel at siya pa mismo ang pumili ng kantang sasayawin. She danced to Blackpink's Boombayah. And we laughed like crazy kasi para rin siyang baliw.
The game went on and on. Kapag may tanong na hindi kayang sagutin o dare na di kayang gawin ay agad kaming umiinom ng isang basong beer. Puro ako dare sa tuwing ako ang nagiging taya at lahat ng pinapagawa nila ay nakakahiyang gawin kaya wala akong choice kundi uminom na lang ng beer. I don't want to do their dares na para lang sa mga walang hiya. Hindi ako 'yon.
"Hoy madaya ka! Kanina ka pa dare nang dare tapos pass nang pass huy!" Sigaw ni Fiona. Napatakip ulit ako ng tenga. Mas lalo kasi siyang umingay kasi nakainom na.
It was my turn to let them choose. I was even nervous. Di ko alam bakit. Eh 'yong previous rounds naman na ako ang humahawak sa sticks ay hindi naman ako kinabahan.
Mas lalo akong kinabahan when it was time to reveal who got the shortest stick.
"Ah Kuya finally!!!!" Sigaw ni Mel. As I looked around, I saw Kuya Ethan raising the shortest stick.
"Hoy finally! Naka-ilang laro na tayo pero ngayon ka pa naging taya! Madaya 'to!" Dagdag naman ni Ate Marian.
"Anong madaya?" Kuya Ethan said laughingly.
"Truth or dare?" I asked. I even tried my best na di manginig ang boses ko.
"Truth," he answered. He was now looking straight at me. Iyong mata ko naman ay lumilikot because I can't seem to look at him straightly like what he's doing to me. Pakiramdam ko nang-iinit ako.
"Wala akong matanong eh," I mumbled. Maybe it was the alcohol that gave me the courage to finally look at him straight in the eyes. "May itatanong ka ba sa sarili mo?" I added. It was too late when I realized how stupid my question is. Nagtawanan na sila.
I think I'm already drunk.
"Dane, lasing ka na ata," tumatawang sabi ni Melody. I looked at her.
"Am I?" I queried.
"Hala siya, lasing na nga ata," I heard Fiona commented. But I can still think straight. Probably not drunk yet. Maybe almost there.
"So question for Kuya Ethan?" I questioned. I heard him chuckled.
"Aliw na aliw ka ah?" Ate Marian told Kuya Ethan.
"Wala ka pa namang naiinom pero para ka nang nakainom," dagdag naman ni Kuya Rap.
"So question for Kuya Ethan!!!!"
"Hoy, Dane!" It was Fiona. She was laughing.
Fudge, am I really drunk?
"Ako na!" Ate Marian volunteered. She was even raising her hand. "Do you like someone right now?" She asked.
Everyone kept quiet. Like they were all waiting for his reply. Lahat sila ay nakatuon ang atensyon sa kanya.
Few seconds later, he held the glass of beer. Everybody seemed to be disappointed.
But he wasn't drinking the beer. He was just holding the glass and looking at it.
"Ano na, Kuyaaaaaaaaaa." It was Mel.
I was waiting too. But looks like he won't answer anytime soon. Nag-iisip ata?
And then he suddenly sighed.
And looked at me.
In the eyes.
He shrugged.
And drank his beer.
Na-drain ata lahat ng alcohol sa katawan ko.
BINABASA MO ANG
Eventually (Completed)
RomanceHer story of moving on and finding love along the way.
