KABANATA V
[JIRSTEN MYLES]
I was nervous about the way they looked at me. I swallowed before turning my gaze back to Owen who was now also looking at me.
“H-He is not my boyfriend,” paglilinaw ko. It was half a lie, of course.
Tila nagliwanag naman ang mukha ni Owen sa narinig. “R-Really?”
“Y-Yeah.”
Nag-iwas ako ng tingin nang makita ang kakaibang saya sa mukha niya. Pansin ko namang nagsikuhan ang mga kaibigan niya, tila pinipigilan ang kanilang pagtawa.
“Fuck! Chavez, you look cute right now,” pang-aasar ng lalaking tinawag ni Lance na Song. Nawala naman ang ngiti sa labi ni Owen.
“W-What?!” kunot-noo niyang bulyaw. Lumapit sa kaniya si Lance at inakbayan siya.
“Dre, you should see yourself in the mirror, namumula ang tainga mo,” saad nito na agad namang itinulak ni Owen palayo sa kaniya. Tawanan naman ang mga kaibigan niya.
“The hell?!”
Muling nagtawanan ang lahat nang magtakbuhan ang tatlo sa paligid. Napataas na lamang ang kilay ko nang makita siyang tumatakbo. Owen, your leg looks fine.
Lumapit naman sa akin si James Aaron na ngayon ay nawala ang pagkaabala sa phone niya.
“You must be unique. Nagawa mong kunin ang attention niya, the Great Owen Chavez who never gets involved with girls,” aniya habang pinapanood silang naghahabulan.
Bahagya akong ngumiti at tumingin sa kinaroroonan ni Owen.
He was different from what I’ve heard. Everyone said he was scary, he was always involved in fights almost every day, kahit babae ay pinapatulan niya. The Owen I see now doesn’t have that side. He seemed childish and naive. Kung totoo man ang sinasabi sa rumors ay tila ayaw kong makita ang side na iyon.
“Hey, why don’t you join us?” Dom’s girlfriend Heidi came up to me and pulled me towards the bonfire. The rest of us followed.
Naging maganda ang buong gabi ko. In a short time, I forgot the problem I was carrying. Everyone seemed to have fun. Kuwentuhan lang kami hanggang maubos ang iniinom namin.
I volunteered to buy drinks. May nakita naman akong malapit na convenience store mula rito. Itinulak naman nila si Owen patayo nang marinig ang pagboluntaryo ko nang magtanong sila kung sino ang gustong bumili ng drinks.
“Sasamahan ka niya,” ngising saad ni Song.
Walang kibo kaming naglalakad patungo sa store. Walang gustong magsalita sa amin hanggang makarating kami sa store.
Nang pabalik na kami ay saka lang niya binasag ang katahimikan.
“Is that true?” tanong niya sa akin na siyang ikina-pagtaka ko.
“Ang alin?” I asked back.
“Hindi ka girlfriend ni Manalo,” aniya. Nag-iwas naman ako ng tingin.
“Y-Yeah,” I replied. “He’s my best friend’s boyfriend.”
“Then, why did he act like that?” takang tanong niya.
“Act like what?”
“Like you were his girl.”
Hindi ako kumibo. I don’t know how to explain that one. “He’s just being protective. Kaibigan ko rin kasi siya.”
BINABASA MO ANG
The Mistress's Daughter (Under Revision)
RomanceJirsten Myles Ferrer had always wanted a simple and quiet life. Unfortunately, her mother's lifestyle choices got in the way of her peaceful life. Her mother became the mistress of one of the country's most successful businessmen, and this affected...
