Life After Lies

ONE: PASSWORD

"You called me what?" I asked to confirm. C'mon pagbibigyan kita. Pwede mong bawiin ang sinabi mo kanina lang.

"A kid? Yeah. Why?" she raised her eyebrow once again. Muntik na ko ma-suka, hindi bagay sa kanya. I gritted my teeth and raised my eyebrow, ganito dapat. Tumingin ako sa paligid, ang daming crowd. Mga chismosa!

"Brenna's dead. Binangga nya si Eli eh"

"Kawawa naman si Brenna"

"She deserved it! Feelingera! Akala mo girlfriend sya ni Cleo"

The crowd is on me, ganyan nga mga megaphones. But, who the hell is Cleo? I think I heard it na somewhere.

Napabaling ako kay manang and asked her for the last time. "Bawiin mo ang sinabi mo at makakadaan ka na"

"Look kiddo, wala akong panahon para sakyan yang mga laro mo. Just let me go, ayoko ng gulo," she replied.

Matapos mo akong pag-taasan ng hindi well-grown mong kilay? No way. Sa inis ko ay ibinuhos ko sa kanya ang espresso'ng hawak ko. Narinig ko ang ilang singhap ng mga nasa paligid at ang maarteng sigaw ng manang na ito.

"What the hell?! Y-You spoiled brat!" nanginginig sa inis na sigaw nya. I crossed my arms at pinagmasdan syang pinapagpag ang mumurahin nyang damit na may kape na.

"You should be thankful dahil kahit papaano ay nak—" hindi ko na natapos ang maganda kong linya nang may biglang um-epal.

"What happened?" baritonong tanong nya habang pinag mamasdan ang nangyari kay manang.

Gosh, here pa sa harapan ko mag lalandian? Nakakadiri. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms once again habang pinag mamasdan sila. Nilingon ako ng lalaki at sinamaan ako ng tingin kaya tinaasan ko na lang sya ng kilay.

"What did you do?" he asked emotionless. Hindi pa ba obvious?

"I spilled my coffee on her clothes," kibit-balikat kong sagot na ikinapikit nya naman ng mariin.

"Hindi nya ko pinapadaan. She's so spoiled!" pag susumbong ni manang pero binalewala lang sya ng lalaki at hinarap ako.

"Why did you do that?" he asked once again.

"Well, I just asked her," I said habang nakangiwing pinag mamasdan ang suot nya. I asked her the password so that she can pass by kaya lang nag mamatigas pa. Ayan tuloy, so sad.

"Say sorry," he commanded. Who are you to say that Mr-Arrogant-Slash-Boyfriend-Ni-Manang?

"What if I don't wanna?" I raised my eyebrow and looked at his eyes.

"I won't force you then, go now kiddo. Your prof is probably waiting," he smirked at me at iginiya nya ang iritadong si manang.

"Let's go, Brenna. I have spare clothes in my locker," bulong nya kay manang bago sumulyap sakin at nginitian ako ng nakakaloko. We're not yet done! You messed up with the wrong person.

~

"Hey, Eli. Still there?" she yelled at me kaya napabalik ako sa reyalidad.

"Yes," I whispered.

"Kanina pa kita kinakausap. Gosh, I was about to end this call na," she sounds so irritated. Sorry naman diba?

"Sorry, again?"

"Ang sabi ko, baka nakokonsensya ka kaya ka umalis," she repeated.

Napa-ismid ako. No way! Who's nakokonsensya? I'm not.

"No. This is for my own good. Medyo bored na ko sa school," I rolled my eyes. Nah, I don't know my very reason though. I feel like going here to unwind.

"Yet you enrolled? Don't tell me di ka pa uuwi dito?"

What a nagger! Kawawa naman ang future husband nya if ever.

"Uuwi na ko para matigil ka," bored kong sagot para di na sya mag tanong pa.

"Sige na umuwi ka na. harapin mo itong ginawa mo. Gosh, Kahit higher year pinatulan mo"

"She deserved it. Buti nga ay nakatikim sya ng mamahaling kape. Sa damit nga lang," I chuckled and sipped my juice. That's what you get from messing up with me, manang.