Encounter (Onze Series #1)

02

"Grabe. Sinabi niya talaga 'yon? Lakas ah. Pogi sana girl!" Claire dramatically covered her mouth, still shocked about what just happened.

I mean, siya lang talaga ang nagsabi ng ganoon saakin! I have never been rejected in my whole life!

Tangina niya.

Pero crush ko pa rin siya.

"Why? What happened?" Warren looked at me through the rear-view mirror. He's also confused, ang alam niya lang ay sinama namin siya pauwi dahil nasa condo sila mommy, hindi niya alam na ang tungkol doon sa Thomasian sa club. Hindi ko siya sinagot at tumingin lang sa labas.

"She won't answer you right now, Warren. Broken pa yan ng slight." sabi ni Claire at tumatawa pang humarap saakin kaya sinamaan ko siya ng tingin.

"Bye! Take care! Kwento ka next time Val ha!" I just nodded and went inside the building. Nawala talaga ako sa mood dahil sa lalaking 'yon! Pero gusto ko pa rin siya makita haha.

"Okay ka lang?" Alam kong napapansin na ni Claire kung bakit ako tahimik pero nginitian ko lang siya. Okay lang naman ako.

"Where have you— look at your clothes!" I closed my right eye a little because of my mom's tone. Dumagdag pa siya sa pagkawala ng mood ko, tsk.

"Birthday, tita." Claire pursed her lips, she was obviously afraid of my mom.

"Birthday?" She paused, calming herself as she massage the bridge of her nose. "Ganyan ang suot niyo, birthday?" She asked calmly. But irritation and anger is evident in her tone.

I held Claire's hand and grabbed her to the living room. Nakita ko si daddy na nakaupo lang doon, he gave me an apologetic smile. I smiled a little, telling him that it's okay.

"Are you drunk?" I bit my lower lip before turning around to face mommy.

"Mom, I wouldn't be standing this straight if I'm drunk. Just, one glass." I even showed her my pinching hand, telling her that I only drank a little amount of liquor.

"Valerie, how can you drink, party and everything when you are unemployed?!" her tone really went up, she's damn mad.

"I can do modelings." I shrugged.

I was offered kaya noon, nung pumunta kami ng UPLB tsaka may nag-offer saamin ni Eloise kung gusto daw ba namin mag-model. But I rejected kasi hindi naman ako sanay. Pero kung ganitong sitwasyon, pwede ko namang gamiting resibo iyon para mag-model.

"You'll pay for your tuition?" She raised a brow. Does she really need to come that far?!

"Mom!" I glanced at dad at mukhang na-gets niya naman kaagad.

"Honey," my dad stood up and held my mom's shoulder. "We better go home, let the girls rest." my mom took a deep breath before nodding.

"I'll come back tomorrow morning." Sambit ni mommy at lumapit sa sofa para kunin ang bag niyang dala.

Nakatayo lang kaming dalawa ni Claire habang hinihintay silang makalabas. Si daddy lang ang nagpaalam sa kanilang dalawa. Nakahinga naman kami ng maluwag ni Claire nang lumabas na sila mommy.

"Yung kaba ko shet." I laughed at her, I want to tease her about her reaction kanina pero napagod ako. "Tangina, 11 PM pa lang. This is not so us." Claire said, shaking her head while laughing.