Fool's Gold (Summer Series #3)

Kabanata XLIV

Two days passed and they were strangely different. It was like waking up as another person, completely drifted from the Faye who did not know the truth. I sipped the iced coffee that I made, sitting on the terrace. No one dared to talk to me until now, when Sebastian dropped me off outside the house, I went straight away to the room and sleep. The breakfast earlier was the usual...for me, I guess, except the deafening silence in the table. And when we gathered, they always tried not to talk about it and treated me like nothing happened. It was okay, I guess. Besides, I did not have to worry about my Aunt and Uncle picking on me, because the both of them were silent as well.

A part of me was relieved to finally know the truth but there's also a part of me regretting it. Parang lalong nabulabog ang utak ko...it's like slowly losing my sanity. I heaved a deep sigh and went drinking again.

"Faye," Inilayo ko sa aking labi ang inumin at nilingon ang nagsalita.

"Polay," I plastered a smile at her and tapped the floor where I was sitting. Dahan-dahan siyang umupo sa tabi ko at nagsimulang humikbi. I was stunned to see her cry, I immediately patted her shoulder and asked.

"What happened?" Tumigil ang hikbi niya at saka bigla akong niyakap.

"B-Balak ni Mama na sa Alaminos ako mag-aral ng college, masyado na raw akong napapasama sa barkada," iyak niya sa akin. Tita Gemma really is that controlling, huh?

"F-Faye, ayoko doon! Gusto niya rin ako magdorm! Ayokong mag-isa!" ngawa niya pa, she was looking hopeless and helpless at the same time.

"Maybe she's just mad at you about yesterday, you know, mom things?" I comforted her, but she stiffened when I told her than, and quickly gave me a worried look.

"S-Sorry, kung hindi sana kita p-pinilit," she confessed as she broke into another cry. Napangiti naman ako at binalik ang kaniyang yakap.

"Ayos lang, I could have stayed, you know? Pero sumama pa rin ako, so it wasn't your fault, atsaka buti nga nangyari iyon, baka hindi ko na nalaman," I assured her. Suminghot siya ng dalawang beses at hindi makapaniwalang tumingin sa akin.

"Ganiyan ka ba talaga kabait? Parang walang nangyari kahapon, ngumingiti ka pa rin, kinakausap mo pa rin kaming lahat kung sakaling kausapin ka namin," Napaisip ako ng ilang sandali, pero dinaan ko na lang sa ngiti.

"I'm not kind? I guess, I'm just understanding," sagot ko sa kaniya sabay kuha ng iced coffee at inubos na iyon.

"Hindi ka nagkakape, ah?" pansin niya sa iniinom ko at saka binigyan ako ng nag-aalalang tingin. I stared at the glass with two cubes, and an ounce of the brown mixture drink.

"I just wanted something for a change, it tastes great. Masyado siguro akong cautious nung sinabi kong masama ang kape, don't wanna miss the fun," I said as I laughed pero hindi iyon sinabayan ni Polay. Marahan lang siyang nakatingin sa akin.

"Paano ang relasyon mo kay Gonzalez?" Natigilan ako sa kaniyang tanong. Paano niya nalaman? I cleared my throat and darted my gaze upon the trees and the empty highway that can be seen from the second floor.

"Well, what should be done will be done," kibit-balikat kong sagot. Napahilamos naman siya sa kaniyang mukha at parang may gustong itanong pero mukhang nagdadalawang-isip pa.

"Tanungin o sabihin mo na," udyok ko sa kaniya. Pinalis niya ang mga luha bago nagsalita.

"Mukhang malabong magkagusto ka sa kaniya,pero sa tingin mo, magkakagusto siya sa'yo?" I plumped my lips and smiled at the expected question.

"I'm not him Polay," tipid kong sabi sa kaniya pero agad ko namang dinugtungan iyon.

"My answer won't be favorable at both sides, neither is your question. It'll be an endless argument, either one of us will be in denial. Conclusion, our answers would differ because we do not have mutual understanding...but not that M.U., what I meant was how we both see each other transparently," pagpapaliwanag ko pero ang tingin ay palipat-lipat sa hawak kong baso at sa mga puno. Nang tingnan ko si Polay ay nakabusangot na ito habang sumisinghot.