Bad Times at Sunrise (La Fortuna Series #3)

Kabanata 9

Nagsalubong ang kilay niya. "Your boyfriend's who?"

"Your boyfriend's who?" I mocked.

"Sunny!" Sumimangot siya't pinitik ang noo ko. "I'm serious!"

"Ico nga!" singhal ko. "Ico Benavidos!"

"Nakita ko siya sa bleachers kanina!" utas niya't kinunutan ako ng noo. "Nandito naman siya, ah? Sinungaling ka talaga!"

Sinamahan ako ni Sextus patungong bleachers. Like he said, Ico was really there. Katabi niya si Monty na nakasuot ng uniporme nila sa polo match at may hawak na cotton candy na mukhang panda. He offered it to Ico but the brute frowned at him and shoved his hand away. It was noisy so I couldn't hear them but I was sure that Monty mouthed 'Gago ka talaga'. I smirked at that.

"See?" Sextus now said beside me.

Nilingon ko siya't niyakap. After I broke away, I smiled at him as if this was better than winning the race. It's true though. This was way better than that!

"Thanks for telling me!"

He shook his head and raised a crooked smile. "In love na in love, ah?"

"Medyo lang," I lied. Love was too farfetched. Masaya lang talaga akong nandito si Ico.

"Anyway, I hope you can join me and my friends tonight at the country club." He ran his fingers through his hair before inserting his hands in his pockets. "We'll have a party. There's gonna be a lot of fun stuff. Poker, casino, beer pong." Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay. "If you're early, you can join me in the pool. Champions should relax too, you know?"

I rolled my eyes then nodded. "Fine! Basta libre alak, G ako d'yan!"

"Tss. User as always," he teased before walking away and waving goodbye.

Nang makalayo-layo na siya'y umakyat na ako sa bleachers. I was still halfway through when my eyes met Ico's. Magkasalubong ang kilay niya at mukhang hinuhusgahan na naman ako kahit sa pagkakaalam ko'y ngayon lang kami nagkatitigan. I walked faster so that I could ask him what the hell was wrong with him again.

"Uy! Congrats!" salubong ni Monty 'tsaka nakipag-apir sa 'kin. "Galing mo talagang mangabayo, Sunny!"

I lifted a cocky smirk. "Ako pa! Gusto mo, turuan pa kita, e!"

"'Wag ako!" Umiling siya't tinuro ang nakasimangot na si Ico. "Ito ang sample-an mo para payapa ang mundo!"

"Gago ka talaga!" I laughed.

Abala kami sa pagtatawanan ni Monty nang mapawi ang tira-tirang ngisi ko dahil sa mukha ni Ico. He had this unimpressed look on his face and I could almost hear him say 'Para kayong mga tanga'. Ngumiwi ako't umupo sa tabi niya. The bleachers were crowded so he needed to scoot over to accommodate me.

"Akala ko 'di ka pupunta, ah?" ani ko sa nagbibirong tono. "Ba't andito ka ngayon?"

Tumikhim siya. "The hospital wasn't that busy."

"Talaga?"

"Yes, Sunny," he said icily and turned to me with his serious eyes. "Now tell me who was that guy."

"That guy?"

"He's talking about Sextus," Monty inserted.

Ico snorted. "Oh. So that was the sex guy?"

Monty and I exchanged weird looks over Ico's shoulders. Ano na naman ba ang problema nito? Nagseselos ba siya? Pero bakit naman siya magseselos e wala naman kaming ginagawang masama ni Sextus? Tss. Ang sabihin niya, judgmental lang talaga siya!