"You did what?" I'm horrified.
"Yeah."
"Hindi ka ba naawa sa kanya? That's not a good thing to do!" I'm freaking out here.
Anong sinabi niya sa'kin? Sinabi niya lang naman na pinagpustahan pala nila si May, the girl at Bry's party earlier. The bet was who will be the first one to sleep with her, kung si Carlo ba o si Kev. Gaahd. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwalang nagawa nila 'yun.
Just what the fck were they thinking? At si Carlo pa talaga?
"Sa tingin mo ba hindi ko alam 'yun?" sagot pa niya sa'kin.
"Eh bakit mo pa ginawa? Who even proposed that bet anyway?"
"Reena. Nakainom kami nun. Napagkatuwaan. Malay ba naming pinsan pala ni Bry 'yun. It's not like she's still a virgin." he defenses.
"So what if she's not a virgin anymore? That does not make it right! What did Bry do when he found out?"
"What do you think? Kaya nga hindi namin tinuloy eh, di ba? Can't you just drop it?"
"We can't just drop it." I scowl at him.
"Tapos na 'yun. Ano pang kinalaman nu'n sa'tin? At hindi naman natuloy eh kaya ano bang kinakagalit mo?" naiinis na sabi niya tsaka dumeretso ng kusina. I won't let him get away with this easily.
I follow him, "Did you even apologize?" I ask. He looks at me but he's not saying anything other than, his face telling me that he didn't. I really pity the girl. Now I know why that girl's twin was so mad at him. But he just won't get it, will he? Instead of talking sense to him, nagpunta na lang ako ng room niya para magbihis. I change into one of his shirts. We're at his condo.
I'm thankful na hindi siya sumunod sa kwarto. I just washed up and went to bed. I'm exhausted and I don't want to think more of what Kev just told me.
Napabuntong hininga na lang ako. It won't affect us anymore though, would it? What he did in the past doesn't include our relationship now... what we have is what's important now.
That's what I kept telling myself as I drifted to sleep.
"Reena.." I woke up with a small voice calling my name.
Nung imulat ko yung isang mata ko, the light is dim but I can see Kev with his eyes closed and his arms streching... looking for something... no, someone... me.
"Here." I close the gap between us and he pulled me close to him making me nuzzle my head in the crook of his neck.
I'm annoyed, frustrated and mad but I really can't hold back when it's him.
I feel him let out a deep breath and we both let our minds drift to sleep.
***
Days pass and it's already a weekend. Our fight a few nights ago was easily forgotten dahil wala naman talaga dapat akong ikagalit but I really feel bad for the girl. Nevertheless, it's all in the past now and all I care about is the Kevin that is with me now. I don't know if I'm being selfish but it's not my business to meddle with his past now, is it?
Kalalabas lang namin ng shower nung mag-ring yung phone ko and when I look at it, si Carlo.
"What?" I snap because the image of them betting on someone's innocence appear on my mind.
"Whoa. Sungit ah?"
I just sighed and decided to let it go.
"Bakit ka ba napatawag?" tanong ko na lang.
"Uhh.. my mom wants you and Kev to come over." he said over the phone and I don't know if I heard him correctly.
"Huh? Why?" tanong ko.
I look at Kev who is in the closet, changing while I'm still in towels.
"Alam na ni mommy na nagkaayos na kami ni Kevin eh. Sabi ko nga baka hindi din lang yun pumayag and I thought since nandyan ka naman... maybe you can convince him?" Paliwanag niya.
"What makes you think he'll even listen to me?" I ask him, laughing at the thought. Kevin is Kevin. Stubborn Kevin, he is. Tapos na siyang magbihis at lumabas na siya ng closet.
"Sinong kausap mo?" Tanong niya and I raise my pointy finger at him to wait but instead he snatches the phone from my hand at siya na yung kumausap. I roll my eyes at him. He's very gentleman. Can you tell?
"Why are you calling her?" He frowns.
"What? No, that's not happening." Yan lang sagot niya bago niya pinatay.
I raise my brows at him and he just rolled his eyes at me, giving me back my phone and going out of the room. I didn't say anything and just change into one of my clothes that I brought here tsaka ako lumabas.
Nakaupo lang siya sa couch, nakapatong yung mga paa niya sa center table at nanunuod ng tv. Anong pinapanood? Syempre sports channel.
Tinabihan ko lang siya. Not saying anything hanggang sa mapansin niya.
"Bakit hindi ka nagsasalita?"
"I don't know..." well, you know I'm afraid that if I open my mouth I'll say something that you won't like. Like coming over at your dad's house.
"Reena."
"You won't like what I'll say and I don't want to fight with you over it." I tell him honestly.
My phone vibrates in my phone. Nagtext si Carlo.
*Nandito girlfriend ko. I wanted you two to meet. You can still come kahit wala si Kev.*
Now, I really wanna go. Matagal ko na kasing gusto makilala girlfriend nun eh.
"Just tell me." He insists at alam ko di naman siya titigil hanggat di ko sinasabi.
"Gusto kong magpunta kina Carlo." Sabi ko ng hindi nakatingin sa kanya.
He sighs, "Ano naman sanang gagawin mo dun?" Halatang iritado yung boses niya.
"Sabi niya kasi nandun girlfriend niya eh and I haven't really met her before." And I want you to reconcile with your family.
"You can meet her anywhere else, just not there."
No matter what I do he won't go with me, would he?
"Uh... I'm fine going alone?"
"At sino namang nagsabi sayong pumunta magisa?" Nakakunot na yung noo niya.
"Carlo texted me that I can just go alone if you don't want to."
"At kailan pa kayo nagtextan ni Caloy? Tss,"
"Dati pa. I've mentioned him going to New York, didn't I?"
"Kahit na. Bakit kailangang nagtetext pa. Tsk. Hatid na kita." Sabi niya sabay pasok sa kwarto para magbihis? Anyway, nagbihis na rin ako ng pang-alis.
***
"Akala ko ayaw mong pumasok?" Tanong ko kay Kev nung bumaba rin siya ng sasakyan niya. It's the first time that we used his Range Rover. Rich kid. But I just smiled to myself.
And instead of him answering me, inirapan niya lang ako tsaka inabot yung kamay ko as he led us through the double doors.
***
"You must be Reena! Hi! I'm Tess, mommy ni Carlo." Isang babaeng medyo kaedad ni mommy yung sumalubong samin at niyakap ako. Eh? I was taken aback but I manage to respond.
"Uh.. Hi, I'm Reena Fontanilla." I smile.
Kumalas din naman siya.
"Hi Kevin." She greeted Kev and her smile is bright.
"Ken, your son's here!" She announces.
"I'm so glad you could join us." Sabi niya at tumango lang si Kevin.
Okay? I can feel it getting awkward.
Mabuti na lang dumating na si Carlo na may kasamang babae. She must be the girlfriend.
"Buti naman nakarating kayo." Bungad ni Carlo.
"Yeah. Salamat sa pag invite." Ngiti ko naman and I respond in behalf of Kev too.
"This is Marla, my girlfriend. Babe, si Reena at si Kevin," turo niya sa'min.
"Hi," Inabot ko yung kamay ko na tinanggap naman niya, "I'm Reena. Carlo's friend. Matagal ko ng pinipilit si Carlo na ipakilala ka sa'kin eh."
Her short blue dyed hair makes her stand out and she surely can pull it off.
"Hi. Sabi niya nga sa'kin eh. Nasa probinsya kasi ako these past few weeks. Nice to meet you. Marami ngang nakwe kwento si Carlo eh."
"Really? Ano namang kwine kwento niyan? I'm sure marami tayong mapaguusapan mamaya." I smile at her.
I can feel that she's kind and easy to get along with pero bakit parang hindi tumitingin si Tita Tess sa kanila?
"Hi Kevin," greet ni Marla sa kanya at inabot yung kamay niya. For a second I thought hindi niya aabutin but he did. And I smiled at him for it.
Sakto namang kabababa ng isang may edad na lalaki. I instantly recognize him as Kev's dad. They both have an angle that they look somewhat alike. His facial expression is not giving anything away, one of the things that I think Kev got from his dad.
He just nods at us and he directly walked towards the backyard garden. I felt Kevin's hand tighten around mine.
Okay? I didn't expect his treatment to be that way. I actually expected him to be thrilled that his son went to his house.
Tita Tess cleared her throat, "let's have lunch. Shall we? I prepared the lunch at the garden." She tries to lighten the mood.
***
"So, Reena. Sabi sa'kin ni Carlo nag double major ka sa NYU?" Tanong sa'kin ni Tita Tess habang kumakain kami.
I nod, "Yes, Tita."
"Whoa. Double major? You did that? Nice. Anong minajor mo?"
" Math and Performing Arts." I answer and she compliments me. I thank her.
"Oo nga pala. Di ba si Kevin yung may hawak ng project nung buong village?" Tanong ni Tita Tess sa dad ni Kev.
"Yes. I offered him another project but he turned it down. Telling me to just hand it over to Carlo."
"Wag kayong magusap na parang wala ako dito." Kev dismisses them.
"Kev." pabulong na sita ko sa kanya dahil katabi ko naman siya.
"Binibigay ko na sa'yo yung mga project. I even recommended you personally to them but you just turned it down. Akala ko ba ma-ambisyon ka?"
"Ken, hayaan mo na yung bata." Awat ni Tita Tess.
This is not going to go well.
"Hindi ako kagaya niyo kaya wag niyong sabihin maambisyon ako."
I squeeze his hand under the table silently pleading him to stop.
"Dad, it's fine." Sagot ni Carlo. Stopping them both in talking and we just continued eating.
***
"I hope you can come visit again soon." Paalam ni Tita Tess samin.
"I'll try my best convincing him." I promise her.
"Maybe you can drug him first before you bring him here again." She jokes.
"I'll take note on that." I lightly laugh, "I'm sorry for his attitude earlier." I apologize but she told me that it's fine and it happens.
"Salamat sa pagpunta." Sabi naman ni Carlo and I nod at him.
"No prob." Ngiti ko.
"Nice meeting you again, Marla." Paalam ko naman sa girlfriend ni Carlo.
"You too. I hope we can hang up more often. Itetext kita ha. Kukunin ko number mo kay Caloy." She smiles.
"Sure," I hug her and I say my final goodbye and go to Kev. He insisted on waiting on the car.
His dad didn't say goodbye though. Ang odd lang talaga ng treatment niya kung gusto niya ngang magkaayos sila ni Kev. I wanted to put an effort into it but if they won't help themselves then I can't do anything about it.
I didn't say anything on our way home. If he doesn't talk then I assume he doesn't like to talk about it then. I won't push him instead I just hold his hand and put it on my lap. Squeezing it lightly.
"I love you." He tells me and my heart still flutters like it's the first time he told me he loves me.
"I love you." I respond to him and he lifts our hand together. Kissing the back of my hand.
His small gestures of showing me he loves me makes me fall for him even deeper. I just really love him...