MARIIN nyang tinitigan si Serena. She's waiting for her answer. She's hoping to hear the truth, kahit masaktan pa sya.
It's better to be hurt by knowing the truth than to feed her lies just to make her feel better.
"I don't know much about what's going on between them. But before you came into Train's life, he has Elaine. "
Pakiramdam ni Carly ay may bumara sa may lalamunan nya.
"And again that was before. Don't think that he's cheating on you. " Hinawakan nito ang kamay nya.
"I'm aware with his reputation with women before and he didn't have a serious relationship..." Tumigil sya at mapait na ngumiti.
"And there this Elaine... the woman he loves. "
"Carly..."
"They are your friends right?"
Tumango ito.
"Would you promise that you will give me a honest answer?"
"Do you think I will lie to you?"
Mapait syang ngumiti.
"I don't know Serena. Matagal mo na silang nakasama compared sa akin. Hindi ko maiwasang..." Pinutol nya ang sasabihin at nag iwas ng tingin. Inagaw nya rin ang kamay nya.
"Isipin na piliin mo sila at pagtakpan. " Her words might hurt her but she just couldn't help it.
"I won't lie to you Carly. "
Muli nyang ibinalik ang tingin sa pinsan. May ngiti sa mga labi nito.
"I promise. I will answer you honestly. " There's assurance in Serena's eyes. And now she started to question herself. Why did she even doubt her?
"What is your question?" Serena asked and sipped on her coffee.
"May relasyon ba ang asawa ko at si Elaine?" Seryosong tanong nya.
Ibinaba nito ang kape at tinitigan sya. Serena sighed.
"I don't know Carly. " She honestly said. Alam nyang nagsasabi ito ng totoo.
"Gusto kitang sagutin na wala silang relasyon para mapanatag ka pero alam kong mali ang paraan na iyon. " Malamlam itong tumitig sa kanya.
"Hindi ko alam kung may relasyon or nagkaroon ba ng relasyon sila Train at Elaine. Ang alam ko lang ay gusto ni Train si Elaine noon. Hindi nagkukwento si Elaine sa amin tungkol sa kanila ni Train kaya hindi kita mabigyan ng konkretong sagot. "
Carly nodded. Her cousin gave her the safest answer. She wanted to hear either yes or no but she answered her what's on between. Carly reached for her hand and mouthed thank you. Serena answered her with a smile but there's still sadness in her eyes.
"Iniisip mo ba na may ibang babae si Train?"
"Magagalit ka ba kung sasabihin kong iniisip ko na may relasyon sila ni Elaine?"
Serena sighed.
"Why don't you ask him? Para malaman mo kung totoong may relasyon nga sila. "
"Do you think he will tell me the truth?"
"Why don't you try?" Balik tanong nito sa kanya.
"Can we seat with you ladies?"
Sabay silang nag angat ng tingin sa nagmamay-ari ng boses na iyon.
Nag-angat sya ng tingin nang makita ang dalawang lalake na may mga nakakalokong ngiti sa mga labi.
"No, fuck off. " She coldly said.
She heard the other guy whistled.
"We can buy you coffee. " The other guy insisted.
"We can buy our own and we can even buy this coffee shop. Why don't you just leave us alone?" She fired back without looking at them.
"What about you Miss? You look nicer than this lady. " Baling nito kay Serena bago muli syang binalingan.
"No, I'm good. My husband can buy me coffee. " Sagot ni Serena.
Itinuon ng lalake ang isang kamay sa lamesa at pinakatitigan ang pinsan nya.
"Pero wala naman ang asawa mo rito. Come on, let me do the pleasure to buy you a coffee. He wouldn't know. "
Tumayo si Carly para palayuin ang lalake kay Serena pero agad na humarang sa kanya ang isa pang lalake.
"I can buy you a coffee too. " Nakingising saad nito
Anong tingin ng mga ito? Madadala sya sa kape?
Seryoso nya itong tinitigan. She took a step closer, the guy smirked even more. Damn, kung alam lang nito kung anong kaya nyang gawin. She's willing to use force just to make them leave.
"Excuse me, can you please leave us? We're in the middle of something. You are seriously disturbing us. " Agaw ni Serena sa pansin ng mga ito.
"You are both beautiful. Mind having a date with us?" Hindi nito pinansin ang sinabi ng pinsan nya. Tss bastard!
"I do mind, motherfucker. "
Sabay silang nagulat ni Serena nang biglang dumating si Declan. Kinuha nito ang kape ng asawa at isinaboy sa bandang dibdib nung lalake. Carly think he was really aiming for that bastard's face, kung hindi lang agad ito nakahakbang palayo ay sa mukha talaga ito natamaan.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ng lalake at muling humakbang palayo. Agad naman syang nilapitan ng kasama nya.
"What the fuck?!" Hindi makapaniwalang sigaw nito.
Nagtaas ng kilay si Carly. He's still lucky dahil hindi na masyadong mainit yung kape. Kung alam nya lang na gagawin ni Declan yun ay sana pala nag order sya ng panibagong kape.
"Anong problema mo?!" Asik nito nang makapag angat ng tingin kay Declan.
Bahagyang nanlaki muli ang mga mata nito. Maybe this asshole realized how intimidating the man in front of him. If you're going to compare their built and presence, both these guys are losers.
"You're seriously asking me that?" Humakbang si Declan, napaatras naman yung dalawa. Agad na kumapit si Serena sa braso ng asawa at sinubukang pakalmahin ito.
Nakakuyom ang mga kamao ni Declan at mapanganib ang tingin na binabato sa dalawang lalake ngunit nang dumapo ang tingin nito kay Serena ay lumalamlam ang mga mata nito.
"Umalis na tayo. " Bulong ng kasama nung lalakeng binuhusan ng kape na rinig naman nila. Pinalibot nito ang tingin sa may coffee shop. Napansin ni Carly na nakuha na nila ang atensyon ng ibang customer dahil sa nangyari.
"Hindi tayo aalis! Kung may dapat umalis yun ay walang iba kung hindi ang lalakeng yan!" Tinuro nito si Declan.
Declan took a step forward and twisted his finger. Napasigaw naman ito dahil sa sakit. Hindi rin ni Carly inasahan yun. He will really do everything just to protect Serena.
"Chase!" Agad na umawat si Serena at pinalayo ang asawa.
The bastard keep cursing because of his broken finger.
"You will pay for this---"
Hindi na pinatapos ito ni Carly, lumapit sya at tinuhod ang hinaharap nito.
Agad itong napaatras at sinapo ang nasa pagitan ng mga hita. Serves him right. The bastard glared at her. Dinuro sya nito.
"Y-you fucking bitch!"
Mukhang kulang pa ata ang ginawa nya.
"Anong nangyayari rito?"
May dumating na lalake na mukhang manager ng coffee shop. May isang waitress sa likod nito.
"Paalisin mo sila! Look what they did to me!"
Dumako ang tingin ng mga ito sa kanila at nanlaki ang mga mata ng tumigil iyon kay Declan. Bahagya itong yumuko.
"Good evening Mr. Carson ganun rin sayo Mrs. Carson. "
Binalingan sya nito at ngumiti. Tumango na lang sya.
"I want you to ban these assholes. "
"Yes Sir. "
Magalang na sagot nito. That fast?
Tumawag ito ng mga guards na agad naman hinawakan ang mga ito. Nagpumiglas ang dalawa.
"Bitawan nyo ko! Bakit kami ang pinapaalis nyo?! Sila dapat ang umalis!"
"Please leave Sir. "
"No! This ain't right! Kami nadehado tapos sila kakampihan nyo?!"
Mukhang hindi magpapatalo ito.
"What's happening here?" Said by a familiar voice.
Nilingon nya iyon at nakita ang papalapit na si Sidney. She walked like a model towards them. She's a model though.
"Good evening Ma'am! May ginawa na naman po kasing problema ang dalawang ito. " Tinuro ng manager yung dalawang lalake.
"Are you the owner of this shop?" Tanong nung isang lalake.
"Yes, you have problem with that?" Mataray nitong tanong.
"Paalisin mo ang mga ito! Look what they did to him!" Tinuro nito ang kasamam
"Oh that. "
Binalingan ni Sidney ang lamesa nila. Kinuha nito ang kape nya at biglang binuhos sa lalake.
"There, now you have nothing to jealous about to your friend. "
Hindi makapaniwalang tinignan sya nito.
"They are already banned here right? What are they still doing here?" Binalingan nito ang manager.
"I'm sorry Ma'am, hindi pa po kasi namin nadidscuss ang tungkol sa bagay na yan sa mga bagong guards. " He apologized.
Tumango si Sidney.
Humakbang ito palapit sa dalawa at walang salitang tinuhod ang mga ito sa tiyan.
"That's for my customers you tried to harrass. This is not the first time you did this. Leave my shop and don't you ever dare come back. Hindi lang yan ang aabutin nyo. "
Sinenyasan nya ang mga guards na agad naman binitbit palabas yung dalawa.
Humarap ito sa kanila at ngumiti.
"I'm sorry for the trouble. "
Ipinalibot nito ang tingin at kumunot ang noo.
"Where's Train?"
And with that, she just reminded her with her problem.
Nagkatinginan sila ni Serena.
She just smiled and turned her gaze away from her.
#hh