CHAPTER 6
NEW MEMBER
Sab's POV
"S, sigurado ka ba dito? What if matalo ka?" nagaalalang bulong ni Marina sa akin.
"I got this, M," matapang na sagot ko ngunit agad rin naman akong kinabahan nang ngumisi sa akin si Lily. She has this evil aura on her and it looks like she's confident she's going to win.
I watched as she opened the door to their club room. Pagkapasok namin doon ay napanganga na lang ako sa gulat. Napakarami nilang merch para kay Russell. Mayroong mga unan, damit at kung ano ano pa. Most of them are just designed with their logo RR. Pero may iilan ding may mukha talaga ni Russell.
ANG CUTE!!! Halatang mahal na mahal nila ang hubby ko!!!
"Okay, sit there," utos ni Lily. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay at doon ako sa opposite na upuan dumiretso.
Anong akala niya, magpapatalo ako sa kanya? No way! Panda Sab never bows down to anyone!
Kahit alam kong lamang siya sa akin pagdating sa buhay ni Russell, still hindi dapat mawala ang yabang ko. It's the only thing I have right now.
"Here's what's going to happen. One wrong answer and you lose."
"Hey, that's unfair!" sigaw ni Marina.
"If she's really our King's girlfriend, she should know everything about him."
I almost rolled my eyes. It's so obvious she just wants to win.
"Let's just get this over and done with." I yawned and stretched my arms. Umupo na si Lily sa tapat ko kaya naman tumayo ako at nag-jumping jacks. Some of her friends laughed but I still continued what I was doing. Kailangan kong mag-ready at galingan.
"Game!" I announced, sitting on my chair once again. May isang babae ang tumayo sa gitna namin at kumindat kay Lily.
Luh, anong binabalak niyo?
"Russell's full name---"
"Russell Jay Valiente!" We both shouted.
"Too easy," Lily commented.
I just stared at her and waited for the next question.
"Russell's birthday!"
"August 12!" sabay na sabay na sagot naming dalawa.
Mabuti na lang talaga naaalala ko pa 'yung nai-search ko sa google.
"Our king's zodiac sign!"
"Leo!"
Lily glared at me, then she crossed her arms and sighed.
"These can be searched on google. Can you ask us something else?" pagde-demand niya sa kaibigan niya.
Napalunok ako at napatingin kay Marina. She bit her lower lip and shook her head. Halatang napapailing na lang siya dahil alam niyang delikado na ako. This is it. The moment of truth.
"Russell's shoe size!"
Shet.
Hindi ko alam!
Magsasalita na sana ako ngunit napansin kong natigil si Lily. It looks like she's also clueless.
Aha! Akala ko ba alam mo lahat?
"Why aren't you answering?" tanong niya sa akin.
"Why aren't you?" balik ko sa kanya.
Lily pursed her lips. "You first."
"Hell no. I'm not falling for your trap. How about this, tell me one thing about Russell that nobody knows."
I smiled and raised an eyebrow at her.
She looked around and gave it a thought. She's struggling to come up with an answer.
"He...uhhhh...well...he likes...to---wait, you're supposed to be the one in the hot seat, not me!"
I smirked. "Okay. Sure." Everyone suddenly became quiet. Lahat sila ay nagaabang sa sasabihin ko.
I crossed my legs and stared at her. "He has a little wound on his hand."
Nanlaki ang mga mata nilang lahat at agad nilang tiningnan ang mga cellphones nila. Lily even grabbed her laptop and searched for Russell's latest pictures.
"Huy, totoo ba 'yon?" bulong ni Marina sa akin.
I nodded and watched Lily's face turned into horror as she confirmed that I was telling the truth.
I saw it when I first met my hubby, inside his hotel room. Iyon ang isa sa mga tumatak sa isipan ko.
"Oh my gosh, she's right!"
"How come we didn't notice this?"
"What happened to our King?"
"Is he okay?"
"I'm worried!"
Lily glanced at me and angrily closed her laptop. "I can't believe this."
"Can we all stop this hideous game now? I won. Just deal with it." Tumayo ako at mayabang na nag-hair flip.
She sighed and calmed herself. Halata sa mga mata niyang nahihirapan siyang tanggapin na nanalo ako. "Is it true then? You're his girlfriend? Because honestly speaking, we didn't see it coming."
Tatango sana ako ngunit siniko ako ni Marina. She's warning me to stop lying because we both know it could get me in trouble someday.
I ran a hand through my hair and shook my head. Kahit gusto kong sabihing oo, alam kong mali kung itutuloy ko ang pagpapaikot sa kanila. I just said that I was Russell's girl because I want them to allow me to go. Pero ngayong tinatanog na nila ako ng masinsinan, dapat ay magsabi na ako ng totoo.
"No but I wish I am."
Some girls gasped and the others immediately gossiped.
"I'm not his girlfriend. YET. But I really like him and I'll do anything just to get his attention."
Tinitigan ako ni Lily na tila ba tinatansya niya kung ano ang mararamdaman niya sa mga sinabi ko.
"Please don't hate me. I'm one of you. I want to be there for Russell."
Nagbulungan sila ng mga kaibigan niya bago siya tumingin uli sa akin. "So you'll ride with him no matter what?"
"Of course." Anong klaseng ride ba kasi 'yan? Sana nililinaw hehehe.
"Even if he doesn't want you back?"
Kumunot ang noo ko. "Magugustuhan niya ako. Sisiguraduhin ko 'yon."
"But what if he doesn't?"
Mas lalong sumama ang timpla ng mukha ko. "Kailangan niya akong magustuhan, or else mapupunta ako sa iba."
Lily took a step towards me and demanded me to explain. She was too curious so I ended up telling her everything. Wala naman ding mawawala kung malaman niya ang deal namin ng tatay ko. At first, she laughed and thought I was insane. But when she realized that I'm not joking and that I really want Russell to be my endgame, she slowly took me seriously.
"Why should we support you? We don't even know you."
"Then give me a chance to show all of you who I am. Bibigyan ko siya nang sampung anak kung kinakailangan."
Natawa siya at napailing. "What are you, a dog?"
I smiled. "Kung kailangan lang naman..."
Ngumiti siya saglit bago siya nakipagusap sa club committee. They were debating if they should allow me to join their club or ban me forever.
Nang humarap na siya sa akin ay agad bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. Seryosong seryoso na kasi ang mukha niya.
I hope they won't stop me from going after my future hubby. Nakasasalay sa kanila ang plano ko.
"Russell Riders are good people. We're not totally obsess with our King and most importantly, we respect his private life. Someday when he decides to fall in love with someone, which is impossible by the way, we won't get in his way. We'll even cheer for him and his girl, as long as she's good for him." Lily held my eyes. "You can do what you want but you're under probation. Your every move will be watched. So if Russell wants you out of his life, don't expect us to be nice cause we'll definitely help him."
Hindi ko alam kung matutuwa ba ako sa sinabi niya o hindi. Pero ibig sabihin nito ay papayag na silang maging parte ako ng Russell Riders. I can finally have an access to my hubby's life. Mapapasama ako sa mga events kung saan makikita ko siya. This is an advantage for me.
"OH EM GEE!!!! SHET! OKAY! SIGE! THANK YOUUUUU!" Nagtatalon ako at niyugyog ko pa ang pinsan ko. Nagtawanan naman sila at ang ilan ay nagpalakpakan pa.
"Welcome to our family!"
"What's your name again?"
"I love your bag! Is that real?"
"And your dress looks good on you!"
"Wait, you have to tell us how'd you know Russell!"
"And where did you guys meet?"
"What was that hotel story again?"
"Is there really something going on between the two of you?"
Pinalibutan na nila ako at halatang excited sila na makilala ako. Though of course, some of them still doesn't like me. May mga umalis na lang at iniwan na ako.
I was expecting Lily to leave as well but to my surprise, she took a seat beside me. Pinipigilan man niya ang sarili niya ngunit kita ko sa mukha niyang kahit papaano ay masaya siyang nadagdagan ang myembro ng grupo nila.
Seems like I found a new friend!
I glanced at Marina and gave her a thumbs up. Iiling iling siyang tumawa. Hindi yata makapaniwala na nanalo ako against Lily.
Well, I always get what I want.
Maski si Russell ay sisiguraduhin kong mamapapasakin. Hehehehe.
*End of Chapter 6*