A/N: Please read the author’s note at the end please.
***
STRING EIGHT [Shameless]
[Kathryn’s POV]
2 WEEKS LATER.
“My heart is broken, my head is sore, my virginity’s been stolen all thanks to my heart.” Inulit ko ang linya nang binabasa kong libro. “Sheesh, Pretentiousness.”
Nasa loob ako ng library sa bahay. I’ve been reading every single love story sa bahay. From tragedy to comedy as long as love is the main central theme binabasa ko. Sarah Dessen, John Green, Stephenie Meyer, Daniel Handler…and even some classics like William Shakespeare stuff kahit nga yung diary ni Anne Frank.
Naghahanap ako ng clues kung paano malalaman that you’re going to fall in love and circumstances. I’ve summed it up somehow in a list:
You are a wallflower, the school’s golden boy falls in love with you unexpectedly.
You were devirginized by the school’s bad boy in camp and unfortunately YOU ARE PREGNANT WITH HIS BASTARD CHILD when you let him know he professes his undying love for you.
You are extremely rich and is an heiress, you fall in love with a poor boy OR you are extremely poor and you fall inlove with a rich boy.
You are a hopeless romantic and think you finally found the perfect guy but it’s too late to realize that you were in love with the wrong guy after all.
You are a manhater then out of the blue a guy changes your perspective on men.
You are a geeky nicey-nice girl and you do everything right, one day you are in a love triangle with your tormentor , the resident bully, and the bad boy who never has spoken to you.
You are a normal girl who hates a certain band/actor then out of fate one of the members/he falls in love with you.
You are in the right age, NEVER BEEN KISSED AND IS A VIRGIN (BOTH LIP AND TOUCH), you fall inlove with a manwhore who wants to get in your pants.
You are a daughter of one of the most powerful men in the world; he betroths you to a son of another powerful man to increase his power.
You are a mundane but you are kidnapped by a hot guy who is a werewolf and the son of the pack’s ALPHA/vampire and he is next in line/master of the house, YOU ARE HIS MATE/ SLAVE TURNED WIFE. (shocker!)
AND THE MOST DRASTIC: You are a girl and you fall in love with boy.
No.
I am not heartbroken.
I am just preparing myself for my future adventures in the world of love.
I AM CERTAINLY NOT HEARTBROKEN BECAUSE OF DJ, OKAY? Just because hindi niya ako pinansin for two whole weeks ibig sabihin galit ako sakaniya. It’s not like ako ang girlfriend niya or anything. I am just a friend diba? I AM ONLY A FRIEND. WE ARE IN THE FRIENDZONE. SO ITS OKAY THAT HE DOESN’T CALL ME OR ACKNOWLEDGE MY PRESENCE FOR TWO WEEKS.
*frustrated smile*
I’m lying.
Though hindi talaga ako heartbroken, naiinis ako sakaniya. HOW DARE HE! Sino nagsabi sakaniyang di ako pansinin ha?
What a beautiful birthday present.
*sigh*
My birthday is 5 days away and my mom is freaking out like crazy. Sinend niya na lahat ng invitations ko a week ago. My birthday gown and shoes are ready. The party planner, si Nadia, ay lagi nasa bahay. Always giving my mom the updates on location, food, whatever, who just RSVPed or whatever. Like my dad, relaxed lang ako. Not giving an eff.
I wonder if Daniel RSVPed na.
“Kath?” may katok sa pinto ko.
Nagbuntong hininga ako at clinose ang libro kong THE BADBOY’S MARIONETTE. In which Tory Winslet, ang main character, ay nainlove kay Edgar Hartington, the school’s bad boy, but ends up heartbroken and used when she was freshman in highschool. Tapos biglang nagbago si Edgar nang maging Senior na sila and wants to have her back but Tori’s dating Jack O’ Connor, ang kaaway ni Edgar. BLAH BLAH BLAH.
“Yeah?”
“Pwede pumasok?” Kilala ko yung boses.
“Sige na.” sabi ko.
Pumasok si Nadia, dala dala yung clipboard niya. Halatang stress na siya dahil naglilip-bite siya at inaayos ang buhok niya with a pencil.
“I have bad news..” sabi niya.
“Hmmm?”
“May hindi nagRSVP..” sabi niya.
“Oh?” sabi ko at napakagat ng labi. Sana hindi si DJ. “Sino?”
“Si Mr. James Ricafort.” Sabi niya
Thank the Lord.
“It’s okay..” sabi ko.
“Kailangan natin ng kapalit..” sabi ni Nadia. “We can’t let anyone know about this. What would other people think?” nagtataptap siya ng shoes niya.
I shrugged. “Try to invite Polly Ann Guzman.” Sinend ko sakaniya yung number via phone. “She’s a friend of mine and Julia’s.”
“Okay.” Sabi ni Nadia at nagsulat sa clipboard niya.
“Okay.” At binuksan ulit ang libro ko.
“And Kath, btw.” Sabi ni Nadia bago niya isara ang pinto. “This came in the mail for you.” Binaba niya ang isang maliit na envelope sa table katabi ng pinto.
I nodded at binasa ang libro.
I’m not in the mood to get up from my chair. Mamaya ko nalang titingnan kung ano yung nandun sa loob ng envelope.
---
Dahan-dahang lumapit saakin si Enrique.
Iniwan kaming dalawa ni Albie sa loob ng kwarto niya. Tinawag kasi siya ni tito Albert at may kailangan daw sila pagusapan sa after school activities ni Albie.
Unlike Albie na matalino at madaling mabully, si Enrique ay ang kabaliktaran. Si Enrique ang bully, ginagamit niya ang talino sa kasakakiman at sa kagustuhan niya. AND TITO HAS NO IDEA. As long as Quen keeps up his grades he’s a good son.
“Hey Kath.” Ngiti ni Que.
“Um.” Natatakot kung sabi. “Kuya Quen nasaan si Albie?” Kuya pa ang tawag ko sakaniya noon nung 13 ako.
“Bakit miss mo na ba yung kapatid kong loser?” tanong saakin ni Enrique habang pinaglalaruan niya ang buhok ko.”You’re so pretty Kat.”
“T-thank you.” I said stuttering.
“Mmm..” sabi ni Enrique habang hinawakan niya pa ang buhok ko at inamoy. “Your hair smells like roses.”
Nananhimik lang ako habang tumataas ang balahibo sa ginagawa ni Quen. Wala pang lalaki ang lumapit saakin nang ganito kalapit.
Quen started stroking my cheek at bumulong sa tenga ko. “Want to have fun while my brother is out?”
Napalunok ako.
---
Nagising ako.
May pawis sa noo ko.
Napabunong hininga ako at lumabas ng library.
4:00 na nang hapon at hindi pa ako naliligo. Dali dali akong pumunta sa banyo at naligo ng maigi. Ginamit ko pa nga yung loofa sponge para maalis ang mga dumi dumi sa katawan ko.
“Mmmmm…” I hum.
Biglang bumukas ang pinto at sumara. Napairap ako. Talaga naman to si Niel. Tumunog ang toilet bowl at tunog ng tubig na hindi tubig ang sumunod.
“Niel!” sabi ko.
Walang sagot.
“Niel. Ilang beses ko ba sasabihin sayo na. DON’T TAKE A PISS WHILE IM HAVING MY SHOWER. OKAY?” sabi ko sakaniya over the shower curtains.
“Hmmm..” ang sagot ni Niel.
“AND STOP USING THIS BATHROOM!” sabi ko pa.
“Hmmm..”
“Uy paabot naman ng liquid body soap.” Sabi ko.
“Alin dito?” tanong ni Niel.
“Yung raspberry.” Sabi ko.
“Yung raspberry pinkish shine or yung raspberry with exfoliating extracts?”
Napaisip ako. “Yung with exfoliating extracts nalang.”
Dahandahan pinasok ni Niel yung body soap ko para hindi masyado mabuksan ang curtains at makita niya ako which would be awkward.
“Thanks bro.” sabi ko sakaniya.
“You’re welcome Kath.”
Sarado ang pinto.
Mmmmm? Parang ang galang ni Niel ngayon ha!
It took me a minute to realize kung bakit ang galang ng kapatid ko. Yung kamay, yung boses, yung attitude. HINDI SI NEIL ANG UMIHI AT NAGBIGAY SAAKIN NG BODY SOAP KUNDI SI..SI..
DJ!
How the hell did he get here?
Napablush ako at dali daling tinapos ang shower ko. Nangmakabihis na ako ng sweat pants at oversized na shirt na binigay saakin ni Kuya Sam, hinanap ko na si DJ.
With no such luck.
Wala siya.
---
“GOD KATHLEEN YOU EFFING SUCK!” sigaw saakin ni Winston.
“I KNOW YOU’RE A GIRL AND ALL BUT GOD YOU STINK!” sigaw naman saakin ni Preston.
“Shut up asswipes!” sigaw ko sakanilang dalawa and giving them the bad finger hoping my mom won’t see what I did.
Nakikipaglaro ako ng The Art of War over the internet. While we’re playing on the PS3 I can still chat with them because of headset and video cam.
Meet Winston and Preston Ghirardelli, my twin 13 year old cousins in the States. Both of them are half Italian and full on annoying. Fluent sila in 4 languages: Italian, Filipino, English, and Smartassery.
They cackled and slapped each other’s back.
I threw a bomb at Preston’s character Major Mao Tse and ducked for cover.
“Merde!” sigaw ni Preston.
Napatawa ako.
Preston threw a hiss fit while Winston tried to keep him calm with Italian. Padabog na umalis si Preston at nginitian ako ni Winston. “What you did Kathleen was so not cool.”
“Winston, you asswipe, for the nth time my name is KATHRYN!” sabi ko sakaniya.
“I know, Kathleen, I know.” Ngiti ni Winston. “But what you did was shitty! Merde! Now mama will think I did that to Preston.”
“Stop being a pussy.” Sabi ko sakaniya. “let’s play.”
“Then we shall…” ngiti ni Winston.
Our fighting was intense. Lagi ginagamit ni Winston ang mga arrows and I keep on losing my warriors but in the end ako ang nanalo.
“Good game.” Sabi ko.
“FOR A GIRL!” sigaw ni Preston sa background.
“Well done, Kathleen, Well done.” Sabi ni Winston.
I felt smug.
Winning felt good.
Seriously.
“Good Job.” Biglang may nagsalita sa likod ko.
Nabigla ako.
Si DJ..
“Nakita mo yun lahat?” sabi ko.
“Yeah, pretty much.” Sabi niya at umupo sa tabi ko sa sofa.”Simula doon sa sinabihan ka ni uh..Preston..I think..ng “YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE BOOBS TO BE A GIRL’..” tumawa siya.
I giggled a bit. “si Winston yun”
Nginitian niya ako.
“So um yeah..” sabi ko awkwardly. “Bakit ka pala nandito?”
“Wala lang.” sabi ni DJ at inilabas ang Iphone 5 niya. “I was bored.”
“May tanong ako.”
“Yeah?”
“Ikaw ba yung pumasok nung naliligo..si..ano..si..ako?” tanong ko.
Tumawa si DJ.
I stare at him.
“Oo.”
“Okay. Im glad that’s cleared up.” Sabi ko at ngumiti.
Dahan dahang hinawakan ni DJ ang bewyang ko at pinisil ito. Sinandal ni DJ ang ulo niya sa ulo ko at nagbuntong hininga.
Ang tahimik.
“D..DJ..anon ginagawa mo?” tanong ko sakaniya.
“I have a favor Kath.” Sabi ni DJ.
“Ano yun?”
“Can we just be like this for a few minutes. Walang interruptions?”
Napaisip ako. Hindi niya ako pinansin for two weeks tapos ngayon he wants to cuddle!? ang shamelss. whatever.
“Okay.” Sabi ko. “Kung yung ang gusto mo.”
Pinisil ulit ni DJ ang beywang ko at hinigpitan pa ang pagkahawak saakin. Hinalikan niya ng maraming beses ang noo ko.
“Thank you Kath.”
“You’re welcome DJ.”
***
A/N: sorry if I abandoned y’all for 10 months. I’ve been very busy with schoolwork and friends and whatnot.
Honestly, nahihiya na ako. Ang daming tao nagmessage saakin na mgaupdate na daw po ako. Im sorry if I disappointed you with this chapter. Nawalan kasi ako ng inspiration. I’m not a big fan of KathNiel now compared noon. I don’t know why tho but I still like their pairing.
Bago ko sinulat ang update na to I had to read every chapter of Marionette to see where my plot was going and honestly nakalimutan ko na kung ano yung iniisip ko so bear with me guys.
THANK YOU PO FOR THE SUPPORT GUYS. I PROMISE TO UPDATE THIS REGULARLY AS I CAN. FOR NOW MARIONETTE NALANG PO ANG ONLY KATHNIEL FAN FIC KO. MY MILLION DOLLAR GIRL WILL BE DISCONTINUED FOR THE LACK OF MOTIVATION. MAYBE IN THE FUTURE BAKA GUMAWA PA AKO NG MADAMING KATHNIEL FANFICS BUT NOW MARIONETTE LANG PO MUNA ANG PRIORITY KO TALAGA.