Chapter 13
Agad naman silang natigilan nang tuluyan na nila kaming napansin. Hannah went pale, Drexzel was just beside her, with his stoic face.
My lips trembled when i tried to smile at them.
"S-Sorry for the interruption." i faked my smile. "Andrex and I will leave, continue what you are doing."
Agad ko nang hinila si Andrex palayo. Nang makaalis kami nang tuluyan doon saka ko lang naramdaman iyon sakit. I know why, i fell and i am so stupid for falling for him.
"Are you okay?" Andrex asked.
Kasama ko nga pala siya. I bit my lower lips.
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine."
"Chloe! Kanina pa kita hinahanap!" Marie exclaimed not until she noticed Andrex.
"Hi." He greeted her.
"Oh my gosh! Hello!" she simply shrieked.
Muli naman bumaling saakin si Andrex.
"Mauuna na ako." he said and then he left right away.
Napabuntong hininga ako. I watched him walking away until he's out of my sight, saka ako humarap kay Marie. She's grinning at me meaningfully.
"Ikaw ah! Sa magkapatid pa talaga." she grinned.
Hindi na lang ako umimik. I was about to walk when i heared Hannah's voice calling me. Napaharap ako sa direksyon niya, kasama niya si Drexzel at magkahawak kamay pa talaga sila. Marie's eyes widened from what she saw.
"A-Ano..." she muttered. Lumingon siya saakin.
I just smiled. Humarap ako kay Hannah at Drexzel, at sapilitan akong ngumiti sakanila. Napalingon si Hannah kay Marie.
"I c-can explain..." she uttered.
Peke akong ngumiti, bahagya akong tumawa.
"There's nothing to explain, Hannah. It seems like you're happy with him and we're happy for you too." humarap ako kay Drexzel at pakunwaring hinampas siya sa braso.
"Ikaw naman, please take care of my friend. She's really kind and pure, both of you deserve each other." i smiled.
"Chloe." mariing tawag ni Drexzel.
I smiled fakely.
"It was really nice to know that you're her boyfriend, i guess, she's in a good hands. I trust in you, master." pakunwaring tumawa ako.
Hinila ko na si Marie para makaalis na kami roon. We went to her car, at doon ko naibuhos ang lahat.
"Hindi ko alam..." she uttered.
"Why does it hurt?" i cried.
Nakahawak lang ako sa dibdib ko. My heart shattered, nahulog kasi ako kahit hindi naman dapat. I am hurt not just because of what i've found out, I am hurt because i was expecting that we both feel the same way. The kiss, the laughters we shared, i thought there's something in it.
Wala pala...
And you know what hurts the most? That it was Hannah, my bestfriend.
But i don't have choice but to accept the fact that they're now together. Wala naman akong karapatang umangal, sino ba naman ako? I am just a mere slave of that yellow head.
"Hindi ko alam na kayang gawin ni Hannah iyon, She knows that you like him!"
"Hindi natin alam na siya pala ang nauna at ako lang pala iyong epal..."
"Kung ganoon sana sinabi niya agad!" galit na sambit niya.
"It wasn't her fault. Kasalanan ko naman kung bakit ako nasasaktan, God! I sound so corny, pero kung saan sila masaya then bahala na sila. Nahulog lang naman ako, hindi pa ako nalulunod, I can stand again and i'll just remind myself na huwag na siyang gustuhin."
We went to a mall, para daw matanggal stress ko at hindi ako malungkot. Pero kahit anong gawin namin, nasa penthouse lang si Drexzel na magpapaalala saakin na ang boba ko. Hinatid ako ni Marie sa penthouse, she even insisted na sa bahay na nila ako matulog pero hindi naman pwede 'cause i'm still under this punishment.
I can't wait for this to be over...
I composed myself first before going in. And as expected, nandito na nga siya. He's seating on the couch, nang mapansin ako ay tumayo siya.
"Hey." i faked my smile.
"It's already 9:00 pm, bakit ngayon ka lang?" his brows furrowed.
Stop acting like as if you are concern please...
"N-Namasyal lang kami ni Marie, i forgot about the time." i explained, which is true naman.
"Ahhh..." tumango siya.
Magpapaalam na sana ako nang biglang bumukas ang pinto nang penthouse niya. It was my brother and the other bandmates. Nag-ingay naman sila, may dala dala ng supot na may beer sa loob.
Hinila na agad nila si Drexzel papunta sa couch at doon sila naupo. Habang si Andrex naman ay nasa tabi ko.
"Wanna talk?" sambit niya.
Napatingala naman ako sakaniya.
"Yeah, i also think so."
Tumango siya. Naglakad na kami palayo sakanila. Pero agad naman naming narinig ang pagsigaw ng kapatid ko kaya kami natigil sa paglalakad.
"Saan mo dadalhin kapatid ko!" singhal niya.
Napapailing na lang ako kay Chlay. Ngumisi naman si Andrex.
"Mag-uusap lang."
"Tangina niyong magkapatid, pinag-aagawan niyo ba ang kapatid ko?"
"Shut up, Chlay." suway ko sa kapatid.
"Drexzel has nothing to do with Chloe. Alam mo naman kung bakit 'diba?"
Natahimik ang kapatid ko. Napatingin naman ako kay Andrex. Masyado silang masikreto. Hinila na ako ni Andrex papasok sa elevator.
"Saan tayo?" i asked.
"Let's have some dinner, tapos mag-uusap tayo." sabi niya.
Nang makarating na kami, we went to a vacat table near the huge glass window. He called the waiter.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"Steak will do."
He nodded.
"And a red wine please, thank you." sabi niya at muling binalik ang menu sa waiter.
Muli siyang humarap saakin. Nakipagtitigan naman ako sakaniya pero ako lang rin ang umiwas. I sighed.
"Anong pag-uusapan natin?" tanong ko sakaniya.
"I know you have questions there in your mind. I can answer it for you." sambit niya.
I sighed heavily. Yes indeed, i do have a lot of questions running on my head. Hindi ko lang alam kung paano niya nalaman iyon but knowing Andrex, mukhang marami siyang nalalaman nababase ko iyon sa mga pinagsasasabi niya saakin noon.
"May alam ka na sakanila?"
"Yep." sagot niya.
"How come? Bakit hindi namin alam?" tanong ko.
He shrugged.
"Malay ko sa kaibigan mo. But let me tell you this, this isn't it yet." wika niya.
"What do you mean by that?" kunot noong tanong ko sakaniya.
He grinned.
"It is not my business at all, it's for me to keep and for you to find out, Chloe. Figure it out before you fall deeper."
"Para saan pa 'tong pag-uusap na 'to kung wala kang sasabihin?" iritadong sambit ko.
"I am just here to warn you. I am concern about you, just be careful."
Andrex is very mysterious. Halatang may nalalaman siya pero ayaw niyang magsalita. He rather want me to figure it out alone than telling me what's actual happening. Patuloy na bumabagabag saakin ang mga salita niya.
This isn't it yet...
What does he mean by that?
The next few weeks, i tried to distant myself from Drexzel. He's in a relationship with my friend, i can't be always around him.
Napaisip ako noong nakita ko si Hannah sa mall. Kaya pala familiar saakin iyong lalaki dahil kasa-kasama ko naman pala sa araw-araw iyon.
"Chloe?" tawag niya saakin habang nagpupunas ako sa table.
"Ano iyon?"
Tumitig siya saakin pero hindi siya nagsasalita. Tumikhim naman ako. Napailing naman siya.
"Water." maiksing sabi niya.
My brows furrowed.
"Tubig lang?"
"Yeah."
Tumango ako at kumuha ng tubig sa kusina. Mabilis ko naman itong nilapag sa coffee table saka ako muling bumalik sa ginagawa ko.
"Chloe?" muling tawag niya.
Napabuntong hininga ako at muling humarap sakaniya.
"Bakit?"
He sighed. Tumayo naman siya at lumapit saakin. I stepped back, my heart is pounding so loud when he's near.
"I'm sorry..."
Kumunot ang noo ko.
"Sorry for what?"
"Because of Hannah?"
I sighed.
"Walang dahilan para manghingi ka ng tawad, If you love each other then go ahead wala naman kayong natatapakang ibang tao." sabi ko.
Apat na buwan nagawa ko siyang mahalin. Mabilis na iyon para saakin, for me it takes time to love someone. But for a short period of time, i just found out that i am in love with this yellow head.
Pero hanggang doon na lang iyon, I am in love with him but i am in love with myself too. Mas mahal ko ang sarili ko. Self-preservation is what i need.
My birthday came, my momma called early in the morning just to greet me, ganoon rin si daddy at saka si lolo. Too bad, i can't celebrate my birthday with my family dahil wala naman sila sa mansion ngayon. Nasa isang business trip sila.
While cleaning the penthouse nagulat na lamang ako nang makita ko ang The Luminous along with my friends Marie and Hannah.
"Happy birthday, My evil sister!" my brother kissed me on my cheeks.
"Bakit?"
"Happy birthday, Chloe! Birthday mo ngayon pero ako iyon kinilig dahil sinundo ako ng The Luminous." she shrieked.
Natawa naman ako sakaniya. Napatingin naman ako kay Hannah.
"Happy birthday!" she greeted.
I just smiled. Palihim namang umirap si Marie. Hinampas ko naman siya.
Napatingin naman ako kay Drexzel. Nakatingin lang siya saakin pero pinili kong umiwas nang tingin.
The brought expensive liquors, they also bought a samgyupsal grill, at umorder sila ng mga korean dish, and the samgyupsal itself.
How i missed samgyupsal!
Nakaupo kami sa may carpet lang. Ang ingay nila, mostly boys at nakikisali lang sa ingay si Marie. Napatingin naman ako sa direksyon nina Drexzel at Hannah na magkatabi.
"Dude hindi ko talaga alam na kayo pala!" said Kairo pertaining to Drexzel and Hannah.
"Oo nga eh! Ang galing nila kasi maglihim!" side comment naman ni Marie.
Umiwas na lang ako ng tingin sakanila. Umupo naman sa tabi ko si Andrex, inalok niya rin ako ng isang baso ng vodka. Tumanggi naman ako.
"Why not? If i were you maglalasing ako." biro niya.
Umirap ako.
"I am not that lame, Yes, i am hurt pero i won't drunk myself just to forget."
"So hahayaan mo na lang na mamanhid ka?"
"Parang ganoon na nga."
Nakisabay na rin kami sa biruan nila. Hindi ko mapigilang tumawa nang magtwerk si Chlay sa harap namin. Binato ko naman siya nang unan.
"Disgusting!" tawa ko.
Natigilan lang ako nang maabutan kong nakatitig saakin si Drexzel. Ngumiti lang ako at umiwas na nang tingin.
"Don't be fooled." bumulong saakin si Andrex.
Lumapit rin ako sakaniya para bumulong.
"That won't happen."
Though hindi ko naman alam ang tinutukoy niya but rest assured na hindi ako magpapaloko sa kahit sino.
The rest of the night was epic. Hinatid ni Andrex ang mga lasing, even Marie was drunk too. Nang makauwi na silang lahat at natira na kaming dalawa ni Drexzel, the awkward silence take over us.
Tumalikod na ako at pinulot ang mga kalat...
"Let me help you."
Umiling naman ako nang hindi siya hinaharap.
"Hindi na, this is my job." wika ko.
"Let me help you, we're friends. Friends help each other out." wika niya.
I faced him.
"I don't need the help, Drexzel." mariing sambit ko.
He frowned.
"What's the matter with you, I thought we're okay now? Bakit biglang may galit ka ulit saakin, Is this about Hannah?"
"Okay tayo, Drexzel. Hindi mo naman kasi ako kailangan tulungan." sabi ko.
"Then why are you being so distant? You think i didn't notice it?"
Napamura ako sa isip ko.
"It's for the better, Ayaw kong magselos saakin ang kaibigan ko."
"There's nothing to be jealous about, We're just friends." mariing sabi niya.
Ouch. Oo nga naman...
I sighed.
"Drexzel... Crush kita, hindi ko itatanggi iyon. But i don't want to be involve with you two, mahirap na..." sambit ko.
Now i've said it!
"Crush mo 'ko?"
Namula ang pisngi ko. I pursed my lips and nodded.
"Pero crush lang naman! It's no big deal." umirap ako.
He grinned.
"Really? You have a crush on me?" he smirked.
Umirap ako. Mas lalo kong nararamdaman ang pag-init ng pisngi ko.
"Paulit-ulit? Crush lang naman, mawawala rin 'to."
He chuckled.
"Mawawala? I'll make sure you'll fall deeper, Chloe." he grinned.
To be continued.