Chapter 26
Cristine's POV
Haaaay, I'm so darn tired! Kainis naman kasi si mommy, alam niya naman na fake lang yung wedding namin ni Drake pero kung mag-act siya akala mo naman totoo na 'yun! She even bought a dress for the wedding! Seriously, mom, you're making me go insane!
I sat down on the couch and rested my head. "Ayoko na," I said and then pouted.
Just when I was already beginning to relax and finally feel the comfort of my own house, my phone rang.
"Hello?" I said.
("Cristine!")
I pulled the phone away from my ears and tinignan ko yung caller ID. Hmmm it's not registered naman sa phone ko. Sino kaya 'to?
My brows were curling as I asked her the question... "Uhm, who's this?"
("Fier, you biatch!")
OMG OMG! Si Fier!
Tumayo ako and jumped around the house! Buti na lang wala si mommy because I'm sure she'll shout at me na naman! Ayaw niya kasi na tumatalon ako, so unlady like raw!
"OMG! You're here in the Philippines na?" I asked even though obvious naman na nandito na nga siya. Nagkakilala kasi kami ni Fier way back pa when she was studying here in the Philippines. She's half Filipino, half Spanish kaya sobrang pretty niya!
She laughed at me. Huhu palagi na lang! She always calls me stupid. Bad Fier!
("Obviously, honey. Anyway, I'll go to your house tomorrow, okay? My brothers ditched me!") she protested. Hay nako! Hindi pa rin nagbabago ang twins! Pasaway as ever pa rin!
I was about to say yes kaya lang naalala ko na wedding na nga pala bukas! Syempre as Drake's only friend dapat nandun ako! Speaking of which, di ko pa nacocontact si Drake! Ano kayang nangyari sa snob na yun?
"Oh, no, Fier... may pupuntahan kasi ako tomorrow. Can we like resched or something?"
("Hmmm where? I'll come with you na lang. I'm so bored! Walang tao sa bahay kung hindi maids, tapos si Chance at Lourd nambababae! Grabe talaga!")
I chuckled at her. Nako, Fier Sandoval, ang cute niya pa rin! Omg ipapakilala ko nga pala siya kay Drake! I know naman na Drake will snob her (lahat naman ng ipinakilala ko sa kanya ni hindi siya nagsmile e) pero for the heck of it, I'll introduce Fier na rin.
Sighing, I agreed. "Fine, but wedding yung pupuntahan natin. No pasaway business!" I reminded her. Once kasi nagpunta siya sa wedding ng long time crush niya wearing black dress! Omg talaga yun feeling ko mamamatay ako sa kahihiyan e cousin ko pa naman yung guy! Di ko naman akalain na ganun ang gagawin ni Fier! By invite lang kasi yung wedding and I added her as my plus one then... huhuhu hindi na ako nakaharap nun kay Kuya Luke simula nun.
She laughed. Nako, pasaway talaga! ("Alright, honey. Sige, I'll sleep na! Good night.")
After talking to her, I ate my dinner na. Wala pa rin si mommy, mabuti naman. I'd hate for her to make sermon na naman about Drake and me! Kasi naman di ba niya magets na 'US' is almost impossible? Like dang, Drake's head over heels kay Alys! Kaya nga walang kwenta efforts ko na palawakin ang social circle ni Drake. Nako puro Alys Alys Alys. Feel ko tuloy kilala ko na si Alys kasi pag si Alys lang ang topic tsaka sisipagin magsalita si Mr. Palma. Naku!
"Miss Cristine, may naghahanap po sa inyo..." Manang said while I was reading a mag.
"Sino raw po?"
"Si Sir Steve po."
Hmmm ano kaya ang ginagawa ni Tito Steve?
I went out and saw him standing, he looked worried.
"Tito?" I asked.
He looked up and I saw him really worried. Oh... "Cristine, nandyan ba si Drake?"
I shook my head. The last time I talked to the snob was yesterday pa! And the wedding is tomorrow na.... Naku baka naman nag stag party na si Drake! Hahaha! Omg what an idea! Baka itulak palayo ni Drake yung mga girls na lalapit sa kanya.
"Why po, Tito? Wala ba siya sa inyo?"
Umiling siya. "Hindi pa siya umuuwi simula kahapon, e..."
"Hala. Nasan kaya si Drake?"
"Hindi ko rin alam, e. Sige, Cristine, kung alam mo pakisabi naman sa akin," he said. I nodded at him and then hinatid ko siya sa gate. Hala, Drake! San ka nagsususuot? Bukas na kaya ang wedding! Omg nako baka nagpropose na kay Alys yun! Baka naman nagcecelebrate!
Okay fine, matutulog na ako para pretty naman ako bukas!
--
"Good morning, brat," my mom greeted me.
"Ano na naman, mom?" I asked while stretching. Morning na morning iniinis niya na naman ako! Hay nako, mommy!
She sat down on my bed and then crossed her arms. "If you just followed what I said, e di sana son-in-law ko na si Drake ngayon!" she whined.
I closed my eyes and shook my head. "Mom, if you want Drake that badly, ask him to marry you instead."
She gasped. Buti nga! Kulit kasi!
Pumasok na ako sa CR and performed my daily rituals. I looked at the mirror. Not bad! Ang pretty ko pa rin! Pero bakit kaya wala akong boyfriend pa rin? Kainis! Gusto ko na kaya ng boyfriend! I'll be very good naman as long as love niya ako. Gusto ko yung kagaya ng love ni Drake kay Alys... yung epic love.
After dolling myself up, lumabas na ako and sinuot ko na yung dress ko. Truth be told, wala namang masyadong invited sa wedding! As in intimate wedding lang... ewan ko ba kay Drake. Nako.
"Cristine," my mother called me. "Fier's here! Ang gandang bata. Naku, bakit ba hindi ka ganun kaganda," she complained.
"Kasi mana lang ako sa'yo, no!"
Mommy talaga napaka negative!
Lumabas ako ng room na nandun na si Fier, looking... duh. Fierce as usual. Naka all red from head to toe! Kulang na lang magbleed yung lips niya sa pagkapula!
"Ang pretty ko, right?" she said with that familiar flirty laugh. Naku!
"Whatever, Fier. Let's go."
Lumabas na kami and ang kapal ng mukha, ha! Ako pa ang magddrive! Kainis! Pero wala rin naman akong nagawa sa dulo... nagdrive rin ako.
"So..." she said. "Sino ba ang ikakasal?"
I concentrated on the road. "Si Drake."
"Drake who?"
"Drake Palma."
"Sounds yummy!" sabi niya then she giggled.
"Fier!" saway ko sa kanya. "Ikakasal na yung tao! Avoid dirty thoughts naman!" sabi ko.
She made face at me. Kainis, ha! Ako na nga nagvolunteer na magdrive tapos... ugh! "Hah. If I know you like him tapos malungkot ka cos' magpapakasal na siya sa iba no?" she teased.
Yuck. Can I puke right now? Kadiri na, ha! Hindi nga kami ni Drake! Like in my nightmares pwede pa!
Kinulit niya ako ng kinulit hanggang makarating kami sa venue. Pagdating namin sa venue, walang tao... Oh, my god.
Tumakbo ako papasok sa venue and... damn. There he was.
Hindi ko na inintindi si Fier at naglakad ako papunta kay Drake. He was at the altar, sitting alone.
Hindi ko alam pero my feet are shaking while I was walking. I may not love Drake but I surely care about him. Kahit na I think absurd na yung faith niya kay Alys, I supported him because I know she'll make him happy. Pero the last days, hindi na happiness yung nakikita ko. I hate Alys. Of course kay Drake ako kakampi! He's my friend! Alys may be good but the way I see it, she's destruction for him.
"Drake..." I called out his name.
He looked up to me and I saw him smiling. "Cristine," he said.
He looked perfectly fine. Naka ordinary day attire lang siya pero yung mukha niya naka... oh, God! She turned him down!
"Drake naman!"
Nakatingin na naman siya sa floor ng simbahan. He was playing with his hands. "Stop shouting," he whispered. "I've had enough shouting to last my week."
Biting my lip, niyakap ko si Drake. He needs me! I hate you, Alys! Bakit mo palaging ginaganito ang best friend ko?!
"Alis na tayo dito..." I murmured.
He did not even move a bit. Nandito lang kami, nakaupo. He wasn't even crying! Ano ba, Drake! Cry if you want! Mas natatakot ako na ganyan ka e...
"Drake, please alis na tayo dito?"
I was busy asking him na umalis na kami ng magsalita si Fier.
"Look, Mister, your bride ditched you. Move on!" sabi niya while chewing a gum
"Fier!" sigaw ko. How dare she?! Dapat talaga hindi ko na sinama ang babaeng to e! She's trouble!
She raised her brow. "What? I'm just saying the truth here, Cristine. She left him. Move on, dude. Hindi titigil ang mundo dahil iniwan ka niya."
"You don't know them, Fier. Please stop bitching," I said. Please naman wag ngayon. Drake's broken.
She shook her head. "Hay naku. Look, Mister, I don't know you so outsider's opinion lang naman ang binibigay ko. From how I see it, she doesn't care. I hate it when people beg for something they can't have. If you want it bad enough, make it happen. Begging will only make you look pathetic."
And oh my god! Drake looked at her! For a second, natigilan si Fier. Kanina pa kasi nakayuko si Drake habang kinakausap niya.
"Shut up."
And then he walked out, dala niya yung ring sana ni Alys.
Tapos si Fier sa tabi ko. "Shit. She's so gonna regret letting him down. Pahingi ng number nung masungit na yun!" she said to me while watching Drake walk away.