Chapter 18
Nalaman ko na lang na lumipad na nga patungong Australia si Hannah. Kahit nagalit si Marie sakaniya she was saddened about the news. She's been our friend but now she's gone.
Maybe getting away from pain is inevitable. She wanted peace and have her new life, kaya niya ginustong umalis.
Martes ay walang klase due to holiday. Kaya both of us, Drexzel and I are just chilling and reading here in the living room.
"Do you know what day is today?"
Napalingon ako sa banda ni Drexzel. Parehas kaming nakaupo sa couch, nakadantay ang isang binti niya sa hita ko habang parehas kaming nag-aaral.
"Tuesday?"
He sighed.
"Alam mo ba kung anong meron sa linggo?" he asked again.
My brows furrowed. I have no idea. Ano nga ba ang meron sa linggo? Sort of some holiday perhaps?
"I don't know..." sagot ko.
He hissed. Tinanggal niya ang pagkakadantay sa hita ko at inirapan ako. His mood suddenly collapsed, he stood up and went to his room. Ano ba kasing meron?
Hindi niya ako pinapansin. I am getting frustrated, i don't even know what upsets him. May nasabi ba akong masama?
"Why are you ignoring me?" i asked calmly.
He just rolled his eyes.
"What do you think?" he raised his brows on me.
Umiling ako.
"Hindi ko alam."
And again, he ignored my presence. Kinabukasan ay pumasok pa rin naman kami kahit papaano nang sabay pero hindi biya pa rin ako pinapansin.
I grunted. Hindi naman pwedeng ganito. Nakakastress isipin.
"Can you please tell me what upsets you? Sumasakit ulo ko kakaisip kung ano bang problema mo?"
"Figure it out." wika niya at lumabas na ng sasakyan.
I sighed.
He's so matampuhin, hindi ko alam na ganito pala siya. He's cute but it's frustrating the hell out of me. Paano ba manuyo ng lalaki? i wonder.
Sabado na pero wala pa rin siya imik saakin. He went out with the band, naiwan naman ako dito mag-isa sa penthouse niya. I just sighed. He's giving me cold treatments, naloloka na ako.
"Hindi ko naman kasi alam kung anong meron sa linggo..." i uttered to myself.
Then an idea came to my head. Hindi kaya...
"Birthday niya ba?"
Bakit ang tanga ko at hindi ko naisip iyon. I immediately called Marie, panigurado alam niya birthday ng bawat isa sakanila, she's a fan of them.
"Yeah, tomorrow nga ang birthday niya! Bakit hindi mo alam?" she exclaimed on the phone.
I bit my lower lips.
"I... I didn't know!"
Wala naman akong gaanong alam sakaniya. Yes, we're now boyfriend and girlfriend but it doesn't feel like we are, i mean... hindi ko alam.
"That's why he's upset!"
I sighed violently. Siguro nga. But he should've told me!
Pinatay ko na ang tawag at hinintay na lang si Drexzel hanggang sa makauwi siya. I checked the time it's already 11 pm, saan na kaya iyon? Is he still upset?
One hour have passed, i sighed in relief when i saw him. Medyo nagulat pa siyang makitang gising ako. I grinned at him, sunday na and it's his birthday today. Inirapan naman niya ako.
I chuckled and ran to him. I wrapped my arms around his waist. Tiningala ko siya.
"Happy birthday..." i uttered.
Tinangala ko siya while we stayed in this position trying to see his reaction. Inirapan niya lang ako then he hissed.
"Sorry na..." i pouted.
I was a bit startled when he peck a kiss on my lips.
"Still upset." he muttered.
I chuckled.
"You already got your kiss." i grinned.
"It takes more than just a kiss, my slave. You forgot about my birthday." sambit niya.
"Hindi ko naman kasi talaga alam..." i muttered and lean my head on his chest.
Medyo nilayo niya ako sakaniya at hinarap ako. Tinignan ko naman siya.
"Crush mo 'ko tapos hindi mo alam birthday ko?" he narrowed his eyes.
I gasped.
"Why so yabang? Crush lang naman kita..."
He lifted his brow.
"You're in love with me." he pinched my cheeks.
Tumawa lang ako. Alam na alam niyang mahal ko siya, hindi ako nakalimot na paalalahanan siya how madly in love i am to him. There's no doubt... it was him who's i think hesitant about us. I can see and feel it, hindi ako tanga.
But just like those people who are under the spell of love, i am trying to neglect that thought, blinding myself and be stupid.
I never heared him say the word, maybe once noong pauwi kami galing mansyon pero pagkatapos noong araw na iyon ay wala na, it was me who always say those 'love' word.
Surprisingly, it was okay for me...
Madaling araw ay umorder kaming dalawa ng pagkain. Maybe a pre-celebration for his day.
"What are your plans?" i asked.
He shrugged.
"I don't know..."
He seems off. Kanina ko pa napapansin na parang may malalim siyang iniisip.
Ano naman kaya iyon?
Umiling na lang ako. Maybe he's just tired, napagod siguro sa gig or whatever he did tonight. Kailangan ko na lang siyang intindihin, no matter how much i wanted his attention and i don't want to be nosy.
Kinaumagahan ay nagpaalam siya. But he reminded me about the party later tonight, sa isang club he rented a one VIP room, where he gonna celebrate his birthday with the band of course and some of his friends i think.
So i called Marie sa tanghali, i asked her to come over hindi naman niya ako binigo.
"You have to look pretty mamaya!" she said.
Umirap ako.
"I am pretty." sagot ko.
"Bitch! You have to look extraordinary! You know, so that he'll drool over you." she grinned.
"Whatever, don't call me a bitch again."
She sighed violently. Pumunta kaming mall just to buy some new clothes to wear para mamayang gabi. I was a bit excited with mixed of anxiety.
Due to this punishment nga, Marie has to treat me dahil i am poor sa ngayon. Wala naman daw problema. She's as rich as me. She's buying for herself too.
"What do you think of this?"
Nanlaki ang mata ko sa pinakita niya.
"That's a fucking lingerie, there's no way i'm gonna wear that!"
Umirap siya at naghanap na lang nang ibang masusuot para mamayang gabi.
So i ended up with sequined short black party dress, while Marie bought a beige tube fitted dress which suits her well.
Bumalik kami sa penthouse at doon mag-aayos. It's already seven o' clock, we still have time to fix ourselves.
"Is he going to pick you up?" Marie i asked.
I pouted.
"Hindi nga, eh." sagot ko.
"It's okay, nandiyan naman iyong kotse magpahatid na lang tayo roon."
I sighed. There's no time to be upset, it's his birthday today and i must understand the he's kinda busy. I cleaned the house first before i put some my make up on my face.
I only put light makeup, 'cause i don't do heavy ones. I tied my hair into a high messy ponytail. I made sure na wala akong naiwan sa penthouse bago kami aalis. It's already 10 pm, the party will start at eleven.
"Let's go?"
Tumango ako at sumakay na sa kotse na dala ni Marie. I checked myself in the mirror that brought.
I look good. Pero kinakabahan ako without any certain reason.
Nang makarating kami ay mas dumoble ang kaba ko. Hindi naman kami nahirapan na makapunta sa VIP room kung saan magaganap ang party niya.
It's indeed a VIP, malaki ang kwarto, huge couches and a table on the center, dim lights, may malaking glass window sa gilid kung saan kita ang dancefloor sa baba.
Nandoon ang banda and some unfamiliar faces. Siguro ibang kaibigan ni Drexzel, may iilang babae rin pero i don't mind, they look cheap.
"Chloe!" tawag saakin ni Priam nang makita ako.
Agad naman kaming lumapit ni Marie sakanila. May binati si Marie na isang kaibigan rin ni Drexzel then she tag along with them.
"What are you doing here?" simangot saakin ng kapatid ko.
"Should i tell you the reason?" umirap ako. Inirapan niya rin ako.
Hindi niya pa rin matanggap na kami na ni Drexzel. Umusog si Priam at pinaupo ako. I looked around, hinahanap ang kahit anino man lang ng birthday boy.
"Where's he?" i asked Priam.
"He's with Rex, i think?" sambit niya.
Tumango ako. I waited for few more minutes. Nakarating na rin silang dalawa, he's face is stoic while Andrex is frowning. Kinawayan ko sila.
Matalim ang tingin saakin ni Andrex at umiling-iling pa siya. Tipid namang ngumiti saakin si Drexzel at tumungo sa direksyon ko.
"Hey..." he muttered.
Tumayo si Priam at hinayaang umupo sa tabi ko si Drexzel. He kissed me on my cheeks.
"You don't look happy? May problema?" i asked.
Medyo nagulat pa siya sa tanong pero agad naman siyang umiling. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him. Nakita ko naman ang bayolenteng reaksyon ng kapatid ko.
"Drexzel, i'm fucking here!" singhal niya.
"So what? She's my girl." Drexzel grinned at him.
I saw Andrex hissed. Napakunot naman ang noo ko. Nanatiling nakatingin ako sakaniya, he look disappointed.
"Eyes on me." Drexzel whispered on my ear.
"H-Huh?"
"Stop staring at my brother, hindi ako natutuwa." he hissed.
Napangisi naman ako at humarap sakaniya. I held his cheeks and kissed him quickly on his lips. Nakaramdam naman ako ng hiya nang makita na nakatingin sila saamin.
"Fucking shit..." rinig kong sabi ng kapatid ko.
I rolled my eyes on him. Bumaling naman ako sa ibang kasamahan ni Drexzel, Marie grinned at me. Iyong iba ay kuryosong nakatingin saamin.
"She's your new girl, Drex?" tanong nung isang lalaki.
Hindi naman sumagot si Drexzel, nanatili lang siyang nakakapit sa bewang ko.
"She's pretty, hindi na masama na pamalit kay Samantha." wika nung isa.
Samantha?
Nakita kong natigilan ang iba. Napapikit naman nang mariin si Drexzel. Everyone fell silent after that. Pamalit? Samantha probably his ex?
Wala naman sanang problema saakin pero bakit ganoon na lang ang mga reaksyon nila?
And... I remember that name, Drexzel uttered it repeatedly when he was sick.
Hindi pa ba siya nakakamove on?
"U-Uhm! Cheers for the birthday boy!" biglang sambit ni Kairo.
Pero parehas kaming hindi na makaimik ni Drexzel. Nakatingin lang ako sa mukha niya. He's spacing out, na parang may malalim na iniisip.
Si Samantha kaya iniisip niya?
I sighed. My heart ached a bit.
"Are you okay?" i asked.
Doon na siya napalingon saakin. He look bothered. I sighed again. Hindi ko maintindihan kung ano ba dapat ang maramdaman ko. Should i be bothered too?
Just a mere mention of that girl's name, then he became like this. Tahimik at tulala.
Dapat na ba akong matakot?
"I'm... fine." sagot niya.
No, you are not. Damn, why am i hurting?
"Are you sure? Is this about... Samantha?" kinabahan ako sa sarili kong tanong.
Hindi ko alam kung ano ang mararamdaman ko nang makita ang reaksyon niya. He was taken aback, mabibigat ang paghinga niya at mukhang... galit?
"No." mariin at matalim niyang sagot.
I sighed.
"It's okay with me, c-can you tell me about her?"
"I said i'm fine, we're not going to talk about her." mariin niyang sabi.
My lips parted. May kung anong nagbabara sa lalamunan ko. I couldn't talk, i don't want to open my mouth, dahil sa isang buka lang ng bibig ko alam kong babagsak ang luha ko.
He's still affected about that girl... I am not dumb, i can see it through his eyes.
My licked my lower lips.
I need to calm down. Baka wala lang iyon, maybe i'm just overthinking. Tama.
I avoided my gaze to him and landed to the girl who just entered the room. She's gracefully walking towards us with a smile on her face. Her eyes were directly to the man beside me, Drexzel.
"Long time no see..." she smiled at him.
"Samantha..."
My lips slowly parted. Napalingon ako kay Drexzel. The longing on his eyes were evident, his hands were formed in to a fist as if he's controlling himself to ran towards the girl.
Everyone watched them like they are some sort of a movie. While i'm here beside him, looking like an extra.
To be continued.