Allexa's POV
Ang sayang kasama nung mga friends ni Allen! Palakwento si Tony habang playful naman sina Guel at Hansel, para silang nabiyak na Nathaniel.
According to Tony, nagkakilala daw sila nina Allen sa isang bilyaran. Paano nakaapak si Allen sa bilyaran? Thanks to Class 3F noon of course. Idol ni Tony si Bryce, siya daw ang role model niya kaya naman maangas ang porma niya.
Oh, did I mention na sa East High din sila nag-aaral? Yup, sa East high sila nag-aaral, kaya pala familiar sila.
We were currently chatting sa sala nung napansin kong hindi umiimik yung dalawang lovebirds, nope, hindi sina Etong at Kalbo, sina Allen at Ashley ang tinutukoy ko.
Nakaupo si Allen sa tabi ni Tony, 3 people away from Ashley na nakaupo sa tabi ni Bryce. sa floor kasi ako nakaupo kasi naglalaro kami ng tong-its nina Nathaniel, Kurt, Guel, at Hansel.
"Allen, let's talk" biglang sabi ni Ashley in the middle of our kwentuhan with the boys so we stopped talking and looked at her. She stood up and went in front of Allen, "did you hear what I said?" tanong niya, mukang naiinis talaga siya.
Humugot ng malalim na hinga si Allen saka tumayo, "Balik ako" paalam niya kay Tony na walang nagawa kundi ang tumango. Sana mali ako pero pansin kong may gusto siya kay Ashley. kanina pa kasi niya siya sinusulyapan eh.
"Hoy Ash, ibalik mo si Allen ng buhay ah" biro ni Kurt pero hindi niya itinuloy na tumawa kasi tinignan siya ng masama ni Ashley. He just scratched the back of his head sabay sabi ng "nagbibiro lang eh".
"No fighting" sabi ko sa dalawa pero mukang 'di nila ako nadinig kasi malapit na sila sa door.
They went out.
"Parang timang yung dalawang yun," said Nathaniel, "Kung maka-LQ akala mo naman sila na, tss".
Nagkibit balikat nalang kami, he has a point kasi.
Napatingin ako kay Nathaniel and he looked at me, we smiled devilishly.
"Whatever you two are planning, don't do it" warning ni Bryce and we sighed.
"Ooookay" we sadly said, gusto lang naming madining kung ano ang paguusapan nila eh.
Ashley's POV
Once the door closed, I looked at him with my blaring eyes. He didn't look at me, he just looked away, na parang wala lang sa kanya na meron ako sa harap niya. It hurt me pero I controlled my emotion, nasanay na ako.
"What's happening to you ba? Bakit mo ako iniiwasan? Alam mo naman na ayaw na ayaw kong iniiwasan mo ako." I said, I didn't mean to be a brat pero he is really pushing me to the edge. Ayaw kong ibalik yung dati kong pag-uugali kasi it will only make the people around me hate me more.
"Ash.." he said, more like a whisper. He looked at me with pleading eyes, "pwede bang tigilan mo na ako?"
I was taken aback, hindi ko yun inexpect. I bit my lower lip. I felt my eyes started to moist kaya I looked away and folded my arms across my chest.
"Give me a good reason muna." I demanded. It's a miracle that my voice didn't falter. My throat hurts from holding my sob but I had to endure it. Ayaw kong makita niya akong iiyak.
"It's.." he shifted his weight with his other feet and stuck his hands inside his pockets, "it's kinda annoying. You always want me to do the things you want, always demanding for my time, it's always about you". He shifted his weight again and continued, "sawa na ako na lagi mo akong kinukulit. I hate it."
I looked down and whispered, "Ouch", not really wanting him to hear that. Basta nalang lumabas sa bibig ko. I quickly smiled at little, "Sorry, but that's not good enough", I uncrossed my arms and place them on both of my waist saka ako huminga ng malalim while looking down. My chest hurts kasi, I need to breath.
"You're annoying" he seriously said, I closed my eyes and shook my head.
"Nope, still not a good reason" I lied. Ayaw ko lang tanggapin ang mga sinasabi niya, why does he have to say those?
"I don't like to see you"
.
.
.
I think my brain stopped. Or was that my heart?
"Ash-" he was about to reach out but I stepped back a little, I looked at him, mukang nagulat siya sa reaction ko. His hand dropped slowly.
"I'm fine" I lied, "kahit ano pang sabihin mo," I swallowed hard kasi naiiyak ako, "It won't bother me" I lied again and looked away.
"Tigilan na natin 'to" he whispered, hindi ko alam kung nakatingin siya sa akin, I chose not to look at him so I just focused my eyes on his shoes.
His shoes, ate Lexa's birthday gift to him. I gave him dozens of them but he never used any.
I looked at his bracelets, he's not wearing any of the hundreds I gave him.
Not even the shirts and jackets I chose for him.
Not even...one of the things I gave him.
But the worst thing he rejected is ... my love for him.
"Ash" tawag niya sa attention ko.
I'm actually surprise of myself. I managed not to let any tear drops fall.
"Yun ba talaga ang gusto mo?" I asked, not showing any anger. I'm not even angry at him, I'm angry at myself for giving him too much expecting that I'll get something in return.
"Yes" he answered, he didn't even hesitate to answer. Gosh, I think I just heard my heart shattered into tiny pieces. But he doesn't need to know that.
I wore my best smile and faced him with my head held high.
"Okay, for once gawin natin ang gusto mo" I answered, I need to keep my dignity, or whatever is left of it, "Tutal nakakapagod nang umasa. Maybe I'll find someone better?" I asked.
He looked away and licked his lower lip, a mannerism he has ever since I met him.
"Mm" he replied with a small nod.
"Uhhh, maybe one of your friends?" I asked and he surprisingly looked at me, hindi ata niya inexpect na sasabihin ko yun. I laughed and hugged myself a little, ngayon ko lang narealize na ang lamig pala.
As cold as his heart.
"Nagbibiro lang ako" bawi ko, "don't worry, I will not stick around you anymore. Mmm," I thought for a moment, "maybe I'll go to uncle Benny in US, since he offered to let me study in one of the elite schools there. Good idea?" I asked him.
Hindi parin siya nakatingin sa akin, but he nodded once.
"Okay!" I answered, a big fake smile plastered on my face. "I didn't bring anything since I didn't plan to stay here that long naman," I pushed the door open and peeked inside, saktong kuya Bryce looked at my direction
I almost cried instantly seeing him smiling because of something ate Lexa said. I wanted that. I wanted what they have. I wanted to be loved by someone I love so dearly.
"Kuya, pwede po bang magpahatid?" I asked him. His smile slowly faded and nodded, that's one of the things I love about my kuya, he always know how I feel. Hindi ko na tinignan si ate Lexa kahit alam kong nakatingin siya sa akin with those worried eyes.
I closed the door.
"Bukas ka nalang umuwi, late na" said the stranger in front of me. I looked at his handsome face one last time.
"Ngayon na, baka magbago pa ang isip ko" I answered. Huminga ako ng malalaim and sighed as I raised my hands and fixed his crooked hoodie, "there," I said, "all fixed". I patted his shoulders, "huwag kang masyadong magpapagwapo, baka habulin ka ng madaming babae" biro ko.
He smiled a little, the way he looked at me made me think na he didn't want me to leave. But I shook it off agad. Aasa na naman ako.
Lumabas si kuya and he looked at us, I dropped my hands from Allen's shoulders and smiled at kuya.
"Let's go?" I asked, he walked passed me without answering and he went to get his car.
We didn't talk while waiting. We just faced where the gate is.
Ang unfair, here I am, fighting so hard to keep my breathing calm while he is doing it naturally.
Syempre hindi siya affected, stupid girl.
I blinked many times to get rid of the moist building up in my eyes.
Kuya parked in front of us and I didn't wait for him to open the door.
But before I got in, I stopped a little to say something to Allen, but I didn't look at him, "Kung magkasalubong man tayo sa daan, just pretend that you don't know me. I would do the same. For you." then I got inside the car.
Kuya started the engine and drove away.
.
.
Away from the mansion.
.
.
Away from Allen.
.
.
The car stopped when we were a block away and kuya Bryce went out. He went to my door and opened it, he gently pulled me out and pulled me on his chest, his other hand hugged me gently and the other one rested at the back of my head. Nagulat ako sa ginawa niya kaya I didn't react.
"Pwede ka ng umiyak, I'll hold you." he whispered while patting the back of my head gently.
I cried... a lot.
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