Chapter 25
Flight
The electropop music blasting through the speakers greeted me as soon as we got inside the club. The party wasn't at its peak yet when I saw that there were only few people dancing on the floor. It has a different atmosphere than the club in BGC that I last went to. I realized that the people coming here only came to chill than to party real hard.
"Nandoon si Sandro!"
Abrielle grabbed my hand when she saw her boyfriend on one of the booths. She dragged me all the way there in fast pace.
When her boyfriend saw us approaching his way, he smiled and stood up. He wasn't alone on the table. He was with three boys and a girl who's probably the girlfriend of the one she was cuddling with.
Mabilis na sinalubong ni Sandro ng halik si Abrielle sa labi bago lumipat ang kanyang tingin sa akin at naglahad ng kamay.
"It's nice to finally meet you, Zarina," he told me with a smile on his face.
I quickly observed Sandro's looks before giving him my hand for a hand shake.
He was a good looking man and he seemed like a good man with the way his hair was styled. Kumpara sa histura niya no'ng nakita ko siya sa video chat at pictures, napatunayan kong mas may hitsura siya sa personal. He must not be that photogenic.
"I'll introduce you to my friends. Kilala na kasi nila si Elle at medyo malapit na rin. I hope you don't mind spending the night with my friends," he said.
I tried to stop my eyebrows from rising. I'll give him a point for being considerate.
"No problem," I assured him. "If Elle's close with them, I don't think there'll be a problem. Hindi naman ako mahirap pakisamahan."
Ngumiti na lamang si Sandro bago muling hinarap ang kanyang mga kaibigan.
"Guys, this is Zarina. Best friend ni Abrielle," pakilala ni Sandro sa akin.
The guy with the clingy girl just nodded his head and smiled at me. Ang dalawang lalaki ay tumayo upang makipagkamay sa akin habang ang babae ay bumeso pa sa akin.
Pinapasok nila ako sa loob at katabi ko ngayon ang isa sa mga lalaking kaibigan ni Sandro at sa kabilang tabi ko ay Elle. Sa dulo na pumuwesto si Sandro na katabi rin ni Elle.
I can tell that Abrielle's already close with them because of the way she mingled and joked with them. It was actually awkward for me to join their conversation, especially when I couldn't relate to their topic, but Elle never failed to talk to me and give me her attention from time to time.
"I want to dance..." dinig kong sabi ni Abrielle kay Sandro.
"Whatever you want to do," sabi naman ni Sandro at agad na tumayo bago inilahad ang kamay sa aking kaibigan.
Nilingon muna ako ni Abrielle bago sila tuluyang umalis ni Sandro sa booth.
"Sasayaw lang kami. Pagkatapos ng isang kanta ay babalik din ako," paalam niya sa akin at tumango na lamang ako.
She didn't need to stick beside me all night. I knew that she wanted to have fun with her boyfriend tonight.
Kinuha ko ang cocktail na inorder ni Abrielle para sa akin at saka iyon ininom. I checked my phone after and read a message from Jace ten minutes ago that he was already on his way.
"Sandro told us earlier that you came from New York..."
Halos masamid ako nang kausapin ako ng lalaking katabi ko. If I remembered correctly, his name was Thad.
"Uh... Oo." Tumango pa ako.
"Doon ka ba lumaki?" tanong niya. "I had a vacation in New York once. Last two years. I was with my family and we stayed there for a week."
"Hindi. Doon lang ako nag-aral ng college," sagot ko naman.
"What made you come back here?" he asked.
"This is my home..." I simply said.
He smiled and drank a shot of liquor he ordered. Inalok niya ako ng isa pang shot at hindi naman ako tumanggi dahil isa pa lang naman ang naiinom ko ngayong gabi. I actually appreciated his effort in trying to keep me company while Abrielle's not back yet.
Ang isang kantang ipinangako niya sa akin ay magiging lima pa ata. Ayaw ko naman siyang hilahin palayo sa kanyang boyfriend.
"Can I ask you something, Zarina?" Muling pagkuha ni Thad sa aking atensyon.
Nilingon ko naman siya at saka ngumiti. Lumapit siya para bumulong sa akin.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked me, whispering the words into my ears.
Bahagya naman akong lumayo sa kanya at saka tumango. Agad namang nagbago ang kanyang ekspresyon at tila parang nabigo o natalo sa isang laro.
"You have a boyfriend..." he said to himself before eyeing me again. "Is it a serious relationship?"
My forehead creased with his follow up question. What kind of question was that?
"Yes, it is."
Gulat akong napalingon kay Jace na parang handang patayin sa titig si Thad. Siya na ang sumagot sa tanong nito. Kita ko rin ang kanyang nakakuyom na kamao habang paulit-ulit na umi-igiting ang kanyang panga.
"Jace!"
I immediately came closer to him and held his arm, but he didn't even pay attention to me. His eyes were fixed on Thad who can't even last a few seconds of staring at Jace directly.
"Do you have any problem with that?" Jace rudely asked Thad.
"Jace, stop being rude..." pagpigil ko sa kanya. "Nagtatanong lang naman siya."
Jace bit his lower lip before he finally looked at me. His eyes softened when it find mine. Inakbayan niya ako bago muling tinapunan nang matalim na tingin si Thad. Inilayo niya ako roon at agad kong binaling ang aking tingin sa dance floor.
"Jace, nandoon si Elle sa dance floor kasama ng boyfriend niya. Baka hanapin niya ako," sabi ko naman.
"We won't leave yet," he said. "Our high school friends are on the other table. They saw me earlier. I promised that I'd come back with you and I need to take you away from that guy."
"Jace..." Sinimangutan ko siya.
"He's clearly hitting on you," he told me. "Don't expect that I would just let him or any guy hit on my girl."
Hindi ko naman na napigilan ang mapangiti. Siya naman ang sumimangot dahil sa aking pagngiti.
"Bakit ka ngumingiti? Wala namang nakakatuwa," masungit niyang sabi sa akin.
Umiling naman ako at hindi pa rin matigil sa pagngiti. Mas gusto ko na ata ang nagsusungit siya dahil sobrang cute niya kapag nakasimangot.
Inirapan niya na lamang ako at saka tumigil sa pag-akbay sa akin upang hawakan ang aking kamay habang patuloy kaming naglakad patungo sa aming kaibigan na aking natanaw.
I saw Ericson almost spit the cocktail when he saw Jace and I approaching their table, especially when his eyes darted on our hands intertwined. On the other hand, Dana smiled widely before she clapped her hands that showed her enthusiasm.
"Oh my God!" tuwang-tuwa niyang sabi at tumayo upang salubungin ako.
Nakilala ko rin na kasama nila sa booth sina Lino, Brenda, Wynne, Dawn at Hero. Sa kanilang lima ay si Dawn ang pinakanatatandaan ko dahil alam din ng halos lahat ang pagkakagusto niya kay Jace noon. I treated her as my rival before, but she stopped showing her affection towards Jace when he told her that he don't like her. Samantalang ako ay kahit ilang beses na tinataboy ni Jace ay walang nangayri. Tumupad lang talaga ako sa aking pangako noon kaya ako lumayo pero hindi ko tinigil ang pagkakagusto sa kanya.
"Kayo na, Zarina? Totoo ba 'to?" pambungad na tanong sa akin ni Dana na parang hindi rin makapaniwala.
Nahihiya naman akong ngumiti at saka tumango.
"Bench wasn't lying when he told me that there's something going on between you two," sabi naman ni Ericson at saka ngumisi.
Lumabi naman ako at saka ko lang napagtanto na wala si Bench ngayon. He was close with Ericson, and it was unexpected that he wasn't here with them.
"You broke my friend's heart for the second tme, Zarina. Nagsesenti 'yon ngayon," natatawang sabi ni Ericson sa akin bago binalingan si Jace. "Hindi ako makapaniwala, Jace. Who would've thought that you'd get yourself a girlfriend?"
Nilingon ko naman si Jace na ngumisi lamang at hindi na nag-abala pang magsalita.
"You mean... who would've thought that Zarina would be his girlfriend..." Dawn laughed at her statement that I found it too offensive.
Pakiramdam ko ay hindi rin nagustuhan ni Jace ang tono ng pananalita ni Dawn dahil naramdaman ko ang paghigpit ng hawak niya sa aking kamay.
"Why not Zarina?" Jace shot his eyebrows up. "She's the best girlfriend."
Nag-iba naman ang timpla ni Dawn nang dahil sa sinabi ni Jace ngunit agad din siyang nakabawi.
"Paano mo naman nasabi 'yon?" sarkastiko niyang tanong. "Si Zarina pa lang naman ang nagiging girlfriend mo. There might be some other girl who can be your girlfriend that's better than her."
"Excuse me but who are you again?" Jace asked her without showing mercy.
Dawn's jaw dropped when Jace cannot remember her. I didn't know if Jace was just acting to piss her off or if she can't really remember her at all.
"I don't know who you are, but I just want to tell you that I don't need to have an ex or another girlfriend just to determine that Zarina's the best girlfriend because no one can be compared to her. No one can even come close," he said. "Not just as a girlfriend, but as a woman."
Hindi na nakapagsalita si Dawn at humalukipkip na lamang na tila napahiya sa mga sinabi ni Jace. Agad naman siyang dinaluhan ni Wynne.
"We need to go, Ericson. Ihahatid ko na si Zarina. We both have work tomorrow," paalam ni Jace kay Ericson.
"Oh... sure!" sabi naman ni Ericson. "I'm very sorry about Dawn..." he apologized for Dawn's attitude.
Magsasalita sana si Jace pero naunahan ko na siya. Ngumiti ako kay Ericson at saka umiling.
"Wala 'yon..." sabi ko na lang. "Mauuna na kami. Salamat sa time."
"No worries. Salamat din," sabi niya naman.
I looked at Dana and she smiled at me, also looking apologetic. I just smiled at her to make sure that I was okay with it.
Jace was holding my hand tightly as we went outside of the club. Naalala ko tuloy si Abrielle na paniguradong walang kaalam-alam at nasa dance floor pa rin. I should just send her a message.
"Where's your car keys?" he asked me when we were already at the parking lot.
Bumitaw naman ako sa kanyang pagkakahawak para kuhanin ang susi ng aking sasakyan sa loob ng aking bag. Kapag hindi kasi ako bumitaw ay mahihirapan ako sa pagkuha nito dahil sa higpit ng kanyang pagkakahawak at hindi madaling buksan ang bag.
He got the keys from my hand as soon as I got the hold of it. I was surprised when he suddenly threw my keys to the man who passed by us and walked straight into my car.
"Hindi niya naman siguro itatakbo ang sasakyan ko, 'di ba?" pabiro kong tanong kay Jace nang makapasok kami sa kanyang sasakyan.
He just grinned before he shook his head and started the car's engine before accelerating it.
Kinuha ko naman ang cell phone ko upang itext si Abrielle na pauwi na ako't kasama ko na si Jace kaya hindi niya kailangang mag-alala para sa akin.
"I can drive you to your office tomorrow, right?" paninigurado niya nang malapit na kami sa aming bahay. "Wala ka ng ibang lakad."
"Wala na," sabi ko sa kanya at ngumiti. "Agahan mo, ah."
"I'll pick you up at exactly six," he said.
The next two days passed by normally. Jace would drive me to my office, we will both have lunch together and he would also pick me up at work to drive me home.
I'd never encountered my mother at home ever since we had an argument. Pakiramdam ko'y parehas naming iniiwasan ang isa't isa. I never ate breakfast at home, and mom was always out during dinner. Kay daddy na nga lang ako nagpaalam sa pagdating ng mga kaibigan ko. I already prepared the guest room at our house where they will stay for the night before we travel to Ilocos for our trip.
"You're too excited, I don't like it." Jace frowned at me and crossed his arms.
My friends will arrive today from New York. Jace volunteered that he will come with me to pick them up. He even brought his family's SUV instead of using his car for us to fit. Bukas ay siya na rin ang nagprisinta na magmamaneho patungong Ilocos gamit ang kanilang sasakyan.
"I haven't seen them for a month. It's only a normal thing for me to be this excited," I told him. "You'll like my friends, I swear. They're fun to be with."
"Uhuh... They're fun, but I like the solemnity of the world more," he said which was partly true.
Jace was reserved and quiet. Mas gusto niya iyong tahimik lang. Nagulo lang ata talaga ng todo ang buhay niya nang magsimula na akong pumasok sa mundo niya. But sometimes, I would just find myself being quiet beside him while he holds my hand, and that's perfectly fine with me. Kapag magkasama kaming dalawa, kahit walang ginagawa ay ayos na ako. Kahit hindi kami gaanong nag-uusap ay masaya ako kasi alam kong kasama ko siya.
I wasn't even trying to imitate his personality, but it would happen unexpectedly when we're together. Like there's this other part of me that I just discovered when we started going out.
"Oh my gosh! Zarina!"
I averted my gaze at Monique who was screaming at the top of her lungs. Behind her was Wendell who's pushing the cart with their luggage on it.
Patakbo akong lumapit sa kanila at agad na niyakap ang aking matalik na kaibigan.
"I missed you so much, girl!" she told me.
"Monique's so excited to meet you again, Za. She keeps on saying it when we were still on the plane," Wendell told me.
Natawa naman ako lalo na nang umismid si Monique sa kanyang boyfriend.
"Where are Easton, Saddie and Austin?" I asked her because I can only see her and Wendell.
"They are still inside but they're coming out soon. I want to see you as soon as possible," she said and hugged me once again.
While Monique's still clinging on me, I saw Saddie, Easton and Austin approaching our way. Saddie ran towards us, while Easton was left to push her cart.
Sinalubong din ako ni Saddie nang mahigpit na yakap at inagaw ako mula kay Monique.
"I missed you, Za!" she said and pinched my cheek.
When we were still in New York, she always like pinching my cheek and telling me that I'm cute.
"Za, I hope you prepared lunch for us. I'm starving!" Easton who's a glutton, talked to me about food even thought we just met again.
"I missed you, too, Easton..." I sarcastically told him and smiled.
He just grinned at me and leaned on his cart.
Nilipat ko naman ang tingin ko kay Austin. He removed his wayfarers and smiled at me.
"If Monique missed you so damn much well, Austin missed you so fucking much," Wendell said and laughed. "He would always go online to check if you're online as well. When we had sleepover, he kept on cheking his phone until dawn. He didn't even join the fun."
Siniko naman ni Monique si Wendell upang tumigil na pero patuloy pa rin ito sa pagtawa kasama ni Easton. Gustong-gusto nilang binibiro si Austin at pinagtutulungan pa nilang dalawa.
"Fuck you, Wen!" Austin cursed him before turning to me and smiling again. "Don't believe, Wendell. You know how he is. He likes joking around."
Even if he told me that Wendell's only joking, a part of me believed that Wendell was telling the truth. I know what Austin feels about me.
"But I really did miss you, Zarina..." Austin seriously said.
I just smiled and looked at all of them. "I missed all of you so bad, too," I told them. "But we gotta keep going because Easton's tummy monsters might eat us if we will not let him eat his lunch."
"Za really cares about me so much," Easton bragged at Austin.
Napailing na lang ako sa kanila bago sila tinalikuran. I saw Jace staring at us, especially at Austin. Ngumuso naman ako at naisip na hindi ko pa siya napapakilala sa mga kaibigan ko. Masyado akong nalibang dahil ngayon ko lang ulit sila nakita.
Lumapit ako kay Jace at saka lamang nalipat ang kanyang atensyon sa akin.
"Ipapakilala kita sa kanila," sabi ko naman sa kanya.
Hindi ko na hinintay pa ang sasabihin niya at muling hinarap ang aking mga kaibigan. They were curiously looking at Jace except for Monique whose eyes got wider before she looked at me accusingly.
"Uhm... Guys!" I called their attention and held Jace's arm. "This is Jace Sy. He's my boyfriend."
The boys were speechless except for the girls who rejoiced because I finally have a boyfriend, especially Monique whom I can see that was dying to know the whole story. Austin caught my attention because he immediately looked away and just stared at his lugagge.
"Hi. I'm Jace," Jace introduced himself to my friends.
Nakipagkamay siya sa aking mga kaibigan at pati na rin kay Austin na mukhang nag-aalangan pa.
"He's freaking handsome and hot in person," Monique whispered to me.
Saddie also whispered her silent praises about Jace.
"I'm sure you're all hungry and tired from the long flight," Jace said to them before he turned to me. "I'll get the car ready. Accompany your friends first."
Ngumiti naman ako sa kanya at tumango bago sumama sa aking mga kaibigan. Napansin ko naman ang bahagyang paglayo sa akin ni Austin. I should probably talk to him.