Chapter 6: First
Adrien's POV
8:10 P.M.
Hindi pa kami nakaka-order, because right when we just got seated, biglang may tumawag kay Jamie. I'm guessing it's her boyfriend—or should I say her ex-boyfriend—who just broke up with her on the phone. We went back to the car several minutes ago at iyak pa rin siya nang iyak hanggang ngayon.
"It'll be okay Jamie, madami pang lalaki d'yan," pag-cheer up ni Erine sa kaniya. "And you're hot! Madaming may gusto sa'yo!"
"Katniss, can I talk to you? Outside?" tawag ko kay Katniss at tumango naman siya, as she tucked a few loose strands of her hair away from her face.
"I can't believe he just broke up with me! At sa call lang!" sigaw ni Jamie habang humahawak sa dibdib niya at humagulgol na naman.
I sighed and looked away. I know she's sad and all, but can't she be sad without wasting my time?
"Kasi he's trash. Men are trash, Jamie," bulong ni Summer at niyakap siya. "Hayaan mo na siya. You're better off without him," she added while Jamie's crying her eyes out.
Lumabas na ako ng kotse at hinintay si Katniss na sumunod. I slowly walked away from the car, letting Jamie's sobs fade away from my sense of hearing. Sumandal ako sa may puno at huminga nang malalim, letting the cold, stressful air go into my lungs and out into my mouth. Tumingin ako sa taas, trying to calm myself down by counting the stars.
I have many things to do, at hindi kasali 'yong manood kay Jamie na iyakan 'yong boyfriend niya.
It's already 8 PM and we haven't even ordered anything yet. Wala pa nga silang isang linggo magkakilala no'ng iniiyakan niya. Sometimes, I really just don't get people and their shallow emotions.
"I drove this far para kumain. Hindi para i-comfort 'yang kaibigan mo," naiinis na sabi ko kay Katniss nang tumabi siya sa akin, looking sad and guilty.
"I'm really sorry," mahinang sabi niya, and I can sense that her voice is about to crack, kahit pa nakayuko siya ngayon at iniiwasan 'yong mga mata ko. "Mauna ka na. I'll tell them nalang na may emergency sa bahay niyo," sabi sa akin ni Katniss at hinawakan 'yong kamay ko, looking up at me with her innocent, sorry eyes.
I looked at her and the way she gazes at me, and instantly felt uncomfortable. Tinanggal ko 'yong kamay niya sa kamay ko. We're only pretending to be a couple. There's no need for her to hold my hand when there's no one watching.
"Alright then," I said, agreeing to her suggestion. "I'm sorry, Katniss, but I have things to do. And I have to be asleep by 10." Nagsimula na akong maglakad pabalik sa kotse, leaving her alone beside the nearby tree.
"Hey..." I called for their attention. "I'm really, really sorry, Jamie. But my mom called me... Naospital daw 'yong kuya ko. It's quite urgent," mabagal na sabi ko sa kaniya in a sad, low voice at mukha namang naintindihan niya agad.
"Naospital?!" gulat na tanong niya at tumango ako. "OMG! Tell us what happened tomorrow, ha?" ani Erine habang lumalabas sila ng kotse ko as Jamie wiped her tears away.
"You should go eat, nandito na rin naman kayo," I muttered as I patted Jamie's shoulder, who's now smiling at me.
"Yeah. We'll just take a cab pauwi," singit ni Summer. "You should hurry and get to your brother. Matagal-tagal din 'yong byahe."
"Thank you," I said, in a serious tone, and turned to face Katniss. "Bye, Katniss. Ingat ka, ha?" I caressed her face, feeling all the awkwardness crawl at my body, at niyakap niya ako bigla, which made me feel worse. I just wanna go home already.
"Ingat ka rin," she whispered at ngumiti nalang ako. Dahan-dahan na siyang bumitaw sa'kin and I got inside the car. After starting the engine, I glanced at them again na ngayon ay nanonood sa aking umalis ng parking lot. I waved my hand at them as I started driving off.
Salamat, nakaalis na rin ako doon. I really can't stand people crying. I don't even remember the last time I cried.
I just don't understand emotions that much, and I feel like when people cry, you're supposed to do something to make them feel better—and I suck at doing that.
After passing by a few buildings and restaurants, nakabalik na ako sa mahabang highway na nadaanan namin on our way to the restaurant a while ago. After this, malapit na ulit ako sa mall, and next is sa bahay na. I just have to be patient, and then I can peacefully go home.
I checked the time at napamura. It's already 8:32 in the evening. I wanna be patient, but I doubt I'll be home on time, and it's already annoying me.
I focused my eyes on the road to distract myself. Kanina pa ako walang nakikitang dumadaan na ibang mga kotse. This road is so creepy. Wala akong katabi, kaharap, wala lahat. It's just full of lights and roadsigns.
Tumitingin-tingin lang ako sa paligid nang may biglang sumulpot na babae sa harap ko, making my heart feel like it flipped, turned, jumped, and dropped all at the same time. What the fuck?!
"Shit!" sigaw ko nang makita siya. Nabigla ko iyong pag-brake sa kotse at pinanood siyang muntik ko na masagasaan. I can't see her face clearly. Damn, she looks like a fucking ghost. I partially opened my window as I looked at her. "Hey! Okay ka lang ba? Can you mo—" Napatigil ako sa pagsasalita nang bigla siyang tumakbo papunta sa kotse ko, like a mad woman.
"Open the fucking door!" sigaw niya sa harap ng kotse ko, making my heart beat faster than usual. Natulala ako habang nakatingin sakanya. Who the fuck is she? Bakit siya nasa gitna ng kalsada, at sa ganitong oras pa? "Bingi ka bang gago ka?! Open it!" sigaw niya ulit, making me feel my sweat dripping on the side of my forehead.
"N-No!" pagtanggi ko sa kaniya, trying to look like I'm tough.
Holdap ba 'to? Is this something like that GTA shit? Kukunin kotse ko at maiiwan ako dito mag-isa?
"Putangina mo, bilisan mo na!" she screamed na parang mamamatay na. Oh God, this girl is fucking crazy.
And in some weird way, I couldn't help but stare at her when she stopped for a second, making me see her face clearly.
She's damn gorgeous. She's stunning. I feel like I could stay here the whole night and watch her exist.
She's in a tight skirt—a really short one, at sleeveless black top. Meron siyang choker that emphasizes how pretty her neck is, at tatlong bracelet in different colors that makes me wanna touch it. She's absolutely breathtaking, but it still doesn't change the fact that she looks and acts like she'll murder the hell out of me.
"Umalis ka dyan!" sigaw ko at bumusina nang bumusina, to irritate her.
"You're so fucking noisy! Ang kulit mo, ha!" sigaw niya at biglang hinubad 'yong suot niyang heels.
Umakyat siya sa harap ng kotse ko at nilapit 'yong mukha niya sa akin. Napaatras ako kahit nasa labas naman siya. She's crazy. She's fucking mad. Does she even know how much my car is, that she's disrespecting it like this?!
But even at this moment, I still can't ignore the fact that she's so damn captivating.
"Open the fucking door or I'll break this glass!" sigaw niya ulit na nakapagbalik sa akin sa realidad at hinampas ng heels 'yong kotse ko. Fuck! This car is too expensive. Wala na akong nagawa at natatarantang binuksan ko 'yong mga lock ng pinto.
Napapikit ako at nagdasal sa isip ko, feeling like I'll die tonight in the hands of this gorgeous demon beside me.
God, please, forgive me for being mean to Katniss and her friends, I have been inconsiderate, selfish and—
"Drive!" she screamed right at my right ear, and I froze.
She's here. Inside my fucking car. And screaming at my face.
Someone crazy is sitting beside me in my fucking RR.
Hindi ko na napigilan 'yong sarili ko, and I turned to look at her, who's currently glaring at me.
Napatitig ako sa kaniya, still scared to death. Her face is red dahil sa slap mark niya sa pisngi. What happened to her?
"Putangina, kung hindi ka mag-dridrive, then get out of the fucking car! Ako na magdadrive!" sigaw niya ulit sa'kin at nilagay yung kamay ko sa steering wheel. Damn, does she enjoy screaming at me that much? All she did since I saw her, was scream at me.
I came back to my senses at nagsimula nang mag-drive. I felt my whole body sweating at nilalamig narin ako sa takot. Nanginginig 'yong kamay ko at hindi ako makatingin sa kaniya.
"W-what ha-happened to y-you?" kinakabahang tanong ko na hindi na napigilang mautal habang nag-dridrive. I noticed na hindi siya mapakali at tingin nang tingin sa likod, as if someone's chasing her.
"Don't fucking ask," simpleng sabi niya nang kalmado na, in a cold, serious voice. Ngayon ko lang narinig 'yong boses niya nang hindi sumisigaw, and I can't say that I don't like it. I looked at her and realized that there's something about her na masarap titigan.
Nabawi 'yong iniisip ko nang magsalita ulit siya. "And don't fucking stare. Ayaw ko pang mamatay ngayong gabi, so focus on driving," she said, as if she could read my mind at bumalik nalang 'yong tingin ko sa kalsada.
"Sorry," I muttered, half aware that I just apologized to a stranger who's threatening so I would drive her.
Medyo nawawala na 'yong panginginig ng kamay ko. Pero ramdam ko pa rin 'yong sobrang lakas na pagtibok ng puso ko. And something tells me it's not entirely because of fear.
"What's your name?" biglang tanong niya sa akin. Hindi parin siya nakaupo ng maayos, she's still kneeling at the seat habang nakasilip sa likod namin. "Bilisan mo naman mag-drive, ang ganda-ganda ng ng kotse mo, pero para ka namang tanga mag-drive! Bobo ka ba?!" sigaw niya ulit at kinabahan na naman ako.
She's confusing. Kalmado na siya kanina, ngayon galit na naman. And she's the only person who called me tanga and bobo. No one dared to call me that my whole life.
"I-I'm Adrien," I said, introducing myseld habang binibilisan 'yong pagpapatakbo ng kotse.
Natataranta na 'ko. This is the worst fucking night of my life. Mamamatay na ata ako ngayong gabi. If she wants me dead, sana bilisan niya nalang. What she's actually leading me to somewhere where she can sell my organs?!
"Adrien fucking what?" tanong niya at tumingin na sa'kin.
She brushed her fingers through her hair as she faced me. Her hair is long and has big beautiful curls sa dulo. She dyed it in a light brown color. She also has a lot of make up on, which suited her face in all the right ways. Bakit ba ang dami kong napapansin sa kaniya?
"Adrien Hierro R-Rives," sagot ko at napalunok. She stared at me for a few seconds at bumalik 'yong tingin niya sa likod ng kotse ko. "M-maybe you should wear a s-seatbelt since you want me to drive fast-—"
"Shut the fuck up bago ko pa talian 'yang bibig mo, Adrien Hierro fucking Rives," pagputol niya sa akin at natahimik nalang ako. "Damn, you suck at driving," she said. "At ngayon nakikita ko na 'yong kotse ng ex -boyfriend ko."
"Ex-boyfriend?" naguguluhang tanong ko. "Hinahabol ka ba niya?" I added, but I didn't receive an answer. Tumingin lang siya sa'kin for a few seconds at inirapan ako.
Mas binilisan ko 'yong takbo ng kotse, feeling more nervous now that I'm aware that someone's chasing her.
I gazed back at her when she started speaking again.
"I'm Meghan Ferren. Come find me after this. I'll pay for the damages na mangyayari sa kotse mo," she muttered, making me feel confused. Ano namang mangyayari sa RR ko? "And of course, sayo."