CORA'S POV
Thirty seconds... One minute... One minute and thirty seconds...
Until when is he planning to stare at me? Does he have any plans to answer my question or does he suddenly became muted?
“CORAZON!” sigaw pa ng Three Musketeers na bigla na lamang pumasok kaya nakuha nila ang atensyon namin.
“Ay, sorry,” Cindy said and they're about to go out, but I stopped them.
I gestured them to sit on a long sofa while I sat down on the bed. Sinunod naman nila ako. I looked at Freiya again. He's still standing there, looking at the floor.
Seriously? I was just joking earlier. Talaga bang ginawa niyang big deal ang tanong ko at hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin siya nakaka-move on? God!
“Oy, Mader, nandito ka pala. Long time no see,” Mona said, beaming a smile across her face.
“Oo,” Freiya suddenly uttered, staring straight at me.
B-Bakit sa akin niya iyan sinabi? Ako ba ang kausap niya?
“Mader, I'm here!” kumaway pa sa kanya si Mona, but his eyes were really fixed at me!
“Gusto kita,” he said, and that made my jaw dropped!
“Anong nangyayari?” Cheska asked, but no one answered.
Nagpapalit-palit ang tingin nila sa amin nang tiningnan ko sila.
“Ahh, really?” I asked with a smirk plastered on my face. He didn't respond, he just kept on staring straight in my eyes. “If you really do, then why did you have to leave me?” I further added.
“Dahil akala ko ayaw mo sa'kin. Para saan pa ang nararamdaman ko, 'di ba? Mas mabuti nang lumayo para makalimot ako.”
I am actually happy with what he said, but I am also disappointed.
“God! Are you that coward? Whether I hate you or not and you've told me your feelings, I still want to keep you!”
He's evidently surprised. Ayan kasi nagdedesisyon nang mag-isa, hindi man lang ako kinausap!
I stood up and walk closer to him. Ngayon ay napagtanto kong... mas pula pa pala ang labi niya kaysa sa akin. Gosh!
“I only have Zella as my best friend and I only have you as my closest friend, can I afford to lose you then?” I asked in a low voice.
He looked away and expelled a heavy sigh. “Closest friend,” he murmured.
I knew it! Mapapansin niya talaga iyan.
“Hindi ko hinihiling na suklian mo 'yong nararamdaman ko para sa'yo, pero kung hanggang kaibigan lang naman pala ang kaya mong ibigay, then please, set me free. Babalikan naman kita kapag okay na 'ko, hindi na kita gusto, at hindi na kita magugustuhan pa.”
Tss! Why the hell is he so overreacting?
“Sorry, but no one's setting you free—”
He didn't let me finish my words when he interrupts, “Why are you so selfish?!” he asked, almost yelling, but I remained to show him a straight face. “Bakit kinakailangan kong manatili sa tabi mo bilang kaibigan mo habang ako ay may nararamdaman para sa'yo?! Corazon, I owned my life and I will follow my decision!”
“Then, leave!” sigaw ko pabalik. “Do what you've done again! Leave! Tutal diyan ka naman magaling!”
I didn't know he's this candy-ass! Napakaduwag, potek! Hindi niya pa nga ako tinatanong kung okay lang ba sa akin na gusto niya ako, pero ayan na siya at nagdedesisyon na naman na iiwan niya ako!
“Sino bang babae ang gugustuhin ang isang bakla, Corazon?” nakangiti pang tanong niya kaya hindi ko napigilang matawa.
“What a lame excuse, Freiya, the hell I care if you're gay and you like me? I'm happy with you and that's what matters most. Isn't that enough for you stay and still be my friend? If I sounded so selfish, then fine, leave.”
Halos tumigil ang pagtibok ng puso ko nang nilagpasan niya ako at dumiretso sa pintuan. What the freaking hell?!
“Talagang gagawin mo?” hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko habang nakahawak na siya ngayon sa doorknob.
“Freiya,” tinawag siya ni Cindy, pero hindi pa rin siya lumilingon.
“Pilitin mo 'kong manatili sa tabi mo at maging kaibigan ka pa rin,” aniya habang nakatalikod pa rin sa amin.
Is he pulling a joke? But, he sounded so serious when he said that.
“Trip niyan?” Cheska also can hardly believe with what Freiya said.
“How can I do that?” I asked with my brows knitted.
“Sing for me,” he replied.
WHAT THE HELL?!
FREIYA'S POV
“Cora is almost the perfect human on earth, but unfortunately she can't sing,” bahagya pang napa-iling si Rosa.
“Precisely, she can draw, write so well, can act, and dance, but she never sings, she's out of tune,” sabi naman ni Tanya.
Nakyuryos tuloy ako kung ano ba talaga ang boses ni Corazon kapag kumakanta. Ma-request nga sa kanya minsan.
“Paano kung mapakanta ko siya?” tanong ko.
“Then surely, you're a hundred percent special to her,” Rosa replied.
“Ano na?” tanong kong muli habang nakatingin na ako sa kanya.
Tingnan natin kung espesyal ba ako sa babaeng ito. Kahit iyan lang, hindi na ako aalis at okay na sa akin na maging magkaibigan pa rin kami.
“What the heck, Freiya?” hindi pa rin makapaniwalang aniya.
“Mr. Right by Kim Chui, dali na,” sabi ko kaya mas lalong nanlaki ang mga mata niya.
“A-Ano ba, can I just sing twinkle, twinkle, little star?”
Gusto na talagang kumawala ng mga tawa ko, pero pinigilan ko iyong sarili ko. Kailangan niyang kumanta.
“Mr. Right,” pag-uulit ko pa.
Alam kong alam niya iyan dahil sikat na sikat ang kantang iyan ngayon at kahit mga bata at matatanda ay nakakaya iyang kantahin.
“Will that make you stay then?” she made sure, tumango naman ako agad, then she started singing, “Ikaw nga ba si Mr. Right? Ikaw nga ba love of my life?”
Napangiti ako agad. Sintunado nga si Corazon. Lumapit na ako sa kanya habang hindi binubura ang ngiti sa labi ko.
“Ikaw nga ba ang icing sa ibabaw ng cupcake ko...” napatigil siya nang tuluyan ko siyang yakapin.
“That's enough,” bulong ko. “Mas maganda pala ang boses mo kaysa sa original singer.”
“Siraulo,” asar pang aniya. “Kailangan mo pa talaga akong ipahiya para lang manatili ka, don't you know that I never sing with an audience in my entire life?”
Syempre, alam na alam ko. Pero kahit na hindi maganda ang boses niya ay hindi ako magsasawang pakinggan iyan.
Kumalas na ako sa pagkakayakap sa kanya, pero hawak ko pa rin ang dalawa niyang kamay. Putcha, gustong-gusto ko nga ang pechay na ito. Pakiramdam ko habang hawak ko siya ay hawak ko na rin ang mundo. Shuta, korni pa sa korni!
“Hindi na ako aalis, pero isa pang favor, hayaan mo lang akong iparamdam sa'yo na gusto kita,” sabi ko habang nakatitig sa mga mata niya.
“Sige, malay mo magustuhan din kita pabalik,” nakangiting aniya.
“Huwag ka ngang paasa.”
“I feel comfortable with you.”
Nakagat ko ang labi ko. May ibang kahulugan ang linyang iyan para sa kanya.
“Siguro naman ay narinig mo rin 'yan sa usapan namin ni Rosa,” nakangising dagdag pa niya. Halata talagang tinutukso niya ako. Tsk! “Itutuloy ko lang din 'yong hindi mo narinig, sabi ko I hate gays, but Rosa's right, I might end up falling in love with you,” napangiti naman ako agad, “might, hindi sure,” pambabara niya.
Kaasar!! Panira ng moment.
“Baka pwedeng tumigil na kayo?” sumingit na si Cindy na hindi talaga maiguhit ang itsura.
Hindi ko alam kung natutuwa ba siya o nandidiri, eh. Lagi kasing hindi maiguhit ang itsura niya. Joke, mahal ko iyan, at miss na miss ko na siya, pati na rin itong dalawang bakla.
“Saksi kayo, ha, mga Bakla, sinabi sa akin ni Corazon she might end up falling in love with me,” sabi ko at parang walang gana silang napatango. Mga shuta talaga.
“Oh, ngayong umamin ka na rin sa wakas, Mader, ano nang mangyayari sa inyo niyan? I mean 'di ba kung ipaparamdam mo 'yong nararamdaman mo para kay Corazon, edi parang nanliligaw ka na rin?” tanong ni Mona.
Nanliligaw nga ba ang tawag diyan? Napatingin ako kay Corazon at nakatingin lang din siya sa akin, nag-aabang ng sagot ko.
“O-Okay lang ba?” tanong ko. Kinakabahan ako, lintik!
“Hmm...”
Lahat kami ay parang bang nag-aabang kung nanalo kami sa lotto o hindi. Pero, sana, nanalo nga. Tumaya pala ako kaninang umaga. Tsk!
“...how will I end up falling in love with you if I won't let you court me? Go on, show me how gay court a woman,” aniya.
Napasigaw talaga ako. Mukhang okay lang sa akin na hindi manalo sa lotto, mukhang nanalo na rin naman ako dahil pinayagan ako ni Corazon na ligawan ko siya. Jusko! Nakaka-excite!
CORA'S POV
“So, pa'no na 'yong revenge thingy mo?” Zella asked.
I just told her what happened earlier. Tss. Kapag naaalala ko ang nangyari ay hindi ko naiiwasang mapangiti. Nakakatuwa lang.
“Ngingiti ka na lang diyan?” she asked again and that made me get back on my senses.
“Ahh, I admit defeat,” I replied and manifested a bright smile.
When Freiya told me about the better way of vengeance, I thought of putting an end on my revenge with Silver. I want to be totally happy. But if I have really destroyed their relationship, I know I would feel a little guilt.
Alam ko ang pakiramdam ng maagawan ng boyfriend, so probably Dahlia would feel the same pain I've felt if ever I successfully stole Silver on her. Tsaka, iyong revenge ko ay for Silver alone, at tama si Freiya, the best revenge is to let him see that I'm better off without him.
And, they're getting married, then it means Silver does really love her. He will tie the knot with her and he's ready to face the biggest responsibilities. I'm glad about that.
We've talked for two weeks, I know he got swayed by me, but I can say that he's never gonna cheat on Dahlia. So, I lose.
“Nagpatalo ka,” Zella said as she's peeling an orange for me, I guess. I wish.
“For me and Freiya to be even,” sagot ko. Umupo ako sa kama at inabot ang orange na ibinigay niya.
Ugh! Zella's always the best!
She sat on the sofa with knitted brows. “Ha? Even?” she asked, slightly perplexed.
“He loses over me. 'Di ba sabi mo noon when we're talking about my first meeting with Freiya, ang unang mahulog at umamin ay siyang talo?” tanong ko at tumango naman siya.
“Eh, naaalala mo rin ba 'yong tanong ko na what if you lose over Freiya?”
Ahh, tinanong niya iyan sa sasakyan nang papunta kami sa Big Star Hotel. Anong meron?
Wait... I lose over Freiya? Then she meant what if I suddenly like Freiya? Was that even counted as a loss?
“Falling for him ain't a loss, Zella, it's winning. He likes me and if ever I like him back, it's a victory on my part. Gusto ako ng taong gusto ko, isn't that victorious?”
“Then, why don't you like him now? Or, maybe you're falling in love with him?”
“I have a crush on him.”
“Ano ka, elementary?”
I don't like him nor love him. Yes, I feel comfortable with him, he makes me happy, but I'm not yet satisfied.
“Whenever we hold hands, something's bothering me. I don't feel safe and secured. Yes, I trust him, but I still feel something weird. At hangga't sa hindi ko 'yan naiintindihan, I think I can't like him back.”
Hindi ko naiwasang magtaka nang mapayuko si Zella. O baka naman fan namin siya at medyo na-down siya after hearing what I've said? Tss! Siguro nga.
“But one thing is for sure, I really can't afford to lose him,” I said, wholeheartedly.