Chapter 24: Late
Adrien Rives's POV
11:09 AM
"You want us to go to the fucking mall?!" Tanong ko kay Ross habang nagaayos siya ng buhok sa salamin.
"Eh anong plano mo? Show up in front of Meghan looking like that?!" Sigaw niya at napatingin ako sa damit kong natapunan ng soup and the front has turned yellow-green. "'Yan na yung mall oh! It's better to be late than to look like shit!"
Unfortunately, hindi kami nauubusan ni Ross ng malas. I was driving at peace when a dog suddenly appeared infront of us at natapon yung noodles na kinakain ko sa kotse.
"I told you not to eat it in the car! Nakawhite ka pa!" Sermon niya sakin at inis na niliko ko nalang yung kotse papunta sa parking ng mall.
We still have more than an hour bago makarating sa resort kung saan sina Meghan, but if we go shopping right now, I'm not so sure anymore.
"Besides, you didn't bring anything. You have to buy swimwear and shit, Adrien. Shades, a fancy beach hat, kahit ano! You need to look good for her!" Sabi ni Ross at tumawa sa itsura ko.
"Pwede naman ako bumili sa mga store dun." Binatukan niya ako at sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. I got my ticket and we entered the parking lot.
"You think buying clothes in there would impress her when she looks like a fucking super model?!" Sabi niya at binatukan ako. "And did you even shave down there?!" Bigla niyang tanong at napatingin ako sakanya nang hindi makapaniwala.
"Why do I have to do that?! I'm coming to see her, apologize and explain. Wala akong planong-"
"Those things can happen nang biglaan. Bakit, yung laplapan niyo ba sa kotse pinlano mo?!" Sigaw na naman niya at hindi ko nalang siya pinansin.
I focused on trying to find a parking lot. We spent several minutes just circling the parking lot at halos walang maparkingan ngayon. I don't know what's up, but this mall's surely loaded with people today.
Nang may makita akong empty space, agad agad akong pumunta doon.
"You have to shave your balls, man. Be the man that's ready for anything!"
"Bakit ikaw? Nagshave ka?!" Tanong ko sakanya habang nagpapark.
"Of course! Always ready ata ako." Sabi niya at inirapan ko siya. Of course he's ready for shit like that. He loves girls.
"Ready? Wala ka ngang ibang ginawa ngayong umaga kundi magtae at-" Bigla niya akong binato ng bote ng tubig at tinawanan ko lang siya.
Meghan Ferren's POV
12:34 PM
"I talked to them and we're going on the yacht around 5 PM. They said it's the best time, para mapanood natin yung sunset." Sabi ni Jaden na nasa harap ko.
"Thank you." I sincerely said at lumapit siya saglit sa akin.
"Anything for the birthday girl." Bulong niya at kiniss ako sa pisngi.
We're sitting on our cottage right now, I'm sitting beside Sydney. We just finished eating at nanonood lang kami sa mga nagsiswimming na.
"Isn't it weird, knowing each other for more than half of your lives?" Biglang tanong ni Sydney habang nakatingin sa dagat.
"Why would it be weird?" Jaden asked. Pumikit ako saglit, feeling the air in the beach. It has this smell, something that makes me feel so at home.
"It's like, you'd know each other too much. All the secrets and shit." Sabi niya at tumingin kay Jaden. "Is there something about you that Meghan doesn't know?"
Nagulat si Jaden sa tanong niya at napatitig sa akin. Nacurious din ako kaya tinitigan ko rin siya, waiting for his answer.
"I... I don't think so. She knows everything about me." Seryosong sagot ni Jaden at napangiti ako.
"Everything? Like, kasama mga crush, exes, family shit, and insecurities in yourself?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Sydney at tumango si Jaden, still staring at me.
Jaden only had crushes on cartoon characters when we were younger and celebrities noong lumaki na kami. He doesn't have exes, not even a fling. I know everything about his family problems and how his dad always pressured him to be perfect.
I know that he's insecure about the way he walks, he thinks it's weird. He's also insecure about the fact na sakitin siya at lumaking hindi nakakapagsports or nakakalabas para maglaro.
He used to get bullied by our classmates, telling him things like he's weak, lampa, at bakla. And I was with him everytime. Hinahampas ko ng lunch box ko yung mga nangaaway sakanya.
"I don't know how, but I think she knows me more than I know myself." Sabi ni Jaden at ngumiti si Sydney, kinikilig sa amin.
"That's so sweet!!" She squealed at umiwas na ng tingin sa akin si Jaden. "How about you, Meghan? Is there something na hindi alam ni Jaden tungkol sayo?"
May biglang lumitaw na pangalan sa isip ko, but I don't wanna think of him. Wala na yun, wala na siya. Wala na kami, or whatever we were about to have. Whatever we almost were.
"No. Jaden knows everything about me too." Sabi ko at nakita kong ngumiti si Jaden.
I lied, but I guess it's okay. Hindi ko na kinwento 'yon sakanya because I wanted to forget it. I wanna act as if it never happened.
Fuck, Adrien, kahit kailan talaga, ang galing mo sa panggugulo ng isip ko.
Adrien Rives's POV
12:34 PM
"This is better!" Pamimilit ni Ross sa isang sando na halos wala nang matatakpan sa katawan ko. Andito kami sa Nike to buy some clothes and swimwear. "You have a nice body, kahit hindi gaanong muscular. She'll fall for you if you wear this!"
"I prefer this one." Sabi ko at tinuro sakanya yung simpleng black shirt na may logo ng Nike.
"Just buy both. Dami mong problema!" Natawa ako at kinuha ko nalang rin yung gusto niyang sando.
Wala na siyang bibilhin kasi kinuha niya na agad mga gamit niya when we were at his place. I didn't want to go home and get mine because I wanna see Meghan already.
"Bobo ka kasi! It would take less time kung kumuha ka nalang muna ng mga gamit sainyo." Napakamot nalang ako ng ulo habang sinesermunan ako ni Ross.
"I think this is enough." Sabi ko kay Ross at pinakita sakanya yung mga nabili naming damit from other boutiques. "I don't think they'd stay there hanggang weekday. They might have classes."
"Just get more, in case they're planning to stay for the whole week." Sabi ni Ross habang tumitingin tingin din ng mga shorts.
"We have classes too." Paalala ko sakanya at tinawanan niya ako.
"You won't think about your classes when you see her again, Adrien." Sabi niya at nagbato ng shorts sa akin.
I looked at him and realized he's right. I took out my phone to check the time, at 12:42 na. Nakita ko rin na nagmessage pala sakin si Katniss.
[Summer wanted you to join us tomorrow. Shopping daw. Will you come with us?]
Shopping na naman? Really? Ginagawa lang naman nila akong bodyguard at tagabitbit ng mga binili nila. I ignored her at binalik ko nalang sa bulsa ko yung phone ko.
"Who is it?" Tanong ni Ross habang naglalakad kami.
"Katniss." Matipid kong sagot at tiningnan niya ako na parang hindi makapaniwala.
"Hindi ka pa nakikipagbreak sakanya?" He asked at umiling ako. "What are you planning then? Pagsabayin sila?"
"It's not like that, Ross. Hindi naman totoo yung sa amin ni Katniss. I'll tell Meghan everything when I see her." Sabi ko at umiling iling siya.
"Why don't you just break up with Katniss? Pinapagulo mo pa yung sitwasyon."
"I can't, I promised Katniss I'll give her time." Sabi ko at napayuko. Sumunod ako sakanya papunta sa counter.
"You lost Meghan once because of this shit with Katniss. Don't let it happen again, Adrien." Banta niya at inabot na sa cashier yung mga pinili naming damit.