Cheater
Nagising ako ng 7 pm. Umupo ako at pinalibot ang tingin sa buong room. No sign of Stacey. Baka na sa cr? I checked pero wala din. Wala din siyang message sa akin. Saan kaya nagpunta yon?
Hindi naman kami pinagbawalan na gumala outside sa schedules namin sa tour. As long as present kami every call time, walang problema. If pwede ba mag bar, mag club or kahit mag inom? Sure no problem. As long as hindi kayo mang aabala sa hang over niyo.
It's Friday night and as what college students like me perceived as normal, pang night out daw to- according to Sheena. So baka umalis din si Stacey for that purpose? Well it's normal. Uuwi din naman siguro yon mamaya. She is responsible. Kaya niya sarili niya. That's right Jho kaya pigilan mo ang sarili mong i send ang message na yan.
Sent.
Shit
To: Sevilleja buddy system
San ka?
Seen?? Bahala ka sa buhay mo. 'Wala akong pake', I thought as I typed in another message.
To: Sevilleja buddy system
Siguraduhin mo lang na nandito ka na pag room attendance check mamayang 10.
Well? Ako kaya yung mapapagalitan! Or ginagawa ba niya to para makagante? So pretty Sevilleja. I mean so petty!
Okay Jhoanna, kalma ka lang. First, tigil muna tayo sa pabalik balik na lakad sa room. For now let's just chill and look at the night view outside. The city is alive with most of the buildings illuminating the dark night of Cebu. It's not jam packed traffic but the roads are clearly not empty. Marami paring tao ang naglalakad sa labas. In a way that could be safe. But not safe at the same time? Gets niyo ba? Lalo pa pag hindi ka taga rito gaya namin. You could be lost, or much worse and no one you know could come for immediate help.
I checked at the time again after kong mag muni muni, 9:15 pm.
Tsk. San na ba kasi yun?
Calling Sevilleja buddy system
A ring, about 30 seconds in and then she answered.
"Hello?" her voice hoarse and the background noise loud. Seems like a party going on.
"Where are you?" my voice laced with irritation.
"What- hmm. Why-what do you care?" shit the slurring of words and that tone definitely speaks drunk.
"Where are you?" my voice is now firmer.
"I don't even know hehe." Tsk kahit cute ka pa, naiinis ako!
"Turn on your location" my tone, light but commanding. I need to find her, lalo pa at lasing siya.
"Ayaw." What's with that tone? Bakit ka nagpapacute?!
"Just do it Sevilleja"
"Ayaw. She will find me." sino na naman?
"Who?"
"Jhoanna." Napatigil ako sa sagot niya. My lips parted but I can't seem to find the right words to say. "You know love, I think she's galit sa akin" Love? She must have mistaken me for someone else. Ahh so di lang pala ako ang ka love niya? My chest tightened at that thought pero sino ba naman ako para makaramdam non?
Still, even with the slight ache in my heart, I wanted her to be safe. And so I need to play along with her drunken acts.
"Hmm, is that so? Why naman magagalit si Jhoanna sayo?" my voice is weaker than I intended. Nakakapanghina talaga pag may nalaman. Eme.
"It's because I called her tanga kanina." I bet 50k Stacey is pouting right now. And the thought of her pursing her lips and saying those words unconsciously made me smile. So baby.
I hummed as a response, putting my phone on a loud speaker as I used it to get ready to book a cab once I coaxed Stacey into giving me her whereabouts.
"Well she deserved it! She can't even stay where I am kaya naliligaw. I would've been fine if she just went with Kisha and Lee kahit na..."her words turned into murmurs. "And then after?! After niya mawala, parang wala lang sa kanya? Bakit?! Porket hinatid siya nung magandang staff?!" and now she's being loud.
I can't help but chuckle at how she is now full on ranting about her frustrations on me to none other than me. I'm sorry, you must have been disappointed huh?
"That's right. Jhoanna is in the bad. I'm sure she'll apologize. Now please tell me where you are." My tone is almost pleading. Sana gumana.
"Hey, don't say that! Baka lalo siya magalit sa akin." I snorted at her statement. Ang weird mo talaga Sevilleja.
"Okay, I'm sorry." I can't help but laugh in between.
"I wanna go home, it's loud here. I want to sleep."
"Okay, I'll come pick you up, please tell me where you are."
"I'm just by the IT park, a club near here, I don't remember the name."
I'm so glad our teachers required us to have location sharing with our buddies. If not for that, di ko mahahanap kung nasaan si Stacey ngayon.
When I arrived at the club, I saw her slumped at one of the tables, people surrounding her. Stacey attracts both gender, no wonder the flock of people on her table. Stacey naturally have this commanding air around her, making people feel like they are inferior and unworthy of being with her. Well, it doesn't lessen the fact that she attracts, and so even if there are people sorrounding her, they are not stepping on her personal space. Thank you Lord at ganyan siya. Now I won't have to worry about strangers getting too close with her.
She glanced up and our gaze locked. I swallowed at the familiar tension present whenever we looked at each other. Jho you need to focus on the goal! Malapit na yung room attendance check.
With our eyes still in contact, I slowly approached her table. I saw how her brows furrowed and how she narrowed her sight. Then recognition hit her as she looked away and then pursed her lips. Wow. Siya pa may gana magtampo?
When I reached her side, she looked up at me and then gave me a pointed look. I raised my brow and then looked around the table, people still present and seemingly interested with the newcomer- me.
"Uwi na." My tone is calm, opposite of the loud beating of my heart when I noticed her hands clinging on the sides of my pants. No word, no gesture for any sort of reply and then she suddenly stood up. Gathering her things on the table, she then drunkenly attempted to walk past me. Which she never should have done. Kasi ngayon, our hands are now holding each other. Syempre matutumba siya, so my reflexes acted and then I grabbed any part of her that could help me save her from the fall. Ummmm. At least kamay niya lang yung nahawakan ko di ba?
Umayos siya ng tayo, hawak parin ang kamay ko at naunang maglakad. Walang reaction, walang salita, at walang paalam sa mga taong natitira sa table. It felt awkward but I wanted to get out of that loud place as well so it works.
Once outside, akala ko bibitaw na siya. She never did! At wag kang matutuwa Jho! Tampo ka pa dapat eh.
As always, it was awkward and sobrang tahimik niya. The cold air made me shiver. Nakasuot naman ako ng jacket pero nilalamig parin ako. Paano nalang tong kasama ko na nakatight pink dress? Without a thought, I removed my hands feom her grip and removed my jacket so I can put it on her. She never said much. Eyes still drunk and half blinking. Di ko alam kung mas nilamig ba ako dahil wala na akong jacket or dahil nawala na yung init na kanina ko pa hinahawakan? Malamang dahil sa jacket Jho.
She looked at me, dead serious and then her gaze landed on my hands. My lips parted, my breath hitched and then I held my hand out. She grabbed it and continued walking until a taxi passed by us.
It was silent. Stacey was obviously drunk. 9:45pm and were still walking towards our room. And her hands. Still on mine, occasionally rubbing it and playing with it. Shit parang naka Bluetooth yung kamay sa heart ko. Every light brushes sent shivers and then all I could think about was to never let go. Unfortunately I had to in order to open the room so I could settle the drunk Stacey inside.
Unfortunately? Jho!
Pinahiga ko na agad si Stacey sa bed niya dahil tulog na agad siya pagkapasok namin. I removed her make up and decided to just let her sleep in her party clothes. Baka di ko kasi kayanin.
??!
Covered by the thick comforter, Stacey lies peacefully asleep. Just then, the teachers checked up on us. Buti nalang naiuwi ko.
As I lay on my bed, I glanced at Stacey's way for the last time. So peaceful. She looks like the most comfortable human in the world. The Stacey I missed. The Stacey I know will never exist outside of my dream.
"You're staring" I flinched at the sudden statement. How did she know?
"I wasn't" of course I had to deny.
"Sure you weren't babe" she said chuckling.
The filtered lights is shining by the window, painting the room with soft morning hues. I'm still laying comfortably on the bed.
"You should see the look on your face Jho" tumatawa niyang sabi.
"Shut up" I said and got up to do my morning routine.
She sat up and followed me to the bathroom where I'm currently brushing my teeth. She snaked her arms around my waist and kissed my nape. "Good morning babe" she smiled.
"Good morning, Aiah" I said and faced her to hug her back.
"Again with the Aiah? Whatever happened to baby or babe?" she said dramatically, acting hurt. I laughed at her antics and continued to wash my face.
"We should get ready, the girls are waiting" I said and proceeded to the kitchen to cook breakfast.
After cooking breakfast, the door bell rang. I opened it to see Stacey, brows furrowed as she stormed inside the house.
"Ba't ka na naman andito?" I asked irritated.
"Kasalanan mo! Ang aga aga nag aaya eh alam namang sira yung tubig sa apartment ko." she said and walked towards the bathroom, possibly to take a shower.
I shrugged and continued to prepare breakfast. Stacey is seated in front of me and Aiah. On the table, a salad and sandwiches are served. Aiah put some sandwiches on my plate while she put salad on Stacey's. I saw how her face soured when she saw cucumbers on the salad. I grabbed a spoonful of salad, mostly cucumbers and put it on her plate.
"What the fuck?" so oa.
"Nyenye. Ubusin mo yan, nakikikain ka na nga lang"
"Shut up" she said and poured a lot of mayonnaise on my plate.
"Babe look at her!" I looked at Aiah and pointed at what Stacey had done.
"Nagsumbong pa nga. You cheater!" she rolled her eyes.
I woke up at the sound of my alarm. I blinked the remaining sleepiness. Huh? What was that dream? Friday kagabi. I dreamt. But my partner is not Stacey? Huh?
Why does it feel... weird? It's not like ayaw ko kay ate Aiah. But why does it feels like I'm cheating?
"You cheater" napaupo ako ng maayos sa bed at hinarap si Stacey. Huh?
Her face looks so betrayed, she looks totally offended. And me? Totally confused. Kakagising ko pa nga lang, tinatawag na akong cheater? Unless? Impossible.
"Ano na namang nakain mo? Umagang umaga oh"
"How dare you cheat on me with ate Aiah?"
Huh?
Ano daw?
"Love" she called when all I did was tumulala. Because what am I supposed to think?
Love daw tangina Jho. Baka nananaginip ka pa rin?