Chapter 17

Sa sobrang frustration ko kay Drake, hindi ko napigilang mag vent-out kay Tofer ng inis! Kasi naman, sino ang hindi maiinis sa kanya, ha?! Ginawa niya akong pseudo-bride! To hell with him!

Kakatapos lang ng dinner namin nila Tripp and hinatid nila ako sa bahay... but then, I sent a text to Tofer na nagsasabing SOS Club West.

Yep, that's our secret code, kung hindi pa masyadong given 'yun, no. After akong ihatid ni Tripp, nagbihis muna ako ng damit kasi kanina ko pa suot 'to. I wore comfy clothes, hindi naman kasi ako magpaparty, kailangan ko lang talagang maglabas ng inis! Baka kasi masakal ko si Drake bukas pag nagkita kami.

Few minutes later, dumating na si Tofer.

"Ano ka? Pupuntang palengke?" sabi niya nang makita niya ang suot ko. Napatingin naman ako sa suot ko. Ano bang mali dito? Naka shorts at cropped top naman ako, a! Ganito na ba ang attire ng mga namamalengke?!

I rolled my eyes at him at pumasok sa sasakyan niya. Gosh, I love it here talaga! Strawberry scented yung air freshener niya!! Kung i-blackmail ko kaya si Tofer na isusumbong ko siya sa Dad niya na gay siya kung hindi siya papayag sa sunduin niya ako? Ayoko din kasing nagddrive, nakakatamad kaya!

Nakapikit pa ako and nakasandal sa front seat ng bigla niya akong batuhin ng mini pillow niya. Ang meanie talaga nito!

"Papikit pikit ka pa jan. Ew, ha!"

"Ano'ng ew sa pagpikit ko?!" I asked, nawweirduhan ko kasi. What's wrong sa pagpikit ko?

"Para kang... nirerape. Really, Alys, disturbing image!"

Hay, Alys. Don't complain, ha? You've managed to tolerate him for years, ano pa ba naman kung itolerate mo siya for this night?

He drove us to Club West. Actually, hindi naman 'to club na as in maingay na maingay, tama lang. May part kasi na para sa mga teenagers na wild (yung mga kung uminom at magparty akala mo wala ng bukas) and sa isang part para sa mga corporate na tao.

Nagorder ako ng cosmo for us and we settled our self in one of the booths. Haay, finally nakapagrelax din ako! Puro stress ang inabot ko kay Cristine these past few days!

"So, what's up?" Tofer asked nung dumating na yung drinks namin. Kinuha ko yung drinks ko and kinain ko muna yung inorder kong finger foods. Haaay, kung hindi lang talaga against si Tripp sa pag-inom-inom ko e di sana kasama namin siya! Pero hindi din pala pwede dahin si Drake ang magiging agenda namin for this night. No Drake related topics for Tripp. Di ba rule na yun? Don't you dare mention your ex in front of your present. That's just a no no. 

"Di ba ikakasal na si Drake and Cristine?" I said as a conversation starter. He raised a brow. "What? Don't tell me hindi mo alam?" I asked, confused. Bakit hindi niya din alam? Hindi din alam ni Tripp, e! Kasi for sure if he knows na si Drake ang groom ni Cristine, he'll beg me to drop the job. 

I can't see why Tripp is so insecure. I mean, why? He's handsome and nice and lovable and every girl would die to be his girl but still... I feel that he's very insecure of our relationship. Hindi naman ako nagbibigay ng motive para mainsecure siya. I never mention Drake in front of him simula nung naging kami and ginagawa ko naman lahat para ma-feel niyang love ko siya. 

He shook his head. "Kasal? Really?!"

It's my time to show him my confused face. "Yeah, like he's gonna tie the knot in less than a month."

Biglang nawalan ng color yung face ni Tofer, parang nagulat siya sa narinig niya. Okay? I mean, may karapatan naman siyang magulat kasi hello? Pinsan niya ikakasal tapos hindi man lang siya informed! Pero parang extreme naman na yata ang expression ng face niya!

"Kanino?"

"Cristine Ann Stinson? Ring a bell?"

He shook his head. Hindi niya alam na si Cristine ang bride and hindi niya alam kung sino si Cristine. Well, feasible pa rin naman since nagstay din siya sa States at Paris kagaya ko. Hello, hindi ko rin kilala si Cristine! Nagulat lang din ako na may Cristine palang nag-eexist, but that does not mean na hate ko si Cristine. She's really adorable! Feel ko magkakasundo sila ni Tofer kasi pareho sila ng gusto sa buhay.

So ayun, kinwento ko kay Tofer lahat ng alam ko kay Cristine. If I'm not mistaken, best friend ni Drake si Cristine nung college days since si Shaira ay nagmigrate. Tito Steve said na good influence si Cristine and stuff.

"...they all like Cristine, you know? Everybody likes her for Drake."

"So, you like her for Drake?"

I gave him a smile. "Of course. Drake and I? We're not meant to be. Siguro sila talaga ni Cristine," I said with utmost sincerity.

He gave me a scrutinizing stare na para bang pinag-aaralan niya kung tama ba or mali ang sagot ko. "Really, Alys?"

I gave him a double nod. I'm sure. Drake and I? We tried but we gave up before things could go deeper. That's where it went wrong because I'm pretty sure if he had not let go of me, if only he asked me to wait for him? Things would be different. Ako? Ako si Alys Perez, e. Kung sinabi niya sa akin nung 18 years old ako na hintayin ko siya? I'll freaking wait for him. Martyr na kung martyr pero I know how much I loved Drake. I loved him a great deal. I would have given up everything for him in a blink of an eye. Pero ano ang ginawa niya? He threw that away. It hurts having the person whom you trusted with your everything ruin you for nothing. It feels regal... regal betrayal.

"I'm 22, Tofer. Maybe dati masaya na ako sa pakilig kilig pero things are now different. I want assurance, I want constant love. Are you getting me? Sure, Drake used to make me feel like my heart's gonna pop out of my chest with his simple gestures. That was the 18 year old me... He let go of me when I was 18, he should expect that he could get me now that I'm 22. It's just not how things are like. I'm 22 and wiser... and 22 and in love with his cousin."

With my answer, napangiti si Tofer. He drank another shot of his drink.

"Dapat ni-record ko yun! Pang beauty pageant lang yung sagot mo! Pinag-isipan mong mabuti?"

Binato ko nga siya ng chips. Ang kapal, ha! Masama na bang maging profound?

Tumawa siya sa ginawa ko tapos binato niya din ako! Ang meanie nito! Wala man lang gentleman bone sa katawan kahit konti!

"Kidding aside, Perez. Mahal na mahal ka ni Tripp, naiintindihan mo ba ako?"

I nodded. Mahal na mahal ako ni Tripp, alam na alam ko... ramdam na ramdam ko.

"You'll break him once na iwan mo siya. You'll destroy him once na iwanan mo siya for Drake."

--

My head really hurts!! Bwisit na Tofer yan! After niya akong pangaralan about kay Tripp, pinainom naman ako ng pinainom. Hah! Nasa tab niya lahat yun, magdusa siyang bayaran lahat ng ininom ko. Kainis!

Halos gumapang ako papunta sa cr dahil may meeting kami ni Drake ngayon para sa gown ni Cristine. Apparently, ako nga ang temporary bride niya! Ako ang magsusukat ng gown! Magka size ba kami ni Cristine e mas payat naman sa'kin yun! And mas matangkad ako sa kanya kaya.

Nagdadalawang isip pa ako kung maliligo ako. Should I call in sick? Ang sakit talaga ng ulo ko, e. 

Haaaaaaay.

Call rejected.

Drake's been calling me since forever! Nakaka ilang missed call na siya (or should I say rejected)? Nagtext naman ako na on the way na ako! Impatient much?!

Dumating ako sa boutique ni Mom since dun pala nagpagawa si Cristine. Good choice!

"Good morning, Miss Alys," bati ng receptionist sa akin. Palagi kasi akong nandito kasi bukod sa dito nagwwork si Mommy, pati si Aya nandito rin so... hello, tambayan ni Alys!

Dumiretso kaming dalawa sa fitting area. 

"Is this necessary?" I asked him. He nodded.

"Why?" he asked.

"Hindi naman kami magkasize ni Cristine!" I fumed. Anong silbi naman kasi nito kung hindi naman kami magkasize ng bride niya, di ba?

Naupo siya sa couch dun at nagcross legs. "So are you saying that you're fat?"

O_______O

"WHAT?!"

He smirked at me and kumuha ng wedding magazine at hindi na ako pinansin. 

HOW DARE HE CALL ME FAT?! HINDI BA NIYA ALAM NA WORST INSULT YUN NA MAKUKUHA NG ISANG BABAE?!

Pumasok ako sa fitting room at kinuha yung gown ni Cristine. Mataba pala ha! Pag ako nagkasya sa gown na 'to, sinasabi ko sa'yo!

"Miss, baka masira yung gown..." sabi sa akin nung nag-aassist.

"Shut up, please," sabi ko dahil pressured akong magkasya dito. "Zip it up."

Okay, Alys. Stop breathing for a while!

I closed my eyes and held my breath. "Okay na ba?" I asked her.

"Opo..."

Yes! I looked at the mirror and... I really am Dana Ferrer and Cyriel Perez's daughter. 

Lumabas ako sa fitting room looking all smug. Fat, huh? 

Naglalakad na ako para makita nitong si Drake yung sinasabi niyang mataba ng may marinig akong kinakausap niya. May nakaharang kasi na divider ko hindi ko pa siya matanaw.

"Sir, bawal po makita ang bride. Hindi po ba kayo naniniwala sa premonition?" I heard one of the staff said.

There was a long pause... and the feeling is freaking familiar.

"The girl in that gown is Alys Perez so what makes you think I'll let anything, let alone anyone, stop our wedding?"