Chapter 20

"Problema mo?" asked Dane.

Kanina pa nakaalis si Drake and here I am, inuuntog ang sarili sa pader. Why do I feel freaking guilty?! Wala naman akong ginawa, in the first place! 

I shook my head and waited for him to place my food on the coffee table. "Porridge?" I asked him. Gutom na gutom na ako! Can't he give me something more substancial? As if naman mabubusog ako sa lugaw!

He snickered and shoved the spoon on my hands. "Daming arte. Mukha ba akong marunong magluto kasi?"

"E kasi nandyan naman si Manang! Sinabi ko bang ikaw ang magluto?"

Ah, seriously! Anak talaga si Daddy tong si Dane! Sooooobrang pilosopo!

He stuck his tongue out and smugly walked out the door. Tignan mo 'tong batang 'to! Akala mo di ako matanda sa kanya ng four years, a!

I reached for the spoon and started eating. I wanted to go to the reunion but sadly, hindi ako makapunta. I feel really sick, idagdag mo pa yung stress sa pagpunta ni Drake dito.

"Ah, seriously!" 

Do I need to ask him? But why? I'm happy with my life, do I need to complicate things again? Ugh!

"Hey!"

"Hey..."

Aya walked towards me and jumped on my bed. Ang sakit tuloy lalo ng ulo ko! "Stop jumping!"

She shrugged and rolled on my bed. "Sabi ni Tita Dana may sakit ka raw," she said. I nodded and continued on eating this thing. Seriously, Dane! Wag na wag ka ng tatapak sa kusina. 

"Body ache."

"Oooh. So dito ka lang sa bahay?"

I nodded. Instead of going with Tripp, nandito lang ako sa bahay maghapon. Nice.

Aya beamed and then nilabas niya yung HD niya. "Movie marathon?" I shook my head. "Please?"

I sighed. "Kakanood ko lang kagabi, e. Iba na lang?" I tried to persuade her. if I would be asked, mas gusto ko na lang matulog maghapon tapos energized na ulit bukas! Almost one week na lang bago ang kasal! Ah, freak!

She pouted and rolled over once again. Isip bata pa rin! "Boring mo naman, e."

"Sorry naman na may sakit ako."

She stuck her tongue out. What's with people today? Lahat na lang sila ginagawa nila 'yun, ha.

"Kwentuhan mo na lang ako about Drake! Bilis!"

"Aya!" I reprimanded. Anong feeling niya sa amin nila Drake, soap opera? Sinusubaybayan ang bawat pangyayari? Alam ko naman na mahilig sa chismis si Aya pero... oh, well. Hindi naman ako exception sa kanya!

"Why?" she said with a puppy look on her face. "Sige na, Besh! Nacucurious kasi ako! If ever na matutuloy ang kasal nila next week, so... game over na talaga sa Dralys?"

I frowned at her. Dralys? Really? Wala talagang magawang maganda sa buhay si Aya! Susunod pipilitin ko na siya na makipag-ayos kay Kent! Masyado na siyang lalong naging baliw since nagbreak sila, e!

"Ang damot naman nito!" she whined.

Naupo ako sa tabi niya, indian sit and pinitik ko yung noo niya. "Ang chismosa mo," I said.

"Can you blame me? Ang interesting kaya ng story niyo! Popcorn na lang kulang, pwede ng movie!" sabi niya with that freaking glow in her eyes.

Grabe, ha, Aya! Di mo talaga ako best friend, e! Isa lang akong random na babae sa gilid na nagkataong interesado ka sa love life.

"Heh. Shut up."

Umusod ako sa tabi at kinuha ko yung pillow ko at niyakap ko iyon. Sumiksik naman siya sa tabi ko. Annoying Aya!

"Besh... pero seriously, end game na talaga pag kinasal sila... unless may peg kang maging mistress? Susupport pa rin kita! Dralys 'til the end of time!"

Kinuha ko yung unan at saka ko pinukpok sa ulo niya. "Aish. Ikaw talaga! Nung isang araw gwapong gwapo ka kay Tripp, ngayon may pa Dralys forever ka pa dyan! Undecisive much, Gabriella Pineda?"

Because I said her complete name, natahimik siya. I only use her name kasi pag seryoso na ako.

She sighed. "Serious na, Alys. Paano na nga?"

I paused. Why do everyone keeps on asking me kung paano na? It's not as if bigla akong tatakbo para pigilan si Drake magpakasal! It's not only me... Nandyan na si Tripp, si Cristine. Hindi lang naman ako yung apektado rito. Everyone will be hurt once I make a mistake.

"He broke up with me."

"And there has to be a reason," she said. 

I smiled at her and tapped the pillow I was holding. Here we go again... that damned reason! Para siyang box na gusto kong buksan pero natatakot ako sa makikita ko once na buksan ko siya. There's two possibilities: either I'll go running back to him or I'll hate him even more and continue with my life. Both choices has its risks.

"Yeah, there's a reason..."

"Alam mo na ba?" she asked, urgency evident in her voice.

I shook my head and closed my eyes. "Don't wanna."

"Alys!" she shouted. "Tanungin mo siya!"

"Ayoko," I said without any energy. I'm sick and tired and exhausted. 

She held my hand and made me look at her. "Ask her, Alys Zyril Ferrer-Perez. Ask him at kapag ayaw mo pa rin sa kanya, I'll shut up for life."

"Aya..." my voice trailed off. "Tripp is a good man. Bakit ba hindi pwede na siya na lang, na kami na lang?" I asked her.

Everybody wants me with Drake. Drake, Drake, Drake. Bakit walang nagtatanong kung ano ang gusto ko? Kung saan ako sasaya? Eh ano naman kung gusto ako ni Drake? Dapat ba magustuhan ko na rin siya? Wala na ba akong choice? E di ba buhay ko naman 'to?

She raised both her hands and cupped my face. "Makinig ka. You and Tripp= good together. You and Drake= epic together."

I smiled at her. Yeah. We're epic when we're together. We had our time.

"Now, kakausapin mo na ba siya?" she asked, one more time.

I nodded. "Yes."

Maybe I am finally ready.

She clapped her hands and jumped on the bed, again. "Yehey! Wait, I'll call him, ha?"

"H-ha?"

She smiled and gave me a 'peace sign.' "He's just outside! nakasalubong ko kanina nung papasok ako. Sabi niya you won't talk to him kaya ayan, pinilit kita. Hehe."

"You traitor!" sabi ko at hinabol ko siya. Tawa naman siya ng tawa. Really, bakit baliw ang best friend ko?

She was panting when we stopped. She raised her hand and motioned me to stop. "Wait, Alys... Akala ko may sakit ka! Wala naman yata!"

"Traitor!!"

"Heh! Shut up! Tatawagan ko na si other half ng Dralys!"

Tumalikod ako at pumasok sa CR. I got a pill from the bottle and swallowed it. Okay, Perez. Kalma lang. After nito, matatahimik ka na... finally.

I stayed for another 2 minutes inside the CR. Wala na si Aya, I'm sure. If she's still there, sigurado akong pinasok niya na ako dito sa CR at hinatak palabas.

Natatakot akong lumabas... ano ang sasabihin ko pag nakita ko si Drake? Hi? Hello? Sorry sa kanina? Bakit mo ako iniwan?

Too many things left unsaid.

Slowly, I opened the door. Okay, Alys. Everything will be alright.

And he's there, standing by the door frame.

"Drake," I uttered.

He was staring at me, like he's waiting for me to ask the damn question.

Why the hell did you leave me before? Ang dali lang sabihin pero once na nasabi ko na, there's no turning back. This question will open a hell-hole of what ifs.

"Talk."

He sighed and took a step forward. "You were too in-love with me, Alys. That's why."