Chapter 6

"Right, right?!"

Kanina pa ako pabalik balik dito sa condo ni Aya. That's right, she got herself a condo. Aya's now one of the promising designers in the field of fashion. Nag intern pa siya sa Mommy ko noon and now she's working for her!

"Stop right there, Alys. Nahihilo ako," she said and then motioned me to sit on the bean bag next to her. "So, you're telling me that Drake's hit on you?"

I nodded. D-amn that man! Ikakasal na siya pero nakuha niya pa akong halikan? What a jerk! Kawawa naman si Miss Stinson. 

Umayos ng upo si Aya tapos nagpatuloy siya sa paglalagay ng French tip sa nails niya. "Maybe he's still into you."

"But he was the one who left me, remember?"

God, Aya is the sole person on earth na nakakaalam ng lahat ng pinagdaanan ko nung iniwan ako ni Drake. I would bug her every single day para tanungin kung ano meron kay Drake, kamusta kay Drake. But I guess time really does heal everything. I went on like that for three freaking months! On the fourth month, I guess I just started accepting the fact that he gave up on me. And it says a lot.

"Maybe seeing you again brought back the old flame?"

I rolled my eyes. "Old flame my a-ss, Aya. I'm with Tripp, and I'm happy with him."

She raised her hands in protest. "Hey, not saying anything, Besh. Ang sakin lang naman, maybe he still thinks na you're his. You know? What you guys had was pretty great."

I gave her a smile for that. What we had sure was pretty great. Pag naaalala ko, napapangiti na lang ako, but pag naaalala ko yung pang iiwan niya sa akin, I cringe. But as it really is, what we had was a thing of the past. Move on, look forward.

"Yeah, it was pretty great. But hey, kamusta kayo ni Kent? Still not talking, huh?"

Kumuha ako ng beer sa fridge ni Aya. No, she still does not drink. All college life niya, si Kent ang kasama niya and I tell you, Kent is like the ideal son-in-law to every mother! He does not drink, he studies hard, and once he commits, he commits. Ang resulta? Isang matinong Aya. I cannot even beg her to go to a club. She's all too Miss Goody-Two-Shoe.

She shook her head. "Come on, Besh. Three months pa lang kaming break ni Kent. It's too soon to talk."

I shrugged. "Nothing's too soon, Aya. The longer you don't talk to a person, mas lalaki yung chance na makalimutan mo how it feels to be with them. And seriously, once you forgot what it feels like, the moving on process is just a piece of cake."

She wiggled her eyebrow. "Real talk na ba, Besh?"

"What? No! Stop with your segue na. What I've been meaning to tell you, kung mahal mo pa si Kent, which you still obviously do, go talk to him. Don't wait for some random s-kank to snag him away from you."

Biglang tumawa ng tumawa si Aya. Did I say something wrong?

"Why are you laughing?"

Umiling iling pa siya habang tumatawa. "Wala, Besh. Hindi lang ako sanay na may accent ka. Para lang akong nanonood ng Harry Potter ngayon."

I rolled my eyes again. Seriously, big deal masyado? Pati si Mommy at Daddy, kinukulit ako sa accent ko. Sorry naman!

I jumped on her couch and made myself comfortable. "So, ano na nga? You would go talk to him na?"

She gave me a half smile. "Maybe. I'll think about it. Masyado pa ding fresh sa utak ko yung pinag awayan namin, e."

Shrugging my shoulders, I got my phone from my pocket. Nagtext pala si Miss Stinson, and it turned out, she's Cristine Stinson, and her father is Tito Steve's business partner.

As I was saying, pagdating ko, nagsimula siyang magspill ng details about kay Cristine and stuff. Hindi ako nagtanong or what, basta na lang siyang nagsalita! Ang weird niya.

I read her text and turns out, gusto niyang makipag meet. Kakakita lang namin kahapon, a?

Hindi ko muna siya nireplyan. I'm still pissed with Drake. Hindi ko pa nga nasasabi kay Tripp yung paghalik niya sa akin, e. I know he would freak out! And I definitely don't need him freaking out. He needs all the concentration he could get dahil sa final presentation niya dun.

After bugging Aya, umalis na ako sa condo niya. Good thing nasa taas lang ng unit ko yung unit niya. 20th floor siya. Bumalik na kaya ako sa condo ko? Well, check ko muna kung nandun pa si Drake sa unit niya because if he's there, no way in hell na babalik ako.

-Four years ago-

"Yuck, ha, Alys. Pumunta ka talaga dito sa apartment para umiyak?"

Huhuhu. Kainis naman si Tofer! Wala na nga akong assignment sa core course, binreak na ako ni Drake, tapos ngayon iniinis naman ako ni Tofer! Bakit ba nagkakaganito ang buhay ko?!

Binatukan siya ni Tripp. "Aish. Tigilan mo nga si Zyril, Tofer." Inabutan niya ako ng isang tub ng strawberry ice cream. "Ayos ka lang ba? Namamaga yung mata mo. Tsk. Matulog ka naman kasi."

Tumango ako habang binubuksan ko yung lid nung ice cream tub. Pati ba naman lid, ayaw makisama sa akin?!!

Kinuha ni Tripp yung tub at binuksan niya. Tumayo din siya at kumuha ng spoon mula sa kitchen. "T-thanks."

Pinat niya yung ulo ko. Three weeks na simula nung iniwan ako ni Drake. Ugh!! Sinubukan ko naman siyang iblock sa facebook pero hindi ko magawa! Ayoko din siyang iunfriend kasi madami siya palaging friend request, paano pag nagbago na yung isip niya at balikan ako? Pano kami magiging friends at paano ako magsesend ng relationship request?!!

"May ticket ako para sa movie. Upper east side tayo mamaya?"

Tumango ako at kumain ng ice cream. Nakakahiya nga kay Tripp, e. Lagi siya yung binubwisit ko pag naiisip ko si Drake. Wala naman kasi akong ibang friend dito sa New York. Si Ate Karen, busy sa PhD niya, si Kei, busy sa buhay niya. Speaking of Kei, inaaya niya akong magbar pero ayoko. Makakasira daw yung sa studies ko sabi ni Drake. Ayan, si Drake na naman naiisip ko!!

After kong mag eat, hinatid muna ako ni Tripp sa dorm para magbihis. 

"Where are you heading at?"

Nakita ko si Kei na nagbabasa ng book sa kama niya. In fairness, hindi siya nakaayos ngayon. Nalaman ko na nagka crush pala sa kanya si Tripp. Well, hindi ko naman masisisi si Tripp, ang pretty ni Kei! Pero hindi kasi siya type ni Kei. Si Sheen pa din ang gusto niya. Hay ang gulo. Yung gusto mo, ayaw sa'yo. Yung ayaw mo, may gusto sa'yo.

Kumuha ako ng coat mula sa closet. Ang lamig ngayong gabi. Baka hindi lang ako heart broken, ma brain freeze din ako. =____=

"Movies. Sama ka?" aya ko sa kanya. Inaaya niya naman kasi ako pag aalis siya. At isa pa, crush nga siya ni Tripp! Baka eto na yung chance na makabawi ako sa help ni Tripp. Ilalakad ko na lang siya kay Kei!

Umiling siya. "Pass. Have a great time, tho. You need it."

Nagsmile ako. "Thanks, Kei."

Bigla siyang nag Indian sit sa kama niya at ibinaba niya yung book niya. "I don't want to be nosy but what's with you and Drake?"

Natigilan ako. Hindi ko kasi naikwento sa kanya. Wala pa kami sa level na ganito. Siguro nagtataka siya kung bakit mukha akong walking dead ngayon. Puro eye bags na si Alys Zyril Perez. Hindi na ako pretty. :(

"Ah... Ano kasi... Break na kami. Hehe."

Tinap niya yung space sa kama niya kaya nagpunta ako dun at naupo. "Everything will be fine. He's a jackass for letting you go. You'll be fine, promise." And after that, I had been fine. De joke lang. Sabi kasi ni Aya (di ko alam bakit sa kanya ako nagtanong) moving on is a process daw. Sa ngayon, nasa acceptance stage pa din ako. Para daw yung Denial, Acceptance, Bargaining, ay nakalimutan ko na yung dalawa. Pero ganun nga daw, makaka move on daw ako. Time heals everything daw. Tsk.

Nag ayos ako sandali tapos lumabas na kami ni Tripp. Nanood kami ng film, actually, animated film siya. Funny pero hindi ako natatawa. Hay, Drake. Instead of making me inspired, you made me miserable. 

"Hindi ka man lang natawa? Ang cute kaya nung penguin!" sabi ni Tripp nung naglalakad kami palabas ng movie house.

Nirub ko yung dalawa kong kamay kasi nilalamig ako. "Tumawa kaya ako! Brrr." Bakit ba ang lamig ngayon? Wala pa namang winter season!

Kinuha ni Tripp yung kamay ko tapos nilagay niya sa pocket ng coat niya. Medyo nagulat pa ako kaya binawi ko yung kamay ko.

"Ice yan, Zyril. Walang malisya. Bilis na, lalamigin ka."

Medyo nanginginig pa yung kamay ko nung kinuha niya yung kamay ko at nilagay niya sa loob ng pocket niya. Naka stop lang kami sa gitna ng daan. Nakapatong din yung kamay niya sa hands ko. Ang warm ng kamay niya, yung kay Drake kasi, malamig. Aish!! Stop comparing na nga!

"Okay na?" tanong niya habang hawak pa din yung kamay ko.

Shems naiilang ako. NO!

"A-ah. Oo. T-thanks, Tripp."

"Sus, wala yun. Ikaw pa. Sushi tayo?"

-Present-

I just can't help but smile whenever I remember how I found Tripp. I mean, not literally. Took us almost three years before we had the guts to admit that we want to be together. Sure, Mom asked me at first kung seryoso ba talaga ako kay Tripp. She said baka daw rebound ko lang si Tripp. Seriously, what's with rebound? Can't a girl just fall out of love from a guy who broke her heart and fall in love with the guy who's been there for her? Is it really so impossible?

I arrived at the VIP room. Bakit ba kasi dito pa magmmeet?

"Good noon. Lunch?"

I swear my jaw fell. Drake again?!

My eyes roamed the room. No sign for Miss Cristine Ann Stinson. Nasan na ba siya? Akala ko emergency meeting 'to? Why is Drake here? Siya ba ang may dibs sa cake?

"Where's Miss Stinson?" I asked, still not sitting down.

He shrugged. Oh, God. Wag mong sabihin na isa na naman 'to sa 'Get-You-Back" agenda niya? It's getting way out of line!

"Lunch, Alys?"

It gave me chills, how he said my name. Parang may galit or something. Siya pa ang may karapatang magalit? Tsk. Really, really complicated man.

I waved my phone. "I'm calling her. If she'll not be here, I'm leaving." I dialled her number and much to my surprise, nagring yung phone sa table. "Why is her phone with you?"

He gave me 'that' smile. It's a 'I-Know-What-I'm-About-To-Do-Is-Bad-But-You'll-Like-It-Anyway' kind of smile. It's annoying and creeps me out!

"Left it with me. Because that's how relationship works, Alys. You need to trust your partner."

Sinabi niya yan ng nakatingin sa akin. Two can play this game, Mr. Palma. 

I sat down on the chair and placed my order sa waiter na kanina pa nanonood sa amin ni Drake.

"Sure. Let's talk about trust, gusto mo?"

He shook his head. "We'll have time for that. For now, what's with your slutty clothes?"

"Pardon me?"

He pointed out what I was wearing. "Really short shorts- check. Extra thin top- check, I can see your lace bra, by the way. Black wedge- check. And really distracting red lipstick. Slutty attire," he said and then had a spoonful of whatever he's eating.

I took a deep breath. And smiled.

"For your information, this is called trend."

"Sure. Does Tripp like it that way?"

"He likes me in anyway."

He grabbed his glass of wine and sipped it. "Good for him."

"Tha--" I was about to say thanks when he cut me off.

"I don't like you that way. Change your clothes. I'm dating you today."