Chapter 8

I raised my hand up in the air. "Are you nuts? Seriously, Drake, what is wrong with you?" I asked, sincerely. 

He smiled at me and cut a portion of his steak. "Nothing is wrong with me."

"Then why are you being like this?" I asked him. Tapos na kami, four years and counting pero heto na naman siya, nanggugulo. I thought he made himself clear, he did not want me, and I was expecting that he does not want me. I have waited for two years! Alam mo yun, two years akong naghintay, e. Hindi naman ako yung tipo na break na kami tapos move on na agad ako. Naghintay ako ng two years... Kahit na alam na alam ko na noon na gusto ako ni Tripp at gusto ko din siya, hindi ako nag give in. Bakit? Kasi deep down, I was expecting he would come back for me and get me back. But that did not happen.

"Why am I being what?"

"You're playing with me. Damn, Drake! Ayoko na, okay? Can't you please spare me from your emotional torture?!" I seethed. Kinuha ko yung wine glass sa table at ininom ko. God, I'm losing my cool! Nasan na ba kasi si Tripp?! Don't worry, Zyril. Three days na lang dadating na ang boyfriend mo. Hold on.

He shook his head. "There's no emotional torture here, Alys. I'm just going to date you today. What's so wrong with that?"

That's it. Tumayo ako at naglakad palabas.

Bastos na kung bastos pero may choice pa ba ako? He's playing me again! Back then, I was naive and gullible, pero ngayon, I'm a whole lot better and I won't give him the liberty to toy with me again. Not now that I'm contented with my life. I love my life right now.

I was strutting towards the door when he caught me by my arm. "Where do you think you are going?"

I sighed. "Home, Drake. Pagod ako, okay? Hindi pa ako natutulog, and I'm going to lose my sanity. Wag ka ng dumagdag."

Unti unti kong tinanggal yung kamay niya sa braso ko at humarap sa kanya.

"Drake, seriously, I don't want you back. Please stop bothering me."

--

"Alys?"

Lumingon ako. Today's a new day. I was pretty exhausted yesterday with Drake's drama. Good thing nakausap ko si Tripp kagabi and I didn't tell him about that 'talk.' May good news din siya! Mapapaaga ang uwi niya, thank God! Mababaliw na yata ako pag wala pa din siya.

"Tito Steve called you. Punta ka daw sa bahay niya," Dane said. Wala si Mommy and Daddy kaya kami lang ni Dane ang nandito sa bahay palagi. Dahil kakalabas lang sa rehab ni Dane, not that may drug related problem and kapatid ko. It's just that, he's emotionally vulnerable as of the moment. 

I flipped the cover of the glossy magazine that I was reading. "Bakit daw?"

"Ewan. Punta ka daw dun."

I sighed and punched Tito's number on the landline.

"Can I talk to Tito Steve?"

("Why?")

Aww. There. Kahit sa landline ayaw akong tigilan ni Drake.

"Tatanong ko lang kung bakit gusto niya akong papuntahin jan," I said. I figured dapat siguro magkaroon na kami ng talk ni Drake, no? Para ma clear na yung black clouds sa pagitan namin. Syempre, meron pa din naman akong galit sa kanya. He broke my heart. Pero ngayon, since pinsan sila ni Tripp and it's inevitable na magkita kami, sana siguro maging kahit civil kami sa isa't isa. I wanna cut the chase and just be friends. After all, the damage has been done. The best thing we could do is to be friends, or acquaintance, at least.

I heard some crying on the background.

("It's Ethos' birthday.")

OMG! Bakit hindi ko alam?! I'm such a bad ninang!

"Shit," I uttered.

("Since when did you start cursing?") he asked whilst Ethos was crying on the background. Aww! Even his sobs are so cute! I've seen baby pictures of him and he's nothing like Drake! Kung si Drake, mukhang snob, si Ethos ay more like Tripp. He's like an angel. Nagmana sa Mama niya, and he's white like milk!

I erased the thought of comparing the two Palmas of my life. "Since I don't know. Tell Tito Steve that I'll swing by later," I said then hanged up on him. Hah! Feels good!

Umakyat ako sa kwarto at nagpalit ng damit. Pupunta muna ako sa mall. Si Ethos ang first na inaanak ko kaya syempre kailangan special ang first gift ko sa kanya! Nung baptism niya kasi, si Aya na lang ang pinabili ko ng gift. I'm such a bad godmother.

"Baby, pakisabi kila Mommy na punta lang ako kila Tito Steve, okay?"

--

Kanina pa ako ikot ng ikot sa Mall. Sana pala sinama ko si Aya! Nakasalubong ko kasi si Kent kanina, e di sana nagkachance na magkausap yung dalawa! Hay naman kasi, obvious naman na gusto nilang magbalikan pero nag iinarte. 

"Which one's better?" I asked the sales lady kung ano ang bibilin ko between the minion stuffed toy na super cute or yung baril barilan with helicopter and stuff. Baka kasi maging violent si Ethos kung yung baril ang iregalo ko. God! Ganito pala kahirap maging ninang. Pera na lang kaya ibigay ko? Tsk. 

After awhile, I settled down with a miniature train na toy. Okay na siguro to kasi hindi siya violent! Kumain din muna ako before pumunta. I'll just swing by kasi talaga, wala akong balak magtagal kasi may lakad din kami ni Tofer today. I made a promise na sasamahan ko siya sa store niya. Nagventure kasi siya sa food business kasi matakaw talaga yang si Tofer, ang payatot lang talaga.

"Sup, Panget?" I said while munching my glazed donut. Nasa Krispy Kreme kasi ako ngayon. 

("Malapit na akong matapos sa proposal. Nandyan na ako by the day after tomorrow.")

My eyes twinkled. "Really?!" sabi ko, muntik na akong mabulunan sa kinakain ko kaya uminom muna ako ng coffee.

Nagchuckle siya sa kabilang line. ("Dahan dahan lang, mabulunan ka, baka mawalan ako ng panget na girlfriend.")

Mas lalo naman akong nabulunan sa sinabi niya! "Grabe,Tripp Marco, ha!"

("Joke lang naman. Miss na miss na kita, Panget ko...")

Nagblush naman ako. Nakakahiya naman, baka may makakita sa akin dito, mas red pa ako sa strawberry! Nagtakip ako ng tray ng coffee dito. "Sabi mo, e. Uwi ka na dito. Wala kang mahahanap na magandang babae na magpapauto sa'yo jan sa New York," I said. Hahaha! This is what I like about him, we could just talk and have a good laugh. Sometimes, people don't want a complicated relationship. In my case, I like things like this. Simple, comfortable, walang chaos. Just pure rainbow and butterflies, no stormy days.

("Ang gwapo ko kaya. --Palma, get your butt here. They're looking for you!-- Aish. Bye na, Panget. Tinatawag na nila ako.")

I sighed. "Okay... Bye, Panget. I love you."

"I love you din. See you soon!"

Binaba ko na yung phone at tinapos ko muna yung kinakain ko then dumiretso ako kila Tito Steve. Wala namang nagbago sa bahay nila, still the same. The garden looks amazing, nandun pa din yung roses! May green thumb talaga si Tita Katrina. Now, medyo nagffade na yung paedophile na image niya sa utak ko. Time really does change everything.

"Tito Steve!" I ran towards him and hugged him. Grabe, namiss ko si Tito Steve!

Niyakap niya din ako. "Alys! Buti naman nakapunta ka!"

He looks good! Grabe. Years have passed nga! Mas nagmature si Tito Steve pero ganun pa din, playful. Namiss ko 'to...

Inabot ko yung gift ko. "Gift ko for Ethos. Where's my inaanak, Tito?" I asked, looking for my inaanak.

"Nako, na kay Drake. Ikaw na ang mag abot niyan sa kanya."

Nagpaalam si Tito Steve sa akin. Nakita ko si Tito Tristan kaya nagtago muna ako. Hindi pa kasi ako pinapakilala formally ni Tripp. Ilang beses ng nagtry si Tripp na ipakilala ako pero lagi akong nakakalusot. Hindi pa ako kasi ready. Ang alam ng buong Palma clan, girlfriend ako ni Drake. Grabe naman kung after a few years, si Tripp naman.

I went straight to the back of their maneur. Hinahanap ko yung pool na dati naming pinuntahan ni Tripp. Yung first time na hinalikan niya ako sa cheeks.

"Napaka cute ni Baby Ethos. Di ba, baby Ethos? Napaka cute!" 

I was taken aback by what I saw. Nandun si Drake, Cristine, at baby Ethos. They looked like... a happy family. For one second, I really thought that they're a family. 

Habang hawak ni Drake si Ethos, nilalaro ni Miss Stinson si Ethos. Wala sa itsura niya na ganito siya ka playful. Tuwi kasing nakikita ko si Miss Stinson, para siyang suplada. Never niya akong nginitian na as in sincere. Parang out of responsibility lang palagi, or at least that's what it feels like to me.

Nilayo ni Drake si Ethos. "Stop your baby talk. You're annoying."

Nagpout naman si Miss Stinson.

"Hindi kaya! I'm cute and you know it! Di ba, baby Ethos? Napaka sungit talaga ng kuya mo, naku!"

Kulang na lang popcorn, para akong nanonood ng movie. Para nga akong nasa throwback Thursady. Ganyan din kasi ako dati, yata? Naaalala ko yung sarili ko kay Miss Stinson. Hopelessly in love sa isang Drake Sebastian Palma.

Come to think of it, kung titignan sa ibang point of view, siguro ako naman ang kontrabida. Maybe in someone else's mind, si Miss Stinson yung babaeng para kay Drake pero ang dahilan kaya hindi maging picture perfect ang lahat ay dahil sa isang babaeng nagngangalang Alys Perez. Siguro ganyan nga. After all, a story has different sides. It's just how you will choose to look at it. And at this point, in my point of view, hindi ako kontrabida because first of all, I have no thoughts of intruding. I am happy and I want Drake to be happy.

Miss Cristine was still playing with Ethos, now, she tickling him. "Bagay ba kami ni Kuya mo?"

Ethose enthusiastically nodded. "Yes po."

Awww! Ang cutie pie niya!

"Masungit ba si Kuya mo?"

Ethos shook his head. "Ethos loves Kuya. Kuya not bad."

And they burst into laughter. And that's my cue, I stepped back and left my gift on the table. I guess we both got what we want. We got our happiness.