Kabanata 14

"Pink suits you," Euan complimented. He zipped my dress for me. It was a floral pink long dress with short sleeves. Nilagyan n'ya rin ako ng iilang floral hair barettes. He folded some of my hair and used it for clipping.

"Maganda lang talaga ako."

"Maganda ka kasi inayusan kita," he corrected and I couldn't agree more.

Dayanara used to hire make-up artists and designers for me, however when Mareena came, she decided to abandon me because she believes her daughter deserves more praise. Pakialam ko naman? Mareena is effortlessly beautiful though. Partida ay bata pa lamang siya.

Bumuntonghininga ako habang papasok kami ng lobby ng hotel. Sabay kami ni Euan dahil nasa malapit lang naman ang room number n'ya sa room number ko. The host for this event probably rented the whole hotel.

I don't see the point of proving who's prettier, smarter or simply pitting a person against another person.

"How is he doing?" kabado kong tanong.

"Who?"

"Etienne."

"He's fine, I guess? Who knows? But he's probably still healing."

"Naging okay ba siya sa ibang bansa?"

"Etienne did his own healing, you know?" Euan assured me as we entered the massive area for one of the gatherings that I had to attend in order to make an appearance for the Reverios. Inabot n'ya sa akin ang isang sparkling water na galing sa isang waiter na lumapit. I declined.

"He went to therapy?"

"He did, sa States, of course. The trauma was still there for him, Solstice. You'll probably think it's easy to overcome it but even with help, it's definitely hard."

Hindi ako nakasagot doon. He was abused in ways that I couldn't even fathom. And I don't even want to know. The details were kept by his family. Ang tanging alam ko lang ay hindi nila hinayaan na makawala ang tutor. She exploited Etienne for her own pleasure. It was purely disgusting. Idagdag pa na bata pa si Etienne. He couldn't give consent to that and I know Etienne wouldn't even want to partake in it.

No one deserves that.

I feel fucking awful.

"You were with him?" I asked, slowly getting drained out.

"Of course," Euan boasted. He fixed his hair by tilting his head, showing me that even the wind can attest to how soft his hair can be.

"Kaya pala pumangit ang ugali."

Euan's eyes turned into slits and he snorted. "Girl, kasalanan mo 'yan. Mabait naman sa amin si Etienne. Pangit talaga ugali n'ya sa mga pangit."

"Excuse me?" nag-taas ako ng kilay sa kan'ya. I showed my newly manicured nails like how a predator shows its claws.

"Bakit ka natamaan?" He smirked.

I rolled my eyes.

Ang maldita talaga nito. Pero kahit gano'n, he's the only Soteiro that I could speak with. Well, for now. CL is busy since he's graduating; alam ko rin dahil kahit noon pa man ay mahilig na siya sumali sa mga extracurricular activities. Malamang ay pudpod siya ngayon.

And maybe, deep inside his heart, he hates me too.

Kumirot ang puso ko nang mapagtantuan ko 'yon. I remember that it was the first time I saw CL glared at someone. Sa araw na 'yon lang siya nagalit. Paano pa kaya sa akin na nagawang talikuran si Etienne ng panahon na 'yon?

"Etienne doesn't hate you," Euan said. It made me flipped my attention back to him.

"If that worries you, he doesn't. Of course, I can't tell what he feels for you right now. But I just know. . ." Euan trailed off.

"I wasn't even thinking about Etienne." I said, honestly.

Euan chuckled.

"Sol, if you have to choose between the person you love and the person who loves you. Who would you choose?"

"The person I love," sagot ko. I don't see the point of choosing someone that I don't. Hindi naman ibig sabihin na hindi pa ako mahal ay wala ng pag-asa.

Ngumisi lang si Euan. "That will change, eventually. In reality, we tend to choose who's available. Who is there. Who stays. However, the moment we finally realized that it was them all along is also the second that they're finally fed up. They're finally tired of loving someone who doesn't love them back."

I don't know where he got that from. Napaisip din naman ako sa sinabi n'ya. Ayoko rin mahulog sa isang tao na hindi ako kayang mahalin pabalik. No one wants that. Yet, people can settle with only a few drops of affection. Sa mumunting patak na 'yon, umaasa silang maibabalik nang buo ang pagmamahal nila.

Sadly, that does not happen often. That few drops will eventually be dried out until no love will ever be given back.

"Solstice," Tita Ellise in her elegant beige dress strutted her way to me.

Agad akong napalunok. Euan and I are okay because he has always been forgiving. Subalit hindi ko alam kung ano ang magiging reaksyon ng ibang mga Soteiro. I don't even know if they knew about what I did to Etienne.

"It's nice to see you again!" She beamed at me. Agad ko naman sinuklian ang ngiting ginawad n'ya para sa akin. Gusto ko sanang isipin na pina-plastic n'ya ako pero alam ko naman na hindi gano'n si Tita Ellise.

"Kamusta ka po, Tita?"

"I'm doing good. However, I would really appreciate it if you visit the mansion these days. Miss ka na ni Etienne." Tita Ellise's lips protruded and she even lets both of her pointing fingers meet. Umaastang parang batang humihingi ng candy.

"I'll try po, Tita. Baka rin po kasi ayaw ni Etienne maistorbo." I spoke. I doubt Etienne misses me. The last time we talked, it was evident that feels completely hostile towards me.

"Who said that I don't miss you?"

Pumagitna sa amin si Etienne, he was wearing a black polo and black pants. His grey eyes were glistening with mischief. Mukhang may binabalak na naman na katarantaduhan ang isang ito. Kumunot ang aking noo dahil sa naging kilos ni Etienne.

"See? The both of you should at least have dinner together. The last time we had dinner, hindi kayo nagpapansinan." Tita Ellise pointed out. Gusto ko umirap. Tita, read the freaking room!

"Tita, it's been a year so I think things just changed for a bit." saad ko. Etienne was watching me intently. I could feel his cold gaze on my skin.

"Soulmates na raw po kami ni Solstice —"

Agad kong siniko ang lokong ito. Mamaya ay maniwala si Tita Ellise! She's very gullible, madali nga itong mabubudol kung wala lang siyang mga guards na nakapaligid sa kan'ya.

"I'll take a punch lang po, Tita." I said to excuse myself.

Nanglaki ang mga mata ni Tita Ellise. "Sasapakin mo si Etienne?"

Kung p'wede lang po. I smiled and shook my head. "What I meant was a fruit punch, Tita. Sa may buffet area lang po ako."

"Etienne, samahan mo! Isasama ko naman si Euan sa mga kaibigan ko. The both of you should enjoy the night!" Tita Ellise muttered.

Euan only shrugged. Si Etienne naman ay pinapanood lang kung ano ang susunod kong sasabihin. I can't say no because Tita Ellise would know that the both of us are currently not okay.

"Sige po," I agreed. Sumunod naman si Etienne sa akin.

"Kumain ka na ba?" Etienne asked which caught me off guard. Is he concerned now?

I looked towards the line of the buffet area. Marami ang nandito dahil kaya 'yata ang mga empleyado sa kompanya ng host ngayon ay nandito. Well, I didn't eat but I'm also not hungry.

"Hindi pa. Kakain ba tayo sa labas?"

Etienne smiled. "Are you asking me on a date?"

"Hala? Okay ka lang?"

My brows immediately furrowed because of his statement.

"Tinanong lang kita kung kumain ka na tapos bigla mo ako yayayain? Huwag gano'n. Kaunti na lang ay maniniwala na ako na patay na patay ka nga talaga sa akin." He acted like a sad pup, as if me liking him means he's in disadvantage.

"E kung patayin kita sa sindak kung di ka pa titigil?" banta ko sa kan'ya.

"Grabe, paanong sindak? Tell me, Solstice." Etienne went near me and whispered. "Ano'ng sindak ba ang kaya mong gawin?"

"Magasin ka ba?" I asked, bahagyang lumayo sa kan'ya. His perfectly trimmed brows furrowed and his tongue touches the side of his cheek.

"Why?"

"Sa-vouge ka kasi," I stuck out my tongue and left him with his lips slightly parted.

Naiinis na ako sa kan'ya dahil hindi ko na siya mabasa. He's acting hostile but he's also acting friendly. He's like a double-edged sword!

"Aray!" a girl yelped in pain when I accidentally bumped into her. Nilingon ko ito at nakitang hindi siya pamilyar sa akin. She's probably an employee or a working staff. I know the elites here, kilala ko kung sino ang mga dapat kong iwasan at hindi siya isa sa mga ito.

"Ah, I'm sorry po." She clipped some of the falling strands of her hair.

"Oh, no. It's okay. I should be the one who should apologize." Nginitian ko siya. She smiled back at me. What a sweet girl.

"You're Solstice Lavender, right?" her tone changes which made my lips twitch.

"Yes? Bakit?"

"Kilala n'yo po si Kuya Adren?"

Oh, one of Adren's admirers.

"He won't attend tonight and my brother has a girlfriend already. But if it's anything beyond that, I'm sorry because I can't give any information about it too." prangkang sagot ko sa kan'ya.

The girl only pouted. "That's o-okay po, I'm Tatiana po pala."

She extended her hand. Aabutin ko na sana ito nang may humawak ng kamay ko. I looked towards the person who held my hand. It was Etienne who was looking at the girl with a cold gaze.

"She's with Dayanara, Lavy." Isiniwalat ni Etienne. Namutla si Tatiana. Agad na nalaglag ang panga ko.

"I have to g-go," Tatiana, who was caught red-handed, immediately left the scene. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit bigla n'ya ako'ng nilapitan. I know that Adren's current girlfriend is not from our class but — to sabotage even his lovelife? Iba na talaga si Dayanara.

"Akala ko ba gusto mo ako'ng saktan?" I asked, frankly. "You keep saving me, you're not doing the job, right. . ."

"I also told you that if you're going to get hurt," Etienne trailed on, biting his lower lip in frustration. "It's because of me, Lavy. No one else could hurt you. And if someone even tries, I'll make sure they'll regret even trying to think of putting you in danger."

❛ ━━━━━━･❪♀❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜