Sebastian

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Instead of driving straight to the Café Haus, I parked my car two kilometers away from it. I became accustomed to this. Walking all the way, watching and observing the people along the side helps me forget many things.

Life is indeed full of challenges, and I'm at the end of my tunnel now. I'm already living in the sunlight. The darkness has left me, but still, it follows me like an unnoticed shadow.

Oh, yes, the past can hurt you. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn it. And in my case, I guess I learn it the hard way, leaving me with a trauma that I can't escape.

Pero sa kabila nito, ay may mga bagay na swerte pa rin ako dahil sa pinagmulan ko. I owe it to my parents, and I share a little bit with someone who is in need. I can't help myself. I feel sorry for them, but this is life. Not everyone is equal. We are born without a choice, and those born with a silver spoon are fortunate.

The line was already long when I entered the coffee shop. This one is closer to my workplace and also nearer to the Café Haus where I hang out with the boys. Dapat sana ay didiretso na ako ngayon doon, pero parang nasanay na ang mga paa ko sa direksyon na ito, kahit na wala namang trabaho.

"Have a great day, Ma'am!"

I glance at her. She's got a lovely voice. Is she new? I hadn't seen her serving at this coffee shop before because it was always the boys, and there was this one familiar girl who was always on the side. But she's not here today. Somehow, this brunette girl caught my attention.

I enjoy looking at the faces of young, pretty girls. The one behind the counter is beautiful and has a charming, fresh smile. I kept my eyes on her, and I knew she noticed. I smiled when she took my order. We were flirting. That's how I saw it.

"Have a great day, Mr. Grayson!" She beamed, and we both shared flirty smiles.

I crossed the road and took my first sip of the macchiato she made. I paused, and my brow crumpled.

What the heck? Is this even macchiato?

I tasted it again, and sure, hell, it tasted like shit.

"Damn, she works in the coffee shop and can't even make a macchiato? Bloody hell." I mumbled and immediately dropped the coffee into the bin. I wiped my mouth. That was bad.

Nang pumasok ako sa Café Haus ay nasa loob na ang dalawang kaibigan ko sa pwesto namin, at nasa dulo ito. That spot every Saturday is always reserved for us.

"I thought you were not gonna show up, Sebastian." Lucian Vallerio chuckled.

"That won't be happening, Mr. Vallerio. I will never miss a date, you know." I smirked and sat down. "I was looking forward for this. Magunaw man ang mundo. Hindi puwede na hindi ako pupunta rito."

He shook his head, and Garet smiled a little.

Luciano Vallerio and Garet Libradilla are my best friends. We've known each other since secondary school as we went to the same school. I'm the eldest, and Luciano is the youngest.

It was funny how the three of us became friends. We all have a common denominator for that, and that is our Physical Education Teacher.

She was a sex maniac. She probably had sex with all the hot boys on the campus, including the three of us. We were only teenagers at that time, and who knows what the fuck, as teenage life has full of curiosity. And it just happened that she became our mentor in the sex thing. And every time we looked back into it, it made us all laugh.

"Hello, boys! Are we having the same thing again?" Sasha asked.

"Yes, please, beautiful." Luciano winked at Sasha.

"Okay... not a problem," Sasha wrote our usual orders.

"And add one macchiato for me, please."

"And one macchiato for Mr. Grayson," she writes it down. "Is that all?" Sasha's eyes were on Luciano and Garet, but the two were looking at me questionably.

"Yes, that's all, Sash. Thanks." Ako na ang sumagot dahil mukhang hindi na sasagot ang dalawa, dahil nakatitig sa akin sila pareho. Umalis din agad si Sasha.

"What's with the look?" I shook my head and took a sip of my water.

"That's unusual, Seb. You always have your macchiato at the coffee shop around the corner?" Garet brow shuts down.

"Yes, that's true. I did have my macchiato, but it tastes like shit." I hissed a little bit.

"Iba ba ang gumawa? Madalas si John ang gumagawa 'di ba? I like how he made the macchiato for me last time I was there." Luciano composed, and his eyes rolled down the street, scanning all the ladies passing by.

"No. Not this time. . . Some newbie made the macchiato for me, and it taste horrible."

Garet chuckled. He just shook his head, and the three of us looked at the footpath across.

Ang pwestong ito ang paborito namin. Tinted glass ang dingding ng Café Haus at nadadaanan ito ng mga tao. Nasa gitna ito ng syudad at marami ka nga namang nakikita na sari-sari sa bawat araw.

What we see every Saturday morning serves as our vitamins, especially all the pretty ladies that walk past us.

"Any news?" Garet heaved. He seems troubled.

"No news is good news, Gars," Luciano playfully smirked.

"What about you, Seb? I heard from Estefan that your ex wanted something again?" Garet's brows met. Iba ang tingin niya sa akin, at alam ko na nag-aalala siya sa sitwasyon ko.

"And what does that bitch wants again, Seb? Geez, she's a pain in the ass. That's why I'm still single. I'm fucking too scared to get married to the wrong woman. Because nowadays bitches are too clever," Luciano cursed, looking annoyed.

I sighed, feeling like something stuck inside my throat.

"She wants Ruby, and there's no effing way that I will give Ruby to her. . . OVER MY DEAD BODY." I gritted.

Napakuyom-kamao ako sa sarili. Nasira nga naman ang buong linggo ko dahil sa kanya. Mabuti na lang at magagawan ng mabuting paraan ito ni Estefan, siya ang divorce Atorney ko.

"Damn, that ex-wife of yours, Seb. You gave her everything during the process of divorce, right? Wala kang ibang hiningi kung 'di si Ruby lang." Natawa si Luciano. "I can't believe how foolish you are, giving everything to her, and that leaves you almost nothing."

"Just forget about it. That was a year and a half ago." I dipped my head halfway, feeling shit at it. I don't want to remember it.

"Oh, well, and now she wants Ruby? Why is that?" Garet's eyebrow raised slightly.

"It's all for money, money, money." Gumalaw ang kamay ni Luciano. Hindi nakakatawa ito.

"She knows you're doing good now, and she wants more." He shook his head. "Damn, bitches. That's why it's fun to just fuck them than loving them."

Bahagya akong natawa at napailing sa sarili. "Don't worry, I won't let her use me again this time."

"Better be! It's not your loss, Sebastian. She played, she cheated, and the worst part? She cheated with your fucking gardener. Put that in your fucking golden brain, man." He sizzled as he pointed his eyes at me.

I chuckled at that, and Garet shook his head in silence. He didn't convey much, but I know he was more concerned.

Our orders arrived, and the first thing I did was taste the macchiato Sasha made. It's not the best, but it's not bad compared to the macchiato Eva made.

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c.m. louden

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