Xydelle's Point of View

"Hey! San ka pupunta?" Irish asked but I didn't bother to answer her. I went directly in the parking lot, went inside my car and sped away.

Now I am standing in front of the Earl Residence. The day after I brought Imee in the hospital, I kept going here for I do not know what the reason is. To check if she's okay?

Damn! Mukhang hindi na maganda 'tong mga ginagawa ko.

"Oh Xydelle, naparito ka hijo? May kailangan ka ba?" Agad akong napaayos ng tayo nang makita ko si Yaya Melds.

Hindi ko man lang napansin at narinig yung paglabas niya sa gate. Nakatayo lang kasi ako rito sa labas ng malaki nilang gate habang nakasandal sa kotse ko.

"Napadaan lang po ako." I answered.

"Aba, e gusto mo bang pumasok muna hijo?"

"There's no need po, paalis naman na po ako." Yaya Melds smiled at me so I smiled back at her. "Si Imee po, is she okay?"

"Naku, yung batang yun---"

"Why? Did something happened to her again?" Hindi ko alam pero bigla na lang akong kinabahan.

I always feel this every time I am hearing her name and I really don't know why.

"Ayos naman ang batang iyon. Hindi ko lang maintindihan kung minsan. Abay hindi ko alam kung saan pumupunta lagi. Hapon na nga rin yun kung umuuwi." Somehow, I felt relieved dahil sa sinabi ni Yaya Melds. Akala ko kasi kung may nangyari na namang hindi maganda sa kanya.

"Salamat nga pala hijo sa pagdala sa kanya sa hospital. Naku, kung wala ka nung araw na yun, marahil hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko. Mabuti na lamang at nandun ka nung araw na yun." I smiled at Yaya Melds.

"No worries Yaya. Sige po, mauuna na po ako." Paalam ko rito.

"Sige hijo. Mag-ingat ka sa pagmamaneho."

After talking to Yaya Melds, dumiretso ako sa bar ng tito ni Aris. Hindi ko alam kung bakit lagi akong pumupunta rito, pero pansin ko lang, napapadalas na yata ako rito. Hindi naman ako umiinom unlike the last time I was here. Nagising na lang akong sobrang sakit ng ulo ko. I was in the VIP room that time tapos kasama ko sina Aris at Zephyr. They even scolded me, asking me why I was drunk, but then I didn't tell them why.

Habang pinapaikot-ikot yung car key sa pointing finger ko, pinanood ko lang yung mga tao na nagsasaya rito. This bar is exclusive only for teenagers like us. They only offer light drinks. May area dito sa bar na nakalaan for adults from the other side.

"Hey man!" Napatingin ako sa taong tumapik sa balikat ko.

"Yo!" Nagfist-bump kami. It's Kevin with Leonard. Family friends, dati ring kaibigan namin nina Aris at Zephyr.

"What are you doing here? Glad to see you both." Sabi ko sa kanilang dalawa.

"We came here to...you know." A playful smile was plastered on their faces. Tsk. Fucking playboy.

"You should stop doing that, hindi na kayo naawa sa mga babae."

"We're just kidding man! Hahaha." They both laughed at napapailing na lang ako. "Is that Zeph and Aris?" Napatingin ako sa entrance ng bar. "Yo!" Kumaway si Kevin dahilan upang mapatingin sina Zephyr at Aris sa gawi namin.

"Hey dude! Kailan pa kayo rito?" Tanong ni Aris pagkalapit nila sa direksyon namin.

"We came here just yesterday for some important matters." Naupo sina Aris at Zeph sa mga bakanteng upuan sa tabi namin.

"Oh Xydelle! Nandito ka pala? Napapadalas ka yata rito sa bar ni Tito ah?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Aris.

"This place helps me distract myself every time I'm thinking too much." I answered. Lalo na ngayong marami akong iniisip.

Kumpleto kaming lima. Parang kailan lang ang babata namin, tapos ngayon heto na kami, ganito na kalalaki. Time flies so fast. If this is what you call reunion, then I guess it is.

"Baka naman babae yang iniisip mo bro." Napatingin ako kay Leonard.

"Fuck you. I'm not like you." I hissed at him na siyang ikinatawa niya.

"Yeah dude! Napagdaanan na namin yan. You're distracting yourself from what? Ano ba yang gumugulo sa isip mo ngayon?" From Kevin's question, Imee suddenly crossed on my mind. Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako ng malalim.

"Quit it guys! Let's change the topic. The two of you, how's States?" Tanong ni Zephyr sa dalawa. I just smiled at Zephyr for saving me.

"It's fine. We just have to adjust ourselves kasi iba naman dun pero okay naman." Sagot ni Leonard. "Eh kayo?" He asked back.

"We also have to adjust but all in all, we're good." Si Aris naman ang sumagot.

Kevin ordered some alcohol. Pagkatapos naming magkamustahan, kung anu-ano na yung mga pinagkwentuhan namin.

"Yeah boy! E ang mga babaeng tinitibok ng puso natin? Or do you guys have no girls yet? Marami ako nun. Bigyan ko kayo, gusto niyo?" Tanong ni Kevin at binatukan nga nila siya. "What the fvck dude!" He hissed.

"You're such a fucking playboy man!" Binatukan ulit siya ni Zephyr.

"What? I was just asking here!" Pangangatwiran niya. Natawa na lang tuloy kaming lahat.

"If you were asking me, I'm already courting the girl I really like." Panimula ni Zephyr.

"Woah. That's my man!" Wika ni Kevin kaya nagfist-bump silang dalawa. Tila tuwang-tuwa pa ang mga ito. Tinanong din nito pabalik si Kevin at tangina lang talaga ng sagot niya.

"We don't court dude. We can get all the girls we want." Nasapok na naman si Kevin sa sinagot niya. Nauwi na naman ang lahat sa tawanan. Yeah, talking about this fucking playboy.

"Ikaw Aris?" Si Leonard naman ang nagtanong.

"I don't have time for that. There are lot of things to focus than that." Sagot ni Aris.

Masyado kasi itong seryoso sa buhay para isipin ang mga ganung bagay. Besides his parents were training him on how to handle their business dahil ito ang magmamana ng company nila.

"That's good for you dude para habang maaga pa, marami ka nang matututunan." Puna nito. These two may be playboy but they know when to become serious in life. Mga sadyang gago lang talaga. "How about you Xydelle?" Leonard added.

Hindi ako nakasagot agad. They were all looking at me while waiting for my answer. I just heave a sigh.

"There's this girl, she's different. She's not a typical girl. She's brave. She doesn't care if there's something bad happen to her. All she cares is to make sure that other people around her are okay, not minding her own sake." I remember the very first time I saw her. That moment, I was amazed by her personality. When I first encounter her, I realized that she's really different from all the girls I know.

"Damn. I really wanted to shout at her, to scold her, to say that she also needs to think of herself. But when I talked to her, she just told me that she can take care of herself more than anyone does. It's her personality after all."

Sa ilang beses ko siyang nakitang napapahamak, I can see bravery in her personality. I know she can protect herself but is it too much to ask if I also want to protect her? Evey time I see her or just by hearing her name, there's this urge inside of me that wants to protect her.

"Who's the lucky girl?" Napatingin ako kay Kevin nang magsalita ito.

"Tell us dude, do you like that girl?" Tanong din ni Leonard na siyang ikinalingon ko tsaka ako napakibit balikat sa kanya.

"Liking her never crossed on my mind. I just have the urge to protect her. All I wanted is to make sure that she's okay, that she's safe. That's just it." Sagot ko tsaka ko ininom yung laman ng basong ibinigay nila sa akin.

Those things I've said were true. Sa ilang beses ko na siyang dinala sa hospital, natatakot na akong may mangyari na namang masama sa kanya. Maybe that's the reason why I wanted to protect her.

"Liking her never crossed on your mind? Is it because you're already in love with that girl?" Bahagya akong natigilan. Love? Napailing ako. That's impossible.

"You can't just worry for someone for no reason." Napatahimik na lang ako at hindi ko alam kung anong sasabihin ko dahil sa mga narinig ko.

Bakit ko nga ba ginagawa ang mga bagay na ito sa kanya? Is wanting to protect her isn't just the real reason? Love? Is it possible?

Denniese Imee Earl, am I falling for you? Or I already did?