Imee's Point of View

After calling Jazz, I lazily laid down on my bed. I informed him about the guy earlier. He even scolded me. I should have forced that guy to speak about the person who ordered to follow me around, he said. As if that's easy. That guy is persistent not to say anything. I can read it in his eyes. Kapag ginawa ko yun at pinilit siya, mapapatay ko lang siya ng wala sa oras dahil desidido siyang huwag talagang magsalita.

He just told me not to be impulsive before, now he's pushing me through. Tsk.

"Mahilig ka sa spaghetti ah? Gusto mo bang may magpunas sa gilid ng labi mo kaya yan lagi ang binibili mo?" Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Irish.

Bakit ba pati pagkain ko ang pinapansin niya? I threw my tissue off her face.

"Not my food." I glared at her but she just replied me with her laughter.

Irish and Alice took their foods and I remained silent until I felt someone touched the side of my lips.

"Messy eater." Xydelle teased as he wiped away something on it.

I heard Irish laughed on my side. It's as if her assumptions were right. I glared her once.... until Xydelle kissed that part, almost half of his lips touching mine.

"Xydelle!" I hissed when I snapped back into reality. Tumawa lang ang mga kaibigan namin sa tabi.

"What?" He asked, masking that smile on his face.

He effortlessly closed the gap between us and stole one kiss from me. Damn it.

"What the fuck Xydelle?"

He glanced at me. "Tangina Imee. Kiligin ka naman!"

"Minumura mo na ako?"

"Minamahal kita baby. Minamahal." He sarcastically replied.

Napaikot na lang ako ng mata lalo na nung mapuno na ng tawanan itong tambayan dahil sa mga kaibigan namin. They are also crazy. All of them actually. Tsk.

"Why did you follow me?" Naramdaman ko ang pag-upo nito sa tabi ko. We're here at the school garden.

"I can't let my woman leave me mad."

"I'm not."

"I'm sorry." Nilipat ko ang tingin ko sa kanya.

"Just... Just don't kiss me in public." Napaiwas na lang ako nang salubungin nito ang tingin ko. Nakita ko pa ang pagngiti nito at lumapit sa akin.

"So, I can kiss you in private?" He sexily replied. Damn this guy. Napailing ako bago ko siya nilingon.

"It's not what---" And I'm too late for explaining myself because he already claimed my lips.

"I love you." He said sincerely, having our foreheads touched each other.

Napatitig na lang ako sa kanya. Why do I feel like he has the power in drowning me into his eyes whenever he's looking at me?

"I love you." Lumayo ito sa akin at ngumiti ng malaki.

"2." He said. My forehead creased. What about the number this time? "It's your second time saying that words." He added.

Habang nakatingin sa kanya, hindi ko mapigilang ngumiti sabay iling ng ulo ko. Is he observing everything about me?

Sa mga sumunod na araw, I can feel having a normal day like nothing suspicious anymore after warning that guy but that doesn't change the fact that they could just appear any time soon to attack me. I wouldn't let them, though.

Si Jazz lang ang contact ko. That guy is the mind of our team yet he can't also do anything para makakuha man lang sana ng konting detalye.

We went to the Underground Empire last week but Death Shadow already disappeared. I want to kill that guy. After giving me some mind-blowing information, aalis siya ng walang pasabi. He knows a thing and after saying some of what he knew, he'll leave me more than puzzled.

"I was thinking of introducing her to my parents. My Dad will be home this weekend."

"Kyaaaah! Oh my God!" Tili ng mga kaibigan ko pero hindi ko sila masyadong maintindihan dahil sa taong nakita ko.

"Summer?"

"Anong summer? Huy! Okay ka lang?" Nangunot ang noo nang tapikin ako ni Irish ng malakas. All eyes are on me now. "Anong summer yang pinagsasabi mo? Hello best friend, kaka-bermonths palang ho. Matagal pa ang summer." Usal ni Irish sa sarkastikong tono. I gave her a look.

Pinilit ko na lang ang sarili kong huwag siyang hampasin. I diverted my attention on the glass door of this restaurant. I narrowed my eyes to see if she's really there but I can see nothing. Maybe, I was just hallucinating.

"You okay?" Tanong ni Xydelle. Tinanguan ko na lang siya tsaka ako tumayo.

"Washroom." Saad ko kahit wala namang nagtatanong.

I stood up and headed to the washroom. I looked myself in the mirror and closed my eyes. Kasabay ng pagpikit ko ay ang pagflashblack ng nakita ko kanina.

I'm sure of what I saw. I saw Summer. She even smiled at me and that smile of hers is different from her usual smile. Or maybe because I haven't seen her for how many years?

I composed myself not to think too much.

I should be happy if that's really Summer. She's my best friend way back then. I should be happy for her comeback but why do I feel otherwise? Is it really her? Or naghahallucinate lang talaga ako?

I washed my face. Tinignan ko pa muna ang mukha ko sa salamin bago ako lumabas at bumalik sa table.

"You okay?" I nod my head as an answer to Xydelle's question.

"Dala lang 'yan ng kaba Xydelle. Syempre sa Daddy mo siya ipapakilala e." Zephyr said. Nangunot ang noo ko. Who will introduce whom and to whom?

Nakakunot pa rin ang noo ko. I didn't pay attention that much because of what I saw. So he's going to introduce me to his parents? Fuck Xydelle.

That weekend came. I should have disagreed with this. I'll be meeting his parents. Damn it.

"Hey." Xydelle called for my attention. Nilingon ko lang ito.

"Don't worry baby, mabait si Daddy." He smiled at me and this would be my first time to feel so fucking nervous.

Being in a gang fight never gave me that feeling. I never felt this nervous before.

Xydelle was just looking at me as we settled off on his car. I arc my brows on him.

"Babaeng-babae ka ngayon." He teased. Napaikot na lang ako ng mata.

Since the day I came back here in this country, this would be the first time I'm wearing a dress. Thanks for Irish and Alice for barging inside my room without my knowing. Tsk.

Pumasok kami sa isang restaurant. Xydelle had his reservation so we immediately went there. I saw Principal Avah and she's with her husband. Iginiya ako roon ni Xydelle and we had our greetings to each other.

Mababait naman sila. They asked me something which is not hard to answer. They're asking me so might as well answer them with what I know.

"By the way hija, your parents are?" Tito Gab asked.

"Dennis and Vanessa Earl po." I answered. Tinignan ako nito ng mabuti bago siya nagsalita.

"Oh, I thought you are somewhat related to the Blevins." Sagot nito sa akin na ikinanuot ng noo ko.

"Blevins?" Tanong ni Principal Avah dito. That's my question too.

"She looks like a Blevins."

"Who's Blevins?" Kahit na tinanong na iyon ni Principal Avah, I still dared to asked that again. Tito Gab drinks his wine first.

"Manuel Blevins and Gwyneth Blevins." Mas lalong nangunot ang noo ko.

Manuel Blevins? Gwyneth Blevins? Seems like I've heard that names before.

"Don't mind it young lady. It's just a mistake." Singit ni Tito, tumango na lang ako rito.

Hindi rin naman kami nagtagal masyado. The dinner ended around 8 PM. Xydelle's driving now on our way home. In the whole duration of our trip, I can't take those thoughts off my mind. Nabalik lang ako sa huwisyo nang alisin ni Xydelle ang seatbelt ko. He even whispered that we're already here. Napatango lang ako sa kanya bago ako lumabas but he stopped me.

"What?"

"No goodbye kiss?" He wiggles his brows up and down.

"Go home." I ordered. He just replied me with a tsk-ed.

Matapos niyang paandarin iyong kotse palayo sa akin, I entered the house. I saw my parents on the living room. They're both busy, like the usual. May hawak na article si Daddy and my mom's busy with her laptop.

"Hi baby. How's the dinner date with his family?" Tanong ni Mommy habang yung tingin niya ay nasa laptop pa rin.

"It went smooth." Tipid kong sagot. With the help of my peripheral vision, I saw my Dad's looking at me. Hinayaan ko na lang ito.

I stayed in the living room for I don't know how many minutes before I decided to go upstairs. I'm already halfway when I remembered what Tito Gab said.

"Mom, Dad." I diverted my attention to my parents.

Napalingon ang mga ito saglit sa akin tsaka nila muling ipinagpatuloy ang ginagawa nila. Asking a thing won't harm me anyway.

"Do you know these people---Manuel Blevins and Gwyneth Blevins?"

I noticed my Mom stopped from what she's doing. Dad suddenly averted his gaze on me. They are both looking at me now as if I asked something that's very shocking. Is it just me or I really did shocked them with my question?