Sorry natagalan ulit ang update, mejj naging busy and unstable hahaha. 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 

       "I need a drink," bulalas ko agad nang maupo sa bar stool, sa tapat mismo ni Silver na nakatulala at para bang gigil na gigil na pinupunasang baso.

      "Go home Reika!" bulalas naman ni Silver habang nakabusangot. I've lived with Silver for a year and I couldn't count how many times she has raised her voice at me, but this is definitely the first where I didn't provoke her. 

       Looks like both of us had a bad day. 

       "Who pissed you off?" I asked, but instead of answering my question, Silver just rolled her eyes and poured a drink for me. Padabog pa itong binagsak ng elemento sa harapan ko tumalsik ito sa bar counter.

       Slade's fucked up face flashed on my mind again so I quickly drowned it out by drinking the glass of whatever right in front of me. Brandy, I think? Damn it stings!

       Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako at padabog na ibinaba ang baso nang maubos ito. Pinunasan ko ang gilid ng labi ko at nilibot ang paningin sa paligid. Mabuti na lang talaga at ibang banda ang tumutugtog dito sa bar ni Cohen ngayon dahil makita ko lang si Slade ngayon, bukas siya na mismo ang hindi makakakita. 

       "Who pissed you off?" tanong ni Silver pabalik sa akin, pinuno muli ng Brandy ang maliit na baso sa harapan ko.

        "Who says I'm pissed? Hindi ba pwedeng nasa mood lang ako uminom?" Pagmamaang-maangan ko sabay inom ng brandy, hindi inaalis ang tingin sa mga mata ni Silver na para bang hinuhusgahan ang sinabi ko; kung nagsabi ba ako ng totoo o hindi.

         "Lagi kang nandito sa bar pero minsan ka lang uminom, at pansin kong umiinom ka lang kapag naiinis ka... gaya nung minsang napikon ka dahil sabi ni Magno na laos na ang Fall Out Boy; nang sinabi ni Sawyer na hindi ka magaling tumugtog ng gitara; at nang sinabi ni Riley na pangit ka," Silver said like she was so sure of it. Maswerte siya at tama siya.

        "Are you stalking me, Silverianne Villacorta?" I joked as my eyes turned into accusing slits.

        "Reika De Juan, please don't forget that I work here and that seat is like your personal position already," Silver said as she winked and pointed her ears, pointing out the fact that all of my drama was within her earshot. Okay, point taken you stone-cold ghost.

         "So?" Silver sighed as she poured me another one. "Who pissed you off?"

          As I held the brandy-filled glass, I couldn't help but irk upon remembering that evil look in Slade's face. Mamamatay ata ako nang maaga dahil sa kanya.

        "That dude from Wave Syndicate, my rival from hell, went to our school and had the audacity to have lunch with Riley." Sa sobrang inis, napainom ako ulit.

         "That prick!" Bulalas ni Silver at bumuhos siya muli ng brandy sa baso ko pero nagulat ako nang siya mismo ang uminom mula roon. "What did you do? Did you beat him up?" tanong niya nang maubos ang ininom ko.

         "I tagged along!" Napabulaw ako sa inis. "I had lunch with them too! And you know what's worse?! He kept acting so sweet towards Riley! Laging Riley gusto mo ng ganito, gusto mo ng ganyan?! He even pulled up a seat for Riley! Alam kong ginawa niya iyon para inisin ako, maya't-maya kasing sumusulyap ang demonyo sa akin at ngumingisi na para bang pinagmamalaki sa akin ang ginagawa niya. I was so close to punching him hard but I didn't want him to have the glory of pissing me off so I acted like it didn't bother me when it was already killing me so bad!" Para akong nanghina nang may isang bagay pa akong naalala. 

         "Rei?" Silver asked.

          "Riley seemed like he was enjoying Slade's sweetness... and I didn't had the heart to ruin the moment...." Parang may pumiga sa puso ko nang maalala ang saya sa mukha ni Riley kanina. Of course he'd be happy, he's got a huge crush on Slade. 

           "Why does he always have to ruin everything..." Silver murmured but I still heard it clearly.

           "I know right?" I sighed. "Siguro kung matino siya, okay sana, magpaparaya ako. But I know Slade... I know boys like him... Relationships are like a passing fancy to them. If I let him get closer to Riley, he'll just hurt him."

           "Boys like Slade?" tanong ni Silver pero hindi na ako kumibo pa.

            "Rei... it's okay to admit that you want Riley all to yourself. You don't have to accuse anyone--" Nahinto sa pagsasalita si Silver nang sumulpot bigla sa tabi ko si Jethro na mukhang bagot na bagot. Nagulat ako nang makitang may dala pa talaga itong laptop.

           "Long time no see, Jethro." Tinanguan ko siya nang magtama ang tingin namin.

           Tumango pabalik si Jethro at inayos ang salamin na suot sa pamamagitan nang pagtulak sa gitnang bahagi nito papalapit lalo sa kanyang mukha. "One scotch please," anito sabay bukas ng kanyang laptop, di man lang tinitingnan si Silver.

          "What's this? Thesis and beer?" sarcastic kong sambit.

          "Netflix and beer," pagtatama niya habang diretso pa rin ng tingin sa laptop niya.

           "If you're going to work on your term paper, why are you even--"

           "My parents want me to get out more and socialize. I have no choice but to be here," aniya at nagsuot pa ng headphones. I guess that's the signal to stop talking to him. 

           Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa ni Silver, kapwa na-wirduhan.

*****

       11:44 PM

Elemento:

Where are you?! I told you to wait for me!

You're drunk so don't drive!

12:03 AM

You:

2AM pa ourt mp

antok na ako

Elemento:

You're drunk!

Where are you?!

1:12 AM

You:

I'm not

see i can type clearlu

*clearkly

*basta hahahahshshs

       Napabuntong-hininga ako at isinilid na lang ang cellphone sa bulsa ko. Napatingala ako at pinagmasdan ang bubong ng waiting shed na tinatambayan ko. Walang upuan kaya naupo ako sa maruming sahig sabay yakap sa mga tuhod ko. I like it better here, medyo malamig, tahimik ang kalsada sa harapan ko, at walang katao-tao sa paligid so definitely bullshit-free.

       I slipped my earphones in as I tapped my feet to the beat of Wheatus' Teenage Dirtbag. 

       "'Cause I'm just a teenage dirtbag baby!" I sang so loud, so loud that I could even consider it screaming at the top of my lungs while looking at the deep dark sky above... but all of a sudden, it was replaced by the face that I loathed so much.

        "Kung gusto mo ng donasyon, dapat mas ayusin mo pa ang pagkanta," sambit ni Slade habang nakatayo sa harapan ko, nakasilid ang dalawang kamay sa bulsa habang may ngisi sa kanyang mukha.

         "Get lost, Slade!" I rolled my eyes and tried kicking him away but he was quick to take a big step back. He even chuckled like he was celebrating his success to avoid my attack. 

          "Seriously dude! Give me a break and let me just enjoy my music!" I yelled in frustration. I guess i'm quite dizzy too. Damn, I drank too much. I should've listened to Silver and took it easy with the Brandy.

         "Okay, don't worry. I'm not gonna mess with you again, just promise not to mess with my stomach again," natatawa nitong sambit at nakuha pang umupo sa tabi ko. Ang kapal ng mukha, akala mo kung sinong matino.

          "If I'm not drunk and dizzy, I would've kicked your ass by now," I gasped as the numbing headache suddenly attacked my head.

           "What are you listening?" Slade suddenly grabbed my left earphone, I tried fending for it but I was too dizzy to even to even move. God! This numbing pain in my head is killing me! I just want to throw up and get it over with but my stomach seems to have gotten attached to the alcohol in my body!

          "Wheatus? Nice Taste you got there, Rei-rei." Nakuha pang mang-asar ng demonyo. Gusto ko siyang irapan pero wala na, hilong-hilo na ako kaya napapikit na lang ako.

          "We're not close! Don't call me that!" I yelled. Even the sound of my voice makes my head throb more.

           "Technically, we're close, I mean look, we're sitting side by side," aniya.

           "Wow, strong sense of humor ah?" tudyo ko.

           "Strong sex appeal too! Crush nga ako ng crush mo diba?" Humalakhak siya.

            Nagbibiro lang siya, alam ko iyon, pero hindi ko magawang tumawa o ngumiti man lang.

           "Don't play with him," I begged with eyes closed eyes as I groaned because of the throbbing pain in my head.

           All of a sudden there was silence between us, until he suddenly cleared his throat.

          "I know we just met and I am in no position to say this but... Riley doesn't feel the same way about you. I mean, you know he's into guys right?" He said like he was trying to be blunt but careful at the same time.

          I couldn't help but chuckle with my eyes still closed. "Damn boy, you haven't fallen in love, have you?"

          "I have and it sucks." He chuckled.

          "What happened?" I asked. 

          "She dumped me." Humalakhak si Slade. And for a fleeting moment, I felt kinda sad for him. 

          "So that's it? You gave up?" I couldn't help but ask.

          "Ayaw na niya eh, pipilitin ko ba?" I could sense the bitterness in Slade's voice.

           "Iba ang pilit sa effort, Slade. Ibang-iba. Kung mahal mo talaga ang isang tao, hindi mo iiwan, hindi mo bibitiwan, at hinding-hindi mo susukuan. If you left and gave up, then what you had was never love... because Love, never abandons." My eyes felt hot and watery so I took a deep breath and smiled as big as I could. 

            "People do shitty things in their lives, Reika. You gotta learn to forgive," aniya kaya hindi ko na napigilang mapadilat.

            "Whoa there," I chuckled. "Paano napunta sa pagpapatawad ang usapan? We're talking about Love here."

             He shrugged. "I don't know, maybe because life is too damn short."

              Napapikit akong muli. Sumasakit lalo ang ulo ko dahil sa pinag-uusapan namin. "Yung totoo sino ang lasing? Ikaw o ako? What are we talking about again?"

              "I don't know." He chuckled.

               "I agree with you though... Life is too damn short so follow your goddamn heart," I murmured.

              "For a bad girl, you seem too goal-oriented," he said.

              "My Grandpa raised me good." Pagmamalaki ko. "And I'm not a bad girl... I consider myself a Rebel with a purpose."

             "And what purpose is that?"

             "To follow my heart before it stops beating," I smiled, placing my palm on my chest, where my heart lies. 

****

         I woke up with a throbbing sensation on my stomach. I was so dizzy that next thing I know, I was curled up in the bathroom floor, facing the toilet, and throwing up for my dear life.

        What happened last night? Why am I drunk as hell?! How did I got home?!

        Instead of beating myself up with questions, I cleaned myself up and got dressed. Good thing it's the weekend already. I guess I could visit gramps and hang out later, I hope he's not out at the golf club again.

         I yawned as I walked down the stairs, towards the kitchen. I could hear Silver cooking from downstairs, and oh God! That smells so good! I wonder what she's cooking?

         But the moment I reached the kitchen, I gaped. "Slade?! What the hell?!"

         I even blinked twice just to make sure that what I am seeing was real... that Slade of Wave Syndicate is really in our kitchen, cooking God knows what with only his pants and a brown apron on top. 

          Lumingon si Slade habang may ngisi sa kanyang mukha. "Surprise Reika, I bet you thought you'd seen the last of me?" 

          "Did you just quote Emma Roberts on American Horror Story?!" I screamed as the anger consumed every fiber of my being. 

           "Oh you watch that too?" Humalakhak siya. "Good! I think we'll get--"

           "What the hell are you doing here Slade?!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as I felt my hands tremble in anger. 

            "Rei..." I heard Silver from behind me. I quickly turned around to face her.

             "Why the hell did you let that devil incarnate in?!" I screamed, pointing Slade.

             "Reika, naririnig kita," sabi pa ng demonyo.

             Silver took a deep breath as if she was gathering every courage in the world. She even winced like she doesn't want to say what she's about to say. 

              "Rei..." She began like she was being so careful not to make me mad. "Remember that Brother I told you... the one that used to stay here----"

              "He's your brother?" I gaped as I finished her sentence. 

              "Correction, twin brother," singit ni Slade habang may ngisi pa rin sa mukha, nagmamalaki.

END OF CHAPTER 10

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