Chapter Theme: Guts - All time low

Akmang isusubo ko na ang kutsara nang bigla na lang akong siniko ni Slade. Tumama ito sa mukha ko at natapon pa ang laman nito. Napasigaw ako sa sobrang inis samantalang ang hayop na Slade, nag-sorry nga pero tawa naman nang tawa.

"Shhhh...." Saway sa amin ni Daddy na kumakain habang nakikipag-usap kay Silver. Seryoso ang usapan nila tungkol sa mga gamot at sakit, malayo sa IQ levels namin ni Slade kaya hindi na kami sumali sa usapan.

Humarap ako kay Slade at hinila ko ang sleeve ng t-shirt niya at ito na ang ginamit ko para punasan ang mukha ko. 

"Ano ba! Rei! Nakikiliti ako!" At nagreklamo pa ang hayop habang inilalayo ang sarili niya sa akin. 

"Ang arte mong kupal ka! Hindi ka nga hinahawakan!" Bulyaw ko at patuloy pa rin siyang hinila papalapit sa akin upang mapunasan nang maayos ang mukha ko.

"Shhh..." Saway ulit ni Daddy sa amin. 

Bumitiw ako kay Slade at umayos nang upo. Sa kabila nito, nilingon ko siya at tinapunan ng matalim na tingin. "Bakit ba?"

Parang isang inosenteng bata na ngumuso si Slade sa direksyon ng pork chop. Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako. Pork chop lang pala pero naniko pa. 

Kinuha ko ang pork chop at inilagay ito sa plato niya. I sliced it into tiny pieces before feeding it to him. 

It's been like that for a week; me doing things for him. At first Slade was hesitant but soon he got used to it, so much that it seemed like he was enjoying having someone to assist him in everything. But of course there were limitations because when it came to bathing or anything that concerns nudity, siya na talaga ang bahala sa sarili niya. 

Pagkatapos kumain, nagpaalam si Slade na magpapalit ng t-shirt niya dahil nga dinumihan ko ito. Siyempre, automatic din akong sumunod.

Nang nasa kwarto na kami, lumapit agad ako sa kanya at hinawakan ang dulo ng suot niyang t-shirt at hinubad ito mula sa kanya. Nagulo lalo ang buhok niya dahil tumama ang damit sa kanyang ulo.

"You really like seeing me topless huh?" His lips rose into a smirk.

I shrugged and pointed his chest, just enough for me to touch it by the tip of my fingers. I looked up at his eyes directly and smirked "Sorry boy, no effect at all."

"Really, Reika?" His tone was mocking, as if he doesn't believe me.

"Yup." I nodded and went towards his closet, picking up a shirt for him. I closed it and turned around, only to find Slade standing right in front of me, our faces really close to each other, so close that our noses and foreheads were almost touching, breaths grazing against each other.  He was even bending down a little just to reach my face.

"Wala pa rin talaga?" His voice was full of mischief as his lips stretched into a smirk again.

His eyes never blinked as it continued staring right at me. I too was not blinking, probably from the shock. 

Still, I managed to smirk as well, staring at his eyes directly.  "I'm friends with the hottest guys of Filimon Heights and I basically have a VIP pass to their locker rooms. I've seen enough naked bodies that I find it boring now." My words came out cool and calm. I almost wanted to laugh maniacally. 

And just like that, the smirk on Slade Villafranca's face disappeared. 

I patted his cheek lightly using my palm and whispered in his ear. "Tell my Dad and I will kill you."

While Slade was rooted in place, I took the opportunity to leave the room with my head held high, trying to play it cool even if my breathing was as insane as my heartbeat. 

****

After class, I checked my phone and found three messages; the first one from Mom usually with her good morning and I love you's, the second is from Sawyer with his usual ranting about school and shit, and then there was Magno telling me about a funny scene from the show he was watching. I was about to compose replies for them when another message came in.

Riley:

Can we talk?

Instead of replying, I rolled my eyes and sighed. The last time we talked, I was screaming and crying. Surprisingly, I never regretted saying those words to him. In hindsight, it actually felt liberating... like I finally had it off my chest after such a long time. 

I'm done with Riley. So done that I actually don't give a damn anymore. Tama na ang pagpapakatanga.

Pagkatapos ng isa ko pang subject, lumabas ako ng classroom, uuwi na sana ako pero bigla na lang sumulpot si Riley sa gitna ng nilalakaran ko. Nagtaas ng kilay at mga kamay.

"Aalis ka o sasampalin kita?" I asked coldly as I raised my eyebrow.

"Reika naman eh. Kausapin mo na ako." Pinagdikit pa niya ang magkabilang palad at halos kumembot pa ang pwet habang nakikiusap. Muntik akong matawa pero pinigilan ko lang. 

"Pasampal muna!" Giit ko, walang pakialam kung may makarinig man sa amin.

"Masakit 'yon!" Napapadyak naman siya sa at bumusangot. Akala ata niya madadala pa rin ako sa pagpapa cute niya. 

I rolled my eyes and walked away pero muli, humarang na naman siya sa dinadaanan ko.

"Oo na, sige na!" Sigaw niya at hinarap pa sa akin ang pisngi niya.

***

Kahit ano pang hinanakit meron ako kay Riley, hindi ko pa rin siya magawang saktan lalo't mula pagkabata pinagdurusahan na niya ito sa kamay mismo ng kanyang ama. Sa huli, pumayag na lang akong mag-usap kami sa University Oval lalo't may mga shaded bleachers doon na wala rin masyadong tao.

"I'm sorry, Reika." 

Napapikit ako nang marinig ang mga salitang ito mula kay Riley. It sounded to heartfelt and cathartic that it felt like I was on the verge of tears. Happy tears.

"Pakiulit nga." Pikit mata kong sambit.

"I'm sorry for leaving you hanging like that, for always being such a bitch to you. You never deserved it." He said and in that moment I opened my eyes and looked at him.

"Why are you apologizing now? Buhay pa naman ako at sa pagkakaalam ko wala ka namang taning, mukha ring magkakaibigan pa kayo nila Piper? Did my Grandpa pay you?" Hindi ko na napigilang magtaka. Riley apologizing feels too good to be true. Riley and I, we're both like two peas in a pod, kapwa ayaw sa drama at mas sing taas ng langit ang mga pride.

"Can't I apologize because I want to apologize?" Riley rolled his eyes, tempting me to kick him in the nuts. 

"You're apologizing, quit it with the attitude." I warned him.

He sighed as he looked at the ground. "When you confessed to me, I knew right then that our friendship would never be the same. I knew that every time I'd look at you, I'll only feel bad for not being able to love you back... so yun na, lumayo na ako. At inaamin ko, nagalit din ako sa iyo noon kasi kaibigan kita eh tapos sa isang iglap ganun na lang. I didn't just lose a friend, I lost a sister in you."

"Galit ka sa akin kasi minahal kita? Anong klaseng pag-iisip meron ka?" Kusang lumabas ang mapapait na salita mula sa bibig ko.

"Reika, I'm apologizing. Quit it with the attitude." He gave me a deadpan look. "At isipin mo nga, paano kung si Silver biglang umamin sa'yo? Ganun din naman ang gagawin mo diba?"

My face contorted to a wry. "Hell no! If it happens, there will be some changes in our friendship but I definitely won't abandon her or treat her like a piece of trash!"

"Okay fine, we process feelings differently!" Pagsuko niya sabay taas ng dalawang mga kamay. "All my life I was having trouble being myself, and when I met you, I felt free to embrace who I am. I thought, finally someone has accepted me for who I am... but the moment you told me you love me, I thought I would be pressured into becoming who I'm not again."

"Reika, you were my best friend. I saw you as my family. But when you told me you love me, I thought I'd have to be someone who I'm not just to keep you... So I had to let go, thinking it was the only way to save ourselves from greater damage. Oo nga at masasaktan ka pero at least dahil doon, hindi ka na aasa pa mula sa akin." Dagdag pa niya. 

At that point, I sighed in defeat. I understood Riley's point. Slade was right about it all along.

Looking back, I should've considered how Riley felt as well. I should've thought of how my words affected him... the pressure he was in.

Riley and I both did something wrong for our friendship to crumble. We both deserve the credit.

"Bruha ka, sinundan mo pa talaga ako sa Filimon Heights." Tumawa ito at umiling-iling.

I sighed and laughed at my actions in the past. "If it makes you feel better, I think I wasn't in love with you that much... I think it was just a crush that got out of hand. Plus the pride and the anger I felt when you abandoned me. Siguro naibunton ko sa'yo ang lahat ng frustrations ko mula sa lahat ng taong nang-abandona sa akin." Napatango ako sa sinabi ko. "Definitely the anger and the pride."

"You have a point there." Tumango-tango siya. "We need to work on our pride and how we handle our anger. We kinda have the same feather after all."

I looked at him and smiled. "But I think following you in Filimon Heights was the best thing I ever did."

"And why is that?" His left eyebrow was raised while his lips were pursed.

"Because if I didn't follow you, I wouldn't have met Silver and Slade.... I wouldn't have even reconciled with my Dad." I couldn't help but laugh from I realized.

"Bati na kayo ng Papa mo?" Namilog ang mga mata ni Riley.

"We're civil." Pagtatama ko agad.

I stood up and went down a floor as I began stretching. "Tama na nga ang drama! Nakakadiri na gaya ng mukha mo." 

Umingos siya at nagde-kwatro pa ng upo sabay irap. "But I'm still prettier than your ugly mothachucking face."

"Pasalamat ka gwapo ka!" Pinalandi ko ang boses ko kaya ngumiwi ito agad sa sobrang pandidiri.

"'Wag kang feeling! Naka move on na ako sa'yo oy!" I announced as I stuck my tongue out. "But i'll probably flirt around with you though. Sarap mong asarin eh." And with that, I winked. 

Besides, napapatawa ko rin kasi ang lahat sa tuwing nilalandi ko siya lalo na si Braylee.

Biglang tinanggal ni Riley ang sapatos at binato ito sa akin. Mabuti na lang at nasalo ko ito agad.

"Say goodbye to your shoe, bitch! Haha!" I screamed as I ran like hell, with Riley like a mad bull chasing after me.

▬ end of 35// thank u ▬