Ever since Slade returned to Filimon Heights, bumalik na rin si Silver sa bahay na dati naming tinutuluyan para raw may kasama si Slade doon. Sa kabila nito, lagi ko naman silang binibisita at ganoon din sila sa amin lalo't isang sakayan ng jeep lang naman ang kailangan.

"The hell are you doing here?" Halata ang gulat sa mukha ni Silver nang madatnan niya kami ni Slade sa sala ng bahay nila, nanonood ng TV. Nasa sahig kami at nakasandal sa sofa; nakaupo ako samantalang nakahiga ang demonyo at ginawang unan ang hita ko. 

"Get lost." Kaswal na bulalas ni Slade, ni hindi man lang tinatapunan ng tingin ang kapatid, at ni hindi binibitiwan ang kamay ko.

Silver looked at me questioningly, even pointing Slade and I. Even if she didn't say anything, I understood what she meant so I nodded and smiled to confirm. 

The look of Disgust and Horror in Silver's face was priceless. She even acted like she was gagging. Natatawa kong pinulot ang isa sa mga inan at binato siya nito kaya agad nagtatakbo papunta sa kusina ang elemento.

"Hey, Silver's here. Uuwi na ako." Paalam ko.

Mabilis na umupo si Slade at humarap sa akin. "Tara, hatid na kita."

"Huwag na." Giit ko. "Baka maghinala na si Mommy."

"Akala mo ba ayaw mong isikreto 'to?" Slade asked calmly.

"We'll wait for the right time, okay?" Paalala kong muli kaya napabuntong-hininga siya at tumango. 

He cupped my face jokingly as he pressed his lips on mine. I held my head high and answered his kiss. I felt his lips smile as it continued to brush against mine. 

"You guys are disgusting!" Umalingawngaw ang napakalakas na sigaw ni Silver habang papatakbo ito sa hagdan.

"Hey! Dinner's ready kumain ka muna!" Sigaw ko sa kanya.

"Wala na akong gana!" Sigaw pa nito kaya nagtawanan kami ni Slade.

Nang makauwi, bumungad agad sa akin ang message mula sa kanya.

Reika's Guy:

Bahay ka na?

Reika:

Yup

How's silver?

Reika's Guy:

Pinagbantaan ako hahaha

told me she'll kill me if i break your heart

which i wont

Reika:

Where's my threat?

Who knows, maybe i'll break your heart?

Reika's Guy:

That's not a good joke

Reika:

Your face is a good joke

Reika's Guy:

You love this face

Reika:

not the face

but the guy

Reika's Guy:

REIKA DE JUAN GUSTO MO BA TALAGANG PUNTAHAN KITA DIYAN???

Reika:

Hahahaha

dinner muna kami ni mom

Reika's Guy:

Tell her good things about me

Reika:

Yuck

Magre-reply pa sana ako pero bigla akong nakatanggap ng message mula kay Magno.

Bro#1:

people saw you last night with Slade at the bar

nu yon? haha

Reika:

hanging out

Bro#1:

while making out?

daming nakakita sa inyo

Reika:

It was just a simple kiss, we weren't making out

We were just watching wave syndicate

Were u spying on us?

Bro#1:

May mga nagreport lang sa akin

Reika:

Itago ba natin sa alyas na bumbay?

Bro#1:

Oo at pati na ang hari ng mga fuckboy

Reika:

Let them be hahaha

Bro #1:

Kailan pa naging kayo?

Reika:

Noong summit

Bro #1:

Alam na nila tito at tita?

Reika:

later na

Bro #1:

Si lolo?

Reika:

Nagpaalam na si Slade na liligawan niya ako

Bro #1:

Anong sabi ni Lolo?

Reika:

He's okay with it

Bro #1:

Kahit nasa banda siya?

Reika:

Slade told gramps that he's done with the band

Mags, thank you but you don't have to worry about me

Bro #1:

Okay

but if he hurts u

u know who to call

Reika:

Sawyer hahaha

Bro #1:

****

Slade sat on the edge of his bed while I stood right in front of him, holding up his first ever Bass Guitar named Oggy. I began to swiftly move my hands against the strings in tune of Linkin Park's 'In the End'.

"E-flat, D-flat, E, C-sharp." Slade guided before singing along with me.

He was smiling and nodding his head, giving me more confidence as I played. And as soon as I was done, I couldn't help but smile with pride.

"How was it?" I asked, my heart hammering from the rush brought by the music.

"I'd give you a standing ovation kung hindi lang ako injured." He chuckled, making me laugh as well. 

"I have a great teacher." I made sure to give him the credit he deserved. "Take a video of me as I play. Pagyayabang ko kay Megatron." Biro ko sabay abot sa kanya ng cellphone ko.

Slade gladly recorded our jamming session. We had so much fun that we didn't even realize that it was already dark outside.

"Hatid na kita? Kanina pang 3pm ang out mo, baka nag-aalala na ang Mommy mo?" Slade asked. Kahit injured, lagi itong nagp-presinta na ihatid ako kahit pa nagco-commute lang kami.

"Nah, that's fine. Told her gabi na ako makakauwi kasi may project." I grinned.

"The rebel you are, Reika De Juan." He shook his head, giving me a playful look of mischief.

"Hey, wala 'to sa mga pinaggagawa ko noon." Natatawa kong giit sabay upo sa kanyang tabi. "I'll cook dinner. Anong oras daw makakauwi si Silver?"

All of a sudden, my phone beeped. It was a message from Dad. 

"That's weird, Dad messaged me." My forehead creased.

"Why is it weird?" He chuckled, confused as well.

"Dad had this deal with Mom that he'll just call me through the home telephone. Mom never said it but I could tell it was because she doesn't want me to grow closer to the person who hurt her. I can't blame her, though. Dad sure hurt her pretty bad when he left us." I explained. "Nga pala have you talked to Dad already?"

Slade nodded. "I called her the other day and apologized. Ano palang sabi ng Daddy mo?"

Daddy:

Asan ka?

"I think we should tell him." Slade said for the nth time. Isang linggo na ang nakakaraan mula nang maging kami pero hindi pa rin alam ng mga magulang ko ang tungkol sa amin.

"We'll wait for the right opportunity okay." Giit ko ulit. Ewan ko ba pero parang nakakailang kasi talagang pag-usapan sa mga magulang ko ang tungkol sa amin ni Slade. It would be so weird and awkward! I mean, Gramps and I never even talked about the boys I liked before!

Reika:

Why?

Daddy:

Ako unang nagtanong

Reika:

Ako pangalawang nagtanong

Daddy:

I'm your father, young lady

Reika:

And I'm your daughter, old man

"Reika, baka atakihin si Uncle!" Natatawang inagaw sa akin ni Slade ang cellphone ko. At siya na mismo ang nag-reply rito.

Reika:

Joke lang Dad hahahaha

nasa bahay ni Silver

"Really?" Pabiro kong tinaasan ng kilay si Slade.

"Reika, kapag kinausap ko nang ganyan ang mga magulang ko, siguradong tinamaan na ako." Paliwanag niya. "Take it easy with the sarcasm." Dagdag niya pa.

"Okay fine." I rolled my eyes and sighed. In hindsight, maiinis din siguro ako kapag may kumausap sa akin nang ganun.

Daddy:

I made a deal with your Mom about your custody.

Mag-usap sana tayo para mapaliwanag ko.

Nagkatinginan ulit kami ni Slade. Inagaw ko mula sa kanya ang cellphone ko.

Reika:

Custody??? I'm too old for that

Daddy:

I'll meet you there

Will you cook dinner or bibili ako?

Reika:

I'll cook

ingat sa byahe 

That night, I ended up having Dinner with Slade, Silver, and Dad. Parang kagaya lang ulit nang dati pero sa pagkakataong iyon, hindi ko naiwasang maisip si Mommy lalo't alam kong nag-iisa lang ito sa bahay. I tried inviting her but as usual, ayaw niyang makita si Daddy. Isa ito sa mga dahilan kung bakit sa tingin ko isang kalokohan lang ang pagpapantasya ni Daddy na magiging buo ulit ang pamilya namin. 

It turns out, may napagkasunduan na pala silang set-up. Para nila akong bolang pagpapasahan kada linggo. First i'll be with mom for a week, then i'll spend an entire week with Dad, tapos kay Mom ulit and so on. 

To me, it was so fucked up. I was about to throw a tantrum but Slade kept me calm by throwing knowing glances at me and holding my hand under the table. Silver on the other hand just kept on eating, may sariling mundo ang lecheng elemento.

In the end, I had no choice but to agree. Wala eh, determinado si Daddy at hindi ko na kayang tumanggi.

Dad rented out the house next to the Villafranca's again and unlike before, tumira na ako kasama siya. It was a two-story house with three rooms and three bathrooms. For me it was an impractical choice because for sure the rent would be expensive pero hindi na lang ako nakialam at nagtanong pa. Dad's old enough to realize financial stuff. Bahala na siya.

Dad still has the guitar shop but he's already hired people to take care of it. 

I let Dad handle everything, from my room down to the stuff I needed. I was too busy with school since I was trying to pass my cut-throat subjects so I could graduate in time. Mas lalo akong naging abala dahil sa film projects na ibinigay sa amin. Ni hindi ko na nakakasama sina Silver at Slade.

By the time his week began, sa bahay na niya ako umuwi. Pagod na pagod ako mula sa school kaya nang dumating sa bahay niya, plakda agad ako sa sofa.

"How's school?" Dad asked. Chuckling while sipping his midnight coffee.

"My major is Wildlife Biology pero hindi ko ma-gets bakit kailangan kaming gumawa ng film projects. Come on! Mag-aartista ba kami?! Minor subjects are stressing me out more than the major ones!" Reklamo ko. 

"You'll get that project done in no time. Tiis-tiis lang muna. Nag-dinner ka na?" Dad asked.

I rolled down the sofa and sat on the floor, shaking my head. "But I had lunch with Mom earlier, sobrang dami nang pinakain niya sa'kin."

"Magbihis ka na muna sa taas nang makakain ka na. Ihahanda ko lang ang pagkain. Sa susunod 'wag kang magpapalipas ng gutom." Nakangiting sambit ni Daddy. Tumayo siya mula sa kinauupuan at ginulo ang buhok ko bago tumungo sa kusina.

Nang makarating sa kwarto ko. Namangha ako nang makita ang mga poster ng paborito kong mga pelikula at banda sa dingding. The walls were a mix of white and black while the bed was covered with color grey sheets and pillows. It was just the way I like it.

I grabbed my phone from my pocket and charged it right away since it ran out of battery. Habang hinihintay itong umandar ulit, tinanggal ko ang pagkakatali ng mahaba kong buhok at at hinubad ang suot kong t-shirt. I was about to unbutton my pants when my phone finally lit up... a message from Slade came.

Reika's Guy:

Close your curtain

Mabilis akong napalingon at laking gulat ko nang makitang magkatapat lang pala ang mga bintana namin ni Slade. Nakatalikod siya mula sa direksyon ko.

I texted him right away as I closed the curtains.

Reika:

Sinadya mo bang magkatapat kwarto natin?

Reika's Guy:

Hindi ah

Hindi ko sinabi sa daddy mo na maganda kung diyan ang kwarto mo kasi hindi masyadong mainit 

Reika:

I hate you

Reika's Guy:

Is that our secret way of saying i love you?

Reika:

Nag dinner ka na?

Reika's Guy:

Kanina pa

Tapos na ang project?

Reika:

Konti na lang

Reika's Guy:

Date ulit tayo pagkatapos

Miss na kita

I was about to send another reply when all of a sudden, I received a message from an unknown number.

Unknown:

Hi Rei

Reika:

sino ka?

Unknown:

Ouch

We've known each other since we were kids :(

Reika:

Sino kang shit ka?

Unknown:

It's Lorenzo :)

Reika: 

Anong kailangan mong gago ka?

Unknown:

Ouch hahahaha

Pahingi ng number ni Piper kung ayaw mong isend ko kay Attorney ang picture ninyo ni Slade na naghahalikan sa bar ko.

 Or maybe should I send the cctv clip? That would be more fun

Reika:

Idiot hahaha hindi kami mahahagip sa cctv

besides, grandpa already knows about us

Unknown:

But does he know that your Dad is in Filimon Heights?

Almost didn't recognize him. Idol ko pa naman siya noon.

btw, I saw him with Slade earlier

mukhang close sila ah?

Padala ko kaya picture nila sa lolo mo?

▬ end of 54// thank u ▬