Her Entrancing Smile [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

THERESIA'S POV

"So, ano ngang ginagawa mo rito, bessy?" Pangatlong beses nang tinatanong ni Martina 'yan.

Simula nang umalis sina Mr. Charles at Angelo ay nanatili na lang ako rito sa bar para kumalma-kalma bago umuwi pero hindi na rin umalis si Martina sa tabi ko na ikinairita ko. Lumayo nga ako para makahinga tapos nandito naman yung rason kung ba't ako nasa-suffocate.

"Woi, bessy." Kinalabit naman niya ako. "May balak kang maglasing?" tanong niya pa kaya tumingin ako sa kanya.

"Wala akong planong magpakalasing na naman na kasama ka kaya kung pwede lang, makakaalis ka na," deretso kong salita na ikinatigil niya.

"R-Right. You don't want me with you. G-Got it." May bahid ng lungkot sa boses niya.

Ako naman ang natigilan. B-Bakit siya nalungkot? Aalis na sana siya nang hawakan ko ang braso niya. "T-Teka..." pigil ko.

Niilingon niya ako. "Hmm?"

"S-Sorry sa nasabi ko... Y-You can stay... If you want," pahina nang pahina kong sabi sa kanya.

Nakita ko naman siyang ngumiti saka umupo sa katabi kong stool. "Great! Magpapakalasing tayo?" tanong niya.

Agad nanlaki ang mga mata ko at naalala ang gabing 'yun. "N-No. Nope. Walang malalasing. Hindi pwede." Iling ako nang iling.

Nagtataka siyang natawa. "Bakit naman ayaw na ayaw?" Tumawa siya saka parang naliwanagan. "Ay! Oo nga! Matagal na yung last time na naglasing tayo, bessy! Natatandaan mo pa?" Ngumiti naman siya na parang sayang-saya siya.

Umiling-iling ulit ako. "B-Bes, may ano... may trabaho tayo bukas. B-Bawal malasing," pagdadahilan ko.

"Ano ka ba, bessy? Remember, I'm the boss. I can be late." He widened his smile.

"P-pero—"

"Let's party!" sigaw niya sabay hila sa akin papunta sa dance floor pero bago pa kami tuluyang makapunta sa lugar na 'yun ay nag-ring ang phone niya. Chineck niya kung sino ang caller at nagbago ang ekspresyon niya. "E-Excuse me muna, Tere."

Tumango lang ako saka bumalik sa bar stool na inuupuan ko kanina. I know who called him. It's probably Trecia again.

Nakita ko naman siyang papalapit sa akin and based on his face, I knew what will happen. "Tere, umm... Trecia needs me so umm... next time na lang." He looked apologetic.

"Sure sure." I forcefully smiled.

Tiningnan niya ako. "Sorry talaga. Next time na lang, bye."

Tinanguan ko siya kahit paalis na siya. Finally, you have your peace, Tere. Eh bat ka parang lugong-lugo dyaan?

I sighed and just 'enjoyed' my night.

~•~

MARTINA'S POV

Nanghihinayang ako at 'di kami nakapag-bonding ni Tere. Ang tagal na nung huli kaming nag-bar, and I would want to do it again.

Hay! Sana naman importante 'tong kay Tres dahil paniguradong sasabunutan ko siya kapag hindi.

"What is it, Tres?" agad na tanong ko pagdating ko sa bahay niya.

"I need seven outfits for the events next month," sagot niya habang maarteng nakaupo sa sofa sa sala niya.

I flatly looked at her. "Hoi, ineng. Hindi mo 'ko PA. You mostly ask your PA for that. Ba't mo pa ako kailangang istorbohin? Myghad! Makaalis na nga."

Akmang maglalakad na ako palabas ng bahay niya nang magsalita na naman siya. "Wait, Martina. I still have something to say." She remained seated on the sofa.

Humarap naman ako sa kanya. "What is it?"

"Let's go to Baguio tomorrow."

Napaangat naman ang kilay ko. "I'm busy, remember?"

She seriously looked at me. "How about lunch tomorrow? Dinner? Shopping?"

My forehead creased. "What's your deal? Why the sudden change? Trecia, you know you're not the type of person that spends her time with her friends. You prefer flirting over bonding. You go on romantic dates, not friendly dates. You like spending your time in a salon, not in my office. You are my best friend, I love the sudden change, but it's confusing. So what's the deal?" I seriously asked.

I mean I like that she wants to spend her short vacation in the Philippines with me, pero nakakaloka naman ata yung biglaan niyang pagbabago.

Plus the fact na wrong timing siya. I'm figuring out my feelings here, for Tere, to be exact, and coincidentally or not, Trecia's getting in the way.

'Di siya makatingin ng diretso sa akin. "I-I just want to try something new."

I looked straight into her eyes. "You're lying."

Pagalit siyang tumingin sa akin. "No, I'm not."

I sighed. "You're too obvious. You're clearly lying."

"So, what if I am? It's for your own good," she said, which made me curious.

"What about me?"

"Stay away from Theresia. She is not good for you."

"Paanong napasok si Tere sa usapan?"

"She's ruining and will ruin you more, Martina. I'm just concerned—"

"H-Hang on. Anong ruin? Paano niya akong sisirain?" gulong-gulo kong tanong.

It was her time to sigh. "Martina, she has a secret that might destroy your image. Plus, I know she's changing you."

Natigilan naman ako. "Changing?"

"She's the reason why you didn't accept Noah's proposal, am I right?"

"A-Ano bang pinagsasabi mo—"

"Martina! Wake up! She's nothing compared to you! She's bad news! You should've stayed with Noah. Dapat—"

"Teka nga! Ba't ka ba nangengealam?" galit na galit kong tanong. Bakit ba paulit-ulit siya sa paninira kay Tere? "Ba't mo ba pinag-iinitan si Tere? May ginawa ba siya sayo?"

"I'm just concerned about you, Martina—"

"Oh, b*llsh*t! Walang kinalaman si Tere sa 'di ko pagtanggap ng alok ni Noah na kasal. I wasn't ready for marriage, and yet he couldn't wait for me, kaya kami nag-break. Labas si Tere sa usapan. At kung concern ka sa akin, thank you pero hindi mo kailangang pakelaman ang desisyon ko sa buhay. About me changing, again, Tres, it's my choice."

"You won't like her dirty little secret, and people won't like it, and you might lose everything if you continue getting close to her. Kapag nalaman ng lahat ang sikreto niya at parte ka pa rin ng buhay niya, pwede kang madamay."

Ano bang sinasabi niya?

"I told you, Martina. You don't know her as much as I do," dagdag niya pa na mas lalong nagpagulo sa isip ko.

"Whatever it is, I don't give a d*mn. There's a reason why she has a secret, and I'm not the type of person that'll go around digging into that and telling it to everyone. It's her business, not mine, not yours. Respect it, Trecia. Kapag nalaman kong nangealam ka pa sa buhay niya, ako na ang makakaharap mo." I then left her house.

Kung ano man ang sikreto ni Tere, kanya 'yun. I'm not involved so why should I bother knowing it?