Obviously, This Is Not Love

6| After Party

6| After Party

 

Hindi rin nagtagal nang magsiuwian na rin yung mga bisita ni tita Keira at lola Erin.It was already past 12 when some of their relatives went home, I can almost breathe freely knowing that I don't have much people to impress anymore. But seeing Marian chatting away with tita Keira, made me even more uncomfortable. Bakit ayaw pa niyang umuwi? Hindi ba siya hinahanap ng parents niya?

Walang alam si Arki kung anong nangyari kanina sa balcony kasama si Marian kaya inaya pa ako lalo ni Arki na lapitan sila. I was hesitant at first, pero ayokong mahalata na talo ako kay Marian. I mean after all, I am his girlfriend, right? I have the upper hand.

"Arki!" bati ni Marian sa kaniya. It was obvious that she was trying to move gracefully when she's with him, of course, she wants to be perceived as someone who's so lovable. Marian even hugged him and kissed him on his cheeks. I can feel myself throwing up. She was eyeing me, I can sense that.

"Mars! Have you met my  girl?"Arki introduced me to her. And for the first time, I didn't cringe like before, when Arki introduced me to his relatives. Tonight, I felt proud that I am indeed his girl.

Even when Marian managed to smile innocently at me, I can smell her awful attitude from here. "Yes. The Aris Martin... I know who you are," she said.

If she can pull off a poker face with me, I can too. "I am. You are? Mars?" I smiled. Tinaasan ko pa siya ng kilay.

She bit her lower lip. Well, look at that, I pissed her off by just asking her a simple question. "Marian Owens. That's Marian for you, not Mars." Sabi niya. Then she turned to Arki and swiftly clinged to his arms. "I thought she's your girlfriend? Bakit hindi niya ako kilala, Arki?"

Tumingin bigla sa akin si Arki, like he was panicking. Ang sarap batuhan ni Arki ngayon, why isn't he ready for this kind of situation? "Nabanggit ka na niya siguro sa akin, Marian." I said, emphasizing her name. "But maybe I just mixed up your name with somebody else... I'm sorry. Mabilis ko kasi makalimutan yung mga tao na hindi naman lagi nababanggit."

If there's an audience right now, I could hear them myself applauding me for owning this bitch right here.

She scoffed. "Excuse me?"

I smiled. "Nice meeting you, Marian."

I almost forgot that Tita Keira was standing in front of us, until she cleared her throat and immediately offered us more wine.

"Yes, tita. I'd like one." Sabi ni Marian. Then she walked towards the kitchen.

Then, sa akin naman tumingin si tita. "I pass. Hindi po kasi ako nainom masyado tita, " I told tita Keira.

I am worried that maybe my behaviour would affect tita Keira's impression of me. Instead, she laughed. "Pagpasensyahan mo na si Marian, Aris. She's just too protective of Arki. She's like a sister to Arki kasi..."

Sister? Haha! I won, bitch!

"Right," Singit naman ni Arki sa usapan namin. "So, love..." Arki leaned closer to me, "... Wag ka na ring mag-isip ng kung ano-ano kay Marian. She's just like a sister to me. That's it. Remember that you're my girlfriend, ok?"

Napangiti ako. Not because of Arki's sweet words to me, but because I was assured that the bitch will never win over me. "I know..." sabi ko naman kay Arki, staring back at him.

Napangiti naman si tita Keira. "I can't believe I'm seeing this side of you, Arki. You have always been guarded up ever since..." She trailed off, but still continued anyway. "I'm just happy for you, son. I'm happy that you found her."