Jairus' POV
"Happy Valentines Jaiiii!" Masiglang bati sakin ni Alexa pagkapasok ng room. Nginitian ko siya at binati nadin at saka tinext si Paul,Nash at Francis na nasa school nako.
"So? Where are we going? After class?!" Entrada naman ni Mika na kasabay si Sharlene.
"I dunno. Let's ask the boys later then?" Sagot ko at dumating na ang dalawang ugok na magkasabay lang kaya naman pinaikot na namin ang upuan namin. Chismisan at it's finest.
"So ano? San nga?" Sabi ni Shar at tumango naman si Mika.
"Anong san?" Tanong pabalik ni Nash na sinagot ni Alexa.
"Gala. It's Valentines today! Wag magpaka-bitter guys!" Maarteng sabi ni Alexa at nag-make face si Sharlene kaya naman inirapan siya ni Alexa.
"Oy it's Valentines! Araw ng mga puso. Hindi ba pwedeng cease fire muna?" Natatawang sabi ni Paul.
"How about road 515?! May bagong labas na imported drinks dun! Akong bahala sa inyo." Suggestion ni Nash.
"Hello?! Bata pa tayo. I'm not going there no!" Sabi ni Shar.
"As if we need you there!" Alexa.
"Okay. Manila Forest perhaps?" Tanong ni Mika.
"Eh anong gagawin natin dun pag naakyat yung bundok? Picnic?" Sabi ko at tumawa yung boys.
"Mall?" Paul.
"Nah! Common." Mika.
"Bar hopping?!" Nash.
"No way!" Alexa.
"Okay. Ikaw Francis wala kabang suggestion?" Tanong ko kase kanina pa siya nanahimik dyan.
"H-ha?! Ah ako kahit ano naman! Ha-ha." Nabigla siya at pilit yung tawa niya. Anong problema nito?
"Wait. Asan na nga pala si Ella?" Singit ni Mika. Oo nga no? Nasan na yun? Hindi naman umaabsent yun kahit may lagnat eh.
"Text her guys. Lowbatt phone ko." Sabi ni Shar.
"I don't have a load." Sabi ni Nash.
"Di ka naka-line?!" Tanong ni Alexa.
"Nope. I'm not texting the whole population of school naman eh. And hindi ako madalas mag-text gaya mo." Sabi ni Nash.
"So settle na natin to. San gusto niyo?"
"I want the suggestion of Miks. Mas peaceful kase dun at mas makakapag-enjoy tayo." Sabi ni Shar habang nangangalikot ng phone.
"So,everyone's in?" Mika.
"Sure!"
Sharlene's POV
"Bye Mom! Be back at 12 am!" I run through the door. It's already 7:36 and ang call time namin ay 7:15 sa waiting shed sa may school. We're using Alexa's van daw so ayun. Nagpahatid nako sa driver at sa wakas ay dumating nadin kami dun.
"Wow neng! Balak kana sana naming iwan eh! Kaloka!" Singhal ni Mika pagka-akyat na akyat ko ng van. We're complete attendance except... Ella? I thought she's going?
"Pasalamat ka at ayaw ka paiwan ni Jairus." Bulong ni Alexa pero narinig ko naman. Tss..
"Where's Ella?" I asked them as I sited next to Paul. Jairus is going to drive and nasa passenger seat si Alexa. Nasa gitna naman si Mika and Nash and Francis. Kami naman ni Paul ang nasa likod.
"Anong dala mo?" Tanong ni Paul while looking at the cooler I brought.
"Juice and water. Tapos potato bites and cheese quesadilla."
"Wow nakakagutom!" Sumigaw si Nash na nakikinig pala sa usapan.
"Where's Ella? Di ba siya sasama?" I asked Paul.
"No. She's going but susunod nalang daw siya."
***
"Why were you absent?!" It's already 9:00 pm tas kadadating palang ni Ella.
"Uhm tinamad?" Sabi niya at tumawa.
"Sus! I know you so well. Hindi ka tamad. Well medyo pero nah! Late ka na nga tas absent pa kanina! Anyare girl?" Mika said. She's loud talaga. Hahhah!
She just shrugged and looked at Francis. They are singing and playing guitar. Nagkakasiyahan sila kasama si Alexa while kami hinahanda yung pagkain.
"Pss! We said we knew you. Anong meron kay Francis?" I asked and I made her sit in the tree log.
"Oo nga! Make kwento!" Pilit ni Mika.
"Ganito kasi yan. I'm sorry guys kung tinago kong mahal ko si Francis. Shar i'm sorry." She cried silently. Bat sa akin nagsorry? Oh well. Hayaan na.
"We knew that. Halata naman eh." Ngumiti si Mika at tinapik sa likod si Ella.
"So ayun nga. Sumama ako sa family reunion namin and I met a lot of my family members I haven't seen before. Lalo na yung mga pinsan kong mababait. So me and Kuya Igi is talking about our other cousin na late dumating. And he's a he. To my surprise. I saw...him. I saw Francis and his whole family."
WHAT?! So they are blood related?! Cousins! So happy for them! Oopssieee. Oo nga pala. Incest.
"What?! So anong naging rekasyon niya?! Nagulat natuwa? Ano!?" Excited na tanong ni Mika pero impit yung voice niya.
"The thing here is,he knew that we were."
***
"It's her hair and her eyes,today. That it's just simply take me away."
"Ayieeeee!" Here we go again. They are teasing me to Jai. And ang feelingero ng lalaki! Hinaharana ako at kumakanta pa ng nakangiti! As if I like it! Grrr!
"And the feeling that I'm falling further in love makes me shiver,but in a good way."
"Yihieee! This deserves a documentation! Wait!" Mika is about to get her phone when Ella stopped her. "No need! I got it!" Nag wink pa ang gaga. Argh! This.is.not.funny.
"All the times I have sat and stared,as she thoughtfully thumbs through her hair. And she purses her lips baths her eyes and she plays with me sitting there slack jawed and nothing's the same cause I love her,with all that I am--"
"CAN YOU STOP?! It's not funny! Nakakairita! Siguro yan ang kanta mo kay Crissmille kaya mo kinakanta yan sakin! Well ibahin moko. Hindi ako yung tipo ng babaeng nang-iiwan!" I bursted out. Sorry naman. It's just struck my nerve.
Napatahimik ang lahat at napanganga. No one dared to talk. Ayon din kase kay Ate Karen,Jairus might be sensitive when that is the topic.
"You don't know anything." Sabi niya at nag-walk out.
