Beneath Your Smile (The Old And The New Series #1)

Kabanata 41

Kabanata 41

I watched the city lights dancing until it got blurry in my eyes. Tall buildings were in front, looking really gigantic and out of reach.

Tumingala pa ako at nakita ang buwan. There's no stars. Just the moon alone and the darkness surrounding it. I bit my lower lip as I swirl the wine on my wine glass.

I heard a giggle on my side that made me stop looking at the lonely sky above me.

"Lasing ka na?" tanong ko kay Lucia habang pinagmamasdan ang mapupungay nitong mga mata. She grinned at me and raised his empty wine glass.

Napailing na lang ako. I am not sure if she really teaches her students the right thing to do. May pagdududa ako sa kaibigan ko na 'to e.

"Nope, of course," she said after standing up. Muntik na itong matumba kaya agad ko itong hinawakan sa braso niya. Umalalay rin sa amin si Darko dahil sa girlfriend nito na muntik nang matumba.

"Tama na 'yan," sambit ni Darko at inagaw ang kopita sa kamay ni Lucia.

Lucia groaned and narrowed her eyes at him. "You are too focused on your law books that you forget our anniversary. Hindi tayo bati! Mag-date kayo ng law books mo!" sigaw ni Lucia at sinampal ang dibdib ni Darko.

Napatingin naman ako kay Darko at napataas ng isang kilay.

I am the one who invited them here. It was a week after I bought my own condo using my own money from my savings. I have my own work. You can say that I'm a freelancer but I'm okay with it. I'm slowly taking each step to reach my goals after I graduate.

Ngunit hindi ko alam na ganito ang aabutin namin. Gusto ko lang naman magsaya kasama ang mga kaibigan dahil bagong bili lang 'tong condo ko at mahigit isang linggo na akong walang kasama sa nabili kong bahay.

Darko placed Lucia, who was in deep sleep, in the other room of my unit. Sabay rin kaming lumabas matapos namin matiyak na okay na si Lucia sa loob ng kuwarto.

"Ano'ng nangyari sa inyo?" I asked him after we both settled at the couch in the living room.

Darko stressfully combed his hair. Mahaba at itim na itim. Siguro hindi na ito nakapunta sa barber shop dahil sa marami itong inaaral. It was his third year now in law school. Busy na ito siguro kaya hindi na nito kayang alagaan ang sarili nito.

"I forgot our anniversary," kuwento nito sa akin habang nakabuka ang hita at magkahugpong ang kamay sa pagitan no'n.

"Bakit mo naman nakalimutan? Magagalit talaga 'yon sa'yo," sambit ko.

"I didn't even know what day today is. Masyado lang ako na-busy kaka-aral no'ng nakaraan kaya hindi ko natingnan ang petsa. Pero humabol naman ako. But I think, for Lucia, it was so late na hanggang ngayon, ang galit nito, ay nandyan pa rin sa sistema niya."

Napailing ako. "Huwag mo na lang kakalimutan sa susunod na taon. Baka mag-break na talaga kayo no'n," I joked.

Umiling lang ito at ngumisi. Parang hindi na ito stress dahil sa sinabi ko. "Hindi ako no'n hihiwalayan. Si Lucia pa ba."

"Si Lucia pa ba na pabago-bago ang iniisip." I tapped his back. "Huwag kang pakampante. Madali lang 'yan magdesisyon," paalala ko pa rito.

Mukha itong natauhan sa sinabi ko pero hindi na nakadugtong pa dahil tumunog na ang doorbell. Agad akong tumayo at lumapit sa pinto. Mayroong nag-doorbell ulit kaya napairap ako. Hindi naman 'to makahintay!

"Sandali," I whispered.

I opened the door and was greeted by a warm hug. It was followed by a manly chuckle that I'm super used to and familiar with. I grinned also and returned the hug that the man gave me.