LOVE DOULOGY 1: Entangled Heartstrings

CHAPTER 7

Chapter 7

There was an awkward silence after I finished my song. It was entitled "Pasalubong" by Moira and Ben. Everyone was so quite. Not until someone I think from Lacoste Archers clapped his hands and everyone followed.

I smiled and stood up. Lance immediately smiled and clapped his hands. Nabawasan ang kaba ko nang muling mag-ingay ang mansiyon. Then Lance announced that the pool party is now open.

Lahat ay nag-abalang magsuot ng kanilang swimwear sa guest room at restroom ng mansiyon. Lumabas ako saglit, mamaya nalang ako magbibihis kapag tapos na si Lance. Nasa kuwarto niya kasi ang mga naiwan kong mga damit dito.

I scanned the garden. It's quite large, there were fountains at the center who made the overall view fabulous. Tita Luissa loves flower so much. Mayaman sila, they actually has their own company. At sa tantiya ko ay mamanahin ito ni Lance since he is the oldest and he took up business in his course. But Tita has her own flower plantation found in Bulacan. Sa hilig niya sa bulaklak ay maging sa bahay nila ay may garden siya na puno ng iba ibang bulaklak.

“The flowers are nice, right?”

Napalingon ako sa isang baritonong boses na nasa likuran ko. Then I saw him, the man who broke the silence.

“Oy, bakit ka andito? Magbihis ka na at magsisimula na ang party.” I said.

He shook his head and step forward. Hanggang sa tumabi siya sa akin sa pagkakatayo.

“Mamaya na,”

Tumango lang ako at hindi kumibo. If I'm not mistaken he is Ashton Balthazar, also one of best players in Lacoste Archers. He's quite handsome, he just had this intimidating and dark aura that I guess made him more attractive.

“Ang ganda ng boses mo ah,” he suddenly spatted. “And looks like may pinaghuhugutan ka sa kanta mo.” He then chuckled.

“Ah, wala naman! Iyon lang kasi ang naisip kong kantahin.”

“Masakit no? I feel the song,” he laughed.

My interest began to bore unto him.

“You mean? Nagkagusto ka rin sa isang kaibigan?” Tanong ko bunga ng kuryusidad.

He shook his head and eyed me. Our eyes locked to each other. Nag-iwas agad ako ng tingin, ewan ko ba, parang may kakaiba sa mga mata niya.

“Actually she's not even my friend. But I admire her from afar, for a long time. At katulad ng kanta, sana ay mapasalubungan ang nararamdaman ko sa kanya.”

“Vanny!”

Sabay kaming napalingon kay Lance na nasa bukana ng garden. His half naked and just wearing a swimwear short. His smile faded when he saw that Ashton is beside me. Dahan-dahan siyang naglakad palapit sa amin.

“Ashton, you're here,” pagpansin niya sa kateam.

“Yeah. Just chillin a bit,” Ashton answered.

Lance eyed me seriously, “you go to my room. Alam mo naman na kung saan nakalagay ang mga damit mo.”

I nodded, “sige, maiwan ko muna kayo.”

Saglit kong tiningnan si Ashton at binigyan siya ng tipid na ngiti, “una na ako.”

“O sige, see you later.” Ashton said and smiled.

Tahimik akong pumunta sa kuwarto ni Lance. Agad kong hinalughog ang mga gamit ko sa isang kabinet at pinili ang isang plain purple two piece. I entered his closet and changed my clothes.

Bago ako lumabas ay nagsuot ako ng isang manipis na cover robe at hinayaang nakabuhaghag ang hanggang balikat na buhok ko. I breath heavily before I walked out of his room.

I don't know what's going on but everyone looks at me.

“Omg! Ang sexy! Baka maging straight ako nito!” Jericho shouted and laughed deliriously.

Tumawa ako at tinampal siya sa braso. “Loka loka!”

“Tara na, magsisimula nadaw ang pool party,” aya naman sa amin ni Vennisse na kumikinang sa two piece na stripe black and white.

I saw Lance eyed me. Binigyan ko lang sya ng tipid na ngiti bago ako nag-iwas ng tingin. I slowly removed my cover top. Isa isa na kaming nagsibabaan sa dalawang mahahabang pool nina Lance. Pinili kong lumangoy sa pool na wala si Lance. Pasulyap-sulyap lang ako sa kanya at nahuhuli ko syang nakatingin sa akin. I awkwardly smile and swim again.

Elly is beside him and watching his every move. Umahon ako at kumuha ng roba.

“Drink?”

I saw Ashton walking closer to me. He handed me a glass of wine. Ngumiti ako at tinanggap iyon. I have a high tolerance with alcohol. Hindi naman ako sanay uminom pero hindi talaga ako madaling nalalasing.

“Ang ganda mo, sobra.” Biglang saad ni Ashton.

My face heated by that. Tumawa ako at umiling, “hindi naman.”

“I always saw you. Palagi kang nanonood ng laro namin. And you know what? Since day one, you look so adorable.”

I laughed and tapped his shoulder, “ikaw ha? Crush moko no?”

“Okay lang ba?”

Natigilan ako sa tanong niya. Tumawa ako at inilipat ang tingin sa mga nags-swimming.

“Ofcourse I know you like someone else,” Ashton spatted.

“Ha?”

He smiled. “Why don't you set yourself free from loving him? Siguro kung bubuksan mo lang yong mga mata mo sa iba, hindi ka masasaktan ng ganyan. Kung tuturuan mo lang ang sarili mong buksan ang puso sa iba, mahahanap mo yong tunay na saya. Marami namang iba diyan eh,” he paused and drank on his wine. “Hindi dapat sa kaniya umiikot ang buhay mo, Havannah.”

I got speechless at what he said. I lost words and got nothing to say. Pakiramdam ko ay may tumusok sa puso ko sa narinig. Did truth just slapped me?

“I am sorry, I didn't mean to make this hard to you.” He added.

I smiled at him, “no, it's fine. Actually, thank you. Medyo nasampal ako ng reyalidad dun ah.” sagot ko at tumawa.

“Uhm, I am just telling you to find someone who really sees your worth,”

I nodded. “I know, thanks for your concern.”

“Lance!”

Napalingon ako kay Elly nang sumigaw ito. Umahon siya sa pool at sinundan ang papalayong nobyo.

“Anong nangyari dun?” Tanong ko sa hangin.

“Siguro LQ lang, normal yan sa magjowa.”

LQ? Eh bat parang galit na galit iyong tikas ni Lance. Ang bigat ng mga paa niyang naglalakad palayo. Well, baka nga nagkaroon lang sila ni Elly nang di pagkakaintindihan.

None of your business, Havannah.