Hardest to Lose (Villaraza Series #4)

16 | Possible

16 | Possible

I barely slept that night. It felt so ridiculously unreal.

Since she left the country months after her confession with Markus, I never heard from her again. It was all my fault, though. Sobra akong nasaktan lalo na noong naging sila kaya iniwasan ko siya. She tried her best to fix what had broken us apart. But it was my pride that brought me adrift, far away from her. Kinuntento ko ang sarili sa mga update niya sa social media. For years, I believed we would never talk again.

But she sent me a friend request last night!

Ito na ba iyon? The closure I had been waiting for? The reconciliation?

I was fucking excited!

“Sinong nginingitian mo d’yan?” simangot na usisa ni Faye.

Lumawak ang ngiti ko at ipinakita sa kanya ang profile ni Sherlyn. “She’s pretty, ‘no?”

Pinakatitigan niya iyon nang ilang segundo. “Sino ‘yan?”

“She’s a high school friend.”

“Okay naman . . .” Tumango siya na tila napipilitan. “She’s pretty but you’re prettier.”

I hissed with a shy smile. “I think she’s prettier, though.”

Sherlyn was a bit insecure with her look when we were in high school. So she wasn’t that confident with herself. But for the past years following her social media accounts, she overcame her insecurities and learned to accept her strengths. I was so proud of her.

“Hinahanap ka pala ni Gio kanina.”

Natigil ako sa pagtipa sa cell phone. “Bakit daw?”

“Hindi ko alam. Basta may sasabihin daw siya sa’yo.”

Baka tungkol na naman doon sa pinsan niyang ubod ng taray.

And speaking of the devil, he came inside the Filipiniana Section of the library where we were. Nanatili ang titig ko sa kanya hanggang sa nagtagpo ang tingin namin. Labas ang ngiping ngumiti siya at kumaway.

“Kanina pa kita hinahanap!” bulong niya pagkalapit sa akin. “Nandito ka lang pala.” Nilingon niya si Faye na busy sa pagsusulat. “Sinabihan kita kanina na i-text mo ‘ko ‘pag nakita mo siya, ‘di ba?”

“O, ‘yan na nga. Ba’t ka pa nag-iinarte d’yan?”

Hay, naku. Lahat na lang yata kinagagalitan nito ni Faye.

“Anyway,” Gio brought his gaze back to me, “group study tayo sa bahay this Saturday.”

Kumunot ang noo ko nang galaw-galawin niya ang mga kilay.

“Group study? Ilang linggo pa naman bago—“

Faye wasn’t able to finish her sentence when Gio planted his hand on her mouth.

“Ano? Pupunta ka?” he hopefully asked.

“I don’t know. Baka busy kasi ako niyan ‘Tsaka akala ko ba before finals?”

“Pumunta ka! Promise, mag-e-enjoy ka. ‘Tsaka ‘di naman pupunta si Markus kaya ‘di ka mabubuwisit do’n.”

“Mag-iinom lang naman tayo do’n.”

“Kasama na ‘yon, siyempre! So, ano? Pupunta ka?”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Okay.” He recovered his hand from Faye. “Hayup! Ba’t mo ‘ko nilawayan!”