The Missing Element

Chapter 40

"Talia! Have you had lunch already?" She asked and sweetly smiled at me. I rolled my eyes and quickly got out of the comfort room. I know where is this gonna go.

"Oh please, Rhiane. Zip that mouth of yours." I said and covered my ears with the both of my hands as I went inside of my room. There, I saw Reign reading the last page of the book I just published with her brows furrowed. Bakit nandito 'to?! Ang hilig nila pumasok sa kwarto ko nang walang paalam! We all have our own rooms for a reason!

"Reign patahimikin mo nga 'to. Ang aga-aga." I scratched my head, annoyed, when Rhiane followed me inside.

"Hey, that's unfair ha! Don't speak Tagalog! I cannot understand anything." She pouted. "Anyway, you know Mom won't allow me if she knew there won't be a chaperone with me and Chris!"

"Then don't go out." I rolled my eyes. "What's your problem ba?" I asked Reign while looking at her through the mirror. I was busy applying my skincare.

"That's it?! Bitin! Bakit patay ka rito?!" Pagrereklamo niya nang brutal niyang ibagsak 'yung libro sa kama ko.

"What?! Did you say patay?" Rhiane said with an accent making me laugh. Rhiane's pure American. Reign and I were currently in our 3rd year and we decided to take our on the job training here in U.S. We were living here for 2 months already. Next month, our on the job training here will end so we will need to go back to the Philippines. Rhiane is Reign's cousin here in U.S. and is also part of the agency handling our on the job training here.

"Yeah, patay. Don't tell me you haven't read the last chapter yet?!" Reign raised a brow at her. I was just laughing at them.

"What's meant to happen, is meant to happen." I shrugged and put on some lipstick before drying my hair. Wala naman kaming pasok ngayon kaya baka samahan ko lang 'tong si Rhiane. Gagawin nanaman nila akong third wheel! Chaperone chaperone pa, third wheel kamo!

"Hey! Where are you going?" She held my wrist when I stood up and was about to leave them.

"I have a lunch with my friends. Your Mom won't know. Come on! She's in Singapore, she won't know." I said, patting her head. "Don't do anything stupid. If you get pregnant, it's not my fault." I whispered and kissed her cheek before smiling at Chris and leaving the restaurant.

"Hey guys!" I waved my hand when I saw all of them on a long table inside the café.

"Ano 'yan?!" Sabi ni Lucas at inilapag sa harap ko 'yung libro pagkaupo ko. Grabe naman! Lahat na ba ng tao may galit sa 'kin dahil lang sa last chapter ng libro ko? "Isinama mo pa talaga 'yung pag-reject mo sa akin noong first year tayo!" Napatakip siya sa mukha niya kaya natawa ako.

"Ang pangit ng ending ng The missing element! Bakit mo pinatay sarili mo?" Dagdag pa ni Trixie. All of us here were the ones who decided to take the U.S. on the job training offered by our university.

"Hoy grabe naman kayo kay Tal! Huwag n'yo naman sabihin na pangit dahil lang hindi n'yo gusto 'yung ending. Ang ganda kaya ng pagkakasulat niya." Sabi naman ni Mel kaya ngumiti ako nang kaunti sa kanya habang hinihintay namin 'yung pagkain.

"Oo naman. Maganda naman. Hindi ko lang inexpect 'yung ending 'no! Akala ko naman e magiging sila ulit ni Terran." Trixie pouted. Everyone expected that. Natatawa na lang ako habang naglalabas sila ng kanya-kanyang opinyon at feedback nila.