Under a Night of Fire

Chapter 3

"Deretso ako sa mall,"

I was taking to my workmate, Bryle. He asked me kasi about my plans after work. Siya lang din kasi halos kasundo ko dito na nakakausap ko na parang kaibigan. Naaalala ko nung bago palang ako rito siya unang kumausap saakin at madalas kapag break time namin nanonood kami movies tapos kikiligin siya pag gwapo yung male lead.

Yes, He's gay and there's nothing wrong with that.

"Been eyeing a book for a while baka bilhin ko na," I said, he clinged into my arms before we walked out from the café, nagdaldalan kami habang naglalakad papunta sa mall, dun din kasi siya hahanap ng jeep na sasakyan.

"Uy, Erin! Una na ko ha? I saw na yung jeep na sasakyan ko!" Bryle said, bumeso siya sakin before he walked away, pumasok na rin ako agad sa loob ng mall nung nakita kong nakasakay na siya.

Dumeretso ako sa National Bookstore, agad akong pumunta sa fiction section na nag-aalala kasi baka wala na yung libro na gusto ko. Nung makarating ako dun ay nakahinga ako nang maluwag nung makita ko na meron pa. Siguro mga tatlo nalang.. Buti umabot pa ako.

Ngiting tagumpay akong naglakad sa counter para magbayad, I looked around while waiting for my change, napakunot ang noo ko nung may nakita akong lalaki at babae.. hinahalikan nung lalaki ang leeg ng babae habang nakatalikod ito.

"Babe.. Stop.." I heard the female mumbled, nung kinuha ko yung change at yung paperbag napatingin ako ulit ako sa pwesto nila.. Fuck!

Shawn.

He was staring at me kaya dali dali akong lumabas sa bookstore, I was fucking panicking! Out of all the places na pwede ko siyang makita bakit.. Bakit dito pa?! At kasama niya pa yung babae niya!

Fucking Babaero!

Bumili nalang ako ng pagakin ko sa mcdo, pagkatapos na pagtapos ko bumuli, lumabas agad ako and guess what? Tumumbabad sakin ang mukha ni Shawn.

"Why were you staring at me earlier, Miss?" he asked. Baliw ba 'to? feelingero e.

"Did you follow me here to ask that, Sir?" I asked, raising one of my brows. In all honesty I was really looking at the girl. Ako ang naaawa sakanya, she doesn't know who she's dealing with.

"Wait," He paused for a minute, he looks like he was trying to remember my face. Putangina. What if he recognizes me? "Ikaw yung cashier dun sa Lunar Cafe.. Right?" He asked.

Tumango nalang ako at nakahinga nang maluwag. Akala ko naalala na niya ako for before. It's odd na he doesn't remember me; hindi ko alam kung nagkaamnesia ba siya or talagang nakalimutan niya ako? But either way, mas magandang hindi niya ako maalala.

"Are you stalking me?" Ano raw?!

"San ka nakakuha ng kapal ng mukha para isipin at sabihin na i'm stalking you?" I asked, I saw how his lips parted in shocked sa tone na ginamit ko. I was really pissed dun sa sinabi niya.

"Kung wala kang matinong sasabihin at tatanungin, mauuna na ko," I walked past him, I looked back to see him staring at me. "You never changed, huh? Assumero ka parin hanggang ngayon." His brows furrowed as he was confused, naglakad na ako paalis after nun.

I heard him call my name.. well, I guess I rang the bell for him kahit na ayoko, because at some point maaalala niya rin ako lalo na kasi mukhang mapapadalas kami magkita. Nalaman ko na he works at a company near the café I'm working in. As far as I remember lumipat siya ng ibang bansa kasi ikakasal na siya kaya nagtataka ako bakit nakikipag landian siya kanina. But oh well, it's in his nature.

Nagaabang ako ng jeep when I saw a white porsche in front of me, bumaba yung windows and I saw Shawn again making me roll my eyes because of irritation.

"Need a ride?" I don't need it if it's from you.

"No, but thanks. My boyfriend will pick me up," Tangina, wala naman talaga akong boyfriend! I needed to lie.

"Really?" He asked like he wasn't convinced, I grabbed my phone from my sling back to text Jaelyn because Cleo is probably busy today, asa family outing ata siya.

To: Ms. PartyGurl

Babe, you busy? Pick me up, please. Asa abangan ako ng jeep sa mall.

Shawn was still there, staring at me. I was getting uncomfortable with his stares. He was like staring into my soul.

"I'll give you a ride.. com-" Nakailang dasal ako sa mga santo hanggang sa nakita ko nalang yung grey lamborgini ni Jae. Thank you, Lord!

"No, my boyfriend's here." I said before walking towards Jae's car, pagkapasok ko nakahinga ako nang maluwag.

"Nag-alala ako sayo, anong meron?" Jae asked in her worried tone, nagulat ako nung napatawag din si Cleo saakin. I put it in loud speaker nung I answered it.

[Jae called me, anong nangyari? Are you okay?] Cleo asked.

"I'm fine.. nakasalubong ko si Lincoln," I said, napatingin ako kay Jae because she looks so confused.. I've decided that i'll tell them even if they judge me or not.

Nagkkwento ako habang nagddrive si Jae, we stopped over for a bit sa bandang park para makwento ko nang maayos. Jae held the phone for me kasi I was so hungry kaya kinakain ko yung take out ko sa Mcdo kanina while I was telling them about it.

"Men are fucking trash," Napatawa ako sa sinabi ni Jae, mukha siya gigil na gigil, lumabas ako saglit sa kotse para itapon sa basurahan yung pinagkainan ko. Pagkabalik ko nagsasalita parin si Jae.

"I swear if i see him, i'll strangle him! He's literally 3 years older than us, gosh! You were 16 that time, Asteria! He was 19!" I bit my lip.. I knew i was at fault. I was at the very verge of crying when I heard Cleo spoke.

[Asteria's probably thinking you're mad or judging her, Jae,] Cleo said, it's true.. Kaya ayaw ko rin sabihin sakanila 'to because I was scared na they might look at me differently. [Jae's not mad, Asteria.. Well, to you, but to Lincoln? She is. I am too.] She stated. I felt Jae's hand on my shoulder, she was gently caressing it.

"It wasn't your fault.. Kasi who the fuck would say na they'll kill themselves just because they can't have what they want. He manipulated you in doing that, you never wanted it in the first place," Jae stated, Cleo bid goodbye kasi may gagwin sila ng fam niya. "He's a piece of shit, Asteria. You don't deserve this. No one does." She's right, no one deserves this. I do not deserve this.

Hinatid ako ni Jae sa apartment ko, I kissed her in the cheek before ako pumasok sa loob. I feel okay, atleast at some point nawala yung bigat sa dibdib ko kasi may napagsabihan na ako about sa ginawa niya saakin.

Dumeretso ako sa kwarto ko, putting the book I bought on my desk before ako lumabas ulit at pumunta sa banyo to take a quick bath, naiinitan din kasi ako. Nag hair dry rin ako ng hair after at humiga na sa kama ko para magbasa.

Halos mag aala-una na nung naramdaman ko yung antok ko, tuesday bukas kaya wala akong pasok. My brows furrowed when I heard my phone's notif, it was a message.

Shawn Jimenez wants to send you a message.

The audacity of this man.. Bahala siya, hindi ko siya rereplyan. After a few minutes tunog nang tunog yung phone ko, I grabbed it because I was so pissed.

Shawn Jimenez:

Hey, Nicolai.

Shawn Jimenez:

I just want to talk to you, please answer.

Shawn Jimenez:

I was looking for you everywhere.. I miss you.. I miss your body.

Shawn Jimenez:

Your nudes.. Asa laptop ko pa. I'll post them online like what I've spread before kaso.. di nga lang umabot sa mga kaibigan mo. Asteria Nicolai.. a desperate slut for me.

Me:

Fuck you. Wag ka magpapakita saakin. Subukan mo lang, Shawn. Magbasa-basa kana ng mga batas. Tangina mo, kakasuhan kita.

I blocked him after that. Anong klase siyang tao? Mas masahol pa siya kesa sa hayop. I texted Jae and Cleo sa GC namin, sent them the screenshot of what he said. Subukan niya lang.

I'll make his life fucking miserable.