Hardest to Lose (Villaraza Series #4)

32 | Subject

32 | Subject

*****

Everyone cheered for Markus like he won the lottery. Umarte pa siyang nahihiya o ano pero kilalang-kilala ko siya para mahulog doon. He loved that I picked his name from all of those tickets. He indeed won.

He wasn't the one I expected to date. Pero okay na rin siguro dahil alam ko na ang likaw ng bituka niya. Inis ako sa kanya madalas pero komportable rin naman ako sa kanya. Dating him for a night wouldn't hurt . . . right?

"Finally, last day!" Faye said before she sat next to me. "I can live again."

Ngumiti ako at ipinagpatuloy ang pagbali sa string beans.

It was the last day of the Foundation Week and everyone, especially in our stall, was extremely happy and relieved. Mabibigat din kasi ang naging sakripisyo ng lahat. So far, maganda naman ang resulta kasi malaki ang kinikita namin magpahanggang ngayon.

"Sini-set up na nina Jonalyn 'yong date niyo. Ano palang gagamitin mong damit mamaya?" Faye asked a little later which gained everyone's attention.

Ah, right. Mamaya na nga pala iyon. Dahil successful ang event, nag-upgrade iyong lugar kung saan kami magdi-date ni Markus. From a relatively known restaurant nearby, the whole class agreed to have it in a five-star hotel. It was pretty expensive, actually. Kaya nag-alangan ako. But they assured me everything was within the budget. Deserve ko rin daw mag-enjoy lalo na at ako raw ang pinakabugbog ng buong linggo. They were just so kind to me.

"I don't know. Maybe just one of my dresses," sagot ko habang iniisip iyong mga bagong damit na kahit kailan ay hindi pa sumayad sa balat ko.

Faye's face went blank and I just knew what she was thinking. "If you want to leave early later, I'm a call away."

Mahina akong tumawa. "I'll be fine."

Markus was still a nice guy even if he sucked at it most of the time.

"Naniniwala pa rin ako na dinaya niya 'yong pagkapanalo niya."

Sinulyapan ko siya. "Bakit mo naman nasabi? It was a raffle. And I don't see the reason why he would do that."

"Hindi mo ba alam?"

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Anong 'di ko alam?"

"Markus bought almost all the tickets."

Umawang ang bibig ko. "Ha?"

She rolled her eyes and she turned her whole body to me. "He bought almost all the tickets for him to win. Almost a thousand of them. Ang dinig ko pa nga 'yong kotse niya kailangan niyang tubusin, e."

"B-bakit?"

"Ano pa ba? Sinangla niya sa kaibigan niya para pambili ng tickets at manalo. He was so obsessed with winning you! I could do that – I mean, w-what a creep, right?"

Wow. I didn't know any of that.

Marami pang sinabi si Faye at tango saka iling na lamang ang mga naisagot ko. She was determined to prove how Markus was a scary guy that I shouldn't even consider dating. Kung meron man daw na kahit papaano ay puwede kong pagmalisyahan, iyon daw ay walang iba kundi si Xavier o si Gio.

But seriously, Markus?

"Hi!"

Sabay kaming napalingon ni Faye sa bagong dating. It was Cheska who was smiling widely and Markus who looked like he wanted anywhere but here.

Magkasama ulit sila.

"Have you heard the rumor?" bulong ni Cheska pagkalapit na pagkalapit niya sa akin.