Hardest to Lose (Villaraza Series #4)

43 | Easy

43 | Easy

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“Grabe, na-miss ko ‘to!” Gio exclaimed as food came to our table. “Wow, may pa-sushi ang madam!”

“Kaya sa susunod na ikaw naman ang taya, magpa-sushi ka rin. Hindi puro alak!” I told him that made everyone laugh.

It was the weekend. Finally, Gio and our other friends were free. Kaya ngayon ay nasa isang kainan kami at butas na naman ang bulsa ko. Ako ang taya kasi ubos na raw ang pera nila sa girlfriends nila.

Kung hindi ko lang sila na-miss, hinding-hindi ako maglalabas ni isang kusing!

“Ba’t pala ang bait mo nitong mga nakaraan?” he asked while devouring the crab. “Akala ko magwawala ka ‘pag nagpalibre kami.” He turned to Xavier who probably couldn’t breathe much with all the food in his mouth. “Anong nangyari dito, p’re?”

Without saying a word, Xavier shook his head.

“Hindi ka ba masaya na nahuthutan niyo na naman ako?” biro ko.

“E bihira naman kasing pumapayag ka agad lalo na kung libre mo lahat.” He stared at me suspiciously. “May sakit ka ba?”

“Alam mo, kumain ka na lang.”

He smiled widely that his eyes turned to slits. “Thank you, master. Babawi kami next time.”

“Dapat lang. Mahiya naman kayo sa’kin.”

He assured me he would. But I knew he would forget it. Magaling siya sa ganoon, e.

“Nasa’n pala si Markus?”

I felt myself stiffen.

“Sana inaya natin,” Gio continued and glanced at me. “Hindi naman na kayo magkaaway, ‘di ba?”

“O-oo,” I hesitantly answered.

The table fell silent. Pasimple kong inilibot ang tingin. All eyes on me, coaxing me to confess my sin.

Kabado akong tumawa. “W-what?”

“I have been hearing a strange rumor about you and him,” Gio replied.

“Oo nga, Iñara,” Fortune seconded and I almost threw the wasabi on his face. “Palagi kayong magkasama talaga no’n. Hindi ba galit ka do’n?”

“W-we’re just friends.”

Gio smirked. “We didn’t say you two aren’t.”

Ah, shit. Masyado ba kaming halata?

Gio crossed his arms and stared at me intently. “Kayo na ba?”

“No!”

“So, hindi pa?”

“Y-you know I can’t possibly like him.”

“But it’s not what I see.” Muli ay binalingan niya si Xavier na mukhang gusto sana ay hindi siya dawit sa komprontasyon. “P’re, ano? Mag-jowa na ba silang dalawa? Nagliligawan?”

Xavier awkwardly swallowed his food before he spoke, “H-hindi ko alam. Wala naman silang sinasabi sa’kin.”

“Actually, Markus texted me earlier.” He waved his phone at me. “Ayaw mo raw siyang pumunta kaya wala siya rito.”

That jerk! “Well, i-it’s my money. I can include and exclude anyone,” I said as I feigned arrogance.

“And I thought you two are friends.”