Black Out

Chapter 3

Ang ingay nanaman ni Risa. And the others seemed bothered too.

"Ris, pwede ba.. hinaan mo ng kaunti 'yung boses mo?" I grumbled as I walked past Risa's room.

"Ha?"

We have a forum to attend for a whole week for a disinformation conference here in IloIlo, we just decided to rent a whole villa for us to share since iilan lang naman kami at para hindi na mag-hotel. We all have our rooms and Risa was slightly singing out loud tonight.. Again. Well, of course after ng dinner nagkaroon ng konting drinks kaya tipsy nanaman 'tong si Risa. Nakainom rin naman ako pero hindi naman ako maingay.

I stepped back from making my way into the bathroom.

"Ang sabi ko, please pakihinaan po ang boses mo, Madam Senator. At 'yung pa-music mo. Gusto rin naming makatulog."

The first day of the conference was not the best that I've been to. I don't know what was the reason but I was not in the mood the whole day but of course, I tried my best to socialize and listen to different speakers. And because I was already grumpy since morning, I may have looked at Risa in a bit more hostile way than I intended.

"Pero almost 9pm pa lang!"

"9pm pa lang?" I stepped into the room and turned the music off, ang luma pa ng mga taste nitong kanta. "Sina Sen Kiko, Leila, and Teddy kailangan gumising nang maaga bukas."

"Well, tulog naman na sila 'diba?"

"It doesn't matter, Risa. Baka magising mo pa rin sila."

"Seriously, ano bang problema mo Lens? Halata namang wala silang pake if kumanta man ako dito or what."

My words were barely audible now, "Hindi ka sigurado," I knew I said that in a mean way or perhaps, it sounded mean. Risa shot me a look and I immediately recoiled like an innocent puppy. "Sorry," I mumbled, looking away as I sat down next to Risa's bed, on a chair on its side. I don't know why but my original plan was really to go to the bathroom. But I guess, I'll stay a little bit longer.

"Are.. are you taking things out on me again?" she asked, slowly lowering herself to sit down next to me.

Sometimes, I tend to do that. Hindi ko naman sinasadya. Risa is a real friend to me, sometimes I become too blunt and open with her, kaya minsan nagkakatampuhan but we would always be okay in the end– since we're bound together for good anyway. I knew she could never leave me and I knew she would always forgive so, many times, I was taking her for granted and that resulted in unnecessary and petty fights.

S'ya talaga 'yung madalas kong napagbubuntungan ng inis, s'ya naman kasi 'yung laging and'yan.

But this time, hindi naman talaga. Well, wala talaga ako sa mood pero tama naman ako, malakas 'yung boses n'ya and I saw Leila's expression too, ayaw lang magsalita.

"Alam ko naman.." she continued, sighing after my internal monologue, "na minsan malakas 'yung boses ko pero you've been acting mean about it too."

"Mean? Paano?" I cocked my head up to look at her. She was pouting in a cute way, I just saw how a cute cheek dimple formed on her face while she was frowning.

"Parang ngayon?" she said.

"Ang sa akin lang naman, 'wag na sana maistorbo 'yung iba.." I knew I could've used a nicer tone though. Then again, she could've just not argued with me in the first place.

"Lens, you know that there are people who love my voice.."

"I know. I like your voice rin naman pero minsan, mas gusto kong tahimik ka."