Love Maneuver (LOVE TRILOGY #2)

✭ LOVE MANEUVER 14 ✭

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Drino Wang

Sabay kaming pumasok ni Mark. Kaso ang ginawa niya n'ong malapit na kami kina Kate, which was that time, nakaharap 'yong tatlo sa 'min, hinawakan ba naman niya bigla 'yong kamay ko. Dinuyan-duyan pa nga niya 'yong mga kamay namin, as if isa siyang batang excited maglaro. Sobrang taas pa nga ng pagduyan niya.

Nakita kong napa-smile na lang si Khalil, tapos biglang humarap kay Kate, inilagay 'yong palad niya, telling her to hold him. Ang gaga ko namang kaibigan, may alam-alam pa talaga siyang paghampas kay Khalil, hahawakan din naman pala 'yong kamay nito. While Dex was just smiling looking at us. N'ong nagtama mga mata namin, I mouthed without sound, "Okay na kami." 

"Tagal naman ng kdramahan n'yo, sis, kulang na lang ma-beat n'yo na mga dramarama sa hapon!" sabi ni Kate nang nasa harap na kami ng table namin. It was a rectangle table. May two seats para sa amin. 

"Gaga," ang nasabi ko na lang. Napailing-iling na lang si Khalil, while si Dex, gan'on pa rin.

"Wow! Ang sweet n'yo naman pati sa pag-upo may balak kayong mag-holding hands! Road to forever 'yan, sis?!" si Kate ulit, which made me aware na hawak pa rin pala ni Mark 'yong mga kamay ko. Ako 'yong nasa right. Facing them, si Khalil 'yong nasa left, then Kate, then Mark.

"Baka mawala, eh."

"Bitawan mo nga ako," bulong ko kay Mark, pero ang sira, imbes na makinig, itinaas pa niya talaga, as if flexing it to them, proud na proud! At ang nakakatawa pa, pinapapunta niya 'yon sa right side kung asan si Dex, which made us meet our eyes, and I quickly mouthed without a sound, "'Yaan mo na lang."

Kanina n'ong nag-usap kami ni Mark, nasabi ko rin naman na 'yong reason based on my point of view bakit gan'on 'yong nangyari. Nasabi ko rin 'yong reason bakit nandito si Dex, instead of him. I told him na akala ko busy siya, kaya hindi siya 'yong naisip ko, at bonding sana namin ito ni Dex, kaya si Dex 'yong nandito. Sinigurado ko naman sa kanya na friends lang talaga kami ni Dex. To convince him more, I even told him na may babae nang nakakausap si Dex, wala dapat siyang ipag-alala. Pero ang sira, hindi ko alam kung nagdududa pa rin o nang-aasar lang sa ginawa niyang 'yon. Kung nagdududa man, I think understandable kasi may mga lalaki na kahit anong sabihin mo, ayaw kang paniwalaan. Pero that doesn't change the fact na mga gago pa rin sila. 

Binitawan din naman niya ako, pero nagulat ako n'ong naramdaman ko 'yong mga kamay niya sa dalawang balikat ko, then I just found him na . . . nand'on na siya sa dapat na puwesto ko! Just wow! Hindi naman gan'ong magkaharapan 'yong mga puwesto namin. Our seats were in between of their seats. 

Napailing na lang ako sa thought na ginawa niya, parang sira. But it was cute.

"Sis, sa tagal n'yo, nakapag-order na kami. Feel free to eat and drink whatever you want! And yes, sagot ko lahat!" she exclaimed tapos uminom na siya ng beer. Ang galante naman ng gaga, hindi ko lang alam kung ano nafi-feel ng boys that time! 

I then took the chance to observe the surrounding. Sa table namin, may two sets of street foods as the pulutan, then may fishcrackers din. Sa side ko, may one bucket of ice with beers, same din sa side ni Mark. Flavored beer lang pala 'tong mga 'to, which was okay for me. While our glasses, it was so clear. 

Different shades of disco lights were dancing, as if collaborating with the upbeat music we hear, inviting my heartbeats to do the same. The volume of the music was enough for us to hear each other and enough to invite people because at that time, some people, while standing, were even dancing comfortably as if it was fleeting moment to escape their real life. I admit, it wasn't the kind of vibe you'd get inside a bar. It was so different, more peaceful. You wouldn't feel that you aren't safe. The area was so wide, as if the visitors have their own private space within their circle. From our area, I even heard the sound of clinking glasses.