Noted, Architect (Architecture Series #1)

Chapter 2: That Guy

ODYSSEUS

I took a deep breath as I looked into the amber glow veiling the dim bar lights. 

My girl friend and I are at Paraiso de Javier and we are having a heated argument here at the front bar.

"Mamili ka, Ody. Ako ba o si Mazy?"

Alyssandra's voice cut across the air. It was sharp, accusing. Her eyes were blazing with frustration, and I could feel the storm rising inside her. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, feeling an odd tug in my chest as I tried to step into her shoes. My pulse was racing. Mazy? Where was this coming from?

"Aly," I said, my voice shaking, "my best friend was dying. I had to take her to the hospital that very night. She lost a lot of blood."

My throat constricted while the story told itself. Mazy, my oldest friend, pale and unconscious in my backseat; her arm was full of cuts that she has created. I knew what I'd have to do and chose that; but Aly saw it differently.  Hindi niya maintidihan kung bakit nagkaganun si Mazy. Kaya sinubukan kong i-explain sa kanya yun.

"Pure ka, Mazy! Puro ka rin school works!" Aly's face twisted in anger. "Bakit hindi mo planuhin nang maayos 'yang buhay mo para may time ka rin sa akin?" Her words hit me like blows, each one landing with more force than the last.

"It's not that easy, babe," I said, trying to explain, trying to find the words that would calm her down. But I could feel her slipping away.

"It has to be easy! I am pregnant, Ody!" Her voice cracked, and for a second, I thought I'd misheard her.

Pregnant? Buntis siya?

I blinked. My mind went into overdrive. 

Pregnant? How? We hadn't even——

I raised my brows, and a pit dropped to my stomach. "So you have been cheating on me?" I asked my voice low and colder than I could control.

Hindi pa namin ginagawa pero ipapaako niya sa akin ang batang hindi naman akin?

Her face fell, and she stuttered, "W-what? I–"

I cut her off, realization hitting all at once. "We haven't done it yet." My heart was pounding in my chest. The words hung between us, thick and suffocating.

"Alam mo? Deserve mong maloko! Wala kang oras sa akin!" She was yelling at me, anger in her eyes and... was it guilt? I took a deep breath. 

This wasn't real. This wasn't happening. But the pieces were falling into place.

"Oh, babe," I said, shaking my head and trying to keep calm even though I wanted to scream at that moment that the ground had just cracked open beneath me. "Last night was the only time I wasn't with you. It's because my best friend was dying and yes I had to save her. If you're going to accuse Mazy of being my mistress, you better have proof, because the last time I was in contact with her was a month ago. We started dating that time. Mazy and I haven't seen each other in 8 months because she's been busy with her academics."