Clarity (A SANDRO MARCOS FANFICTION)

58. Me

AIRI

"She's an amazing woman, I tell you, brother," Sandro said, looking at Vinny. "We used to have that corkboard of our ten-year plan back in London," He laughed bitterly. I just stared at him. He's so drunk. "We did everything together, slowly checking the boxes on our bucket list. It was one of the amazing things I have achieved in my life. To be with a woman who understands me more than I understand myself," His gazed turned to me. "She's an amazing woman. I just fucked things up."

He laughed once more then hit his head on the table and completely closed his eyes. Lasing na. Buti na lang tinabi ni Vinny yung glass.

Vinny sighed. I told him to come as soon as I picked up the call. He dropped everything he was doing and headed here right away.

"Should we get a room for him? Mom and Pops are at home. They can't see him like this." He said.

I nodded. "Yeah. Let's do that. Do you want me to get a separate room for us?" I asked him. I didn't really know if I asked the correct question.

He shook his head. "Just get a twin size bed. We'll watch over him."

"Okay."

I stood up and went to the front desk to book a room with twin size bed. Nag-request na din ako ng wheelchair for Sandro para hindi mahirapan si Vinny. I was given a room right away. A concierge followed me with the wheelchair to help out Sandro.

Vinny thanked him and gave him a tip then we headed to the elevator right away.

"Are you okay?" I asked Vinny.

He nodded. "Yes. Don't worry. I'm good."

"I'm sorry for the trouble."

Vincent laughed. "You're not a trouble Airi. Not for me. Never."

I hugged him from behind. He looked startled.

"Gulat yarn?" I teased him.

"I wasn't expecting that." He mumbled silently.

I laughed.

---

Sandro was silently sleeping on the bed while Vinny and I were hanging out in mini living room. Kinuha namin yung natirang alak at dinala sa room so we continued drinking there.

"What did you think Vinny? About what Sandro said. About you hearing those words from him?" I asked curiously.

"I'm envious that he got to spend more time with you back in London but that doesn't bother me much. The way he said you're one hell of an amazing woman makes me want to seriously marry you." He winked.

I rolled my eyes to hide my kilig. "Landi mo."

"Is it working?" He asked.

"Try harder." I told him.

"I'll try harder to the point you wouldn't want to break up with me. Ever."

I smiled. "You don't need to try harder Vinny. I am already considering it," I looked at him. "Of course, magpapakipot muna ako."

He laughed. "Duly noted on that."

I drank the last shot of my alcohol.

"I was thinking kanina, while Sandro was all talks."

"What about it?"

"My mind drifted when we were in London. To the part where I kept on talking about you claiming that were meant to be together kahit hindi pa kita nakikita then Simon and Sandro would look at me ridiculously na parang nababaliw na ako,"

Vincent was just looking at me, smiling so I continued.

"I can't remember how or when I saw you in picture though. But I remembered myself having kilig feelings when you smile at photos. Wala lang. It just feels nostalgic na I finally met you in a not so expected way. Parang I fell for Sandro while crushing on you then when it was gone, bumalik."

"Have you fallen, Airi?" He asked, looking at me straight in the eyes.

There was no point in denying it now. I do feel things but I want to tell it to him when I am completely sure.

"I won't deny it Vinny but I won't tell you the three letter word for now. I want to be sure myself. But I know what I deserve. I know it myself that I don't want to go back from something that has given me so much pain. I don't want something that has given me so much assurance and halfway, would give me up then come back up again after realizing it was me all along."

"What does it feel like with me, Airi?"

I smiled at him. "With you it's calm. Maybe because alam mo kung anong nangyari sa akin or you have same similar experience. But it's amazing how things happened. Yung dati, I would bluntly declare na ikaw magiging boyfriend ko then years later, were here."

Vincent laughed. "I, too was not expecting anything at all. The plan was to stay in Baguio after getting my heart broken then I saw you. I was probably using you as a panakip butas or coping mechanism and eventually, I forgot about the plan of revenge."

"We're actually still doing it Vinny," He gave me a questioned look. "Sandro's feeling the regret as we have predicted. Your ex looked like she wants you back when she saw you. It's working in a way we didn't have to pretend anymore." I told him.

"You chickened out halfway and wanted out." He reminded me.

I laughed. "Because tita was too supportive of our pretend relationship and it's tita Liza were talking about. She treats me like her own anak tapos magsisinungaling lang ako." I retorted.

"Well, ikaw lang ang napakilala na girlfriend among the three of us." He replied shrugging his shoulders.

I gave him a look. "Eh yung ex mo? Yung ex ni Simon na mukhang panda?"

"We're careful on who we introduce our parents with Airi. Gusto kasi nila, kapag may pinakilala kami, yun na yun. Wala nang bawian."

My eyes rolled at the back of my head. Sandro nga binawi eh. Kapag si Vinny ginaya niya kuya niya siya na lang bawian ko ng buhay.

---

SANDRO

Hangovers are not my thing.

My watch says it's already one in the afternoon which meant that I just missed my online interview. My phone is dead too. I slapped myself in the face and tried to remember what happened last night.

I was with Vinny and Airi. That was the only thing I could remember. I couldn't remember the things I have said or did.

I'd die with embarrassment if ever I saw them today. But it was too late to run because the door opened and Airi entered along with Vinny.

"—I wanna spend my birthday with the family but I want to go to Australia for a short vacation too," Vinny looked at Airi as he closed the door behind him. "With you, Airi."

I caught Airi in shock then she smiled. "Maybe you can schedule a dinner or brunch with the family before or after your birthday. Kailan mo ba balak mag-Australia?" She asked. She put down the paper bag she was holding, probably some takeout food.

"I'm not yet sure I'm trying to get my project done so I can make reservations," Vincent answered. He put down the Starbucks take out on the table and faced Airi. "It would be our first trip outside the country if that happens." He grinned.

Airi giggled.

I felt a lump in my throat.

"Oh, you're awake!" Airi exclaimed, noticing my presence.

"Yeah." I tried to sound normal.

"Great! We bought a Chinese takeout." She beamed.

Something about Chinese takeout made me feel nostalgic.

--