A Close Second

Fifty Ninth

Sorry about all the tears.

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COURTNEY BEATRICE

"Bat di ka nagpasundo, Beatrice?"

Greg sits down on the couch in front of me. I was at the Napoleon's immediately after my rehearsals. Dito na ako dumeretso, not even bothering to ask the boys to get me from the studio.

I figured I needed to do things more on my own so I took a Grab Car.

Sa totoo lang, I had a hard time going inside the house, standing outside the gate for a good ten minutes before braving myself on the doorbell.

The whole ordeal last night flashed back into my mind, fresh from my memory.

I didn't even have the courage to go upstairs kung saan daw nandoon sila Tita Angie. Nandito lang talaga ako sa sala na nakatulala.

That was until Greg came a few minutes ago.

I still didn't know how I'm appearing so normal right now.

"Hindi ka rin nagpahatid. Iniwan mo daw si Keith sa condo niya." sabi nito sa akin. "Ang kumag, di ako tinigilan hangga't di ako sumagot. Hindi ba niya alam ang schedule mo?"

I shrug. "I don't even know my own schedule." sabi ko with a chuckle.

'These guys baby you too much.'

'Courtney' says on the floor, on the side of the sofa I was sitting on. I ignored her as always, sipping a cup of coffee from the shop near the studio. I agree with her though.

"So nag commute ka kaninang umaga?"

Umiling ako. "There's Grab... Hindi naman mahirap mag book." I say. "Also, I'm thinking of I'm getting my driver's license next week. Nag cocollect lang ng alikabok yung kotseng bigay ni Ate Cathy sa akin sa basement parking."

Greg frowns at that. "Marunong ka bang mag drive?"

Tumango ako. "I was taught by..."

'By Jacob.' pag kumpleto ng kamukha ko.

Greg seems to get what I was saying, though he didn't voice it out. He didn't seem to be happy with what I said though.

I did mean it though.

The fact that I'm being babied was not an understatement though, and maybe it was time that I actually figured out how to do things for myself.

"Napapagod ka na ba sa pagmumukha ko?" Tanong ni Greg sa akin. "Kung gusto mo, si Nico ang mag hatid sundo sayo, para naman may pakinabang ang gago."

Natawa ako sa sinabi niya. "Kakawawain mo nanaman si Nico." I say. "Besides, hindi ko kayo driver. It's okay."

Natahimik siya sa sinabi ko. It may be the fact that Nico and Aya walked in along with Thea who gave me a small smile. She was dressed up nicely in a dark gray loose chiffon tank and white shorts and her hair in a neat french braid.

"Hello." She says pleasantly before passing us and going upstairs.

Naiwan kaming apat doon, with us trailing our eyes on her while she climbed up the stairs before disappearing from our view.

She must hate it--us watching her every move.

'If you hate it, pano pa siya.' side comment naman ng kamukha ko sa gilid.

"Dumating kanina yung mga Alcantara." Greg says. "Nasa kabila pa yung mga bata pero pumunta nang bahay nila sa New Manila yung iba."

"May bahay dito ang mga Alcantara?" tanong ni Aya.