Break His Wall (Ramos Series #1)

II - Cheesecake

Arthemis and I took an uber to Ateneo De Manila from our condo, which was kind of a long ride because we got caught into rush hour.

"Alam mo ba, Chelsea and I have been talking a lot lately." Biglang wika ni Arthemis sa tabi ko.

I was busy on my phone so I didn't bothered paying attention.

"Yeah?" I lazily answered.

"No, like super weird lang kasi she's been frequently  asking about you too." Napalingon ako rito.

"What do you mean?"

"You remembered her birthday party incident? Everyone actually thought that you and Rion had a one night stand." Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya. What the fuck?

"What—"

"Rion didn't denied nor affirmed. So everyone assumed you guys did it." Mas lalo pa akong naguguluhan. Why the hell?

Umayos ako ng upo at marahang humarap sa kanya. "No, Arthemis. To tell you the truth, that night as far as I remembered I was with Dwight—"

"Wait. What!"

"Let me finish." I exclaimed. "I don't think something happened between us but I'm pretty sure it was Dwight who tucked me in that bed. Then, I passed out."

Agad naman itong napaisip. "Oh my god. Still. So it's you and Dwight, then?"

"But nothing happened." Depensa ko naman.

"Yet you wished something did, didn't you?" Asar nito sakin.

Napaisip tuloy ako kung meron ngang nangyari. I could picture out his muscular body and heavy arms around me. I even almost kissed him that night.

Nabulabog ang pagiisip ko nang marinig ko ang asar ni Arthemis sa tabi ko.

"Fine. I think I kind'a have a little crush on him. Okay? Happy now?" Giit ko.

Nang marating namin ang student parking area, naroon na si Artemio nakasandal sa Hyundai Elantra ni Arthemis. His playing with the car keys while being at his phone at the same time.

"Artemio." Tawag nito sa kanyang kapatid. "Kanina ka pa?"

Bumati naman ito nang makita kaming papalapit.

"Kakatapos lang ng class ko. Sa'n ba kayo papunta at mukhang atat na atat ka makuha itong sasakyan?"

"Somewhere around McKinley. Magla-lunch lang." She annoyingly answered.

"Talaga? Sakto. I'll text the boys. Pasabay na kami sa inyo." Giit nito saka pumwesto na sa drive seat.

Kung nagulat si Arthemis, siguro ay mas nagulat pa ako. The boys? Is he referring to Dwight and Rion?

Oh no. The last thing I'd wanna happen today is see any of those faces.

Nagkaroon pa ng konting alitan ang magkapatid ngunit wala kaming ibang nagawa kundi hayaan siyang ipag-drive kami sa pupuntahan.

"Unless you, guys, are gonna meet some boys kaya ayaw niyo magpasama." Pagbabanta nito.

Of course, we are.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Arthemis sa rear mirror na siyang nakaupo sa shotgun. From that look, I know she'd be needing to cancel our dates.

Nang makapag-park kami ay agad kaming nauna sa paglalakad kay Artemio pero laking gulat namin nang patuloy itong nakasunod.

"You think they're gonna have lunch with us?" Tanong ko sa kanya. Ilang hakbang lang ang layo ng kapatid nito sa amin kaya kinailangan ko pang bumulong.

"I think so. I just received a text from my tinder date. They're already here so we cancel now." She said problematically.

"What?"

"Ano gagawin ko, Aga? I don't wanna ditch him cuz' he's handsome." She didn't really have to call me by my second name.

I tried thinking of any idea how to help her when Artemio snapped infront of us. "Sa'n ba tayo kakain?" He asked.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Arthemis. 'Tayo'. It echoed on my mind. They'd really gonna have lunch with us, then.

Orion and Dwight arrived and I can't look straight to them. Next thing, I know we're already seated on an American dinning restaurant. I sat beside Arthemis while infront of me is Dwight and infront of her is Rion. Artemio is on the center.

'The two guys passed Dwight and Rion were supposedly our date." I received a text message from Arthemis.

What? Napalingon ako sa harap ko at napansin ang pagkunot ng noo ni Dwight. Tinitigan ko ang lalaking nasa likuran niya at agad itong napalingon sa gawi ko saka ngumiti. Ngumiti naman ako pabalik rito.

'Paanong nandito sila? Didn't you cancel?' I replied.

'I couldn't cuz'  I think they already spotted us before we even came in.'

'They surely did. Kanina pa tingin nang tingin sa'tin'. Sana ay di mapansin ng kapatid niya. Napatawa ako.

'Yung nasa harap mo rin, kanina pa tingin nang tingin.' She teased referring to Dwight. I disregarded the thought.

Nang lingunin ko ulit ang mgq binatilyo sa kabilang mesa, hindi ko na ito maaninag dahil sa pagtuwid ng upo ni Dwight. Buong dibdib niya na ngayon ang nakaharang sa gawi nila.

Our food arrived and I was super excited. Both Arthemis and I had our favorite ribeye barbecue steak. Artemio, Rion and Dwight asked for veggie salads.

"What's the sense of going to an American resto kung kakain lang naman kayo ng mga damo." Mangiwing reklamo ni Arthemis sa kanila. Natawa naman ako rito.

Napatigil ang mga ito pagkain at napalingon sa amin. "We have training later." Giit ni Rion.

Ilang minuto matapos kaming kumain, may biglang nilapag ang isang waitress sa harap naming dalawa ni Arthemis. "Ma'am, may nag-order po nito para sa inyong dalawa."

Halos mapatalon kami sa tuwa dahil sa dalawang plato ng oreo cheesecake na nasa mesa. Pero naputol ang kaligayahan nang itulak ang mga ito ni Artemis papunta kina Dwight at Rion.

"Uy, Dwight. Tignan mo, o. May nag-order daw para satin. Ang sweet naman." Panga-aasar ni Rion saka sumubo nito.

Napairap nalang si Arthemis sa kapatid niya. Hindi na siya sumuway kaya hinayaan ko nalang rin. Maybe he's really this strict. Napangiwi naman ako sa inggit, I badly wanna have those.

Tinignan ko nang mariin si Dwight na ngayon ay naka-simangot. He grabbed a spoonful and had some for himself too but can't seem to figure out whether he liked it or not.

Bigla akong nakarinig ng pagkatok ni Marionette sa pintuan ng kwarto ko habang nag-aayos ako ng aking mga gamit.

"Dinner?" Anyaya nito.

Matapos naming maglunch ay nauna na kaming umuwi ni Arthemis sa kanila. At dahil wala naman akong gagawin maghapon ay naisipan ko nalang magpa-laundry at maglinis.

Sa kalagitnaan ng aming pagkain biglang tumunog ang pinto. Nagkatinginan kaming tatlo dahil wala naman ni isa sa amin ang may inaasahang bisita.

Nang buksan ko ito ay agad bumungad sakin ang isang food panda delivery. "Ma'am, para po kay Estelle Agatha."

"Uh, I don't think I ordered anything."

"Pinadala po yata sa inyo, Ma'am."

Nang ilapag ko ito sa mesa, naki-usisa agad sila Marionette. "Kanino kaya galing?" Pagtataka nito.

Nakatinginan naman kami ni Arthemis nang mabuksan ito. A whole freaking oreo cheesecake.

Could it be from Rion? Or Dwight?