lilies.

72

Kabanata 72

Inaya kaming uminom nina Haco. Hindi sumama ang asawa niya sa amin dahil siya raw ang magbabantay kay Raver, iyong anak ni Fei. Fei and Denver, her husband, went on their honeymoon for a few days. Saglit lang dahil hindi kayang iwan ang anak ng matagal.

Sumama ako. I feel like Rai was shocked to hear it. Hindi rin naman niya ako kinakausap kaya hindi na rin siya nakapagtanong. I don't mind. Hindi niya naman ako nakita sa loob ng anim na taon.

Kendall, their only girl friend, and I are sitting next to each other. Katabi ko sa kanan si Gab. Katapat ko si Haco at katabi niya si Rai.

Gab's currently prying on Haco's lovelife. Kung paano naging sila nang asawa niya dahil hindi niya alam. We're basically an outcast here. It's not a problem with Gab though. As an extrovert, he can easily fit in.

Haco used to work for the De La Rosa's. Nagta-trabaho siya at ang kanyang mga magulang doon. May pag-aari siyang maliit na grocery sa Sentro. During their 2nd year of college, Haco ventured on his business and opened franchises with Rai as his partner and investor.

We were already together then. I didn't know about it. He has a lot going on during our time together and still he managed to hang out every day with me. I remembered that he sometimes needs to attend meetings and I used to come with him but I thought that it was only family business and he was only assisting. He's venturing on other business with his friends that time. I'm not sure but I felt a fang of pain in my chest, knowing that I do not know a thing about Rai. I am amazed though.

"You're quiet," Kendall commented.

I flinched and shifted on my seat. I know that I don't usually talk and I am always passive in conversations. I like to listen. I am so conscious when someone points it out because sometimes, I feel left out too. Sometimes, I want to contribute to a conversation but I can't say anything interesting. Scared that they might find my thoughts boring which most people do.

"Lily usually listened," Gab defended.

"Oh," Nilagay niya ang dalawang kamay para itakip sa bibig. She hugged me sideways after, "Not you, Lily, sorry," She chuckled and continued, "Si Rai! Ang tahimik mo, naninibago ako. Whenever you're here, you always talk about how Haco forgets about you because of Eira...or how jealous you are that Eira's more important now."

"How about you shut up?" Rai seriously said.

"What? I remembered during Haco's marriage. You're complaining that you're the only single person in the room. Why aren't you complaining now?" Kendall is having the time of her life that she's teasing Rai.

"Ken..." suway ni Haco pero hindi niya rin mapigilang ngumiti.

When Haco and Gab laughed, I smiled too. Rai glared at Kendall. Nilagok niya ang alak na nasa baso niya at ibinaba lang iyon nang maubos na niya.

"You're gonna pass out, real quick, kung bibilisan mong uminom," Kendall scolded Rai.

Hindi siya pinansin nito at naglagay lang ulit sa baso. Nagkibit balikat na lang siya, matapos ay lumingon sa akin.

"Do you dance?"

Umiling ako. "Oh," Binawi ko rin, "I'm gonna have to be really drunk to make me dance."

"What's your limit?" Hamon ni Kendall.

"No, no, at our phase, Kendall," daldal ni Gab na kahit kakakilala lang nila, "You can't make her drunk. She can manage cuervo..."

"And you're drunk?" She asked, giddy

Umiling si Gab.

"I can dance if I already had one bottle of cuervo though."