Us, in Reverse

Tres

Alyssa's sitting by the edge of the pool, holding a bottle of beer. Her long legs were draped underwater.

The cold midnight breeze touches her cheeks, causing her to tightly press her eyes altogether.

"So, Dennise Lazaro's the infamous 'girl from Barcelona'?" A hint of amusement can be heard from Kiwi's voice.

"Don't start, Ki!" Before gulping her beer Alyssa's lips twisted in a bitter smile.

"Come on Ly, you need to let it out. How could you even move on from her if you keep on doing that!" Kiwi came near her.

"What exactly am I doing Ki, and what the fu--? Me moving on? From who?" Alyssa's starting to get annoyed.

"Moving on and dodging away from one particular topic! The topic being...!"

"D. E. N. N. I. S. E - L. A. Z. A. R. O." Kiwi then hysterically burst into a thunderous fit of laughter.

Alyssa who is irritated, kicks some water towards Kiwi's direction! Soaking the foreigner in the process.

"I don't mind getting soaked, as long as I get to listen to you talking about her, Ly. Well, can't you see it? I'm all ears and is very really to absorb any detail you gonna spill." Kiwi has no plans of stopping herself from pestering Alyssa, that is until she starts talking about Dennise Lazaro.

"This got me overly curious cuz, what happened between the two of you?" Laura barged in, bringing with her some more beers and pulutans.

"Nakisali ka pa talaga dyan sa kakulitan ni Kiwi!" Alyssa stood up and went to get herself another bottle.

She was about to leave the two but Laura stopped her.

"Please stay Ly, hindi sa pinipilit ka naming gawin ang isang bagay na ayaw mo its just that gusto lang naman naming gumaan-gaan ang pakiramdam mo. God knows how worried I was kanina, seeing you storming out of that reception. I was a few meters away from where you were, but kitang kita ko kung paanong nawalan ng kulay ang mukha mo, not to mention you looked as if you were about to cry! We're not forcing you to tell us every single detail of it, enough na iyong ishare mo ang kung ano lang ang comfortable kang ishare." Umikot si Laura sa likod niya and give her a hug.

For a brief moment, the cousins remained in that position. Lau clinging onto Alyssa, while the latter is holding onto her arms.

Laura let's go after a while and opted to take a seat next to where Alyssa was currently seated.

Alyssa heaved a sign of surrender.

"Uhm, I wasn't expecting to see her again this early, albeit today. The feeling of shock was an understatement to describe what I felt upon landing my eye on her. My body went into emotional overdrive. In less than five minutes, I was able to feel how it was to be astonished, then elated, then crushed! I wasn't expecting to see her, with someone else other than me."

"For crying out Ly! Where is this, 'I wasn't expecting to see her with someone else other than me' coming from? You only met her once! You didn't even know her name! All you have of her is a vivid memory of that faithful day in Spain! Pardon me but what were you thinking? Are you thinking that by the time you two once again cross paths with each other, she's all single, available, and the two of you will eventually pick up the pieces and go back to exactly where you left off?" Kiwi stopped midsentence, she then covered her mouth with her hands, as if realizing something of utmost relevance.

"Oh my god! You sort of low-key admitted to me that you have fallen in love with her way back when we were still in Europe! My golly, I almost forgot about it!"

"Sorry but what was it again, Kiwi?"

Alyssa glares at her friend. Subtly stopping her from once again opening her mouth.