Chapter 1- What If
"What's wrong Kat?" Epifanio Juan Dominguez--or EJ asked me. He is my best guy bestfriend since God knows when. I sighed and drank my shot of JD. "Lian will be leaving," I answered. He smirked. "Tss, yun lang pala eh, no biggie," he said, proudly. "Dork, it's a problem of course,"
Ha sarcastically laughed. Now, I just wanna strangle this guy. "Aalis lang naman ang kapatid mo, Kat, sa Manila lang siya, hindi abroad,"
"I get it, EJ, but the problem, since Lian will be leaving, wala nang magcocover up pag aalis ako, there will be no more drinking sprees and night outs," I calmly said and drank another shot.
"Now, I have to agree with you. That is a problem indeed." He said and whistled at the girl who passed by us. "And another big problem is," I trailed on. He gave me a suspicious look. "What?"
"I will have a bodyguard," I lazily said. I heard EJ laughed and screamed at the party people. "Seriously? Ano yan Kat? Teenage days? Haha!"
I glared at him and frowned. "Stop laughing Epifanio Juan Dominguez, it's no funny," I hissed at him. He raised his two hands as a sign of defeat. He knows what I mean when I call him by his full real name.
"Okay, you are dripping mad at me, Kat, what should we do about it?" He seriously said.
"Hindi ko rin alam,"
"Do you want me to tell your mom that I can be your bodyguard instead?" He asked. I frowned at him again. "You think papayag sila? Hell no, EJ. They know you, from scalp to toenails."
He asked the bartender for another two shots of JD. "So what are we gonna do now?" He asked. "I wanna go home, naiinis ako," I said then paid for my drinks. "Ako na, Kat," he said, stopping me from giving my credit card at the bartender. "I don't want you to insult my financial capabilities,"
I smirked at him, "Whatever Mr. Billionaire,"
"Nah, millionaire pa lang, di ko pa nakukuha ang kumpanya kay Dad," ngumisi siya sa akin. "How would he? You aren't responsible yet," I stated.
He laughed and walked with me to the parking lot. "I can date alot of girls in a day, Kat," he answered. And now, it's my turn to laugh.
"That's not being responsible, dork, you are such an ass," Sabi ko at pumasok sa kanyang Chev.
EJ Dominguez fucks every girl she meets in the Metro. Para sa kanya, pag may butas, mapapasukan. He's an ass, I know. He can date and fuck all the girls she want, but never me.
He respects me too much na kahit ang ligawan ako ay di niya magawa. Our parents are bestfriends since high school. He respects me including his sister and mother, of course. But I don't believe na never niya akong pinagnasaan. That's surely impossible. Sino ba naman ang hindi.
Nang maihatid niya ako sa bahay ay nagsalita siya, "Good night Kat, and oh, say hi to Tito for me," sabi niya habang nakangisi. "I bet he's asleep already," I said.
"Oh I doubt it, look," he said pointing on our house with all the lights on. Umismid ako sa inis. Don't tell me hinintay nila akong umuwi? They should have rested!
Bumaba ako sa sasakyan ni EJ nang hindi nagpapaalam. We don't do goodbyes. He hates it and so as me. Nang mapasok ko na ang gate ay bumungad sa akin ang mga iilang guards na rumoronda sa paligid. May ilang batian pang naganap bago ako makapasok sa bahay.
"Good evening dad, mom," sabi ko ng makita ko silang magkatabing nakaupo sa couch. "Katrina," malambing na pagtawag ni Mama. "Saan ka ba galing?" Her voice is soft and gentle, parang hindi nagagalit.
I stood still, "Nag night out lang, ma," sagot ko. Nakita ko namang kumunot ang noo ni Papa. "Night out? Paano kung may nangyaring hindi maganda? Paano kung madisgrasya ka? Paano kung-"
I cut him off, "Pa, okay lang naman ako, look, I'm still alive, I'm here, isa pa, I'm with EJ naman," I said calmly.
"Oo nga love, she's with EJ, she will be safe," Mama added. I smiled at her at sinuklian niya rin ito ng ngiti. "That EJ, bakit di na lang siya mag asawa? Hindi itong ikaw ang inaabala niya, you looked drunk, you should rest," he said.
"Pa, kukunin muna ni EJ ang kumpanya ni Tito Eli bago yun magsettle down," I said at nagsimula ng maglakad.
"I think we should rest too, love, nakauwi na si Katrina and she is safe, let's go,"
I heard Papa sighed before he called me. "Yes, dad?"
"Ihahatid na natin si Lian bukas,"
Now it's my turn to sigh. "I know, dad, I know,"
Agad akong umakyat at pumunta sa kwarto ng kapatid ko. I knocked before entering, "Pasok," I hear her say.
"Ate," pagtawag niya ng magkita kami. I smiled weakly at her and so as she. I went near her and sat on the edge of her bed. She faced me. "Aalis na ako bukas, wala ka bang sasabihin?"
"You know I hate goodbyes, and isa pa, babalik ka, I know you will. Iloilo will always be your sanctuary, this is your home, a'right?"
She suddenly hugged me tight. "I'll gonna miss you, don't worry, I am with Ash and Megan."
Lihim akong napaismid. "Wala talaga akong tiwala sa Ashley na yan,"
Nang kumalas siya sa pagkakayakap ay tumawa siya.
"Ate, Ash is a good person, ano ka ba,"
"Whatever. Okay, I'll go to sleep na. Ihahatid ka pa namin tomorrow," I said. Tumayo ako at niyakap siya ulit. "Good night, Kat,"
Bago ako makaalis ng kwarto niya ay nagsalita pa si Lian. "Kat? Bukas mo na siya makikilala right?"
I turned to her in confusion. "Who?"
"Your bodyguard, I saw him kanina, he's handsome, oh wait, handsome is an understatement pala," sabi niya at napahagikhik pa.
"Baka bakla," Sabi ko at nagkibit balikat. "I doubt it, Kat, pero if ever man na bakla siya, sayang naman."
"I'm sure as heck na either taken or bakla ang magiging bodyguard ko." I stated.
"Malay mo single, we don't know," she said before I left her room.
Why do I feel like mali ang instinct ko at tama ang kay Lian? No, Katrina, you are right, baka may asawa na siya.
But, really, what if?
**END OF CHAPTER 1**
