The Third Side of a Love Story

Chapter 16

"Don't even start with me, Ven."

Bungad sa akin ni Joan nang lapitan ko sila ni Gia sa balcony ng suite. Ang iba sa kanila ay nasa mini-bar at naghahanda na nang drinks.

"Joan, you know I cannot be rude right? Gio is telling me to invite her earlier. How can I say no?" I explained.

Nakakrus ang kanyang mga braso samantalang nakatingin lamang si Gia sa malayo.

"Eh ano to?" Turo niya kay Gia. "Invisible? Hindi ba awkward ha?"

"Joan, stop it. Wala namang problema sa akin." Humarap sa akin si Gia. "Ven, don't worry about it. It's your party, you can invite whoever you want. I'm okay." Hinaplos niya ang balikat ko.

"Sige kung sa'yo walang problema, eh bakit kanina kapang nakabusangot diyan ha? Iyan ba ang okay lang?"

Inirapan ni Gia si Joan.

"Wala lang ako sa mood okay? I'm tired. Let's just drink already. And stop making it about me okay? It's Ven's party not mine. Magbehave ka nalang muna."

Huminga ng malalim si Joan. "Fine! Sige magbebehave ako. Pero walang iiyak mamaya ha." Tinuro niya sa mukha si Gia at pinanlakihan ito ng mata. "Hindi ako maghahatid ng iyakin ha! Bahala nga kayo riyan!" Naglakad siya papasok at pumunta sa mini-bar. "Let's party!!!"

Sinalubong siya nina Brianna at Yexel na inabutan siya ng maiinom.

"Pagpasensyahan mo na siya Ven, nakainom siya ng konti kanina. She's just worried about me kahit hindi naman niya kailangang mag-alala."

Sumandal ako sa railings ng balcony tulad niya.

"No, I understand. I'm not comfortable with her either." I sighed. "How can I be comfortable with someone was kissed by Justin?" I find all the courage to tell her.

Hinarap niya ako bigla sa kanya.

"What?!" I held her hand to refrain her from doing anything. Umiling ako sa kanya at itinuro ang mga kaibigan namin sa loob na maaaring makarinig.

"Don't tell anyone please. Ayoko ng gulo." I told her and she calmed.

"And you're just telling me now? Bakit tinanggap mo yung singsing? Hindi ba nagdedate sila ngayon ni Gio? What's happening here exactly, Ven?" Kita ko na naguguluhan siya but there's nothing I can do because it's the truth.

"I saw them kissing at the parking lot the day Justin and I planned a date. This was even before this event. But I told no one except you. So, don't tell the girls because they're gonna freak out. Kilala mo naman 'yung dalawa."

Nakikinig lamang siya sa akin. I trust Gia because I know she wouldn't tell anyone if I told her don't. At isa pa, siya lamang naman ang higit na makakaintindi sa pinagdadaanan ko.

I told her everything that happened. From that scene I saw in the parking lot where they were kissing, the time I got drunk with Gio, the daw Justin tried to apologize, lahat lahat. Nabanggit ko rin sa kanya ang past between Justin and Selena and how they met without us knowing.

And she suddenly felt bad for not being with me during the time I needed a friend. She also felt bad for Gio dahil wala rin itong alam sa mga nangyari because I told her I chose not to tell because if I ever tell him what happened, baka maging katapusan na ng pagkakaibigan nila ni Justin.