Wicked Games (An Epistolary Novel)

080

"Hypothetical question. . ." I trailed.

Rachel and I were seated at the veranda of my room. Kauuwi lang namin kaninang hapon galing elyu and instead of her going straight home, I invited her for a sleepover. Maaga na lang siyang aalis bukas ng umaga kasi may pasok kami. Angel wasn't able to join us kasi hinahanap na raw siya sa kanila.

Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay, looking skeptic as always. "Okay. . ."

I chuckled, biting my lips in contemplation for a few seconds. "What if. . . biglang pinapansin ka na ng taong sabi mo ay kakalimutan mo na?"

She stared at me for a split second.

"Si Julian ba ito?" Deretso niyang tanong na siyang ikinalaki ko ng mata.

Did she figure it out already? Was I that obvious?

"What? No! I'm just asking for a friend!"

"Really, huh?"

I nodded, making that cute and pa-inosente face I'm sure she's not buying. She rolled her eyes at me but decided to hop on my silliness. Alam ko namang alam niya kung sino ang tinutukoy ko.

This brat!

"Pakisabi sa friend mo na 'wag siyang marupok! Chill lang kamo siya. Nonchalant, gan'on!"

I nodded.

That was actually my plan. After our encounter at the bathroom hallway yesterday, wala na kaming ibang naging interaction pa. Xylene, on the other hand, kept on giving me absurd, teasing look every time. Ang kulit din ng isang 'yon!

I sighed.

Silence stretched for a while and only our gulping and the chirping of birds in the sky could be heard.

I decided to come clean. I needed her perspective, anyway. She's my voice of reason, after all. "No matter how much I condition my mind, I still keep on wanting him. . ."

She didn't speak and waited for me to continue.

"Julian, I mean." I added. "Should I still pursue him?" I dared ask.

She heaved a deep sigh followed by a yawn. "Ewan ko sa 'yo. Buhay mo naman 'yan, malaki ka na. Gaw'in mo gusto mo. Dadamayan na lang kitang uminom kapag umiiyak ka na," Rachel said in a tone that says she's done with me and all my Julian-related rants and musings. It's because I used to rant how hard to get Julian was when I was still actively flirting with him. Hindi lang naman iyon. I also vented out to her during the two straight weeks of hell we just passed through for Project Maroon. Bashed na bashed na nga 'yong tao sa 'ming dalawa pa lang.

Muntik na akong matawa kasi mukhang kunsumido na talaga siya sa akin.

"Wow. Apaka-supportive talaga," naiiling kong sabi, nanunukso.

"Tara nang matulog. Antok na ako. Maaga pa tayo bukas," aya niya saka pumasok sa k'warto ko na akala mo siya ang may-ari.

Crazy.