† Veins of Starlight † [R🔞GxG Ongoing]

Chapter 06

Charlie POV

As the bell rang signaling the end of our last subject, inayos ko na ang gamit ko. Maingat kong niligpit ang mga notes, binder, at pens ko sa bag.

Habang nagliligpit, napansin kong si Angel, gaya ng nakasanayan, ay nagre-retouch na naman sa kanyang make-up. Jusko, pauwi na nga lang eh, kailangan pa bang mag-effort?

"Hoy, babae!" Tawag ko kay Angel nang matapos akong mag-ayos ng gamit.

Lumingon siya sa akin at tinaasan ako ng kilay. "What?" she asked, rolling her eyes. Aba, ang angas ha.

Kanina nga, parang kinikilig na uod siya sa harap ni prof. Andrew, na parang nilagyan ng asin dahil sa kilig, ngayon naman parang sinapian ng demonyo.

“Uuwi na nga lang, magre-retouch ka pa,” sabi ko, pinipilit hindi matawa. “Mabubura rin ‘yan agad, sayang make-up mo.”

She scoffed, “Excuse me? Money ko naman ang ginagastos ko dito sa make-up na ‘to, hindi ikaw. Shut up ka nalang there and let me finish here. Let’s go out of this room ng sabay, okay?”

Natawa na lang ako, “Diyos ko, may pa-nye-nye ka pa d’yan, dami mong keme sa buhay,” bulong ko, habang naglalakad papalapit sa kanya.

Napansin ko yung laman ng make-up bag niya: may mga brushes, palettes, lipsticks, pati highlighter na akala mo pang red carpet. Ano kayang feeling ng may ganito sa mukha araw-araw? Makati siguro—ihhh! HAHAHA!

Habang titig na titig ako, aabutin ko sana yung eyeshadow palette para i-try. Bago ko pa man mahawakan, tinampal na niya ang kamay ko.

“Hoy! Don’t touch my gamit,” she snapped, giving me a glare. “Hindi ka marunong gumamit ng mga ‘yan. I can teach you naman, if you want, pero not now. Maybe soon.”

“Thank you sa offer, ate, pero pass na ko d’yan,” sagot ko, tumatawa. “Makati sa mukha ‘yan. Hindi ko ‘yan trip.”

She rolled her eyes. “Your loss,” she muttered while continuing to fix her things.

After a few more flicks of her brush, she finally stood up, flicking her hair like a model. “Let’s go,” she said, walking ahead of me as if siya ang bida sa isang runway.

Sinundan ko na lang siya palabas. As we walked through the hallways, ramdam ko yung mga mata ng mga ibang students na nakatingin sa kanya—well, sa aming dalawa, actually. Angel had this effect on people. Kahit kaartehan ang dala niya, she could make heads turn effortlessly.

“Hoy, bilisan mo naman,” sabi niya habang naglalakad kami pababa ng hagdan.

“Nagmamadali ka? May date ka pa kay prof?” sabi ko, sinadya kong pa-asar.

Binigyan niya ako ng deadpan look. “Excuse me, Charlie, wala akong oras sa mga charot mo. And FYI, I have better things to do than spend time with prof. Andrew outside of school, okay?”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yeah, like mag-retouch ng make-up on the way home?”

She threw me a dirty look, pero bago pa siya makasagot, nasa parking lot na kami, where we usually say our goodbyes. She was about to get in her car when I decided to tease her one last time.

“Ingat, bitch!” I said, leaning over to give her a quick cheek kiss, which she reciprocated.

Before I could turn back to my own car, she suddenly stopped and called out, “Wait!”

“What now?” I asked, a bit annoyed but amused.

“May party pala sa bahay bukas for my ate uuwi na kasi siya. Sakto walang pasok,” she said casually, as if inviting people to a party was the most natural thing in the world.