White Lies

Allegedly

"Hoy Madam, konti na lang mabubutas na yang cellphone mo sa kakatitig mo." Vice said as he handed Lea her wine.

"Thanks Vice."

Dawn was eyeing her as she took a sip on of her wine in hand.

"Do you know someone called Yan.. Yani? Does it ring a bell.. to any of you?" Lea asked her friends.

Dawn ponders for a moment. It is indeed familiar.

"Parang narinig ko na siya Lei, pero hindi ko maalala kung saan eh."

"Ako waley kilalang ganun. Yanyan? Yani? Wala. Bakit?" Vice said as he munch on the nuts on his plate.

Lea was hesitant to tell her friends about the incident during their drive home.

"I can't read minds Lea, ano yun?" Dawn asked.

"Ganito kasi, I smelled a girl's perfume sa jacket ni Aga-" Lea blurted out.

Dawn raised an eyebrow at what she heard.

"Sandali nga muna, at bakit may pag-amoy ng jacket? Ganun ka na ba ka desperada at hanggang jacket na lang pinapantasya mo." Vice butted in.

"No wait. Patapusin mo muna ko pwede ba? Pinahiram niya sa akin ung jacket niya last time nung hinatid nya ko pauwi from Tagaytay. Then.. Today, this morning I called him to sched a talk about our misunderstanding and somehow during the phone conversation na mention nga yung Yan or Yani." Lea narrated.

"Huh? Kinwento niya sayo about Yani?" Vice is confused.

"Somehow kasi during the phone call nga na nagddrive daw siya kaya si Yani sumagot something like that. He is with this Yani, on his car, on a trip, together." Lea explained.

"As in like you and him, on his car, on a trip, together, last week? Hmmmm. Grabe selos mo teh, umaalingasaw." Vice teased.

"Anong nangyari sa, you're not even my boyfriend-" Dawn said.

"Yet. Dawn, there was a 'yet', hindi nya lang ako pinatapos." Lea cuts in.

"Ganun pa rin yun Madam, wala pa rin kayong label, wala kang habol." Vice said.

"Pero teka, hindi ba form of cheating yun? He is dating Lea tapos may dine-date din siyang ibang girl?" Dawn asked.

"Allegedly. Wag kayong judger. Hindi pa tayo sure. At tsaka, may usapan ba kayong exclusively dating kayo? Sinabi nya lang liligawan ka niya. So technically, hindi kayo official, kasi nga sayo na nanggaling, hindi mo pa siya boyfriend. Huwag kang magselos wala kang karapatan." Vice explained.

"Hindi ako nagseselos. Curious lang ako." Lea replied.

"Hindi nagseselos talaga? May pa- gaano pa ka punyeta itsura, pagseselosan mo ka pa ngang linyahan diyan."

"Ano ba? That was my line ten years ago na yun." Lea remarked.

"So now hindi mo na linya kasi hindi mo na mahal, ganun ba Lei?" Dawn inquired.

Lea pursed her lips and just played with the flute of her wine. Dawn really can read her like an open book.

"Talk to him. Siya lang makakasagot ng mga katanungan mo." Dawn suggested.

"Ayaw nga di ba, puro siya dahilan."

"Eh anong plano mo? Ganyan na lang ba, taguan kayo ng feelings? Unang mabuking talo?" Dawn asked.

Vice took Lea's hand and looked her in the eyes.

"Lea tandaan mo: Ang pag-ibig parang holdapan. Nasa sayo ang desisyon kung ipaglalaban mo ng patayan o bibitaw ka na lang dahil takot ka masaktan."

"Baduy mo." Dawn chuckled as she threw a nut on Vice.

"Oh eh bakit? Libre kiligin, mahal mag-assume, kaya invest your emotions wisely." Vice said as he winked at Lea.

--

"Uh. Ariel hindi pa ba tayo uuwi? Sabi mo hanggang 11pm lang tayo. Alas dos na nang madaling araw." Bayani inquired Aga who is already on his 4th scotch.

"Easy ka lang, ano ka ba, ihahatid kita door to door pa." Aga slurred.

"Ihahatid, eh parang ako maghahatid sayo eh. Tara na kaya. Ikaw naman gusto mo pa lang mag-inuman sana dun na lang tayo sa bahay mo."

"Saglit na lang. Ikaw naman, ayaw mo ba kong kasama?" Aga whined.

"Kanina pa nga tayo magkasama, nanggaling na tayo Batangas tapos ngayon BGC. Anong oras ba yang saglit na yan?" Bayani is worried they are going to sleep in this bar.

"Wait sige. Imessage ko lang si- si Richard. Hindi ko na kaya magdrive." Aga chuckled.

"Taong to oh. Pasalamat ka tropa tayo."

Aga was fiddling his phone when he saw a new message sent earlier. It was from Lea.

-
Lea:
Aga we need to talk. Message me when is possible for you.
-

Aga without hesitations pressed the call button.

"Okay. Talk." Aga said as the line connected.

"Well, hello to you too. Talk, I meant in person Aga."

"Lea.. Kung babastedin mo rin lang ako, pwede gawin mo ngayon sa telepono." Aga chuckled.

"Wh-wait. Why do you sound like that, Aga are you drunk?"

"Lea... mahal mo pa ba ako? Kahit... konting-konti lang?"

Bayani was startled at Aga's phone conversation.

"Shit. Ags, where are you? Sino kasama mo?"

"Si Yani. Crush na crush ka neto. Oh.."

"Wait, what?"  Lea is confused.

"Ah hello? Hello Ms. Lea? Kamusta po. Si Bayani po ito, Yani for short. Huwag kayong magpapaniwala dito kay Ariel, mas crush ka neto. Hehe."

Realization hits Lea like a bullet train.

"Ya-ni as in Bayani Agbayani?"

"Opo ako po yun Ms. Lea."

"Oh my.. Okay. Wait, wait. Is Aga drunk?"

"O-opo eh, sa katunayan niyan sabi niya tatawagan niya si Richard para ipagdrive kami eh, nagulat nga po ako at kayo na pala kausap. Hehe."

"Nasaan ba kayo ngayon? Ako na pupunta diyan."

"Talaga po? Naku nakakahiya naman sainyo Ms. Lea, huwag na, okay lang kami, pero nandito kami ngayon sa Dr. Wine sa BGC po. Hehe"

"Okay. Wait for me."

---

🥴

#WhiteLies