Chapter 27
Humugot ako ng malalim na hininga, of course, I have Travis' unit's key so I can enter his place with or without permission like how he did to mine.
Hawak hawak ko ang strawberry cake na ginawa ko para sa kanya, it was 6AM. Natutulog pa kaya siya?
Nagbuntong-hininga ako, may biglang pumasok sa isip ko.
"Ano iyan?" A young girl asked as she point what the boy was holding.
"Strawberry cake, mmmm. Gawa ni Mommy, want saaaahm?" Sagot naman ng batang lalake habang ngumunguya.
I've been having a lot of flashbacks recently on my childhood, the boy seemed familiar to me. Of course, I'm not too dumb not to know who.
It was Travis. I was the girl, I don't know what's my connection to his past or what's our connection or if we ever had one, but all I know is that Travis knows something I don't.
Kakatok na sana ako kaso bigla akong nakarinig ng apak sa sahig, I looked back and saw Travis standing, pawisan siya at halatang kagagaling lang sa morning jog.
Lumunok ako.
Tinignan niya ang hawak ko.
"Excuse me." Malamig na sabi niya, he was telling me to move away from his door.
I gulped the lump in my throat away, "a-ano..." I sighed, get yourself together, Kai!
Tinaasan ako ng kilay ni Travis, as if demanding me to spill the beans because he don't have time.
"C-C-Cake..." Nauutal na sagot ko, "I... uhm... strawberry cake."
"Sige."
Why is he being so cold to me? I felt a pang of disappointment hit me straight into my heart, "s-sorry kung naisturbo kita... I-I'll.. I'll just put this cake in your ref, sana magustuhan mo." Nakayukong sabi ko at walang sabing pumasok sa kanyang unit at nilagay ang cake niya sa loob ng ref na walang ibang laman kundi wine at instant foods.
I closed my eyes and went out, hoping Travis would tell me not to go yet... but didn't.
Am I losing him?
Wake up, Kai! He was never yours to lose!
~*~
"Kai?" Tumingin ako sa mga kasama ko, ngayon na lang ulit kami magsama na mag-bar sa gabi, siguro wala naman talagang pake sa akin si Travis at siguro nagsawa na siya sa akin.
"Mabuti naman at andito ka! Mabuhay ang Prinsesa ng gabi!" Natatawang sabi ni Ethan sabay lagok ng alak, kumuha siya ng chaser na lemon slice at nilantakan ito.
"Malalasing ka na naman!" Suway ni Trisha, natutuwa ako sa dalawa. Buti pa sila masaya... nasa Custody Booze kami ngayon, syempre sa usual place at VIP lounge. Ethan is the owner of this place after all.
"Kai, may problema ba? Akala ko ba bawal na ang lumabas dahil kay Travis?" Tanong ni JM.
"Or did something happen?" Blue insisted while Vivien just smiled at me as if encouraging me.
Ngumiti ako at ininom ang cocktail ko, "nevermind that guys. Na-miss ko kayo!"
Umiling sina JM at Vivien, "come on, Kai..."
"Yeah, we're bestfriends!" Tugon ni Trisha.
"B-E-S-T-F-R-I-E-N-D-S!" Blue chuckled.
"So, sabihin mo na ang problema mo!" Ethan laughed. Sometimes, my bestfriends would be so pushy that I want to kill them.
But... it makes me happy that there are people willing to listen to what I have to say. Parang hindi ako nag-iisa sa mga problema ko sa buhay.
"I might had said mean things to Travis..." nagbuntong-hininga ako, "and we're on bad terms, this had been going since last week. Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko, I tried to bake him his favorite cake but I guess it wasn't enough to make him see I'm sorry. I think I'm slowly losing him... well... he was never mine to lose... so... uhm..."
Umiling si JM, "look Kai, don't be discouraged. To even think you're doing the effort to bake when you can't even bake..."
"We think you're falling for the billionaire..." Sabay na wika nina Vivien at Trisha na siyang rason upang mataranta ako at mamula. Good thing the place was dark.
"Or... you may had already fell." Blue added.
"No! No! No way!" Suway ko.
They all laughed. Was I being too defensive?
Wait... defensive? Me? Why would I even be? No Kai, you are just confused. Not in love. Just confused.
"Hays. Thank you guys for listening but I think I have to go." Nagpaalam na ako at lumabas ng bar, I went into the parking lot and hopped on my car... my birthday gift from Travis.
~*~
I don't know where I was going, I just found myself in my Dad's mansion.
Pinagbuksan ako ng mga gwardya nang nakita nila ako sa may gate, dali ko namang p-in-ark ang sasakyan ko sa harap ng mansion.
"Hija! Bakit ka andito?" Tanong ng magaling na si Sandy pagkaapak ko pa lang sa tiles ng mansion.
Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "Wow, thank you for welcoming, now it's my turn to ask. Bakit? Bawal na ba akong bumisita sa pamamahay ko?" Seriously? Nang-iinis ba siya?
Ang init na nga ng ulo ko nandadagdag pa siya.
Nang biglang dumating si Daddy ay nag-drama si Sandy, "ganyan ka na ba talaga, Kai? Hindi ka man lang pinalaki ng maayos! Wala kang respeto sa inay mo!"
"Don't question how I grew up, Sandy." Mahinay na sagot ko, "and I have a respect for my Mom, for you? None."
"Kaira Chaves! Kung andito ka para mang-away, good job!" Dad said.
"Wow Dad, salamat naman at pinuri mo ako. Mang-aaway na ako palagi para ma-good job mo ulit ako." I laughed at my own joke.
Namula si Dad.
"Hays. I'm not here to fight, ok? I'll spend my night here since I miss my home." I was about to walk away when Sandy called me.
"Kaira! Don't turn your back against us! We have to teach you respect!"
Bigla akong nakaramdam ng inis pero agad ko itong binaling. Lumingon ako and gave Sandy the sweetest fake smile I could ever manage but it looked like a grimace, "respect is not taught, it is earned. And you don't deserve any from me."
With that, I walked like I own the mansion without waiting for Sandy's answer.
