My First Love

3

Chapter 3

Ipinarada ko ang sasakyan ko sa harap ng Bonfire. Thanks to Google Map at nahanap ko ito agad. I was about to text Jana but a taxi stopped in front of me.

"What happened to your wheels? Naghihirap na ba kayo?" I asked them pagkababa nila.

"Iniwan namin. Ayaw namin ng hassle if ever na malasing tayo tonight."

"Gerda, nasa loob na daw ba sila Prey? Text 'mo nga!"

Bago pa man mailabas ni Gerda iyong phone nya ay nagsalita na ako.

"I think nandyan na sila sa loob. And please let me calm myself first because someone called me and she yelled at me. Ibalik ko raw 'tong phone ni Jana! Well, it's my phone and my number!"

Agad kong nilingon si Jana na marahas na napatapik sa kanyang noo. I gave her  'what-the-hell' look.

"Sorry, Nins! Naka-call forwarded pala yung settings ko, it just happened na number mo yung entered to forward! I'm sorry!"

Now, that was my time na bumuntong-hinga ng marahas. "Seriously, Jana? I almost cussed! Seriously? Seriously? Seriously?!"

"You almost? Or.." pinagtaasan na ako ng kilay ni Shae.

"Okay! I did. I cussed!"

"I knew it. Just the same old Niña.." said Gerda.

"I did. After the line went dead, okay? I learned to filter my mouth already.."

After a few minutes we decided to enter the bar. Well, it's quite impressive.. Hindi sya maingay. May nadaanan kaming guitarist and singer na guest nila for tonight. Sinabayan naman kami ng isang waiter papunta sa likod.

"Wow. Para akong nasa California wood party! Impressive." I smiled.

Para kaming nasa loob ng forest.. Well, this place is City of Pines so typical na magmukhang forest talaga dito. Nakita na namin angad yung space namin kaya agad tumakbo iyong nga kasama ko. Yes, space.. Kasi walang table. May mga piece of wood na upuan lang and cloth na uupuan sa lapag. Nasa gitna itong mga firewood. Kaya nga siguro Bonfire, baka display lang?

"Niña! Come over here!" narinig kong sigaw ni Gerda. Nilingon ko sila at tingin ko'y ako na lang ang hinihintay. Tumayo ako sa harap nila at ngumiti, mukha naman silang okay.

"Hi! I'm Niña Denisse, sorry if I'll join you tonight."

Ngumiti naman sila at nag-'hello' sakin. Sinabi nilang okay lang.. Pero may isang tao lang akong napansin. She's glaring at me and didn't even said anything! It's not that she needs to but she must have atleast shown courtesy!

Napairap ako sa ere at saka umupo. Tinatanong nila ako kung anong gusto ko but then I was a little bit shy. Baka kung anong masabi kong inumin tapos wala pala dito.

"No. What do you want to drink? It's all on me since you welcomed me nicely naman." nagsigawan sila kaya napa-ngiti ako. Tinawag ni Jana iyong waiter at pagbalik nito ay may dala syang menu.

"Nins, mag-order na lang tayo ng dalawang tower?"

"Yes, sure. Ikaw bahala. Ano bang iniinom nyo lagi dito?"

"Bonfire's Mojito and Diablo tower. Two fries, two nachos and two popcorns."

Habang hinihintay namin yung order ay iginala ko ag mga mata ko sa mga kasama ko ngayon at nakikinig sa nga kwentuhan nila. Eleven kaming lahat na nandito ngayon. There's Jana and Nath, Shae and Josh, Gerda and Prey, Brave, Abbi, Sarah, and Georgina. Georgina, that girl who upsets me! Gosh, I hate her!

"George. You're a little bit grumpy.. What's up?" Nath asked her. Lahat kami ay napatingin sakanya at naghintay ng sagot.

"My brother. He's so persistent!"

"Bakit? He's trying to tear you apart again? Tsk."

"Ay nako, Nath, hindi na tayo nasanay sa kuya nyan! Ano na naman ba kasing problema non at pinaghihiwalay na naman kayo? And speaking of your girl, nasan sya?" nosy Jana as always.

"She don't feel like chillin' tonight. And pa-ulit-ulit na case lang iyong sinasabi ni kuya."

"Sorry to interrupt but if it's a repeatedly case as what you've said, bakit affected ka pa rin? Are you having doubt about your girl?" I tried to butt in! Gusto ko lang malaman kung bakit pati ako nadadamay sa kasungitan nya ngayon!

Tinitigan lang nya ako ng masama. May sasabihin pa sana ako pero dumating na lahat ng order namin. And it sucks because I am eager to know behind that grumpy face of her!

"Ceasefire! Okay." ngumiti si Brave sakin na tinanguan ko naman.

"I smell something, Nins.." Jana whispered kaya nilingon ko sya para tanungin pero nginisian lamang ako.

Habang patagal ng patagal ang pagkukwentuhan namin ay nagiging malapit na ako sakanila. Diablo striked the hell out of me! Napa-apat kaming tower. I checked the time and it's just 1am.

"Guys! Kaya nyo pa ba?" Abbi asked.

"Of course. I can still go out and party, you know?" I chuckled.

And we ended up partying to a bar just across the Bonfire. We only ordered 2 pitchers of cocktail since we alredy had enough at Bonfire. My friends were dancing and enjoying the night. Ngumiti ako at lumipat sa katabing table since hindi kami magkasya..

"Hey.." may tumapik sakin at tumabi kaya nilingon ko ito. "I.. I'm sorry if I gave you a bad impression of me awhile ago."

It sent thousands of bolts down unto my spine just because of that whisper! What the...

"And about the call. I didn't know. I am sorry."

Lumakas ang trance ng music kaya ngumiti ako at sumigaw ng bahagya para marinig nya. "Okay lang! Sorry din kasi sinabayan ko pa yung mood mo! And about the call, hindi ko rin alam so... Sorry too!"

Nagtawanan kami and then she offered a cheers. "Cheers!"

"Okay, good! Nag-click na sila! No more grumpy face! Cheers!" sigawan ng nga kaibigan namin sakabilang table.

Tawa ng tawa si George sa harap ko dahil sa mga kaibigan namin. Tinitigan ko syang mabuti... She's beautiful. I mean, she has these pretty eyes, pointed nose and her lips are perfectly curved! She's something.. Now, I wonder why she chose to be like this? Pareho kaya ang dahilan nya sa mga kaibigan ko kaya sya naging ganito?

I shook my head to erase my thoughts. And when I looked at her again. She was all smiles!

"Den, you're pretty."

Did I heard her right? Did she just gave me a nickname? And told me that I'm pretty?

"Pardon?"

Lumapit sya sakin at bumulong. "I said.. You're pre---"

"What the!"