Dating Alys Perez (PUBLISHED)

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

I shut the door close. Sobrang hangin mo talaga, Drake! Years have passed but you're still the same arrogant person that I knew. 

Nakahawak ako sa steering wheel while blowing my bangs off of my face. Wala pang one month akong nakabalik ng Philippines pero sobrang stressed na ang inaabot ko kay Drake! What does he want? We're obviously done. Tapos na kami and I have no intention to get back to where we left off. 

I'm being redundant now. I was hurt, very badly. At ngayon? I don't want to experience the same thing all over again. I like myself better now. Sure, the Alys he knew was good but I'm better. Siguro naman he knows that I'm not bound to be immature forever. At some point, I will grow up. I'll mature. And here am I.

"Tsk," I uttered as I unbuckled my seatbelt. Lumabas ako ng sasakyan at sinundan si Drake. I should stop this madness right now. Babalik na si Tripp after two days, ayokong bumalik siya na ganito ang sitwasyon namin ni Drake. I love Tripp so badly, hindi ko kakayanin pag nagkaaway kami dahil kay Drake.

I showed my ID to the lady in the front desk.

"Miss Alys Perez?"

I nodded. Bakit parang suprised na surprised naman siya? "Why?"

She gave me a timid smile and then handed my my visitor's pass. Tinanong ko din sa kanya kung saan ang floor ni Drake and she told me na 31st floor daw. 

Pumasok ako sa elevator and then nung pinindot ko yung 31st, kailangan pa ng passcode. Really, Drake? Sobrang pa special ka lang?

I breathe hard. Kalma, Alys. I thought of calling him but it's no use since wala naman akong number niya. Ayoko ding tawagan si Cristine, no! We're not in that kind of relationship na tatawagan ko siya out of the blue. I think that Cristine's nice, well, according to what Tito Steve had told me. Pero bakit ganon? Whenever she sees me, she's nice pero alam mo yun... something is obviously off and I can't pin point. It's frustrating!

Nagtry ako ng code since 3 tries lang naman.

Think, Alys.

1131?

Nah. Bakit naman gagawing passcode ni Drake yun? Hindi nakamove on ang peg? E may fiance na nga siya!

Nilagay ko yung anniversary namin ni Tripp since sabay naman yata, which really weirds me out. Talagang sabay kami sa September 13? Too much of a coincidence pero I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Malay ko naman kung nagkataon lang talaga, di ba?

0913

Incorrect code.

Aish! Pag nakatatlong mali ako, hindi na ako makakaakyat. Sayang ang effort! Buti na lang walang masyadong sumasakay dito sa elevator... dahil ba pang executive lang 'to? Weird! Parang napaka special naman ni Drake! May sariling elevator, may code pa ang floor! 

Medyo nanginginig pa yung kamay ko pero sige na... 

1131.

There. Screw it, Drake. 1131?!

--

Cristine's POV

"Hey, Palma," I said to Drake. Kanina pa siya tahimik, which is normal. Simula naman kasi nung college kami, tahimik na talaga siya.

He gestured that he's listening kaya nagsalita ako. "Until when are we gonna play this game?" I asked him. 

Tumigil siya sa sinusulat niya and he looked at me. "Why? Are you tired?" he asked me.

I shook my head. I'm not tired, I'm just... confused. As you can see, Drake and I, we're not together. He's my best friend but we were never romantically involved. And I don't think we will ever be. I like to be with him because he's smart. Sobrang talino niya kaya fascinated ako pag magkasama kami kasi madami akong natututunan. And ako, I don't know. He said he likes being with me din naman. Ewan. We just click together.

"We're not playing, Cristine," he said.

I shrugged. Wala naman akong magagawa, he's Drake and he rarely wants something.

He is like the most generous person I know. Nung college, para siyang naging tutor ng buong bloc. Hindi naman siya nagrereklamo, nagtuturo lang siya. Pero hanggang dun lang, turo. No personal interaction whatsoever. Ang dami ding girls na umaaligid sa kanya but he wouldn't even spare them a glance because may girlfriend siya.

He's so dedicated and cute! 

Pero all went south nung magstart ang second semester. I don't even want to remember it because as Drake's friend, it hurts. Alam mo yun? You see him struggling to keep their relationship alive but then one day, babalik siya dito sa Pilipinas looking like nawala sa kanya lahat ng mahalaga sa buhay niya?

It was... heart breaking. Really, really heartbreaking.

Ganun kasi yun, di ba? When someone who is strong gets hurt, the pain intensifies kasi alam mo na kahit strong sila, nakuha pa din nilang masaktan. The pain must have been too much for them to succumb. And Drake is so strong. Alys must have really hurt him.

"So, paano yung kasal? Don't tell me papakasalan mo ako. Bloody hell, I won't!" I said. Base kay Drake, kung hindi lang din si Alys, malamang sa malamang pakasalan niya ako. No. I like him but I don't like him that much para ialay ko ang lifetime ko sa kanya!

He smirked at me. How arrogant of him sa taong pumayag maging pretend fiance niya! "You know who my bride is."

I smiled at him and exited his office. 

Yes, I know. For Drake, it has always been Alys... and it will always be Alys.

--

Alys' POV

Okay, kalma lang, Alys.

Nakapikit pa ako nung bumukas yung elevator.

O-kay? Weird. Buong floor pero walang laman! Ano 'to, bodega?!

Nung makita kong wala namang tao, bumalik na ako sa elevator. Sayang oras, sayang effort!

Nakababa na ako sa ground floor nung magring ang phone ko.

"Panget!!" I said in glee. Hindi kasi siya tumawag kahapon, namiss ko 'tong panget na 'to!

("Tingin ka sa likod,") sabi niya.

Dali dali akong tumingin sa likod ko, expecting na makikita ko si Tripp. "Niloloko mo ba ako?!"

Bigla siyang tumawa sa kabilang linya. Sasagot pa sana ako ng biglang may yumakap sa akin mula sa likod. "Tripp!" sabi ko. "Nakauwi ka---- Drake?!"

Nagulat ako. Nakayakap siya sa akin. Nagsasalita pa din si Tripp sa phone pero para akong yelo na naninigas. Sht.

("Hello, Zyril? Hello?")

Tinakpan ko yung phone ko at nagsalita ng mahina. "What the hell, Drake?!" then I glared at him. He looked at me and then kissed my neck.

This a-hole!!

"What the melon?!!" hindi ko mapigilang hindi mapasigaw. He kissed me! He freaking kissed my neck!!

("Perez, uy? Nanjan ka pa ba?")

Keep your cool, Alys. "Busy right now, Panget. Call you later, okay?"

("Pero---") I didn't let him finish what he was saying kasi pinatay ko na yung phone.

I pushed him away from me.

"Drake, ano bang problema mo, ha?!" I said, trying to contain my anger. Sobrang naiinis ako ngayon! TAPOS NA KAMI, INIWANAN NIYA AKO! Hindi ba maliwanag pa sa sikat ng araw yun?! 

He shrugged. He freaking shrugged!

I pointed my finger at him. "Wag mo ng uulitin yun." I said, meaning every word.

"I can't promise you that one," sabi niya. "We missed your 20th birthday. Don't you remember?"

THIS FREAKING A-HOLE!!