Dating Alys Perez (PUBLISHED)

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

*slap*

I slapped him hard, with my hands still trembling because of the rage that I feel for him. I heard him cuss as he held his now reddish face.

"A-hole," I uttered. 

"Why did you slap me?" he asked as he continued to caress his face.

Nanginginig pa din ako sa inis. "It was well deserved, Drake! How dare you mention my 20th birthday like you didn't break my heart when I was 18?!" I screamed and assaulted him with my bag.

Hindi niya ako pinigilan, pinabayaan niya lang ako na hampasin siya ng bag ko.

"Freaking, freaking jerk..." I said as my energy went down the drain. That moment, he caught me and held me.

Hindi na ako nakagalaw.

"Sssh, Alys. You still love me, don't you?" he softly whispered in my ears.

I shook my head firmly. "Hindi na kita mahal."

He released me and then kissed my forehead. "Then we'll have to do something about that, Noob," he said and then smiled at me.

Ipinikit ko ang mata ko at saka nagbilang at huminga ng malalim. No, Alys. Don't let him trigger your anger. It's just a simple pet name, okay? Walang dahilan para magreact ka ng ganyan.

"Drake, paulit ulit na lang ba tayo? Ayoko na, di ba?" I said sincerely as he tugged me forward.

"Alys, do I really need to make myself freaking obvious? I won't stop until you're mine again," he seethed.

Itinaas ko yung isa kong kamay at inilagay sa kamay niya na nakahatak sa akin. "You're nuts, Drake. Puro kabaliwan na yang nasa utak mo."

He stopped on his tracks and faced me. "My mind is a beautiful place, my love. It's full of thoughts about you."

--

(2 years ago)

"Congrats, Zyril tabachoy!!"

=_______=

Bastos talaga nitong si Tofer, e!

Hindi ko na lang siya pinansin at nagpatuloy sa pagngiti. Niyakap naman ako ni Tripp kaya niyakap ko siya pabalik. "Congrats, Panget," sabi niya sa akin habang nakayakap siya.

Kinidatan ko siya. "Ako pa. Wala kayong tiwala sa akin, e," I reasoned out. He patted my head and then kumuha siya ng isang champagne glass at inabot sa akin. 

"Congrats talaga, Panget. We're so proud of you," sabi niya sa akin.

Tinanggap ko yung glass at uminom. Nasa loob kami ng limousine dahil umarkila pa si Tofer, baliw talaga 'to! Umuwi kasi ako dito sa New York dahil gusto kong personal na ibalita sa kanila yung formal admission ko sa culinary school na gusto ko. One year na kasi akong nag aapply pero ngayon lang na process yung application ko. Hindi ako humingi ng tulong sa parents ko this time kasi gusto kong magkaroon ng pangalan because of my skills, not because of my family's influence. 

"Where are we heading?" sabi ko kay Tofer. Kanina pa kasi kami nandito sa loob ng sasakyan. Kakaland ko lang dito, straight from airport, pinuntahan namin agad ni Tofer si Tripp.

We owe him this much. Siya 'tong ginagawang Manila-QC ang New York at Paris, e. Ngayon nga lang ako mageeffort na bisitahin siya sa NY. 

Nakasandal si Tofer sa upuan niya. "Las Vegas," sabi niya.

"What?" sabi ko. Vegas?

"Las Vegas, Tabachoy. Bingi much?"

Sinaway naman ni Tripp si Tofer. "Umayos ka nga Tofer," warning niya kay Tofer. Nagbelat naman ako kay Tofer.

"Kainis! Tignan niyo kayong dalawa, ang harot harot niyo pero pag tinanong kayo, sagot niyo, 'friends lang kami.' Nakakabaliw kayo!" 

Natawa na lang kami bigla ni Tripp. Bakit ba kasi sobrang big deal sa kanila kung ano kami ni Tripp? Por que ba magkasama kami madalas, magkausap madalas, kailangan na naming bigyang ng romantic label yung relationship? Can't a boy and a girl hangout and just be friends?

Lumipat ako sa upuan ni Tofer at naglean sa balikat niya. "Awww. Tampo ka pa ba, baby Tofer?" sabi ko sa kanya. Para talagang baby 'tong batang 'to.

"Ayan pa! Ayan pa! Ginagawa niyo akong baby ni Tripp. Ano tayo? Happy family? Ikaw nanay, siya ang tatay? Friends pa lang ba kayo niyan?!" sabi niya.

Tinaas ni Tripp yung dalawa niyang kamay. "Chill, Tofer. Ano bang problema niyo ngayon?"

May sinabi siyang mahina pero hindi ko naintindihan kahit na katabi niya lang ako. 

Huminga siya ng malalim bago nagsalita. "Ako na kasi yung napapagod para sa inyo, Tripp. Ano ba kayo ni Alys?"

Natigilan ako sa tanong niya. Ano nga ba kasi talaga kami ni Tripp? Friends? More than friends na nagpapanggap na friends lang? Ayokong ijeopardize ang relationship namin ni Tripp. What we have is too precious for me. I learned enough. After the romantic feelings die, the chance of being friends again is almost impossible. At kay Tripp? Hindi ko yata kaya. He's the most precious thing I have right now.

"We're... friends," sagot ni Tripp. He looked at me and smiled. 

Huminga na naman ng malalim si Tofer. "Fudge fudge! Isang tanong, isang sagot: Tripp, mahal mo si Alys, di ba?"

Napatingin ako kay Tripp and bit my lips. 

"Sobra," sagot niya.

Natigilan ako. Sht, Alys. Kahit na ilang taon na yung lumipas, kahit na ilang beses ko siyang ireject, kahit na anong iyak ang gawin ko sa kanya, kahit na gaano ko sabihin sa kanya na nasasaktan ako dahil sa pinsan niya... mahal niya pa din ako?

Tinignan ko siya at binigyan niya ako ng ngiti. Yung ngiti na nagsasabi ng 'sorry, Alys. Mahal lang talaga kita... hindi ko kayang pigilan.'

"Umamin din!" sigaw ni Tofer. Humarap naman siya sa akin ngayon. "Ikaw, babae. Isang tanong, isang sagot: ano ba si Tripp?"

(present)

Thoughts of Tripp and me came flashing back to my mind. No, Drake. I won't destroy what Tripp and I have just for you. You're just... not worth it. You're not worth our beautiful memories.

I raised my hand. "Stop thinking about me, Drake. Because me? I stopped eons ago."

He raised his head and smiled at me. "That thought never crossed my mind. The thought of forgetting you is too much for me. You've stolen my heart, Noob. It's yours and I have no intention of getting it back. You could either choose to make me or break me, Alys. My faith relies on you, Love."

I smirked at him. Hindi na ako magpapadala sa iyo, Drake. The Drake Palma Way of making me fall? Bulls-hit. You're just gonna make me fall just to pound me into pieces once again. 

I took a step back. "I choose to break you, Drake. That's my choice."

"You can break me but I'll never stop loving you, Alys. Five years ago, you appeard in front of me out of nowhere and delared me as your boyfriend. I have no intention of falling this deep for someone but you made me fall this hard! Damn, Alys! I am Drake Palma. I don't fall this hard, I just can't let myself be into someone as much as I am into you... but for you I let my guard down. I fell so deep, so hard, and still... you still choose to break me. You're breaking me over and over again. And it f-ucking hurts."

I stood there. Listening to him. No, Alys. You can't cry right now.