BEST-Friend-Zoned (Book 2)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Nag-lunch muna kami sa isang restaurant sa isang mall malapit lang sa hotel na tinutuluyan ni Ian kung saan din naman tutuloy ang iba pa naming mga kaibigan.

Isang mahabang table ang inokupahan namin dahil na rin sa bilang namin. Doon kami pumwesto sa kung saan hindi gaanong maiistorbo ang ibang mga kumakain sa loob ng restaurant.

For sure, there are lots of voices on our tables -  aside from the stories missed from each other, it's just the nature of the gang. We're loud storytellers, we even don't care about the people around us.

"Heard from Ian, there are tons of bars out here? Can we visit one tonight? Can we, Ian?" Si Daphne ang nagsimula ng usapan.

Magsisimula na sana akong magsalita nang siningitan naman ako ng bakla. "Sure, Daph. I'll bring you all to the best club I've tried!" Bakas pa sa kanya ang ngiti.

Mukhang marami nang napuntahan ang isang 'to a. Sinabi na nga ba't puro clubbing lang naman ang ginagawa niya, maybe why he chose to just stay in the hotel. Pero kesa naman mag-amoy alak lagi sa bahay, ayos na rin siguro ito.

"And I want to try shopping at some tiangge too."

"Definitely..."

"Geez! I wanna try almost everything! Too bad we only have one week!"

Kailangan rin kasi nilang bumalik after that one week. It's kind of a post-Graduation trip for all of us. After this, each one of us must go back to the real world.

"I'll take over to one of the branches, as an exchange for my exhibits Dad funded for the past months. I had no choice but to agree." Kumuha siya ng fries at saka isinubo iyon bago muli nagsalita. "Which says, I have to study the business as soon as my take-over happens. He handled me some files he told me to bring, to read and to study during this whole trip" Suminghal siya at saka sumubo ulet ng fries.  "As if I'm going to do it... I mean you know me... I'd rather handle surfboards than those papers with boring scripts."

Nagtawanan kami sa saad ni Daphne.

"I had accepted as a marketing consultant on one of the strong offices in New York. So, I'm all in suit and tie for five to six days in a week."

Ric and Kyle had to share knuckles on that one. Nakisali na lang din si Ian.

"I had to assist the barn for few months before I joined Kyle in Manhattan. So, yeah, I had to dress up like a cowgirl... for a while."

"Howdy, lady..." Bulong ni Kyle na rinig naming lahat.

Ilan pang tawanan ang sumunod doon.

Si Ric at Bettina ay nagtatrabaho na sa isang sikat na hotel sa Washington. Intern pa lang naman si Betty doon. Siguro ay doon sila nagkakilala?

Umiling siya. "We met at the club during my birthday I lasted wasted. I didn't remember seeing him anymore not until that one day on the coffee shop. I don't remember him so I didn't acknowledge his affair. He was a stranger after all."

"You dance with me that night and still, I'm a stranger. Whoah! I even worked hard to give you your favorite coffee, even give you my name, but then..." Tawa ni Ric sa tabi niya.

Pinagkibitan lang siya ng balikat ni Bettina. "Still..." Lumipat siya sa amin ng tingin. "Despite of those snubbed times I gave him, he's relentless, he's just so eager to catch me up on a date, to always talk to me on the phone... Cavalheiro perseguidor!"