The Relationship Code

Chapter 46: Déjà vu

Piper's Point of View

I am drinking when I saw Nate and Tamara enter No Name. At first, I thought wala lang 'yon. That maybe they finally had a good talk and that okay na sila. Okay as in back to being friends. Or balik na si Tamara sa paghahabol kay Nate or vice versa. But then, napatingin ako sa kamay nila and I almost choke on my drink.

My eyes grew wide and I put down the glass. "Oh. My. God."

"Hmm? Ano 'yon, Piper?"

"Oh. My. God."

Naramdaman ko na na lahat sila ay nakatingin sa akin. Tinikom ko ang bibig ko pero hindi ko na mapigilan kaya bigla na lang akong tumili. Tinuro ko rin ang paparating na sila Nate at Tamara kaya nagtinginan silang lahat doon.

"Woah."

"Finally."

"Wow."

"Nice."

"Isa itong himala."

Nang huminto sa tapat namin sila Nate ay itinaas niya ang kamay nila na magkahawak. He looks so proud and I can't blame him because... he should be proud! He has all the right. No words needed. Nagtilian kaming mga babae at kinantyawan naman ng mga lalaki si Nate.

Hinila namin sila pabalik sa upuan at pinagkwento.

"Wala eh. Patay na patay sa akin si Tammy kaya sinagot ko na."

Bigla namang kinurot ni Tamara si Nate sa tagiliran kaya natawa na lang kami. I'm really happy for the both of them. Finally! Ater so many years naging sila rin. Finally, magiging sobrang saya na rin ng bestfriend ko. Finally.

I know I look like a fool for smiling so widely kahit hindi naman ako si Tamara or Nate. But unti-unting nawala ang ngiti when I felt something weird. Like someone's watching me. Until my eyes landed on Hunter. He's staring at me while smiling.

For some reason, I didn't smile back. Instead, I look away. Ewan ko. But it feels like it's the right thing to do. Isa pa alam naman niya na iniiwasan ko siya. Binalik ko ulit ang tingin kila Nate at Tamara at naramdaman ko ang paghawak ni Russel sa kamay ko.

Nang tingnan ko siya ay nginitian niya ako kaya nginitian ko rin siya. He held my hand even tighter and I smiled at him wider.

The whole time, I can feel Hunter's gaze kaya lang hindi ko na lang pinapansin. It's better this way. Para naman 'to sa ikabubuti naming tatlo.

***

I stared at my phone, reading Hunter's messages over and over again.

Can't we talk?

It's been months, Piper. You're still ignoring me.

Pansinin mo na ako.

Alam ko naman na boyfriend ka at wala akong plano guluhin kayo. Kaya pwede bang maging magkaibigan man lang tayo? Kahit pansinin mo man lang ako?

I sighed and hid my phone under my bed. Sakto naman na tinawag na ako ni Mommy at pinababa. Nandito na malamang si Russel. Napag-usapan kasi namin na mag movie marathon kila Nate.