Dominika (Pale As Dead I) | COMPLETED

𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗

┗━━━━━━━ ｄｅｅ ━━━━━━━┓
𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝟷𝟼, 𝚝𝚑𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝟻:𝟹𝟶 𝚙.𝚖.

Paris and I hung out at Alpha Mart inside the subdivision where I lived for a while. He treated me to a bottle of flavored beer again. Sabi niya pa nga, buti raw dito kasi hindi nanghihingi ng ID and pinagbibilhan kahit naka-uniform. Sa 7-Eleven daw kasi na malapit sa school, kailangan pa nilang saktuhan yung cashier na kakilala nila.

Nagkwentuhan lang kami about sa nangyari kanina sa garden. Humingi rin siya ng sorry dahil sa sinabi ng kaibigan niya. Shishi skipped the rest of the classes na, eh. Umuwi raw, sabi ni Paris. Mamaya pa raw ulit sila magkikita sa practice.

Kyo called din habang kasama niya si Gwen. He asked Paris kung nasaan na siya para sabay na silang pumunta sa studio pagkahatid niya sa friend ko. Sabi niya, the date was going great. They ate at a Japanese restaurant daw and were watching a movie na. He just went to the toilet to make the call. It was their third date pa lang, eh. The second one was kasama pa nga kami ni Helen kaya I could not call it a date. Hindi kasi masyadong pinapayagan na umalis si Gwen unless alam ng parents niya and ni Kuya Simon na kami ang kasama niya.

"Ano ba nangyayari sa inyo?" Paris asked.

"Wala naman, eh. Ewan ko ba kung bakit parang may issue. I mean, you guys see us naman."

He nodded. Nakatingin siya sa floor. Nasa loob kami ng store kasi medyo maliwanag pa para tumambay at mag-inom sa labas. Magkatapat kami ng upuan. Uminom muna siya ulit bago siya nagsalita. "Pero totoo yun?"

"Alin?"

"Yung sinabi no'ng babae kanina. Na sinabi mong gusto mo si Shishi."

Sumikip yung dibdib ko kasi hindi ko alam ang isasagot. I knew the answer, but I did not know how to tell him.

"Anyway," sabi niya. He chuckled and finished the bottle. "Okay naman si Shishi. Kausapin mo na lang. Bad trip lang talaga yun sa nangyari kaninang umaga."

"Bahala na. Eventually we'll need to talk. Project and all."

Hinatid niya na ako sa amin. It was his second time na ihatid ako and like noong una, niyakag ko siyang pumasok. But like din noong una, sinabi niyang saka na lang. Dati kasi kailangan niya nang bumalik sa internet café, ngayon naman kailangan niya nang pumunta sa studio.

As soon as I walked inside our house, life was sucked out of me. There was a silent throbbing in my head kasi naka-isang bottle din ako. It was not much, but yung huling inom ko ay noong party pa ni Pauline. So hindi pa rin talaga ako sanay. I threw up pag-uwi ko that night. Ayoko na talaga ng alak pero ang sarap ng alak kapag bullshit yung araw mo.

I exhaled when I reached my bedroom. The best thing I loved about it was the balcony overlooking the pool. Gusto ko kasi na tinitingnan yung peaceful na paggalaw ng tubig kapag may nahuhulog na dahon minsan. And fresh yung hangin dito. I turned the knob and forcefully threw the door open. But I was rooted to my spot nang nakita ko yung loob.

My muscles became rigid and a stiffening coldness hit me in the core. Humigpit yung hawak ko sa straps ng backpack ko.

Seriously? Now?

I might have made a strangled sound in my throat because I had no fucking clue about what was going on. I wanted to say something, anything, to make him go away.

"Baby!" Halata sa mukha niya ang saya when he saw me. Tumayo siya mula sa pagkakaupo sa edge ng bed ko. Lumapit agad siya sa akin at niyakap ako. "I missed you so much." Lalo niyang hinigpitan ang yakap sa akin. "I missed you so bad, halos mabaliw ako."