Dating Alys Perez (PUBLISHED)

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

She pulled me with her and asked me to sit. "Hey, are you alright?" she asked.

Napatingin na lang ako sa kanya... at kay Tripp. Bakit sila magkasama? I thought hindi sila magkasundo? Dati kasi nung nasa New York kami, hindi sila nag uusap dahil masyadong nasusungitan si Tripp kay Kei, and the same as Kei, hindi niya gustong kasama si Tripp. What happened? Nagkaroon ba ng apocalypse at hindi ako informed?

"Here, water," sabi ni Kei sa akin sabay abot ng glass and poured water in it. Napainom ako. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako kinakabahan. I mean, I shouldn't be, right? Kei's almost my sister. Alam niya lahat ng pinagdaanan ko nung nasa New York ako. All those sleepless nights, all those inconsolable crying... She wouldn't betray me now that I was fighting for my only shot at happiness.

Si Tripp? He was avoiding my stare. Bakit, Tripp? Guilty? 

After drinking, I turned to her. "B-Bakit ka nandito?"

She beamed at me. She still looked as good as ever. She's still blonde. She's still Kei.

"I just finished my internship and MBA!" she said. "I just want to visit the Philippines, you know. I've been far from home since high school."

"What did Auntie say?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Bayaan mo sila, I'm an adult so hindi na nila ako kayang i-stop if I want to spend my life here," she said and then winked at me. And then she stood up and clapped her hands. "Speaking of Mom, she asked me to give something to you. Wait up! I'll get it from my car lang, ha." She sped away and left us here.

The silence was eating us. No one wanted to talk. 

"So..." I said, breaking of the numbing silence. "You're back."

I didn't understand how it could possibly feel so awkward talking to someone you love. We've been through a lot... So much. Pero ngayon? It felt like I was talking to a stranger. Someone I barely knew.

He tried to smile. "Oo nga, e." 

"Kasama mo si Kei." It was meant to be a statement but it sounded like it was an accusation. Well, maybe it was. I just can't seem to understand why they were together when in fact, they couldn't be at each other's back.

He shrugged. "Oo nga, e."

I was getting pissed off. He's avoiding me. 

"Tripp, ano ba."

He looked at me now. "Ano'ng ano ba?"

"Iniiwasan mo ako."

"Iniisip mo lang yan, Alys."

And then it stung. Alys. He called my Alys.

"Galit ka pa rin sakin, e..." I said, my voice breaking. I couldn't help but cry. Ang tagal kong tinago ng mga nararamdaman ko. Yung mga gusto kong sabihin sa kanya, ngayon ko lang nasasabi. He was avoiding me for what it felt like an eternity.

He crossed his arms and slumped back. "You're overthinking."

Hindi ko napigilan pero I slammed my fists. "Talk to me, then! Hindi yung iniiwasan mo ako!"

Tripp's jaw clenched and then closed his eyes. He muttered something inaudible. Tripp, bakit mo ba ako ginaganito? Hindi mo ba ako mahal? Akala ko ba ayaw mo ng umiiyak ako?

"Go home, Alys. Mag aaway lang tayo."

"Then let's fight pero please let's talk!"

He stood up like he didn't even hear what I said. "Go home." He started walking away from me but I tugged on his arm. "Alys..."

"Tripp naman... Wag mo naman akong ganituhin..."

Before I even knew it, I was crying again. Damn these tears. Kailan ka ba mauubos? Parang sa sobrang dami ng mga pinagdaanan ko, hindi ka nauubos. Sa lahat ng naramdaman ko, nandiyan ka lang palagi.

"Wala akong ginagawa," he uttered.

I hugged him from behind. Wala akong pakielam kung may ibang makakita sa amin. Wala na akong pakielam kung magmukha akong naghahabol dito. This was my last shot. It felt like everything's gonna break apart. I need to salvage what I can salvage.

"Please do something, anything. Wag yung ganito, Tripp. Mas masakit, e..."

I felt him taking in deep breaths. He held my hand and his hand felt the same. His warm hands against mine. His familiar touch lingering...

He turned around and looked at me. His gaze didn't feel the same. It was like I was staring at another person. How could he possibly change in a short period of time? Bakit sobrang nag iba na siya?

"Give me space to breathe, Alys. Mag uusap tayo pag okay na ako."

"Pano naman ako, Tripp? Pano kung hindi ako okay? Naisip mo man lang ba yung nararamdaman ko?" I asked him. I sounded so desperate but I was more than willing to be. I have already lost everything, it wouldn't hurt to fight for this last one even if it meant lowering myself. 

He smiled a little. "Pano naman ako, Alys? Naisip mo rin ba yung nararamdaman ko?"

"Ikaw nga yung pinili ko, di ba?! I chose you! Why are you being an ass?!"

He just stared at me during my utburst. "You didn't choose me, Alys. I was the option. Iniwan ka ni Drake, so ako na lang. Ganun 'yun, di ba? Si Tripp na lang yung nandyan, e. Sige siya na lang. Akala mo ba masaya sa pakiramdam yun?" he shook his head. "Nakakagago, Alys. Sobrang nakakagago." He turned his back on me. "Umuwi ka muna, please. Mag usap tayo pag pareho na tayong okay."

And then he started walking away and for a moment, I felt my hopes were crushing.

"Hey?" Kei returned just in time to see me crying. She was with Tofer who was as clueless as she was. "Why the hell are you crying?!"

I couldn't even utter a word. It felt like if I said a thing out loud, I'd breakdown again.

"Is it Drake again? I swear, that ass!" Kei cursed.

Si Tofer, umupo sa tabi ko and hugged me. "Okay lang yan, Alys. Inaway ka ba ni Tripp?"

"Wait what, Tripp? Di ba he's your boyfriend? Why the hell would he make you cry?"

I just shook my head and looked at them. "Look, I really don't want to talk. Could you just please take me home?"

--

Days after my talk with Tripp, nothing happened. He didn't make any effort to talk to me again, much less to even see my face. Were we really breaking up?

"Honey, come on."

My Mom dragged me to one of the company's party. Apparently, it was obligatory for the family to attend.

"Coming!" I shouted. Well, at least my family's okay even if everything was broken. 

The drive was long and winding but finally, we arrived just in time. Dad and Mom disappeared from our vision, probably talking to the business partners. Dane? He left me to eat alone. My brother's such a lonely guy. When he returned from the States, he was really, really weird. 

I was walking mindlessly when I bumped into someone.

"I'm so--" I was about to utter my apologies when I noticed that it was Drake... tending to a very drunk Fier.

He wasn't shocked to see me shocked.

"Alys!" Fier said, her words were slurry. "You little bitch!" she said. All the people near us looked at us. 

Drake whispered something in her ears which made her giggle like a kid. "Come on," he said. He looked at me for a beat. "Sorry, she's just really drunk."

I smiled at him. Looking at her, I can't find it in me not to compare. Drake said she doesn't even compare. But how come I feel a wee jealous everytime I see her so close to him? And it felt really inappropriate feeling this...

Drake dragged her from me but she just kept on mumbling things. "Alys... I hate you, you know!" she shouts while she was being dragged. "You broke up with him but I still can't get him from you! You're a horrible person!"

That was the last thing she said before her voice disappeared from my hearing.