What If's

CHAPTER 9

"Alex, are you up?"

"Alexandra its almost noon, ano ba gumising kana."

"Pag hindi ka pa bumangon, I swear bubuhusan kita ng kumukulong tubig!"

I shifted to my side still eyes closed. Ang galing lang kasi kahit sa panaginip ko kasama ko parin pinsan ko, baka kami talaga yung destined eh.

"Ah ganon, then you leave me choice."

*BLAG!!*

"What the heck!" Feeling ko biglang nag-evaporate yung antok ko. "Ano bang problema mo bruha ka? Ba't mo'ko sinipa?"

"Well, yan ang napapala ng mga gaya mong antagal gumising. Kanina pa kita ginigising at ilang beses ng bumalik yung mga katulong before that, but still here you are sleeping like a dead person. Anong gusto mo Alexandra, tuluyan na kita?" Geez this woman!

I groaned as I tried to stand-up, at parang nabalian pa yata ako. "Ano bang kailangan mo at ang aga-aga mong mag-ingay?"

The brutal woman just rolled her eyes at me as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Saan ka nanggaling kagabi at sinong kasama mo?" I gasped at the question. Mommy is that you?

"Mama I'm 26 na po baka nakakalimutan mo?" She glared at my attempt.

"So ano ngayon? Pag 26 years old ba hindi na napapahamak? And don't you dare be sarcastic at me babae kasi sasapakin talaga kita!"

Ang init talaga ng ulo kahit kailan. "Sorry na po," I was being cute but she shrugged me off. She's really sweet and caring despite her brutality and angst.

She raised her brow at me, urging me to speak. "I went out yesterday to cool down."

"Sinong kasama mo? You've been gone for hours, impossible kung mag-isa ka. I know you, madali kang ma-bored."

After the quiet and awkward car ride, normally I would prefer to go home and sleep but strangely I hated the idea of going back.

"Can we go some place that's not home?" Agad akong napahawak sa dashboard ng bigla niyang inihinto ang sasakyan.

"Aray! Problema mo? Gusto mo bang madisgrasya?" Mabilis akong napatingin sa labas to check kung may iba pabang sasakyan na maaaring na damay sa biglaan niyang paghinto.

"What did you just say?"

"I said can we go some where--," I immediately covered my mouth when I realized what my words sounds like. "You got the wrong idea!" I said in panic. I don't want him getting the wrong idea, yes he's handsome and perf-- ah basta! Mali ang iniisip niya.

I cleared my throat for composure. "Ayaw ko pang umuwi, can we go to a park or a bar at least."

Bar? Really?

He stared at me for a second, tapped and lightly scratched his clean-shaven jaw, an implication that he's thinking.

I returned the favor of staring at him from the sides. He have this strong and chiseled jawline, a proud Greek nose, and his lips-- oh come on! Am I checking him out? Bloody hell! Get a grip woman!

"Okay, I know a place." He didn't say anything else kaya nanahimik narin ako.

"Out of all the places there is, dito mo talaga ako dinala ha. And you even had to think." He laughed at my reaction. I watched him gulped his beer and unintentionally, I got a glimpse of the lump in his throat. The way it's going up and down with every chug that he makes, he actually looked like he's doing a commercial. How can anyone drink a cheap beer and manage to look so cool.

Is it just me or its getting kinda hot in here?

"It's the closest to a bar and safer, way more safe."

I downed my beer in silence. Once again we are surrounded by the void of sound however this time, it's no longer awkward.

"I've never done this before." I said totally breaking the quiet.

"You never had beer?"

"Silly. Of course I had beer, what do you think of me?"

He took my question literally and stared at me. "You're something else, but a drunkard is not one of them."

I was speechless for a second. "I was a princess but I decided to be a slave for love."

Wala siyang sinabi kaya nagpatuloy ako. "I was a sucker for fairytales and happy endings kaya I became too blind to see reality from fantasy." I was on my 4th bottle but I don't care. Venting to a stranger is more ideal than talking to someone you know kasi at least with a stranger, they can't judge you or if they will then it's okay because their opinions won't matter anyway.

"Akala ko being a princess was already enough kasi diba sa fairytales kahit katulong lang nahahanap parin ng true love, yung iba nga half-dead at walang ginawa pero naging masaya. In fairytales, it would just take one night, a glimpse and a romantic music to seal the deal pero--" I inhaled the cold air, filling my lungs to calm myself.

"--in reality, it isn't like that." I stretched my arms like I'm trying to reach the night sky. The night is gloomy, and the absence of stars made it more dark.

"Hatid na kita." Bigla akong napatingin kay Josh, ngayon lang siya nagsalita. His face was illuminated by the light coming from the establishment few meters away from where we are sitting.

I instinctively look at the time. It's eleven in the evening and a lot of beer cans are scattered around us. Masyado yata akong naging komportable para hindi mapansin ang oras, who wouldn't? Cold beer and silence in this empty parking lot and the cool breeze of the night as we sat comfortably in the back of his Nissan Frontier.

"Yeah, Andrea would go ballistic if I stayed a minute longer." He chuckled. And boy that was sexy!

Geez! I should really stay away from this human, I'll go crazy if I won't.

It took a couple of minutes before we reached the mansions front gate.

"Thank you for today."

"No problem." I was about to turn my back when he spoke, " Don't lose hope just yet, maybe it's not time for your fairytale. Malay mo, he wasn't the prince that's meant for you, it could be someone else. Cheer up okay." He then gave me a smile. Not a smirk and not even that boyish grin, but a smile. A simple yet heart-warming smile.

"Good night, Alexandra." Hindi na ako nakasagot pa kasi mabilis siyang nagmaneho palayo. Napailing nalang ako.

"Ano na Alex, care to tell me where you've been?"

I smiled that made her face cloud with confusion. "I went to a convenience store."

"And?"

"Yun lang, what else do you want from me?" She gave an exasperated sigh.

"Details Alexandra! Gosh, tell me who you're with?" I laughed at her reaction, nosy as always.

"Fine don't tell me." She said when she realized that I'm not talking. "Just fix yourself will you, a couple of hours and the team will be here."

"Anong team? Basketball team?" She snorted, I know corny.

"The make-up team that will make you look human. I'll be back, I'll get you breakfast."

It took me seconds bago ko narealize ang sinabi niya. I hurriedly went to my phone to check today's date. Mom & Dad's Anniverysary was what greeted me.

Gaga! I almost forgot.

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