Ünexpectedly

32. Beach

• missed them? •

"Huy! Menggay! Anong sinisilip mo diyan?" Ana tapped her daughter's shoulder when she saw her peeking at the kitchen window with an agitated look on her face.

"Si Richard po, Ma. Si papa kasi eh, niyayang mag-inom," Maine said worriedly, her eyes fixed on Richard and his drinking buddies.

He was just sitting quietly between her Kuya Arjay and her dad, his hands clasped firmly in front of him, and his ears and cheeks the color of bright crimson. At that point, he had already taken about 8 shots of the alcohol they were having.

"O e anong problema?" Ana asked, peeking at the window herself.

"Hindi naman po kasi umiinom si Richard eh. Minsan ko pa lang sinubukang lasingin yan, ma, ang bilis tinamaan. Makulit din yan pag nalasing baka biglang magyayang magswimming," Maine told her mom. "Ano kayang nararamdaman niya ngayon? Bakit ang tahimik nia? Marshmallow..."

"E bakit pa sya sumali kung hindi naman pala sya umiinom?"

"Ang kulit kasi ni papa. Eh etong si Richard nahiya nang tumanggi, ayaw magmukhang walang pakisama... Halaaa, umisang tagay pa. Pang-siyam na niya yan!" Maine said, and she winced when she saw Richard shuddering a little after that last shot. "Good luck, Marshmallow."

"Naku mukhang kakailaganin nga ng nobyo mo niyan. Diyos ko naman kasi yang tatay mo, napakalakas ng trip. Akala mo naman may mapapala sya sa panlalasing sa mga manliligaw mo."

"Puntahan ko na kaya, ma?"

"Mabuti pa. Mukhang may tama na oh, namumula na. O ayan nakikitawa na. Baka naman nag-eenjoy lang din talaga sya," Ana said, watching as Richard began laughing. It started as a quiet laugh at first, and then he suddenly let out a burst of laughter that made his other companions jump.

"Diyos ko po, Marshmallow," Maine said, palming her face. "Ma, pupuntahan ko na."

She quickly got off the kitchen counter she was sitting on and ran to the kitchen door and out into the garden.

"O Menggay!" Teddy greeted her. He looked a bit buzzed too since they had already been drinking a few shots even before Richard joined them earlier.

"Panda Beaaarrrr!" Richard yelled, his face really red at this point.

"Pa, kunin ko na si Richard. May tama na oh," she said.

"Ano ka ba naman iha, nag-eenjoy pa ang nobyo mo oh. Masaya naman palang kasama tong batang to eh. Sabi mo hindi nainom e kaya naman pala eh. Di umaatras sa tagay oh," Teddy said, grinning at Richard and clapping his shoulder.

"Panda Bear, yoouuu should try this," Richard said, looking at her while pointing at the shot glass Arjay was holding. "Tastes soooo much better than that freaking tequila. This is good stuff," he added.

Diyos ko, diretso na ang english. Wala na to, she thought.

"Pa, kunin ko na sya. Malakas na tama eh, baka kung mapano pa to.

"Eto talagang si Menggay naaaaapaka-KJ!" her Kuya Arjay said. He was looking pretty wasted too. He was actually leaning against Richard's shoulder and Richard was patting his face with his palm from time to time.

"Wag ka ngang makulit kuya. Richard, halika na," she said sternly. She had a feeling Richard would not forgive her if he found out she'd allowed him to act crazy in front of other people, specially her dad.