"You've got to be kidding me." Zayelee muttered ng narating nila ang hapag-kainan. Zayelee couldn't believe what she is witnessing. Right in front of her is the guy she thought she'd never see again and he is talking to her brothers!
"What is it Lé?" nagtatakang tanong ni Saige sa kaibigan. Zayelee looked at her at sa lalaking nakatalikod sa kanila na kausap ng kanyang mga kuya. Saige must've realised what she meant dahil namilog ang mga mata nito.
The guy must've heard her and turned around. "Hey" he softly said, recognising her. She is not liking this at all.
"Hey." She awkwardly replied
"You two know each other?" tanong ng kanyang kuya E.J. He looks at the two of them expecting for an answer. Maging si Riordan, Pierce at Blaise ngayon ay nakatingin sa kanila ng may halong pagtataka.
"Uhm..." nabigla pa rin si Zayelee sa sitwasyon kaya't hindi niya kung ano ang idadahilan niya sa kuya niya.
"I bumped into her in a grocery store when I was planning to visit you at your place actually. Right?" he immediately replied at lumapit kay Zayelee saka inakbayan.
"Uh, yeah. It was the day when you went home kuya. I was outside, remember?" she reminded him and decided to go with the flow. Mabuti na lamang ay iniligtas siya ni Ryder kung hindi ay tiyak na mapapahiya siya sa harapan ng mga kaibigan ng kuya niya.
Hinila ni E.J ang kapatid sa gilid nito. "Okay. Well, Ryder, I'd like to formally introduce you our baby sister, Zayelee." E.J still looked suspicious but decided to shoo it away.
"Nice to meet you again, Zayelee. Let's be friends!" prangka nitong alok.
"Wow, Ry. Nice try!" Blaise replied. Inirapan ni Zayelee ang kanyang kuya dahil sa sinabi nito. Ano pala ang silbi ng kanilang outing kung ayaw nilang maging kaibigan niya ang mga lalaking 'to? Like she said, she's not going to be romantically involved with them. Just a platonic friendship, that's all.
"Yeah sure!" she gladly replied.
"Awesome!" "You look familiar." he said looking at Saige now. "Ah, of course. You're Terrence's girl!"
"Uhm not yet but I'm Saige." she replied with a smile.
"I like that reply." They both laughed but Blaise just snickered.
"Paano mo pala nalaman?" Saige suddenly felt awkward sa tinanong niya. Hindi naman siya ganyan ka manhid para hindi mapansing may pagtingin sa kanya ang ikalawang kapatid ni Zayelee. 'Yun nga lang, hindi ito umaamin sa kanya ng harapan. She wants him to be brave for her if he truly likes her. Kaya ngayon, she'll just sit back and observe.
"We're friends. And friends talk about things like this." Nakangiting tugon ni Ryder ngunit nakatingin kay Zayelee. Zayelee awkwardly smiled at him kasi masyado siyang natamaan sa sinabi ng binata.
"Aha, hindi mo pa pala nami-meet si Esquivel. Saige meet Pierce. Pierce meet Saige."
"Hi!"
"Hi! Nice to meet you." Zayelee looked at Pierce as he introduced himself to her best friend. She saw him smiling at her unlike his poker face look at her before. Galit ba siya sa kanya kanina na hindi man lang ito ngumiti ng sabihin niya ang kanyang pangalan?
"Okay guys, we better start drinking!" Riordan announced.
"Just cocktails for the girls, Ri." E.J told him as he prepares to pour drinks in their glasses.
"Yes boss."
"Here's to happy holidays!" hiyaw ni Riordan matapos bigyan ng inumin ang kaibigan. They all cheered and started drinking.
"Anong oras na?" tanong ni Zayelee kay Saige. "We should head back to our cottage if it's getting late."
Zayelee started feeling hot after drinking two glasses of margarita. Hindi pa kasi niya natitikman ito dati kaya't ginawan siya ng butihin niyang kaibigan para raw ma-experience niya ang sarap nito. She couldn't say no to her and besides she wanted it anyway. Mabuti nalang at pinayagan rin siya ng kanyang mga kuya na uminom. Naging masaya naman ang kanilang inuman at kwentuhan. Kasama na rin rito ang pasulyap-sulyap niya sa binatang si Pierce dahil pansin niyang hindi ito masyadong umiinom ng alak. Mukhang hindi siya kagaya ng kanyang mga kaibigan at mga kuya niya na kung makainom ay akala mo'y wala ng bukas.
"It's only 9:30 Lé. Gusto mo ng umalis?" Saige is obviously having a good time sa inuman. Saige and Riordan have talked for awhile and she likes it! Akala niya'y hindi niya makikitang magkakasundo ang dalawa. Hopefully it's not the alcohol that's talking to Riordan. May tendency pa namang paiba-iba ang mood ng kanyang kaibigan kapag nakainom.
"Yes. Pagod na ko eh." Inaamin ni Zayelee na hindi malakas ang kanyang alcohol tolerance. Mabilis siyang malasing kaya't habang maaga pa ay gusto na niyang bumalik sa kanilang tinutuluyang cottage para makapagpahinga.
"Sure. Ubusin ko lang 'tong last glass of margarita."
"No. Ako na lang ang babalik. Kaya ko pa naman eh. You enjoy your drinks here. Panigurado akong isa sa mga 'to ay ihahatid ka pabalik sa cottage." Panunukso niya sa kaibigan.
"Gaga. Sino maghahatid sa'yo? Baka mahulog ka sa dagat." Natatawa niyang tugon.
"Ano pa kaya kung ikaw kasama ko? Baka nagkarambulan lang tayo dun." She said and they both laughed.
"Aalis ka na baby?" tanong ng kanyang kuya E.J
"Yes Kuya."
"Tara, hatid na kita."
"'Di na kuya. I can go by myself. Di pa naman ako lasing. I only had two glasses of margarita." She started collecting her things and said her goodbyes to them.
"We can go together. I'm heading to the toilets anyway." Pierce said out of nowhere. Hindi niya alam na nakikinig pala ito sa kanila gayong ang lakas ng tawanan at harutan ni Riordan at ang kaninang tahimik na si Ryder. Pati ito pala'y nagiging maingay kapag nakainom ng alak.
"Sige Esquivel. Just don't do anything stupid or I'll break your bones." Banta ni E.J sa kaibigan.
"Kuya!" saway ni Zayelee. Akala ba niya'y kaibigan ng kanyang mga kuya ito? Bakit kung makapag-threat naman sila'y parang kaaway ang turing niya sa binata?
"What? We're best buds but don't cross the line." Mukhang natatamaan na nga ng beers ang isip ng kuya niya.
"Whatever Kuya. Goodnight." She dismissively replied.
"Goodnight baby sis."
"See ya later alligator." Saige said and started giggling. Hay nako, mga lasing na talaga 'to.
"Goodnight baby!" sigaw ni Blaise saka siya binigyan ng flying kiss.
"MAG-INGAT KA ZAYELEE KAY PIERCE!" pahabol ni Riordan bago siya tuluyang nakalabas. Narinig niya pa yatang minura siya ni Pierce bago ito sumunod sa kanya
BINABASA MO ANG
Sad to Belong
RomansWhen Zayelee Harris' father died, her world came crashing down. He was her confidant, her king and her best friend. She looked up to him more than anything else. She was feeling alone, lost and had no idea where to begin and pick up the pieces. Hind...
