Avery Montemayor - He's No Prince Charming

Chapter Ten

"By the way, girls, Mom's inviting you to our house on the 26th. That is, if you don't have any plans yet. Namimiss na raw niya kasi kayong kakwentuhan." Sabi ko sa aking mga kaibigan habang nakatambay kami sa kwarto ni Eireann.

It's already past 2 but we're still awake. Ala-una na rin kasi natapos ang party ni Eireann and most of her guests already went home. Ang natira lang ay 'yung mga ready sa overnight like us four. Sa guest room naman ay naroon ang pinsan ni Eireann na si Dwayne kasama ang grupo nila Avery. Specifically Avery, Nixen, Trevor, Camden, and Eachan. Camden and Eachan were too drunk to go home while Ave, Nix, and Trevor decided to stay para lang daw walang gawing kalokohan 'yung dalawang lasing.

"I still can't believe I'm already 20 years old! Ang tanda ko na! Hindi pa ako ready!" pagdadrama ni Eireann kaya tumawa naman kaming tatlo.

"You're just 20! Makamatanda ka naman!" tawa ni Justice. "Saka mas matanda pa rin ako sa 'yo, bruha ka! Kung matanda ka na sa lagay na 'yan, pa'no pa ako? Uugod-ugod na?"

"Well, pwede." Ani Ei kaya nabato naman siya ng unan ni Justice. Tumawa ulit kami. "But seriously! Parang ang bilis masyado ng oras. I'm still enjoying my youth!"

"It's not as if you can no longer enjoy your youth once you enter your twenties, Ei. At saka I don't think age could even stop you from enjoying your life!" saad ko habang yakap-yakap ang unan.

Now Ei's attention is on me. At base sa ngising sumilay sa mukha niya ay mang-aasar na naman siya.

"My cousin has taken a liking on you Shan."

I rolled my eyes heavenwards because of that.

"Please, Ei."

"Totoo!" pagpipilit niya pa. "It's only the second time I saw him like that. Sabi niya pa sa 'kin kanina, nakakatuwa ka raw kausap. But of course I told him you're already off limits. May Avery ka na."

"And speaking of Avery," singit naman ni Justice at nakangisi na rin. "I was trying so hard not to laugh because of him. Noong kausap mo si Dwayne before the party started, parang gusto ka niyang hilain palayo pero nagpipigil lang siya. Even Trevor noticed that. Kasi wala 'yung focus niya sa pinag-uusapan nilang dalawa kanina. He was watching you the whole time. Girl, he's smitten I'm telling you."

Naalala ko tuloy 'yung text niya kanina, making me blush again. Damn Justice for bringing that back!

"Ano na bang status ninyong dalawa? Are you like Nixen and Ei na dating or Accel and March na parehong in denial?"

"Just!" saway ni Accel habang nakasimangot. Tinawanan ko siya habang si Justice naman ay pinagtaasan lang siya ng kilay.

"What? I'm just telling the truth! At hindi pa rin ako makapaniwalang ikaw pala 'yung tinutukoy ni March dati! You still owe us a kwento, Acacia Celestine!"

"Oo nga! Hindi ko akalaing may secret ka pa lang gano'n!" segunda naman ni Eireann.

Me, on the other hand, kept mum about it. Pansin ko na 'yun noong unang beses ko pa lang na nakita si March. I knew there's something between them lalo pa noong lagi ko nang nakikita 'yung lalaki sa school na naghihintay.

Ilang minuto pa ang lumipas at nakatulog na rin ang tatlo. Ako, hindi pa dinadalaw ng antok kaya napagpasyahan kong bumaba muna saglit para uminom ng tubig.

Nasa may kusina na ako at nagsasalin ng tubig nang biglang may magsalita. Mabuti na lamang at nailapag ko na ang pitsel kundi nakabasag pa ako ng wala sa oras.

"Sorry for scaring you." Avery said after seeing my reaction. Umiling na lamang ako at saka napahinga ng maluwag. I thought it was a ghost.

"Why are you still awake? Nagkukwentuhan pa kayong girls?" aniya saka kumuha rin ng sariling baso.