Playing With Fire

Fourth blaze

Jilliane's POV

Nakalipas na rin ang dalawang linggo at medyo hectic na ang schedule. Sandamakmak ang group projects and assignments.

Sa kabila non, araw araw rin naman dumadalaw samin si Wendell. Yun nga lang, hindi namin masyadong nakakasama si Louise. Wala eh. Strict ang parents.

Hindi ko nga rin alam kung ano bang nasa utak ni Wendell at araw araw ang dalaw sa bahay.

May sapak ata yun. Nakikikain pa sa bahay, jusmiyo. Biruin mo, pupunta don ng alas otso ng umaga tapos makikisabay pa ng agahan hanggang doon na siya buong araw. Uuwi na nga lang minsan pagtapos ng hapunan eh.

My phone beeped.

One message received:

Jilliane, pwede kayo mamaya? Birthday ng kapatid ko. Be with Wendell and Louise. I'm coming at your house at 5:00 pm.

—Manuel

Si Manuel. He's my suitor. Sa kabila non, hindi ko parin siya masyadong kilala. And I was about to reject him a couple of days from now.

Tsaka, pupunta ako sa birthday ng kapatid niya eh hindi nga kami close nun. Hindi ko rin nga kilala yung kapatid niya eh.

Bahala na.

Tumingin ako sa orasan. It's 4:30.

4:30

Wait, 4:30?! Shit! So 30 minutes nalang!

Nagmamadali akong pumunta sa closet ko at tumingin ng maisusuot.

I'm wearing this blue off-shoulder dress paired with plain beige doll shoes. My hair is tied in a half pony tail, leaving the other half of my  hair flow down to my upper back. Hindi naman siguro formal wear yun since diyan lang naman sa bahay nila eh.

Bumaba na ako ng hagdan at nagpaalam. Sakto at may kumakatok na rin sa pinto.

Siya na siguro 'to.

Dali dali kong binuksan ang pinto at hindi nga ako nagkakamali. Siya nga yon. Si Manuel.

Standing tall infront of our door, wearing light blue long sleeves and slacks paired with formal black shoes.  Even for a Third year highschool student, he looks so matured. He really has a demonic face but it looks good on him.

Nanlilisik ang mga mata niya ngunit hindi naman nakakatakot tingnan. May matangos na ilong at mamula mulang labi. Lalo pang lumulutang ang kulay nito because of his white skin.

How can God make this kind of man? He's too much.

Naglakad na kami papunta sa bahay ni Louise para sunduin siya. Nakasalubong na rin namin si Wendell. He wears only a simple teal shirt paired with fitted jeans and black sneakers. Super simple. Simple yet hot-looking. His hair is still kind of damp that tells he just took a fresh bath. I can even smell his scent from afar. It's really a manly scent pero hindi matapang at masakit sa ilong.

Louise went out of their house with her white floral dress with white gliterry doll shoes. It fits her perfectly. I admit, she looks better than me. She's not as white, but with the look? She's a lot prettier.

Pinasadahan ko ng tingin ang buong lugar kung saan gaganapin ang party. Grand. Hindi siya yung nasa venue na enggrande pero kumpara sa mga house birthday  parties, this is grand. The celebrant was wearing an enormous pink gown. Lumulutang ang maputing kulay niya. Her eyes were just like as Manuel's but with longer eyelashes. Even for a young age, seven years old, you're able to see her beauty. Alam mong pag lumaki siya, mas gaganda pa.

Looking around, their families were wearing blue long sleeves and so. Girls were wearing light blue or pink dresses.

Good thing I wore dress instead of just shirt and jeans.

I fit in. It looks like I am part of their family because of the color coding and shits like that.

Manuel led the way to a circular table topped with white and pink silk cloth. There's also a clear  half filled vase. Daisies were inside.

Our table was quiet. No one even dared to talk.

And when it was time, umalis na si Manuel sa table namin at pumunta sa platform. That platform was like 5 inches tall covered with pink and blue flowers that perfectly blends together.

He stood infront of her sister, gently grabbing her left hand to his right shoulder. His other hand is handling out the pink rose for her.

Isasayaw niya yung kapatid niya.

Though may inggit na namumuo sakin dahil madalas wala sa bahay ang kuya ko, mas malaki parin ang saya sa puso ko. Na, kahit once lang sa buhay ng batang iyon, sinayaw siya ng kuya niya.