It Started With A Game

Chapter Nineteen : Let Me Tell You A Secret

Rain's POV:

"Thank you, Rain." I chose not to respond to what she just said. Hahaba lang ang usapan. "Thank you for trying to ease the pain. Even just a bit." I heard her say in a low tone. I don't think she wanted me to hear that, but I did.

I closed the book I was reading causing her to divert her gaze into my direction. She looked at me confused. Kaya nga ako pumunta dito sa library because I can't stand the noise outside, but I guess hanggang dito hindi ko makukuha ang katahimikang gusto ko. "Let me tell you a secret, Celest."

"A secret?" I saw a hint of curiousity in her face. I crossed my arms and leaned on the chair. "Yes, a secret." she no longer responded and just waited for me to start talking. I guess this is it. I closed my eyes and breathed heavily first before I started talking. "Ever since we were still kids, me, Dexter, and Azetrex have always been good friends. Through bad times and good times. Through heaven and hell." Celest was listening attentively to me. I guess she was really willing to know what I will tell her. "But Azetrex was my best friend because of fact that we're kind of ...what do you call this? Similar? Yes, we were similar. Dexter has always been the friendly one. He could easily befriend anyone. He's an open book. Pero kaming dalawa? We were always distant. And that brought us closer together. We understood each other without having to say anything at all."

"We were like brothers, Celest. We shared almost everything. Clothes, gadgets, cars, condo units, shoes ... yung green na sapatos na nakita mo sa kwarto ko? We have the same one." I saw her eyes widened with what I just said. Tama yan, Celest. Get a hint. "And you see this?" Pinakita ko sa kanya yung suot kong G-shock na relo. "We also have the same model, Celest." She was looking at me with confusion in her eyes. "What ...what are you trying to say?" napangiwi nalang ako sa sinabi niya.

"But there's one thing that we would never share to each other, Celest." She was anticipating for what I will say next. "We would never share the same girl. Girlfriend man o fling lang. There was a time during our freshman year when me and Azetrex liked the same person. It even initiated a fist fight between us. We never talked for months. And when we finally reconciled, we've decided that we would never again like the same girl."

"I don't date girls he dated and vice versa. What's his is his, and what's mine is mine alone. Are you getting what I'm trying to say, Celest?"

Celest's POV:

"I don't date girls he dated and vice versa. What's his is his, and what's mine is mine alone. Are you getting what I'm trying to say, Celest?" What is he trying to say? I'm confused. Gulong gulo na ako. "I don't get it." Ngumisi siya at umiling iling. He began fixing his things and was about to leave when I stopped him. "Rain, I'm lost here. What were you talking about?" he just shrugged his shoulders.

"You'll get it soon enough, Celest." At nawala na nga siya mula sa paningin ko. I just stayed in where I was and recollected what Rain said. Pero hindi ko talaga alam kung ano ang gusto niyang iparating. I finally gave up and decided to go back outside.

Nung nakalabas na ako ng library nagulat nalang ako nang makita si Bree na nasa gilid ng pintuan nang nakasandal sa pader at nakatingin sa baba. "Ginulat mo naman ako. Anong ginagawa mo dyan?" She let out a small smile. "May iniisip lang ako. I have to go." Bago ko pa man mapigilan si Bree naglakad na siya palayo. Parang may mali sa kanya. Ano kayang nangyari?

-

Bumalik na ako sa pinaggaganapan ng school festival. I saw no sign of Rex and that girl anymore. Siguro lumabas sila ng campus? "Sis!" napalingon ako and nakita ko si Sab na tumatakbo palapit sa'kin. "Sab!" Nang makalapit siya sa'kin agad ko siyang niyakap. "God, I miss you so much!" she said between our hug. Grabe, when was the last time I spent some time with her? I was too occupied with stuff that I actually forgot about my own best friend. "I miss you too, Sab."

Hinawakan niya ako sa magkabilang balikat at hinarap sa kanya. "You know what, we should go out together like now na. Ang dami ko kayang chika sa'yo!" Napangiti nalang ako sa inasal ni Sab. Hindi pa rin siya nagbabago.

Nagpadala nalang ako sa kanya. We decided to hang out together in our favorite ice cream parlor. Malapit lang 'yon sa school namin. Umupo kami sa favorite spot namin na malapit sa malaking bintana sa may sulok. "Reese's?" tanong sa'kin ni Sab, pertraining to the ice cream flavor I want. "Yes, please." Alam niya talaga kung ano ang gusto ko.

Umalis na siya para umorder sa counter kaya naiwan akong mag-isa dito. Tumingin ako sa labas ng bintana. I've always loved this place, gustung gusto ko ang ambiance dito. Habang nagmumuni-muni ako, biglang may nahagip akong dalawang pamilyar na tao. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Hindi pwede to ...

Inilapit ko ang mukha ko sa may bintana para kumpirmahin ang hinala ko. Hindi nga ako nagkakamali. Sila nga 'yon. "Imposible 'to, imposible." Si ...si Maddie tsaka si Rain, magkasama. Magkasama sila tapos magkahawak pa ang kamay nila. Anong ibig sabihin nito?

"I don't date girls he dated and vice versa. What's his is his, and what's mine is mine alone. Are you getting what I'm trying to say, Celest?" Parang sirang plaka na nagpaulit ulit sa utak ko yung sinabi ni Rain sa'kin kanina.

Biglang napatingin sa direksyon ko si Rain. Nagtama ang mga mata namin pero hindi ako nag-iwas. Ngumisi lang siya sa'kin bago sila tuluyang pumasok ni Maddie sa restaurant sa tapat. "Huy, Celest! Ano bang tinitingnan mo dyan? Para kang nakakita ng multo!" Agad akong natauhan nang nagsalita si Sab na nasa tapat ko na pala dala dala ang mga inorder namin. Umayos na ako ng upo at kinuha ang order ko. "Wala 'yon." Nakaramdam naman ata si Sab na ayaw kong pag-usapan kaya hindi na ulit siya nagtanong.

Kanina pa siya salita nang salita pero walang pumapasok sa utak ko. Naguguluhan na kasi ako sa mga nangyayari. "Sis, you're not listening to me naman eh. Tsaka bakit parang namumutla ka dyan?" nagtatampong sabi ni Sab. Nakaramdam tuloy ako ng guilt. Ngayon na nga lang ulit kami nagkasama ngunit nakapokus naman sa iba ang atensyon ko. "I'm sorry, Sab." 

Nagbuntong hininga naman si Sab tapos nag lean sa upuan niya. "You know what, Celest? I know you're troubled sa kung ano mang nakita mo kanina. But I'm not gonna ask you what you saw. But, sis. Lagi mong tatandaan na I'm always here for you, okay? I'm always ready to listen." napangiti ako sa sinabi ni Sab. Isa 'yon sa mga bagay na I can be sure of. Na hinding hindi ako iiwan ni Sab.

But hindi lang talaga ako ready na sabihin ang lahat sa kanya ngayon. Kasi miski ako hindi sigurado sa kung ano ba talagang nangyayari. Hindi kaya si Rain talaga ang third party kay Maddie at Kaloy? Kaya ba niya nasabi ang mga nasabi niya sa'kin kanina? All this time, mali ba ang naging tingin namin kay Rex?

Itutuloy ...