Change [Ricci Rivero, Completed]

Kabanata XXVII

"Ha?? Paano?" tarantang sagot nya. "Nasaan ka na ba!?"

"Sakay akong elevator ngayon going sa first floor, Brent. Bakit hindi niyo agad sinabi!" inis kong sabi. Ayan ngayon, matutunghayan niyo ang pagtatago ko mula sa kanya.

Bukod sa I'm scared I'd get rejected, the longer kasi that I stare at him, the more I feel the pain he never intended to make me feel. I bet he just got tired or finally decided to stop the nonsense he got into.

"Sorry! Sorry talaga!" sabi ni Brent. "Ano pa ba magagawa ko? Sige na, tagpuin niyo ako sa lobby. Pababa na ako."

You'd witness how awkward and weak and fragile I am whenever I get trapped in situations like this. I stutter, I buckle, I stare sa kawalan or I stare at him without saying a word. Want to hear one more lie I tell everyone and myself? "I've moved on" and "okay lang na kasama yan, I don't feel anything anymore nanaman anyways".

I got down the elevator and saw a batallion of familliar men sitting down sa couch ng building. They were impatiently waiting, meron pa nga na isa na nakapamewang sa harap nilang lahat at kinakausap sila. Everyone looked so problematic. and worried.

I approached them and took a deep breath. Hindi ako magsesermon, promise :-)

"Tara kain tayo? Pagusapan natin trip nyo sa buhay, mga butiki kayo?" panimula ko and they fell even more silent. Yung iba nagtago sa unan nila, may nakatungo lang at di makatingin sakin ng diretso.

Napadaan sa tingin ko si Jollo and he was pointing sa lalaki na katabi ko. Tumalikod siya nung dumating ako kaya hindi ko kita kung sino.

"Si Ricci," bulong ni Jollo habang tinuturo yung katabi ko, "we're sorry talaga!"

"Sama ba kayo? Una na 'ko?" sabi ko at paalis na sana. "Ingat kayo ah."

"S-sinong maghahatid sayo, Alex? Wala Kuya mo diba?" tanong ni Andrei.

"Lalakad nalang. Para namang hindi nyo 'ko kilala." sabi ko sa kanila. Hindi ko na hinintay na may magprisinta na maghatid sa akin sa condo. "Sipag ko maglakad kaya."

"Paano ka kakain?" sunod na tanong ni Brent. "Di ka marunong magluto diba?"

"Pwede naman magorder or daan ako along the way eh." sagot ko ng naiinip na kasi ayokong marinig pa niya yung mga ayaw niyang ginagawa ko noon.

"Hindi safe, Alex." sabi ni Ahia na nakakunot na ang noo sakin. Silang magkakapatid— ayaw nilang pinipilit ko ang mga di nila pinapagawa sakin kasi nga hindi ligtas. Wala naman na ngang tiyak kasi sa mundo. Tingnan nyo nangyari samin, isang example yan.

"Kaya ko sarili ko, Ahia. I might call Donny nalang if di ko kaya." sabi ko then waved goodbye sa kanilang lahat. May mga nagbeso muna at yumakap bago ako umalis— this is our friendship. Napaka clingy nila sa akin kahit may mga girlfriend tong mga to. The treat me like family and their unica ija. Jusko.

Tumunghay by then si Ricci and rolled his eyes. You can tell he's pissed off and worried na ng sobra at the same time. I heard him take a deep breath and groaned. Inis na siya pero he can't do anything about it.

"Has Jean texted you already? I thought nandito rin siya?" tanong ni Ahia ng pabulong kay Ricci but you know me, malakas ang pandinig at pakiramdam ko, lalo na sa taong to.

"Who's Jean?" tanong ni Brent na napalakas ng konti enough for everyone to hear.

"Gago, marinig ka ni Alex." singhal ni Aljun kay Brent na bigla namang lumingon sakin na bumabati pa ng goodbye sa kanila na hindi matapos tapos.

"Are you seeing someone else kaagad? Boi, ang bilis naman ata??"

"Hindi ah. Family friend kasi namin."

Tansong tanso na yang palusot na yan. I've heard that way too many times already. Ginagamit din ng kuya ko yun eh, how would I not know!

I started to tear up and I knew I immediately have to leave.

"Text me when you're home, Alex!" sigaw ni Prince as pahabol and I can hear everyone scolding Brent about what just did. I raised a thumbs up to let him know I'll do then rushed to the entrance.

Before pa ako makalabas, may nasagi pa akong babae.

"Ay sorry! Sorry po, sorry!"

"Its okay! No need to apologize!" I took time to stare at her habang pumupulot ng gamit nya na nahulog.

Damn.. sobrang ganda. She was glowing with natural beauty and her hair was so shiny. Ang kinis nya and perfectly tanned.

"Sorry ulit ah. I was in a rush, hindi kita napansin." I apologized again.

"Its okay, really. What's your name pala? You look familliar kasi eh!"

"Alex. Alex Gumabao. Ikaw?"

"Jean Rivera, nice to meet you! Sabi na eh, I know you. I've heard so much about you!"

"About me? What about me?"

"Lets have lunch some other time. We'll chat about that with the person who told me those things? Okay, thats a deal na. See you around!"

"Jean! Teka! Sino ba yon!" habol ko pero nauna na siyang maglakad at hindi ko na inabutan. For sure, si Ricci yon. Jean daw diba?

Ang ganda niya talaga. Sobrang galing mamili ni Ricci sa mga ganito. He never really looked sa panlabas and he always just gets it as a bonus.

I started to tear up again kahit I told myself not to. Yes, this is the dilemma I get involved in every. single. freaking. time.

I called Donny kasi naiiyak naiiyak na akong talaga. Ghad, why did I have to be so blind and stupid noon. Kaya ako umiiyak ngayon eh.

"Donny, ang ganda niya, ang bait niya, ang kinis niya, she's everything I'm not." I cried as soon as Donny answered my call.

"Calm down, my Alex. Wait for us, we're coming for you." pagpapatahimik sakin ni Donny.

"Lalayo tayo, pupunta tayo sa lugar na hindi mo na siya maaalala. Pakakawalan natin lahat don."