State of Grace

Chapter Twenty-Four :)

Jake:

Paakyat na ako ulit sa kwarto ni Kim nang makasalubong ko si Jeremy.

"Huy!" I call him. "San punta mo?"

"Pupuntahan ko lang girlfriend ko." Sabi n'ya. "Ikaw na muna bahala kay Kim"

"Sige, bro. Ingat ka."

Umakyat na ako sa kwarto ni Kim..

"Baby?" I call her. Wala kasi s'ya sa kwarto.

"Kim? Where are you?" Sabi ko. I looked around the room. Kim's not here, but I heard someone crying. It was inside the closet.

I knocked on the closet door. "Kim?" Binuksan ko yung pinto and I caught her sniffing and wiping her tears away.

"Hey." Umupo ako sa tabi n'ya. "What happened?"

She shook her head and smiled. "Wala to."

"Sigurado ka? You can tell me what's wrong, baby"

She smiled. Again. "I'm okay. Ano pinagusapan n'yo ni lola?"

"Sabi n'ya alagaan daw kita." I told her. "Mahal na mahal ka ng lola mo."

"Yeah. She tells everyone that I'm--"

"The daughter she never had." I continue.

She chuckled. "You gotta love a New York grandma."

"You're a lot like her."

"Sometimes I wish I wasn't."

Tumahimik kami. Hinawakan ko yung kamay n'ya and pressed it on my cheek.

"Jake." She calls me.

"Hmmm?"

She heaved a sigh. "You never told me about Janella."

Ha? "Si Janella? Baby, inside joke lang ng team yun kay Jeremy."

"And you."

I'm shocked. How did she know?

"She dumped you." Sabi n'ya. "Why?"

I sighed. "Because she likes Jeremy." I lowered my head. "Kaya ayun."

"Are you guys still best friends?" Tanong n'ya.

"No. Hindi na namin naibalik e."

Tumahimik s'ya. I looked at her. "How did you know?"

"Jeremy told me." Sabi n'ya. She faked a smile.

"Is that why you were crying?"

She smirked. "I guess... I guess I got a little jealous."

"What?" Tanong ko. Did I hear that right?

"I mean... We keep talking about her. Niloloko natin s'ya kay Jeremy, tapos yun pala may past kayo."

I chuckled. I took her hand I was holding and kissed the back of her palm. "Wala na yun. Hindi naman naging kami. Na friendzone lang ako."

She shivered, and I felt that. "Bakit?"

She shook her head.

I grinned. I wrap my arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to me.

"I love you." I told her. "And you're the only one who made me feel this way."

She looks at me. "Really?"

"Yes. Janella? I liked her, but everything changed when I met you."

"Are you saying that to make me feel better?"

I laughed. "No, baby. I said those because it's true. I love you."