A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED

25 | straight girls

“Ano ba ‘yan, Momsie?” Pia complained.  “Kanina ka pa tingin ng tingin sa telepono mo.”

“Para kang hindi mapakali, na ewan,” Arylle added.

I put down my cell phone and went back to reading my books… maybe more like staring than reading.  Had one more exam before this semester will finally be over. 

Arylle grabbed the pen I was twirling in my fingers and dumped it on a pile of highlighters and colored pens.  “Deadmahin ba kami? Parang pader lang kausap namin,” she grumbled.

“Nag-aaral ‘yung tao,” I protested, flipping the pages of my book.  “Ayaw kong bumagsak sa Consti.  Ayaw ko ng bumalik sa klase ni Palma.”

“Nag-aaral daw,” Thirdy mumbled while reading his notes from his tablet.

“Titigilan niyo ba akong tatlo o hindi?” I protested.  I grabbed my phone again and checked if there were new messages.  Of course there was none. 

“Sino ang inaantay mo? ‘Yung taga-Ermita o ‘yung taga-España?” Laya butted in as she pulled a chair and placed her books on the table.

I slammed my book shut and took a serious look at all of them.  Arylle and Pia shifted their attention to their coffee.  Thirdy hid behind his notes. 

Laya stared back at me.  “Huwag mo akong igaya sa tatlong ito na nadadaan mo sa sindak,” she snapped at me.  “At huwag mo nang takutin si Thirdy, kasi matagal ng takot 'yan sa ‘yo... at hindi din siya ‘yung nagtsismis sa akin.  Sa dami ng kwento tungkol sa ‘yo na kumalat sa social media, totoo man o imbento, nagtataka ka pa na may alam ako.  Sinusundan ko din naman kayo sa Twitter, Instagram at FB kaya huwag ka ng magtaka kung may nasasagap man akong tsismis.”

Now, I knew what Jay felt whenever he got into Laya’s firing line.  She already rebutted all my arguments before I can say any of them.  “OA naman kasi ang concern niyo sa social life ko,” I whined.

“Hindi naman ‘yung social life mo ‘yung pinag-uusapan natin,” Arylle said.

“Baka ‘yung taga-Katipunan pa din ‘yung inaantay mo?” Pia blurted out and suddenly looked a little guilty after realizing what she said.

“Huwag nating pag-usapan ‘yun,” I sighed.  “I’m sure kinalimutan niya na ako.”    

“Type mo ba?” Thirdy mumbled while taking a forkful of the chocolate cake.

I looked at Thirdy, a little bit confused with what he was saying… and on the verge of getting annoyed for they were all ganging up on me.  “Sino?” I wondered who he was talking about.

“’Yung magandang sexy na malakas uminom,” he replied as if giving clues to a riddle.

Pia was staring at Thirdy with one brow raised and a sneer.

He smiled apologetically at Pia.  “Hindi ko siya type,” Thirdy said defensively.  “Tinatanong ko lang si Neta.”

“Pero sexy at maganda?” I taunted.

Thirdy hesitated, now he was the one on the hot seat.  “Nakakakita naman ako at marunong tumingin kahit papano.  Maganda naman talaga at sexy.  Pero hindi ko talaga type.” 

“Ibig mong sabihin, hindi sexy at maganda si Pia kasi siya type mo?” I paraphrased his answer.

He was now scratching his head and was even more confused.  He was looking at Pia who not only had her brows raised but was tapping her fingers on the table as well impatiently waiting for Thirdy’s reply.