Finding Mister Right

Chapter 6

Tatlong araw na since umalis si Gregory kasama si Bianca. She was hoping that Gregory would ring her or send her a message but none of it happened. She is losing him, she can sense it. "How can you lose someone who was never yours in the first place?" lagi niya itong sinasabi sa kanyang sarili when she is feeling down. She has to carry on without him mahirap man pero pilit niyang maging masaya para hindi maka-sense ang mga barkada nila na apektado talaga siya. That's the hardest part, to act happy, to fake a smile, to creat an imaginary happiness. Pagkatapos ng work nila that day, nagyaya sina Liz, Irene, Manolo, at Vince na mag-coffee sa Coffee Pod; isa sa paborito nilang tambayan after work. Tahimik kasi doon, hindi kasing over-crowded ng sikat na Starbucks.

Kanya-kanya silang order ng coffee at cakes. As usual kinukulit na naman ni Manolo si Clarisse.

"Di ka ba nagseselos? I think nagkabalikan na ang dating mag love birds..." sabi ni Manolo, kinurot ito ni Irene sa tagiliran.

"Manolo ang kulit mo, can you stop it?" saway ni Irene.

"No..... no... I am am not jealous." Her face turned red and she just burst into tears. "I am dying right now."

"Hala ka Manolo! tingnan mo, umiyak tuloy si Clarisse.... are you ok?" sabi ni Liz.

Natahimik silang lahat while Clarisse was sobbing. She can't hold it anymore nasasaktan na siya. Nabibigatan siya sa sekretong tinatago niya.

"Guys, there is something I've been meaning to tell you, pero hindi ko nasabi dahil I don't think it is appropriate and I don't think any of you will approve it." Nagtinginan ang mga magkakaibigan. "Gregory and I are hiding something from you... we were doing something that we should not be doing... we... ummm we are secretly seeing each other and we had sex numerous times, pero hindi naging kami... parang friends with benefits lang..."

Nagulat silang lahat, sa gulat ni Manolo sa narinig niya, napasuntok siya sa coffee table mabuti na lang at sila lang ang customer sa mga oras na iyon. The usual pinakalma na naman ni Irene ang mainit na ulo ni Manolo.

"How can he do this to you? I am sorry, biro-biro lang yung pang-aalaska ko sa iyo Clarisse but I did not expect na may ginagawa pala kayong milagro ni Gregory. Why did you let him?" Namumula sa galit si Manolo. "If nandito lang siya, susuntukin ko siya." Si Manolo ay panganay sa tatlong magkakapatid, puro babae ang mga kapatid nito kaya ganito siya maka-react sa nangyari kina Gregory at Clarisse.

"So ibig sabihin... he is the first guy that you ever slept with?"Tanong ni Liz at tumango lamang si Clarisse dahil hindi na siya makapagsalita. "Wow! the nerve of that guy, tapos ganito lang? you settled to be his fucking buddy? Ang kapal ng mukha niya."

"Clarisse... I am sorry pero pasampal." sinampal siya ni Irene and she did not care, she can't feel any physical pain right now. "I thought I was wrong about you... akala ko you've pulled your shit together and finally gave up on chasing men online pero yun pala nagself-destruct ka na with the help of Gregory. Bakit mo sinisira ang sarili mo? Why???"Umiiyak si Irene at niyakap si Clarisse.

Si Vince ay di nakuhang magsalita, galit ito at nahalata iyon ni Clarisse.

"Guys huwag kayong magalit kay Gregory, it takes two to tango, ginusto ko ito, pinili ko ito, he did not ask me to be his fuck buddy, I suggested it... I wanted it."

"Ginusto mo? and he did not stop you? OMG my head is just spinning right now." sabi ni Irene. "We need to do something... we can't let this end like this..."

"So if pinili mo nga na makipaglaro lang kay Gregory bakit parang namatayan ka?" Tanong ni Manolo.

"I love him." at humagulgol na siya.