Chasing Ms. Trouble [Tagalog]

Chapter Nine

S U E

"Papagalitan talaga tayo ni tita nito" I rolled my eyes sa kulelat na kasama ko. Justine sure is an innocent sheep. "Hoy, parents ko naman sila diba? Why do you care so much about them" Saad ko habang nag lalakad kami sa may beach side. Yeah, turns out we're in Batangas.

"I care about what they would think about me, grabe lang kasi tiwala nila—" I cut him short before looking at him in the eye.

"Alam mo Justine, if you continue to give a fuck about what other people think about you, when will you start living your life for yourself?" Saad ko. Hindi naman siya umimik and that's my cue. Lumakad ako patungo sa isang convenience store and sumunod naman siya saakin.

"Good evening, mamser!"

I went to the corner of the aisle where the drinks were and glance at the man who was picking out chocolate. "You drink?" Justine looked at me and the can of beer that I was holding. He looks disgusted and I assume he doesn't but then nagsalita siya

"I do, but I'm not fond of the idea drinking out in public" Saad niya. Figures, the last thing I'll ever expect from this guy is for him to drink inside a bar with his friends. Tutal who am I to judge him? Kung ako nga din naman. I do drink sa bar or sa resto with Erika and some of my cousins but I hate it. Ang daming bastos at mga taong hindi marunong mag 'mind their own business' kung sabihin na natin.

"I guess you could say we're the same"I said as I grab 10 cans of beer. Nanlaki naman ang mata ni Justine nung nakita niyang sunod sunod ako dumukot. He immediately stopped from getting another one.

"Oy ano mag papakamatay ka ba?" I scoffed. "What do you mean? Tag-lima tayo" He grabbed the 5 cans from my hands.

"Isa saakin, dalawa sayo. Mag mamaneho pa ako noh!" Bulyaw ni Justine. Sumimangot ako.

"We're not staying in?"

"At saan naman ha?"

"A hotel maybe— or maybe a motel kasi mas cheaper siya, I think?" Natawa ako pag-masdan ang gulat na ekspresyon ni Justine. "Are you kidding me?"

"Slight?"

"Ano na lang iisipin nila" There he goes again. Ano ba kasi paki niya sa mga sabi-sabi ng tao. At the end of the day, they won't even remember our faces if we're spotted sa motel.

"Why are you losing your shit? It's not like may gagawin tayo? It's still a place to stay" I gave him my reasons and he still can't believe these things. Napangiti ako nung mahuli ko namumula ang tenga ni Justine.

"W-wala nga pero isipin mo, we're drunk and then in a motel? Hello? Red flag" Sabi niya with his crazy hand gestures. Aw, he looks cute acting so shy— don't get me wrong. Cute lang talaga siya, parang tuta ganun? Oo, cute na hayop.

"Justine, nothing will happen if you don't make a move—" Nabigla siya.

"Oi! Excuse me, ako agad? Do I have to remind you, you're the wild one here baka ikaw pag yung maka-ano saakin niyan" Saad niya. Nandiri naman kaming parehas. I walked past him going to the chips aisle.

"Kapal ng mukha mo" Saad ko. Ako pa talaga? Yes, I'm wild when I get drunk but not to the point I'll do something to him. Feeling niya naman papatulan ko siya. Kahit mawala ako sa katinuan, he'll always be Justine to me. That annoying man who won't leave me alone. "Where are the rest of the cans?" Sabi ko nung nakita kong wala na siyang dala.

"I put them back. Three is enough" getting two more from my hands. I tried to take it back.

"I want to get wasted"