Rebound

22nd REBOUND

22nd REBOUND

"Andito lang pala kayo!" Ara sighed in relief as she found Mika and Kiefer sagging against each other.

"Ano yan?" She asked as she pointed the geriatric cookie box Mika was holding.

Mika and Kiefer smiled at her and then chuckled. "It's a time capsule best." Mika replied plainly and Ara raised an eyebrow at her.

"Diba yan yung bata kanina sa album?" Ara squealed as she bent down towards Mika and took the old and dusty photograph she was holding a while ago.

Ara scrutinized the photo and arched her brow. She examined the picture and then diverted her attention from the photo to Kiefer. She did this a couple of times, alternating her gaze...

"Parang magkamukha kayo!" Ara divulged, placing the photo near Kiefer's face for a better angle of comparison.

Mika chuckled exuberantly at Ara's statement while Kiefer chuckled along in a wary manner.

"May katok ka talaga Ars! Pero, oo nga ano? Magkamukha nga kayo Kief!" Mika exclaimed as she laughed even harder.

"Andyan lang pala kayo!" Someone exclaimed and the owner of the voice came out to be Gretchen who was carrying Bryx, followed by Nico.

Mika beamed at them and waved  in a puerile manner. "Hello Dichi! Hello Kuya! Hello Baby!"

"Anong ginagawa niyo dito?" Nico asked as he crossed his arms on his chest and raised an eyebrow.

Ara stood up hastily and went to Gretchen and Nico's side, "Oo nga!" She seconded as she flashed a questioning look.

"Aaaah cookie!" Bryx shrieked as he pointed at the empty and geriatric cookie box. "Awwe, di niyo ko tinirhan!" He added as he pouted cutely, Gretchen had to pinch and embed small kisses on his cheek because of this.

"So bakit nga kayo nandito?" Nico asked again as Mika and Kiefer exchanged looks. "You know what guys, namasyal lang naman kami ni Miks!" Kiefer replied as the three sarcastically bobbed their heads vehemently. "Namasyal...hindi niyo kami isasama?" Ara asked as both Mika and Kiefer flustered.

"Tama na yan Ars, hayaan na lang natin yan sila, tara na!" Nico said as the three of them turned their backs, "Oy! Saan kayo Kuya?" Mika asked as she stood up and ran after them.

"Sa falls, sama kayo ni Kief? Or you want some time alone?" Nico asked flashing a mischievous smile at her, Mika had to biff his arm playfully and roll her eyes. "Kief sama tayo sa kanila dali!" Mika called up as Kiefer immediately followed.

They were on their way to the falls when they saw a group of girls giggle at the sight of Kiefer and Nico, "Si Salva at Ravena yun diba? Gosh ang gwa-gwapo!" One of the girls whispered audibly, loud enough for all of them to hear.

Gretchen and Mika immediately exchanged looks as they pulled the boys closer to them in a possessive manner. Nico and Kiefer both chuckled at their girls' actions. "Ang possessive ng mga kasama natin Paps!" Kiefer divulged as he high-fived Nico.

"Oh! Sige dun ka na lang!" Mika exclaimed in an abrasive manner as he nudged Kiefer so hard that he staggered backwards. "Ikaw, gusto mo rin magpa-iwan dun?!" Gretchen asked Nico who vehemently shook his head in aghast.

"Tara na nga Miks!" Gretchen exclaimed irritably as she and Mika walked ahead of the three. Ara was still chuckling at the contretemps and didn't even dare to help the boys who were nailed on their feet and left flabbergasted.

***

"Yay! Are we going to take a bath?" Bryx asked them, the moment he heard the blare of the water engendered by the falls. "Do you know how to swim?" Ara asked Bryx who zealously bobbed his head in response.

"AKO ANG MAUUNA!" Kiefer yelled as he plummeted into the cold waters. "KIEFER!" Everybody yelled as the impact of Kiefer's canonball made all of them wet. "Cool canonball!" Bryx exclaimed, being the cheerful child that he is.

"Mika!" Kiefer called as he took his shirt off, "CATCH!" He added as he tossed his shirt to Mika. "Here 'ya go Babe!" Nico said as he did the same to Gretchen and dove into the falls!

"MGA WALANG MODO!" Gretchen and Mika screamed in unison as both of them flushed dark red due to anger.

"Sorry Baby!" Nico apologized as he winked at Gretchen. Mika didn't fail to notice this as she squealed and nudged Gretchen by the arm.

"Kanina pa yan Babe ng Babe, kayo na ulit?" Mika interrogated as Gretchen turned crimson red. 

"Hindi noh." Gretchen plainly replied as Mika snickered. "Mahal mo pa?" Mika asked again and Gretchen's world froze.

"Tito Nico I'm coming!" Bryx exclaimed as he ran towards the two. "Nics, ang bata paki-bantayan!" Gretchen admonsihed, receiving a nod in response.

"Ano?" Mika asked as Gretchen stared blankly at her. "Syempre naman." Gretchen replied sheepishly and Mika shrieked in delight.

"Kayo ni Kief? Ano na status niyo?" It was Gretchen's time now to ask questions. "Ba't napunta sa'min ang usapan?" Mika asked warily.

"Asus! Sagot na!" Gretchen teased as she saw Mika fluster. "Exclusively dating." Mika replied and Gretchen smirked at her.

"Mahal mo bang talaga?" Gretchen asked her and Mika was caught off guard by that question. Gretchen immediately folded her into a warm embrace. "I knew it." she whispered.

"Am I a user?" Mika asked as she wiped the tears that flowed from her eyes. "What's your basis?" Gretchen asked as she tapped Mika's head.

"I just want to be happy, may masama ba dun?" Mika asked as she broke free from their hug and twiddled with her fingers. "Walang masama sa pagha-hangad na maging masaya Mika. Ang masama lang dun, ay yung handa kang manakit ng iba upang ikaw ay lumigaya." Gretchen replied sternly and they were both enveloped with silence.

"So rebound lang ako dito?" A voice spoke up and Mika's eyes broadened. "K-Kief?" She mustered as she instinctively turned around and faced him.

"Hanggan kailan Mika?" Kiefer asked. He harshly wiped his tears that are free-falling from his eyes and recomposed himself. "A-Anong hanggang kailan?" Mika asked. Her voice hoarse and her knees trembling.

"Hanggang kailan mo ako gustong gamitin?" Kiefer asked serenely as Mika fell onto her knees. Gretchen and Nico had to pick her up and comfort her. "Kief..." Mika started as she looked for the right words to say. "I didn't mean to."

"Isang tanong, isang sagot Mika. May nararamdaman ka ba sa'kin?" Kiefer asked as he looked down at Mika who was at Gretchen and Nico's solace. "Kief.." Mika mentioned his name in between her sobs and the next few lines by Kiefer hurted her the most.

"Thank you Mika. Thank you for breaking my heart." He exclaimed and then he finally left.

***

Gretchen Teng's POV

I offered to wash the dishes as Tita Baby had some errands to fix in the resort, kami lang at ang mga maids ang naiwan dito and I think she'll be staying there for the night. I was already placing the kitchen implements back to the cupboard when Ara walked in.

"Si Mika?" I asked, as I watched her help herself with a glass of water. "Tulog na Ate." She replied and I nodded my head in response. "Iyak pa rin ba ng iyak?" I asked as Ara fell silent.

"Oo eh, naaawa nga ako!" She replied and I expelled a heavy breath. "Si Kiefer?"

"Tulog na rin ata"

"Alam mo, hindi ko masisisi si Mika. All she wanted was to be happy, true happiness, something she didn't found on Shoti." I said as Ara sat on one of the chairs in the kitchen area.

"Alam ko. But we can't deny na mali yung ginawa niya. And I feel really bad right now, I knew what she was up to, but I tolerated her. Nag-backfire tuloy." She replied.

"Ako nga rin eh, hinayaan ko na lang kasi akala ko mahuhulog din siya kay Kiefer. It was way too early, we were so careless kasi kanina eh, ewan ko ba, bigla ko na lang tinanong yun sa kanya." I divulged. Feeling a little bit bad as well. If only hindi ko yun tinanong kay Mika, baka sakaling hindi ito hahantong sa ganito.

"Pero feeling ko Ate alam talaga ni Kief na rebound lang siya dito. Parang confirmation na lang yung kanina." Ara remarked and we were enveloped with silence again.

I sighed before I looked at her and smiled, "Kawawa naman yung bata na yun! Sobrang seryoso pa naman niya kay Mika."

"Kaya nga Ate, kaso alam mo naman yang si Mika, baliw na baliw talaga dyan sa kapatid mo." She confided and I expelled a heavy breath again.

"Pero matatanda na naman sila eh, they'll be able to sort this one out." I divulged and Ara bobbed her head lightly.

"Eh ikaw? Kumusta love life mo?" I asked and she immediately flushed bright red. "Ate ano ba?!"

"Anong ano ba? Wala naman akong sinasabing si ano ah!" I joshed, stifling my laugh.

Ara's eyebrows immediately furrowed and she immediately narrowed her eyes at me, "Eh ikaw ate? Kumusta love life mo?" She retorted.

"Andun sa taas, parang tulog na yata!" I replied confidently and she squealed in delight. "Kayo na ulit?"

"Not yet."

I immediately saw the disappointment written all over her face, she pouted and said, "Will you be going back to him?"

"I promised him. Pero wala akong magagawa kung wala na akong babalikan." I replied in a gloomy manner.

"That will never happen!" A voice retorted and I immediately noticed the tall guy standing right behind Ara. Ang tatangkad talaga ng lahi nila nakakainis.

"Ahhh, excuse me lang ah." Ara shrieked and immediately went out of vicinity.

Ang awkward nito ah, I thought. I looked at him directly in the eye and he lowered his gaze, "Alam mong hindi totoo yun."

"Ang alin?" I dumbly asked.

"Na wala ka nang babalikan sa'kin." He clarified and I heard myself sigh. Mahirap talaga pag kausap mo na ang ex mo. Preoccupied lagi, I'm always spacing out when I'm with him.

"Akala ko tulog ka na." I divulged, changing the topic. "Hinintay kita."

"Bakit?"

"It seems like we'll be sleeping in the same room tonight." He exclaimed and my chinky eyes broadened.

"Why?"

"Kief barricaded and locked the door. He won't let me in." He confided and I strode hastily towards the staircase.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"I'll just check kung ni-lock ni Ara at Mika ang pinto!" I answered as I trudged my way to our room. I tried to turn the knob and I was damn right.

"See? We'll be sleeping together. But if you're not comfortable with that, I can sleep in the living room." He offered and I shook my head in response.

"Okay lang." I replied sternly and he immediately perked up.

"Tulog na tayo?"

"Tara." I plainly replied as I walked ahead of him.

***

"Gusto mo sa baba na lang ako?"  He asked the moment we arrived at our room.

I had to think twice before answering his inquiry, I looked at him and caught him watching intently at me. "Dito na lang tayo sa taas, kasya naman tayo dito eh!" I exclaimed as I reached for a pillow and placed it in the center.

He looked at the boundary that I placed and I heard him huff sadly, "Good night," He coldly divulged as he laid down at the other side of the bed.

"Good night." I replied as I planted a small peck on his left cheek. I can tell that my kiss caught him off guard, and I felt my face flare. Bad move!

"Ang taba ko na!" I groaned in annoyance after five minutes of silence and I heard him bury his face under the pillow.

"Bakit ka conscious? May pinapa-gandahan ka ba?" He inquired, his voice slurry that it almost felt like it was a mumble.

I was dumbfounded and lost at his words, that was an arbitrary and a random thought that I voiced out!

After a few minutes of silence, he hopped out of bed and crossed his arms at me, impatiently waiting for my answer.

"Ano Gretch? May gusto ka na bang iba?" He asked again and I couldn't help but look at him, his eyebrows were furrowed and his jaws were clenched.

"Wala ah!" I replied vehemently and arched my brow.

"Ang taba mo na nga!" He confided and he chuckled. Ang sakit nun, I mean, he always tease me but that felt sweet, ngayon, his tone was in an abrasive manner!

"Gusto mo tulungan kitang pumayat?" He asked as if it was a mock.

"No, ayokong mag-gym sa ngayon!" I replied as I dove into the bed.

"Hindi naman through gym eh!" He clarified. I looked at him and cocked a brow, "Then through what?" I asked irritably.

I saw him smile ominously as he scrutunized me from head to foot. His stares were the malagkit type and that sent chills down my spine. His stares went up and up until it stopped in the chest region.

I immediately got his point as a curse rolled out of my tounge. "You perv!" I exclaimed as I plunged towards him and strangled him.

The idiot was chuckling while I was busy dettaching his nose from his face, if that was even possible. "What?! It burns 69 calories each session! I'll help you burn hundreds a day if you'll let me!" He remarked.

"Tumahimik ka nga!" I exclaimed as I made him face me. But I was shocked when I saw tears, falling from his eyes.

He flashed a sad smile and I felt my heart constrict painfully at the sight of him crying.

"I missed you a lot!" He confided as he planted a small kiss on my forehead. My heart lurched and it beated erratically because of his kiss.

"N-Nico..." I uttered his name as I wiped the tears from his eyes.

"I missed you a lot princess. Nababaliw na ako kaka-isip kung kailan ka babalik, o kung babalik ka pa ba." He confided as I felt tears rushing down my cheeks.

"Ssshh, don't cry..." He added as he wiped my tears.

He tightened his arms around me and it felt like home...

End of Gretchen Teng's POV

***

Mika Reyes' POV

Hindi ako makatulog! What happened earlier baffled me. It's official, tapos na ang pagpa-panggap! Alam na niyang rebound lang siya at wala akong mukhang maiharap sa kanya. I guess karma is too fast for me.

I went to the terrace and I stared aimlessly at the sky. I find solace in them, I feel like they're always here for me, when nobody else was.

The stars remind me so much of Dad whenever I see them, I always see Dad up there. Watching over me, smiling back at me. That's why I love them so much...

"Hindi ka rin makatulog?" A voice spoke up. It felt like it was coming from the duyan.

My body felt rigid and I didn't want to look at the owner of the voice. Boses pa lang, kilalang-kilala ko na.

"Mika..." He called and I felt my heart lurch. I instinctively turned to look at where the voice was coming from and I saw him flash a sad smile at me.

"K-Kief..." I called stuttering.

"Pwede ba tayong mag-usap?" He asked, it was more like a desperate plead to me. I immediately sat beside him as I waited for him to speak up.

"Sorry..." We uttered in unison and I was shocked. Hindi niya naman kailangang mag-sorry, wala siyang kasalanan.

"Sorry I overreacted earlier." He added and I felt a pang on the chest. He is really a great guy.

"No, sorry! Sorry dahil ginamit kita." I confided as I heard him expel a deep breath.

"Inaamin kong nasaktan ako, sobrang sakit talaga nung nalaman ko yun!" He mustered as I saw tears falling from his eyes.

"Sorry Kief..." That was all I could ever muster as I felt guilt all  over me.

"Okay lang, but may I know kung ano yung reason mo? Kung bakit mo nagawa yun?" He asked and I froze.

Ang selfish naman kung sasabihin ko sa kanyang he was just an instrument that I believe can aid me with moving on. Ang selfish kung sasabihin kong ginamit ko siya para sumaya, pero anong magagawa ko? Yun ang totoo.

"Sorry." I uttered again and I felt like a jerk. He wiped my tears and draped his arms around me. He tightened his hug and for the first time, apart from the stars, I felt solace in his arms.

"You don't need to answer that question. I understand." He whispered as I felt him kiss my head.

"Sorry Kief!" I said as I returned the hug. He was already patting my back in a comforting manner. 

"It's okay. But Mika, isang tanong na lang, and I want you to answer this question honestly." He exclaimed and my eyes immediately widened. My heart started throbbing inside my chest as I waited for him to utter a single word.

"Can you assure me that you'll be happy if I'll be your rebound? Magiging masaya ka ba?" He asked and I felt my whole world stop. Magiging masaya nga ba ako?

"B-Bakit?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Kasi kung kapalit ng pagiging rebound ko ang kasiyahan mo, papayag ako. Papayag akong maging rebound mo, maging masaya ka lang. That is how I love you, Mika Aereen Salva Reyes..." He confided and I tightened my arms around him even more.

***

Author's Note

Sorry to keep you waiting folks and sorry for this lame and awful chapter. I hope you'll still give me votes and comments for this. God Bless!

Twitter: @victoriakleign | Ask.fm/coolspikerrr