Play The Game (COMPLETED)

Epilogue

#PTGEpilogue Epilogue 

"Are you crying?" Joey asked. Mabilis akong nagpunas ng mga mata ko. Pero mas mabilis pa rin ang tawa niya. Biglang naramdaman ko na naka-tingin lahat ng bisita sa amin.

"Shut up."

But she didn't. Of course, why would she? Torturing me's one of her favorite pastime.

"Takot kang takbuhan ni Kitty?" she jested.

"She won't run," I replied. I was sure she wouldn't. It's been a long journey to get where we are now. Sobrang daming nangyari. Sobrang daming nasaktan. It's been a long time coming, but I am really glad that we're here now.

Getting married.

Fina-fucking-ly.

"So self-assured, Jax, huh? Parang dati lang kulang na lang iyakan mo ako para lang sabihan si Kitty na 'wag kang titigan nang titigan," she said, still in laughter. I was almost tempted to ask her to leave the church dahil hindi ako makapagconcentrate dahil sa pang-aasar niya. "Tapos—"

But all sounds were drowned when I heard the song being played. Natutok ang mga mata ko sa pagbubukas ng pinto.

Here she is... Finally...

I still couldn't believe how it all started.

"Happy birthday, Joey!"

Halos mabingi ako dahil sa sigaw ng mga kaibigan ni Joey. But I tried to smile. I shouldn't be rude. They're my sister's friends... no matter how loud they were.

I quickly shuffled to the table to get food. I just wanted to eat dinner and call it a day. Badtrip yata si Judge kanina kaya sinigawan kaming lahat. For three hours. Gusto ko na lang itulog 'to kasi wala naman din akong maiintindihan kahit mag-aral ako ngayon.

Habang pinupuno ko iyong plato ko, nagulat ako nung bigla akong kalabitin ni Joey. She held her hand out.

"Regalo ko?"

"Pagmamahal ko muna. Wala pa kong trabaho," sagot ko.

Inirapan niya ako. "Kuripot ka talaga!" she said. Binalik ko ulit iyong atensyon ko sa pagkain. 'Di kaya bangungutin ako sa dami ng kakainin ko tapos matutulog agad ako?

After I was contented with the content of my plate, papaakyat na sana ako nang tawagin na naman ni Joey iyong pangalan ko. Lumingon ako tapos medyo tinago ko sa likod ko iyong plato. Nakaka-hiya. Ang daming laman ng plato ko.

"Aakyat ka na?"

I nodded.

"Ugh. Kausapin mo naman friends ko!"

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Ano'ng sasabihin ko?"

She rolled her eyes. "I don't know. Try to be sociable? Alam mo ba feeling ng may friends?"

Inirapan ko rin siya. "I have friends."

"Iyong nagsasalita. Iyong tao. Books are not human, you know?"

Napailing na lang ako. Did she really think that I did not have friends? I have friends in school. I mean, we didn't do what Joey and her loud friends do because we didn't have the luxury of time... but they're my friends.

"Ewan ko sa 'yo," sabi ko na lang sa kanya tapos umakyat na talaga ako. I wondered kung hanggang ano'ng oras sila dito sa bahay. Pakiramdam ko kasi talaga may naiwan ako sa baba, kaya lang tinatamad na akong bumalik. Baka tuluyan na akong hatakin talaga ni Joey. Parang life goal niya na maging kaibigan ko iyong mga kaibigan niya. I just didn't like their idea of 'fun.' Laging nawawala sa bahay si Joey kasi biglang nasa ganitong lugar, sa ganyan na lugar. Pasalamat siya busy palagi parents namin kaya pinapabayaan lang siya.