Back From Beginning #WATTYS2020 (Next Cycle Playlist #1)

XXIX

Back From Beginning
Chapter Twenty-Nine

Umalis muna si Noah para makihalubilo sa ibang artista. At least now I know, there still are artists who would actually socialize with other artists during a banquet.

"Look at your guy talking with some great people there." bulong sa akin ni Ria.

I looked at where Noah is. Napangiti nalang ako nang nakita kong kausap niya ang mga bigating direktor sa showbiz.

"He really knows how to woo the gods of showbiz huh?"

Natawa nalang ako sa sinabi ni Ria. Somehow, I feel like I'm Noah's real girlfriend. I don't even know how being Noah's real girlfriend actually feel like, maybe it somehow feels like this?

"Julia..."

Nagulat ako sa tumawag sa akin, but Ria's wide smile neutralized the awkward atmosphere.

"There you are! I thought we'll never see you tonight." bati ni Ria kay Enzo.

Umupo sa tabi ni Ria si Enzo. Her partner is somewhere, socializing with the other artists.

Nginitian ko naman siya kahit na medyo awkward. I remembered what happened when he and Noah almost got in a fight.

"Can I borrow Julia for a while?"

Nagkatinginan kami ni Ria. By instinct, I looked at where I last saw Noah pero wala na siya doon.

"B-But Enzo... si Noah—" Ria awkwardly protested.

"For all we know he's with somebody else right now. I just want to say something to Julia, kung okay lang."

Ria wanted to disagree again but I nodded at her. Nagulat rin ako sa tono ni Enzo but I guess it's just simple talk, there's no harm in that. At saka, hindi naman siguro sila mag-aaway ni Noah dito, knowing they're in a friggin' banquet.

Tumayo na ako at sumama kay Enzo. Ramdam ko pa rin ang pagpoprotesta ni Ria but she failed to stop me.

Sumunod ako kay Enzo hanggang sa nakalagpas na kami sa table ng mga pagkain. He led me outside the hall, near the opening of the balcony where we can feel the evening wind.

"You look beautiful..." panimula niya.

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin. I can't handle Enzo's honesty that much. Ni hindi ko alam kung may gusto ba talaga sa akin ito or assumption ko lang yun. But either way, we both know he can't like me. Everyone knows Noah and I are in a relationship. I am in a relationship with Noah, his bandmate!

"I'm sorry again about last time, alam kong hindi—"

"It's okay Enzo, like I said, we're okay." I smiled at him para malaman niyang okay lang talaga ako sa nangyari noon... as long as they don't fight again because of me.

"And in case you forgot, nakalimutan ko ring magpasalamat sa'yo sa pagtulong kay Suzie."

Ngumiti siya kaya medyo gumaan ang pakiramdam ko.

"She deserves to be helped." simpleng sagot niya.

Naging awkward nanaman ulit ang paligid namin. Silence ate us up. Ni hindi ko alam kung bakit naaawkward na ako sa kanya ngayon. We used to be close friends, for pete's sake. I already established a good friendship with him and Ria.

"Do you love him?"

I was taken aback by his question. Napalunok ako dahil doon.

"W-What... of course Enzo! I love Noah, boyfriend ko siya."