Behind Those Smiles

Chapter 40: I choose you

"Because I still love you."

I quickly turned my back on him after he said that because I didn't know what to feel. Yes, I still do love him but telling me that he still loves me won't solve everything. Ang gulo, sobrang gulo. He has a new girlfriend pero sasabihin niyang mahal niya pa rin ako. Pinaglalaruan mo ba ako, Javier?

"Are you okay?" Joe asked me when I got back in our table, "Para kang nakakita ng multo ah."

"Nahilo lang ako sa perfume nung kasabay ko mag-CR." I lied. No one should know about it. Well, except Tyler and Camille.

"You want to go home na ba?" he asked again, eyeing me from head to toe. He wasn't conviced with my answer, "You don't look fine eh."

"Okay lang ba?" I asked him back, "The party's not over yet. Baka hanapin ka dito."

"Actually, Jave texted me few minutes ago, he wanted to go home already." he replied, "We talked this morning, sabi niya sabay daw siya sa'tin pauwi."

My jaw dropped. Si Javi sasabay sa'min pauwi?!

"Ganon ba? Sige, I'll just take a cab." I said, gathering my stuff on the table.

"What? No." Joe objected, "I'll drive you home. I know you're not comfortable with Jave right now but you have to deal with his presence. You can't avoid him forever."

I heaved out a long sigh, "Oo na. Tara na."

Joe and I walked to the parking side by side. When we got there, Javi was leaning on Joe's car, his hands were inside his pocket.

"Good that you're here already." Joe casually said, "Let's go."

Joe opened the front seat door for me before he made his way to the driver's seat, while Javi, he sat at the backseat.

When Joe started the engine, he received a text message notification from his younger brother, Jordi.

"Sabay din daw si Jordi." Joe said, looking at his phone, "Puntahan ko lang sa hall, ayaw daw paalisin ni Juan eh akala tatakas lang siya. I'll be quick."

Hindi na ako nakasagot, lumabas na kasi siya agad. Oh, this is so awkward. Javi and me inside the car. Feeling ko nasu-suffocate ako, parang sobrang liit nung sasakyan para sa'ming dalawa.

"Kayo na ba?" Javi suddenly asked me. He was seated behind me.

"Why do you care?" I asked back.

"Just answer my question, please."

"No." I simply replied, "Wag mo ako itulad sa'yo na may kapalit agad agad."

"She's not my gilfriend." Javi retorted, "She's just a friend."

I rolled my eyes even though I know he won't see it. Why is he even telling me that? What I needed from him was his explanation, why he suddenly left me...

"Okay."

I felt Javi opened the door. Bahala siya kung mag walk out siya, wala naman akong sinabi na mali sakanya.

Just when I thought he walked out, the door beside me abruptly opened. Javi grabbed me by my wrist and pulled me closer to him. I almost stumbled. Hello, nakaheels ako kung mahila siya sa'kin.

"Ano ba?!" I shouted, pushing him away from me. But he was stronger than me.

Javi enveloped me in his arms, he made sure that I couldn't escape from him, "Mahal na mahal kita, Kassandra."

I was stunned. I didn't expect to hear those words from him. I've been trying my very best to understand him pero hindi ko talaga magawa. Last time, he was acting like I didn't mean anything to him and then now, he was acting like he wanted me to stay. What does he really want?