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Thirty-three

-THIRTY-THREE-

Amilyte's POV

November 30 is Talia's birthday. Sa isang araw na pala yun yet wala pa kong gift sa kanya. Today, uuwi na ko sa bahay. My things were already packed.

I turned to know who's calling me. Pasakay na sana ako sa sasakyan para umuwi. My class ended and ayoko ng mag-stay pa sa school.

"Divine?"

"Pwede ba kitang makausap?" Tumango ako sa kanya at naglakad kami papunta sa isang ice cream parlor.

"Ami, may itatanong lang sana ko sayo kubg pwede lang. Parang layo na kasi kayo sa isa't isa. May problema ba kayo ni Xenon?"

"Hindi ba sinabi ni Xenon?"

"Ang ano?"

"We broke up."

"Akala ko kasi nag-jojoke sila. Sorry."

"That's okay. May iba naman na siyang gusto." My voice doesn't have any hint of bitterness in it. I'm so proud!

"Oh," was her reply.

"Hatid na kita?" I offered.

"Thank you. Sige." Sumakay kami sa kotse nila Sage. Sabi ko kay Sage magca-cab nalang ako pero ang kulit niya.

Sage is calling. Sinagot ko yung tawag niya. But it wasn't Sage. It was Tria's voice.

"Hey, bakit?"

"Ami, asan ka daw pinatatanong ni Sage." Sage can be a jerk sometimes. Ngayon ko lang narealize na ang unethical pala ng ginagawa ni Sage kay Tria. Nakakainis.

"I'm on my way home."

"Ah, sige yun lang daw. Bye!"

"Ano mararamdaman mo kung yung boyfriend mo pinatawag ka sa isang babae at pinatanong kung asan ka na?" I asked randomly.

"Mag-seselos syempre, bakit?"

"Nothing. I just thought of it."

"Kila Sage ka pa din ba?"

"Unfortunately pero uuwi na din ako mamay sa bahay. My parents are there already." My cousin Davi is there too, my inner self added.

"Salamat. Bye!"

Tria wasn't there when I got home. Pumanik ako sa kwarto and found the jerk lying shirtless on the bed.

"We need to talk. Tumayo ka diyan," I said with authority.

Instead of standing up, umupo siya sa kama.

"Fine, then. Let me tell you this. You're an ass! Why did you ask Tria to take call me? Are you really insane?" I said exasperatedly. Inis na inis na ko sa kanya ang careless niya.

"What's wrong with that? It's not like I'm Xenon. What we're doing isn't cheating. Alam naman ni Tria na magkaibigan tayo." He got me there. He did dare mention Xenon.

"Ang insensitive mo naman!" inis na inis na sabi ko.

"What?" he said, furrowing his brows.

"Look, Amilyte, Tria and I went to ups and downs in our relationship pero naayos namin. She's been in my crazy life for two years. She knows me and my friends. There's nothing to worry about. Like you, she knows me too well." Somehow it pained me. Sana hindi na ko nagsalita. Babalik na naman sakin. He eyed me carefully. Tumalikod ako at inayos yung iba kong gamit.

"When you lose your place, Lyte, she filled it up. Tria's not the stranger here anymore. Things already changed." I was thankful na tumalikod ako. Again, I shed a tear. It was kind of him not to say that I'm no longer part of the group, instead I was the stranger who invaded their peaceful life. I'm a monster who havoc their living. I was destructive.

I went inside the bathroom and silently cried. Am I expecting them to be soft again with me? Hindi ko na sila kilala. Nakalimutan ko kasi na may kanya kanya na kaming buhay. Hindi na nga pala ako kasali sa buhay niya. I was stupid to think that I still know Sage better than anybody else. May Tria na nga pala. I kicked out myself long ago that even I had forgotten it.

When I heard the door closed, lumabas na ko. I wiped my tears and picked my things.

Binaba ng driver namin yung maleta ko. I found Sage talking to Tria on the phone. How do I know? Nakangiti siya.

Maybe his maids would tell him. Bumaba na ko and was ready to leave the house.

"Buti nga at aalis ka na," Nanang Badeth told me.

Despite her disgust over me, I smiled and hugged her. Kasi baka bukas pag-gising ko, baka hindi ko na mabalik ang dati. Something big awaits for me. I am not shallow to know that I am slipping away from myself lalo na dumating pa si Davi.

Kusa siyang lumayo sakin at umalis.

"How about me?" I looked up and saw Sage opening his arms. I walked to him and returned his hug. It was warm and friendly.

"Thank you," I told him.

"Don't say that yet. Wala pa tayo sa 100 percent accomplish. We'll meet tomorrow, Lyte. Trust me," he murmured. I felt that he kissed me on top of my hair. I stepped away from him and walked towards the car.

Once home, I already found Davi on my room. Crap. She was holding a box full of photos of my friends: Sage, Bekah, Line, Carl, Richard, and Alder. Even Gie. I know that box like I know my name.

"What the heck are you doing here?" I told her virulently.

"Hi, my dear cousin," was her reply.

Inagaw ko sa kanya yung box.

"Oh, so violent. I was just looking at your old buddies if you don't mind."

"I do mind, Davi."

"Such a bitch you've become. I heard gossips that you'd changed hindi pa pala," she smirked.

I returned the gesture and hit my mean reply, "A bitch is a bitch like an apple to another apple. Magkakaiba lang ng variety but it's still an apple. Diba nga bitchiness runs in our blood?"

Davi hates it when I call her bitch; she loves it when she calls me that.

She sniggered as if she's not affected. I let it be and then I hugged her to death.

"Welcome back, honey. Enjoy your stay!" I faked a laugh and went out, leaving her stunned and petrified.

"Hey, mom. I already met Davi by the way. Bye," I told her on her way up.

"That's good! You girls have fun, okay?" My mom is playing innocent with me. Alam na alam naman niya na I loathe Davi yet she keeps on pushing her. I know her wicked plan already.

"Honey, by the way, Sage, Bekah, Davi and you will be having a charity party for the orphans on Saturday. Bring your friends too, alright?"

Crap. I thought I got enough of them these past few days. Ano namang gulo ang gagawin namin sa Saturday?