lies // ricci rivero

68

"What are you doing here? Ricci, it's 3am!" Someone has been ringing the doorbell for about some time now, parang kakatulog ko lang tapos someone is ringing the doorbell na and I have school tomorrow.

"Ricci, it's a school day, go home."

"I'm sorry, I'm an asshole, I know." He is drunk, I can tell, amoy alak siya eh.

"Lasing ka pa. Okay na tayo, diba? Hay, pumasok ka na nga, you are obviously too drunk to drive. Paano ka pa ba nakarating dito?" I sat him down the sofa and went to the kitchen to give him some water.

"Told the tricycle driver to take me to the place of the love of my life." Obviously he is really really drunk.

"Oh, edi sana dinala ka niya sa condo ni Anna, bakit nandito ka?" I asked and sat down the sofa next to him and looked at him.

He placed my hair behind my ear. "That's you, baby! You're the love of my life," He said and smiled.

"Alam mo, sana lagi ka na lang lasing, para I'm the love of your life, para lambingin mo ako. Para ako lang gusto mo, ako lang ang mahal mo, but, we both know that the moment you sober up or the moment you wake up, hindi na ulit ganito..." Tears started to flow in my eyes and I didn't stop it.
"The moment na you're sober, you're cold again, hindi ka na malambing, hindi na ako ang gusto mo, at hindi na ako ang mahal mo. I Love You so much that I'm willing to take what you can give. Matulog ka na nga ang drama ko na." I said and wiped my tears with my hands.

"I'm sorry if you feel that way." He said and I smiled.

"Come on, let's sleep, we have classes pa later," I said and helped him stood up from the sofa.

Pag-pasok ko sa kwarto hiniga ko na siya sa kama at pumunta naman ako sa closet ko to look if may spare clothes siya dito.
"You still have spare clothes here, oh, use this muna" I said and gave him his clothes.

Kinuha naman niya agad at naghubad sa harap ko. "God! Di man lang sinabi na magbibihis na." Tumalikod ako at hinayaan ko lang siya magbihis.

"Bukas ko na yan susuotin, di na ako uuwi. I sleep shirtless, mas comfortable. Let's sleep?" He said at humiga naman na ako sa tabi niya, naka-talikod kami sa isa't-isa at nawala na rin yung antok ko. Damn this guy for waking me up at 3am.

I felt the bed moved and it was because humarap si Ricci sa akin, I didn't mind, not until I felt his arms snaked his arms around my waist.

"Cci, matulog ka na!" I demanded him.

"I can't sleep"

"Close your eyes, gago" I said and closed my eyes, ako lang ata sumunod sa sinabi ko sa kanya.

"Let's skip school," He said and I can feel his hot breath on my neck.

"Hindi pwede, you have trainings, I need my sablay, I need to be a cum laude, at least, so kahit anong oras pa tayo magising bukas, papasok tayo." I said and closed my eyes.

"Okay, fine, pasalamat ka mahal kita," He said.

"Gago ka, matulog ka na."

I tried my best to sleep pero ang hirap pala, I just used my phone to help me fall asleep.

"Raffy, matulog ka na" Ricci said. "Oh bakit gising ka pa? Akala ko tulog ka na." I asked. Tinanggal niya ang kamay niya sa bewang ko and I sat down. It is now 4:00 am and we both need to sleep.

"I can't sleep," He said and also sat down.

"Diba dapat mas makatulog ka at lasing ka?" I said and put my head on his shoulder and put his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him.

"Yeah but ewan hindi ako makatulog" He said.

"I'm sorry, for giving you a lot of shits, for making you cry, for making you skip school for a week para lang hindi mo 'ko makita. I'm sorry for cheating, I'm sorry for everything." He said sincerely.

"Okay na, Cci. Stop saying sorry na," I said and smiled.

"Are you hungry? Mcdo tayo?" He asked and I nodded, tumayo ako sa kama to get dressed and he did the same, kinuha lang niya yung damit na binigay ko sa kanya kanina at sinuot iyon.

We walked holding each other's hand going down to the parking area of my condo unit and I couldn't be happier. But I realized that soon, I'll leave him since while I was in Hong Kong, I said yes to the modelling agency, wala pa ako sinasabihan about it dahil ewan ko ba natatakot ako.

"I'll drive na lang ah," I said and went inside the driver's seat.

We went to Mcdo Katip, it was a short drive since malapit lang naman yung mcdo sa condo ko so hindi naman naging masyadong malayo yung drive.

"Ako na bahala, ano gusto mo?" He asked and I didn't argue on who will pay because it seems like we're okay and in good terms right now. I told him my order and looked for a table for us to eat.

I went on my Twitter while waiting for him and turns out almost everyone assumed that we were over because of my cryptic tweets and a lot more.

Hindi naman siya gaano nagtagal siguro dahil madaling araw at kokonti pa lang yung tao.

Nag-simula na akong kumain dahil kanina pa ako gutom. "It's your birthday last week." He said.

"I know. Why?" I asked and continued eating.

"Well, I happen to have two VIP standing tickets for Daniel Caesar's concert, and I was hoping if you could be my date, since wala pa naman ako regalo sa'yo nung birthday mo." He said and he pulled out his wallet out on his pocket, revealing two tickets for the said concert.

"OMG OMG, Thank You! Akala ko hindi na ako makakanood, thank you, Cci!" I stood up from the chair to hug him and I kissed him, nagulat din ako nung hinalikan ko siya but he responded so we were making out at Katip at 4AM.

I was the one who first pulled away.

"Uh, sorry, but uhm thank you!" I said and he winked and we continued eating.