Scripted Relationship

Chapter 18

ERIK

I entered my condo unit and opened the lights. I put my car key on the table and sat on my lazy boy chair. I still can't believe Rose would leave me just like that. I was going to close my eyes to rest when the doorbell rang. I took my cellphone and clicked on a particular button so that it would automatically open.

"PARE!" It was Raymond, RX, Gary and Johnny.

"What are you all doing here?" I asked in a monotonous tone. I was not surprised because I was too down to be surprised.

"Oops. Looks like our friend here is downtrodden again," Gary said to them.

"Aba! Isa itong balita!" RX shouted sarcastically.

"Shut up, RX! Lakas ng boses mo," Raymond interjected. "What's wrong, pare?"

I sighed. "Nothing. I was just resting."

"Resting my ass, bro," Johnny jokingly pitched as he threw himself to my lap.

"What the fuck? Don't be so gay, man!" I shouted at Johnny as I moved out of the lazy boy chair, which automatically threw Johnny to the floor. Everyone laughed at what happened.

"But seriously, pare," Gary asked in a serious tone this time. "What happened to you? We know you when your face is like that."

"Like what?" I asked him.

Gary then created a hilarious sad look using his face. "Tell me, it's not the Erik Dela Rosa-is-sad face." Well, the face was indeed hilarious and it made me grin a bit.

"Okay," I gave up. I needed someone to talk to about this. And my friends were just in time. "It's about Rose."

They all looked at each other. Curious. Confused even. I told them everything that transpired from the time we left the airport after accompanying Alex's family up to the time that Rose left me in Quezon City Circle.

"So, what say you, guys?" I asked them.

They all looked at each other again like they were waiting for someone to talk to me first.

"You can't just look at each other like that. How did you become my friends if you can't say anything?"

"The situation is a bit complicated for her, Erik," Gary replied the first. "You cannot expect Rose to jump in happiness as she learned that the guy who helps her in making a romantic love story is slowly creating a 'real' romantic love story with her. You've got to give her time to think about this."

"Tingin ko kailangan natin iinom 'yan," Raymond interrupted.

"No need for that," RX said to Raymond. "Hindi naman lahat ng problema nasosolusyunan ng alak."

"I was talking about drinking water, you stupid git!" Raymond said to him. Then, he went to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

"You're finally moving on, pare," RX patted me in the back. I didn't reply but I smiled at him.

"But you need to be sure with this, Erik," Gary said a matter-of-factly. "Because if you are not, you're just fooling around and you might hurt Rose in the future."

"No, pare," I replied. "I am sure about my feelings. That's why I'm like this."

"So what are you going to do now?" Raymond asked me after drinking a glass of water.

"I'll have think about it." I replied.

"I think this can help you think about your next move." Gary said and brought out a white envelope.