Behind Curtains

Kabanata 28

Kabanata 28

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"Who?" kunot-noong tanong ko nang makabawi mula sa biglaang huli.

I tried my hardest to feign ignorance. When a name, I have only now grew accustomed to hearing, has been spouted breezily by a boy I have started to associate with home... despite meeting just twice recently; in spite of... the dwindling determination to find myself a new comfortable.

And it felt like travelling to somewhere strange again, out of my will.

The funny thing was, it was being in a strange new place... with a Belmonte. Nanaman.

Like their bloodline was created solely to uproot me from where I have decided to stay sturdy; quiet, in an ordinary view. 

To uproot and displace me within tumultuous circumstances of a more spacious ground. Where they think I'd enjoy more. In an open field. In their wild, spontaneous schemes.

"The Floirendo's are my... second cousins, Ate Lala."

And I couldn't help but be rattled as Kyler's sneaky smirk became his show of power. Blatantly stating, he had already caught me. That... there was no need to twist my way around the facts of our reality.

So I did what the back of my head was screaming since a while ago, at marahas na hinablot ang mga paperbags ko. Abruptly, I stood up. At walang pagdadalawang isip, walked stiffly out of the luxury shop and immediately booked myself a Grab Car back to the hotel, where Sir Killian's penthouse was. Ignoring an entire day's prior plans. Disappointing another guy's untainted excitement.

Noon na ako inulan ng maraming panghihingi ng tawad ni Kyler. I blocked him for a few hours after then, but decided to hear him out a few hours later. To bargain. Naisip din na, letting him loose with an information like that was indeed destructive. But, not for him.

And maybe... not so much for me, too. If only I learned to talk about the main thing as casual as I should.

A willing victim and bored, Kyler was ready to face the consequences of wanting to know more, just for the hell of it. While I was alone and tired, but had already missed the opportunity to play hooky from work, so here we are.

Sowing what little fun we could get out of all this, to kill time.

"Isa pa! Bottom's up!" humalakhak ako, enjoying it as I forced a half-full flute of Champagne on his hand.

And like all the other times, Kyler groaned his complaint. But was still very much willing to do it my way. Drinking French sparkling wine as if it's watered down Patron.

"Why am I the only one drinking?" he slurred, buzzed and about to carelessly put the glass down on the cushion between us.

Hinablot ko na iyon mula sa kanya at maayos na nilapag sa mesang pinagigitnaan ng mga sopa. Nanatili ang pag-iingat, sa kabila ng parehong pagkalabis sa amoy at lasa ng mamahaling inumin.

"Ano ba 'yan, Ky! Ang hina mo naman!" tukso ko, seeing how he was moving with less coordination, kahit na nakaupo lang naman siya.

He pouted when I laughed. His eyes have now turned glassy, so I'm not really sure if he had taken offense with what I just said o talagang hindi na 'yon narinig.

Kyler may have an air of arrogance about him, but it's nice to see that he was not one of the many teenagers who easily relied on vices to enjoy his nights. Ako na pala 'yong bad influence sa aming dalawa! Sue me for being hypocritical, but I've attended far too many parties to know what's nice to see and what wasn't.