Our favorite place (Book 1 and 2)

Five

"Sabi ko sainyo guys eh." Ced asked. We were still on her car, engine turned off and windows open. "It's not from a fan."

"Yea, we know." Maddie said while yawning.

"Huh?" Jema asked in confusion

"You don't throw flowers and tokens from the fans. You have a full closet of those duuuh." Jia said.

"The moment that we saw you throw that to the garbage we knew that it was from someone else." Maddie added.

Jema just nodded in amusement on how her friends really know her. "So, yeah I lied. Ayaw ko lang den na pagusapan kasi. Pero gusto ko na den kasing makamove on na talaga."

"Good for you J." Maddie said, yawning again.

"I'm going to go na. Maddie's clearly tired." Jema chuckled.

"Yea yea yea." She closed her eyes again.

"Thanks Ced. See you at the airport." They waved goodbye and Jema went up to her condo. She stepped at the entrance of the condo and she saw a new guard was sitting at the reception.

"Good evening po maam. Saan po kayo?" She smiled and just raised her keys, the guard nodded.

As the elevator stopped at her floor. She tried to fish her phone inside her bag so she was not looking at her direction. She stopped at her front door still not looking up. Once she got her phone she whispered 'Gotcha'.

"Still putting your phone at the bottom of your bag?" She jerked and almost shouted, making a scandal at this time of the day. Then she realized who was that.

"W-What the fuck! W-What are y-you doing here, Fhen? How did you.." new guard. Shit. Damn you universe. You played your game.

"Hi Jema. Sorry, it had to be this way. I really need to see you."

Jema sighed. She thought, I cannot run forever, I cannot hide from her forever. Maybe this is the time. Maybe this is closure. She took a deep breath before speaking again. "Ano bang kailangan mo?" 

"I just want to talk to you." She looked at the door before returning her gaze at Jema.

Jema understood that Fhen wants to go in. Also, making a scene at this time of day, she would definitely receive a paper warning from her super.

"I will invite you in, but, you cannot come close to me. Do anything that you will regret or I swear, I will immediately call police."

"I promise."

I don't want your promise. I hate those, just.. nod." Fhen nodded and Jema can saw the sincerity on her eyes. She know her, she know her so much. She tapped her key card and she let Fhen in first.

"Upo ka."

"You rearranged everything." Fhen said as she was eyeing her condo from ceiling to floor. She did. Before, it was Fhen who arranged her condo.

"Yes. I needed to remove anything that reminds me of you." She dropped her duffel bag on the dinning table, get 2 bottled water and gave one to Fhen and slowly walked to the chair farthest from her. She put her phone in front of them, reminding her what she told earlier. "Talk."

"Sorry.."

"I'm sick of all your sorry's. Skip them. Just tell me your piece so you can go." She sound like a bitch, but she is just following the advice of Ced. Tell her what you feel.

"Okay. I'm a jerk, hindi ko dapat kayo pinagsabay."

"So inaamin mo?"

She sighed before nodding slowly, looking at the ground. "It's just that, siguro sobrang... uh. Wala nang spark?"

"Dapat pala kinuryente kita para nagkaroon ng spark ulet Fhen. Sana sinabi mo na lang na.... na fall out of love ka na saakin." Her eyes were starting to water. "Kasalanan ko ba? Nag kulang ba ako? Panget ba ako?" She was trying her best not to crack her voice.

"No Jema, sakto ka. Sobrang sakto ka. Hindi ka kulang, hindi ka sobra. Siguro nawala yung atensyon ko sayo."

"Kasi may iba ka nang pinagtutuunan ng atensyon."

"Naging kampante ako, na nanjan ka lang. Na pag kailangan kita nanjan ka. Na kahit nagkulang ako, nanjan ka pa den. Hindi ka bumitaw."

"So basically, isa saamin ang reserba? Kung okay ka na sa isa saka mo papakawalan ang isa. It didn't matter who's who?" Fhen didn't respond this time. Jema closed her eyes for a bit, trying to hold her tears. "Who was she? What's her name? How'd you meet?"

"I.. don't involve her here."

"Do you love her?" Fhen didn't responded, so Jema asked her again. "Do you love me?"

"Y-yes."

"Choose, her or me."

"Uh.." She hesitated.

"Then it's settled, you jerk. Labas. Get out of my face, GET OUT OF MY LIFE." The last line was basically a shout. Again, she don't want to make a scene but she just contain her anger. She stood up and pointed the door. She saw Fhen flinched before standing up and got her car keys at her back pocket.

"For the last time Jema, I'm sorry."

"GET OUUUUUTTTT!!" As soon as Fhen closed the door, a sob came out of her lips and tears fell.

She found herself chugging a whole bottle of beer. She can't stop herself from crying. She felt like her head was going to explode.

After sometime there's no more tears. She lifted up her gaze and she was shocked that she already consumed half a bottle of vodka and 10 bottles of beer. She stood up, which she found difficult as she was rocking back and forth.

She walked towards the window and she immediately squinted as the ray of sun hit her. "Shit."

She didn't felt the time passed by. She looked at her phone and saw a text from Fhen, saying she's sorry, again and that she already got home. "Gago." She hissed.

She saw texts from her friends saying they will come over for brunch. They will arrive at 10am. She looked at the time its 9:45. Her eyes widened and stumbled as she ran towards the kitchen to get a broom and trash bag.

She walked pass by the mirror, she looked like hell. "What the fvck happened to your face?" She asked herself in the mirror. She tried to smell herself and she stinks.

Minding again the time, she cleaned everything and took a quick shower after that. As fast as she could, she changed into a comfortable clothes.

She stopped and smelled her surrounding. "Amoy Red horse." So, she opened the Humidifier to remove the smell of alcohol on her condo.

She looked at the time as she heard a knock on the door. 10:01.

She don't usually felt small outside the court but when she opened the door, she definitely felt her being only 5"5. She saw, in order from her left to right, Celine Domingo, Maddie Madayag and Bea De Leon carrying a paper bag of brunch.

"Whoa. Tall people." When she saw Bea, she raised her brow and said, "Uh, Jia's not here."

"Oh, hello to you too, Jema. Nice to see you again Jema." She sarcastically told her and smirked.

"J!" Jia shouted from the hallway. "Sorry. Nauna sila. Ang hahaba kasi ng bias eh."

"Anong ginagawa neto dito?" Jema asked Jia as she pointed at Bea.

"I invited her." Den spoke at the back of Jia.

"Why?"

"We need to talk. But first let us in." She opened the door wide and the three tall people walked directly at the dining table.

"Why is this thing open?" Den pointed at the humidifier.

"Uh.. eh kasi alam kong dadating kayo eh." Den just raised her brow like she was not convinced but thank God for Jema, she let it go. For now.

When everything was settled, Jema sat at the head of dining. Den and Ced and Maddie at her left. Jia and Bea at her right. "Okay, so talk?" Jema broke the ice.