A LOVE FOUND

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: UNEXPECTED

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: UNEXPECTED

"So you must be new?" Parang display na aso sa sasakyan kung tumango si James Villazarde. Mga lalaki talaga, parang asong nauulol kapag nakakita ng maganda.

"Writer ka din?"

"Graphic Artist." Sumilip siya sakin sandali. Napairap ako sa ere.

"What's your username?"

James Villazarde smiled shyly. "Loverboy2000."

"So you must be inlove?" She asked excitedly. Argh! Ang sakit nila sa mata.

"Ahm no, not love yet but I like her. Very much." Hinaplos niya ang batok niya na parang nahihiya. Sus, kung alam ko lang nagpapakipot lang yan si Villazarde.

"Wow. Sino?" Is she expecting that he likes her?Duh, ngayon nga lang sila nagkita e. Love scratch like at first sight, ganon? Tss. Corny.

I closed my eyes. I want to close my ears too but even if I will, I can still hear them so why bother?

"He looks at you," nagmulat ako ng mata at nilingon si Neo.

I mouthed, "Who?"

"Loverboy2000." I gave him the 'what the hell are you talking about' look but he just rolled his eyes at hindi na ako pinansin. Nagkibit balikat na lang ako at pumikit ulit.

"Cathy, wala ka manlang bang pa-welcome party sa bestfriend mo?" Hindi ako nagmulat.

"Wala akong pera," matabang na sagot ko sa kaniya.

"Kelan naman nawalan ng pera ang isang Catherine Alvarez?" Natatawang tanong niya. Out of annoyance, I opened my eyes and look at her. I got annoyed even more.

Her puppy eyes and pouted lips irritates the hell out of me. Inirapan ko siya at nagmartsa na paalis ng opisina.

"Let's go guys!" narinig kong sigaw niya kaya iritado akong lumingon pabalik.

"What?"

"You're leading the way, diba?"

"No, I'm going home." She pouted and I gave her a disgusted look.

"Come on Cath, your bestfriend is back. Don't be such a hater." I looked at Nicholas with disbelief. Even Elise was shocked before she annoyingly smiled at me again.

Natahimik kami lahat until Elise clung her snaky arms around my shoulder and dragged me towards her car. Pinagbuksan niya ako ng pinto. I rolled my eyes before I entered her car.

"Yes, don na lang. Yes, yes." Narinig kong sabi niya sa kausap niya sa telepono. Base sa daan na tinatahak namin, papunta kami sa mall. Ugh!

"Where the hell are we going?" agad kong bungad sa kaniya pagka-park niya ng sasakyan.

"We'll eat."

"Tayo lang dalawa?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko sa kaniya.

"Gusto mo ba?" Nang-aasar siya, I can tell it. Gosh, this girl!

"Hell not." I heard her laugh bago ibinato sakin ang susi ng kotse niya.

"Lock the door, ha." She said before leaving the car. I looked at her car keys. Magdrive na lang kaya ako pauwi? or ibangga ko na lang 'tong kotse niya na mukhang bago?

Lumipat ako sa driver seat para sana umuwi na nang makatanggap ako ng tawag mula kay Pres.

"Hey Cathy!" bungad niya. She sounds so happy. Sana all masaya.

"Hey 'zup?"

"Is it true? You're treating everybody?" Nangunot ang noo ko bago sumagot sa kaniya ng mahabang "Noooo."

"Ows? E sabi ni Noah nandon na sila sa restaurant niyo ah?"

Mabilis akong lumabas ng kotse at naglakad papasok ng mall. Ni hindi ko maalala kung naisara ko ba o nai-lock 'yong kotse ni Elise basta ang alam ko lang naiiyak ako sa inis. Kaya lang ba siya bumalik? Para buwisitin ako o para sirain na naman ako ulit?

Pagkapasok ko sa restaurant, agad kong napansin na walang ibang tao kundi kami.

"Anak!" Hindi ko pinansin si Tatay nang tawagin niya ako, diretso lang ang tingin ko kay Elise. What the hell is wrong with her?

"Good Morning po, Ma'am." Bati noong guard at waitress na nakasalubong ko.

Nang makarating ako sa harapan ni Elise ay agad akong bumaling kay Tatay at ngumiti.

"Walang customer?" He awkwardly smiled at me. He even look at Elise before answering me.

"E sabi kasi ni Elise, they are here kasi you insisted of having a welcome party for her that's why I reserved the whole restaurant for you and your friends."

"I told Tito naman that there's no need for that kasi hindi naman tayo sensitive."

"Sige anak, saglit lang ha?"

"What is this, Elissa Del Mundo?" She formed her lips in "o" shape and annoyingly smiled again.

"A welcome party for me, I guess?"

"Prescilla!" Iniwan niya na ako at pinuntahan si Pres na kakarating lang at mukhang nagmadali rin papunta dito.

"Cathy, you okay?" Tumango ako kay Pres.

"Gusto mo ba ayain na lang natin sila sa iba?"

"What's the use? Nandito na sila, e. Alam na rin nila, hassle lang kung lilipat pa."

"Sorry." I smiled at her to atleast ease her worry.

"It's okay."

"Yeah, it's okay Prescilla, sabi nga walang sikretong hindi nabubunyag, diba?"

"How about you shut up, Elise?" Punong-puno ng pagtitimpi na pagpuna ko kay Elise.

"I'll try." Iniwan na namin siya don at nagpunta na sa table kung nasan sina Chars at ang buong Book Club members. Kahit 'yong mga bago nandito.

"Siguro ganito din kasosyal ang celebration kapag si Ate Cathy na ang president 'no?" masayang sabi ni Luis. I smiled at him, ofcourse it's fake. Why would I smile e walang nakakatuwa sa mga nangyayari.

One moment, I am shocked that she is back and then suddenly andito na kami sa restaurant namin at libre ko pa dahil lang bumalik siya. Does she really think I'm happy that she's back? Ang kapal ng mukha niya. Feelingera. Walang pinagbago. Ugh!

"Seriously? This is my first time here. Dati dinadaan-daanan ko lang ang restaurant na 'to dahil 'di ko afford." I awkwardly smiled at Lia.

"Si Cathy lang pala ang magdadala satin dito." And most of them laugh. Haha, funny. What's funny?

"Thank you ate, ha?" Nagulat ako bigla kay Luis.

"Thank you kamo at bumalik si Elise, kung hindi siya bumalik baka wala tayo dito." Nagsalubong ang tingin namin Nicholas.

Nagtaas siya ng kilay sakin. "Toast, everyone?"

He's teasing me with his stares and smirks. He used to teased me alot before, yes at dapat sanay na ako. But him now? It was different from the Nicholas that I used to know. His stares are telling me something I don't understand. His smirks are mocking me. And I'm starting to get pissed.

He raised his glass of water. "For Elise,"

"For the comeback of Silendirena29."

I don't know where the sudden agitation came from as I look away from Nicholas and found myself looking at James Villazarde - flustered by what he heard.

Why the hell am I nervous by the thought that I might disappoint him?