MTBMW: Wealth, Pride and Love

MTBMW 10: Over Beer

Cybele and Hebe spent the night together. Nakatambay sila sa park habang umiinom ng beer. "Alam mo ate, di ko parin matagpi-tagpi kung bakit ginawa yun ni kuya Ares"

"We were never close, diba? Di ko rin alam bakit biglaang gusto na daw niya ko pakasalan" Hebe sipped from her can of beer. She stared at the deep blue sky. Nakikita niya dito ang mga bituing nagni-ningning sa kadiliman at ang buwan. "If he insists, papakasalan mo ba?"

"Syempre hindi"

"Malay mo mabago mo si kuya Ares"

Cybele glanced at Hebe for awhile and focused her eyes back to the stars. Once in awhile, when they're both tired with everything, nagkikita sila at naguusap tungkol sa bagay-bagay. Ranging from the weirdest to the happiest stuff that happened along the timeline na hindi sila nagkita o di kaya mula sa huli nilang pagsasama.

"I'm not here to fix him. Hindi ko naman trabahong baguhin o ayusin siya. I am not obligated to do so kaya kung magbabago man siya, dapat dahil at para sa sarili lang niya."

Napaisip si Cybele sa sinabi ni Hebe. Tama nga naman iyon, hindi nila trabahong ayusin ang taong gusto o may gusto sa kanila. Cybele looked at her again, this time staring. She felt guilty because she told Apollo her morning and night routines. Sinabi niya sa lalake kung saan nagpupunta si Hebe tuwing nagigising siya ng napaka-aga o kung hindi siya makatulog.

"I met Sol yesterday, sa lake" Binalik ni Hebe ang tingin niya sa katabi. "sa tagal ng panahon nga kahapon ko lang siya nakita don. Did you just tell him about my happy place?" Hebe chuckled, obviously joking about what she said. Cybele shook her head and said no ngunit sa likod ng kanyang pag-tanggi ay ang pagtataka kung bakit hindi si Apollo ang nakita nito. Surely, he went there as well.

"Anong ginawa niyo ate?"

"Wala, we just talked.. He asked me about Ares and the incident yesterday and,"

"And?"

"And yun lang" Hebe laughed awkwardly, not wanting to tell Cybele about Sol's confession.

"I'm sure he told you he liked you"

Nagtaka si Hebe sa sinabi ni Cybele. How did she know? Andun ba siya? Is she a mind-reader? Cyb picked her confusion up and answered her before the question exited her lips

"Everybody knows Sol likes you. 7 years ka na atang gusto ni kuya Sol. I think it started when you first came here. Pretty sure it was love at first sight for him"

"Hindi naman siguro"

"Even ate Artemis who likes kuya Sol so much knows. Don't tell me you didn't know?"

Hebe fell dead silent, hindi nalang niya ito sinagot dahil totoo naman, she didn't know.

"Pag si kuya Sol ba, does he have a chance?"

"I don't know, Artemis likes him so.. hindi? And he's younger than me"

"How about kuya Apollo?"

Hebe looked at her in disbelief and disgust. Yong mukhang parang nagsasabing "nababaliw ka ba"

"What? He's a good catch bat mo ko tinitignan ng ganyan!"

"You like him so much, Cyb. I'd never do that to you"

Natawa si Cybele. A laugh of relief if something like that exists.

"Oo pala, i'm reminded.. Kuya Sol liked you so much that when you came out of the room after kuya Ares' sudden proposal, he went out shortly to follow you. I don't think he ate that night"

"Huh? We didn't meet that night but I met Seth.."

"Kuya Seth?" Curiosity was written all over Cybele's face and she recalled the scene at the library. "Are you close with kuya Seth?"

"No" Cyb didn't buy it, obviously kaya tinitigan niya lang ito until she asked her again, "Would you date him?" She obviously was teasing Hebe with Seth already at kahit ano pa ang sabihin nito'y "oo" lang ang tatanggapin niyang sagot.

Cybele's phone beeped and flashed 'ate Artemis.'

"Hello Cybele? Where are you? Can you please come here, gosh! I mean, come here."

"Ate, i'm with ate Hebe.. why? and where? Is it urgent?"

"Yeah, that's better. Bring Ms. Belle along, please bumalik muna kayo. Something happened to Ares. We're all gathered at the hospital"

And suddenly, she could hear the panic going on at the other line.