A Close Second

Thirty First

"Wala. Dahil sayo palang ako sumubok ng ganito. "

I was stunned at his declaration, not even knowing how to properly address what he was telling me right now.

It was evident that he was frustrated, and I could easily tell that with one look at his expression.

His words both confused me and hurt me a lot.

"Nagago Beatrice." Sabi niya. "Ayokong isiping ayaw mo talaga, at pinapaasa mo lang ako. Pero ayoko ng ganito. Kasi kung ganoon lang. Talagang itigil na natin ito."
His words infuriated me. "Ano? Ititigil nanaman natin? Is that it?" Sabi ko sa kanya. "Because I'm telling you this now, Andrew. Wala rin akong balak na makipag gaguhan sayo."

Wala akong balak na makipag gaguhan sa kanya. It's not what I wanted to do, and it's not what I had in mind as well.

I'm tired of the word throwing between us, and this wasn't what I had in mind habang iniisip ko ang 'relasyon' na meron kami.

Hindi namin naituloy ang pagsagutan dahil bigla kaming may narinig na nagtitiling bata. At the same time, Sophie runs across us, hands in the air, pati si DJ nagtatatakbo kasunod nito.

"Run!" Tawa ni Sophie. "They're coming!"
"Bilis Sophia!" DJ says.
"Ang bagal mo, Kuya! Aabutan ka na nila!"

She looks back at us saka naman bumalik, pulling us both by the arm.

"Tara, Ate! Kuya!" Sabi niya, hila hila niya kami. "They're gonna catch up already!"
"You take left." Narinig kong nagsalita.
"Nope, ayun pala sila."

Sophie let's go of us, nagtitili saka hinabol si DJ na medyo nakalayo na. Jacob emerges, with Thea both holding a water gun beside the two of us.

"Huli kayo!" Sabi ni Thea,

She takes something pink from the rucksack she had on saka ibinato yun, hitting DJ and Sophie at the same time. Only then did I realize they were water balloons. This elicits a laugh sa dalawang nasa tabi namin, the couple sharing a high five.

"Bull's eye!" Sabi ni Jacob,
Thea looks at him. "Yeah?"
"Run."
"Why?"

Tumakbo na si Thea saka naman siya sinundan ni Jacob, only then na dumating sila Jethro at si Dennis na parehong may hawak na timba, na punong puno ng waterballoons.

"Armageddon!" Sigaw ni Jethro, pinagbababato sila Thea at Jacob. "Takbo!"

Walang tinamaan. At biglang nagsigawan pa sa loob ng function hall, everyone spilling out of it. Sila Mikki at Amar nagtatakbo, basa na ang mga buhok.

"Tol, head's up!" Sabi ni Nico, sabay bato ng watergun kay Keith. "Takbo na madam!"

Nasalo ni Keith ang watergun and everything turns into chaos. nagbabasaan sila. Nagtatawanan. I got some balloons and then pinagbababato sila Greg, who chases me pabalik ng pool area.

I bump into Keith na nandun din, apparently, getting water bombed by Sophie and Nina. Both of us flew down sa may pool, we fall into the deep end, thankfully. Bad news, parehas kami ni Keith. He pulls me up to the surface. Nang makaahon kami naghiyawan ang lahat.

Everyone was cheering and even Thea was laughing beside Jacob who was drenched head to foot, sharing another high-five. Si Sophie naman humahagikgik sa gilid.