Prologue.
"Sorry. Sabi mo kase 'di ka pupunta, ayan tuloy," bulong sakin ni Tarch. Nakanguso pa kaya inirapan ko. Cute ka?
"Kung sinabi mo agad, edi sana 'di ko na yun pinapunta." He said.
"People knows how to move on. Sana ikaw den," Malamig kong sabi sakanya. Kanina pa kase sya nagso sorry. Wala naman akong pakielam sa mga inimbita nya.
"Weh? Sige, kunyari hindi ka na apektado. Kunyari naniniwala ako," He said full of sarcasm. Inirapan ko sya habang tumatayo para pumunta sa bar counter ng bago nyang bahay para kumuha ng wine.
Hindi naman na nya ko sinundan dahil kailangan nya ring i-entertain ang iba pa nyang mga guest.
Medyo umingay nang may lumapit din sa bar counter na tatlong lalaki. One of them is Sephyr. Yung dalawang lalaki naman ay hindi ko kilala.
Medyo dumasog ako para makakuha din sila ng wine. They didn't mind. I didn't mind them as well and I just sipped my wine like I was unbothered.
"As expected from the best Architect," Sabi nung isang lalaki kay Sephyr, probably praising Seph's work dahil sya ang nag design ng bahay ni Tarch.
"This is not just my work. We should also praise our great engineers, they are also part of it," Seryosong sabi ni Sephyr sa dalawa nyang kasama.
Palihim akong napairap. What do we expect from the humble Sephyr?
Lumapit si Trev kasama si Xaviour sa bar counter. Naka upo lang ako dito sa high chair while looking at the people who's roaming around the house.
"Ipapa renovate ko ang bahay ko, Architect. Kukunin kita ha?" natatawang sabi ni Trev kay Seph. Tipid lang na kumiti si Sephyr as usual.
Xaviour glanced at me pero mabilis ding umiwas. Tumaas ang isang kilay ko.
Mas lalo lang umingay ng lumapit si Tarch sakanila.
"Ang ganda nung painting sa taas, Tarch." Trev said while smirking at me.
"Syempre. Bestfriend ko ang may gawa non," Pagyayabang ni Tarch habang umaakbay sakin. Napatingin si Xaviour sa kamay ni Tarch na nasa balikat ko. Mas lalo lang lumaki ang ngisi ni Trev habang naka tingin kay Xaviour.
I just rolled my eyes on Tarch at mabilis ding inalis ang akbay nya sakin.
"Kaya lang, Maganda nga ang painting, malungkot naman ang meaning," Tarch suddenly said.
"Wala e, broken hearted ang ate nyo." Natatawang pang asar sakin ni Tarch. Kunyari namang nasamid si Trev at umubo ubo. Napailing ako sa dalawa. I'm already annoyed. 'Wag nyo kong intayin na ibato ko sainyo 'tong dala kong baso.
Xaviour glanced at me again at ako naman ngayon ang umiwas ng tingin. He's wearing a not so formal attire. His hair is in a clean cut now. Mukhang bagong gupit. 3 Years have passed pero walang masyadong nagbago sa itsura nya aside from his cold eyes.
Tinignan ko ng masama si Tarch bago maka alis.
"Tarch, stop it." Rinig kong suway ni Seph sakanya bago pa ako tuluyang makalayo.
Pumunta ko sa may garden. There's a wooden bench there kaya umupo muna ko. Walang tao sa gawi na 'to dahil lahat ng bisita ay nasa loob ng bahay.
It's already 9 in the evening. After a few minutes ay napag pasyahan kong maglakad lakad. There's a swimming pool on the right side of the garden. It wasn't large but it wasn't small neither. Kinuha ko ang phone ko sa bag nang mag vibrate ito.
Kaeus texted.
From: Kaeus
Tell Tarch that I'll be late. He seems so busy, hindi marunong sumagot ng tawag the fuck.
I was about to type something para makapag reply when I bumped someone. Nalaglag yung phone ko sa batuhan the hell!
"You should watch your way, Miss. Mabubunggo ka na, hindi mo pa alam," Malamig na sabi ni Xaviour. He's staring at me with his cold eyes.
Mabilis kong kinuha yung phone ko na nalaglag para makaalis na agad.
And when I'm about to walk out, he held my arm.
"What? You're going to leave again without a word? Then let me leave first, para naman malaman mo kung paano maiwan," Malamig nya saking untag. There's no emotion in his eyes but his hold in my arm is screaming the pain he's feeling right now.
I want to say something. Pero bago pa man ako makapag salita ay umalis na agad sya. Leaving me alone. Leaving my word inside my mind unsaid.
......
