More Than Friends (Book 1)

Chapter 29. Threats

Ellias Joaquin Alfaro

"I really liked that show," Cheska said, referring to the live music show we watched together last night without Iya.

I was texting and calling her yesterday but she's not answering. And right now, I am staring at her as she sips her cup of iced coffee.

"I enjoyed it a lot, to be honest," Ivan said.

"Asan ka pala kahapon Iya? It would've been better if you were with us," Leo said.

"I overslept," She said before slicing her banana cake in half.

What a liar

If she really overslept, she would've called me at kahit alas dos pa 'yan ng madaling araw, susunduin at susunduin ko siya.

"Are you okay?" I asked but she ignored me kaya naman inagaw ko ang kinakain niyang cake para makuha ang atensyon niya.

"May nangyare ba?" Tanong ko pero hindi niya 'ko sinagot. 

She seriously freaks me out. Usually, when I do childish things like this, she would curse at me or shout at me. But right now she looks different and it's really bothering the fuck out of me.

"Sayo na," She said, referring to the cake.

"What's wrong with you?" Tanong ko pero hindi niya ko pinansin dahil biglang nag ring ang phone niya.

"You fucker," Iya said when she answered the call. And even if we know that Iya cusses 24 times a day, what she just said left the four of us surprised.

You fucker? At sino naman kaya ang kausap niya?

"Stop being childish and just meet me the fuck up," She said as she ends the call.

"Sino 'yun?" Tanong ko pero hindi niya 'ko pinansin.

Instead, she grabbed her things and walked away leaving me and the others confused.

"What was that?" Tanong ni Cheska habang sinusundan namin ng tingin si Iya palayo. 

"Nag away ba kayo?" Ivan asked and I can't even answer him because I have zero idea of what could be bothering her.

Am I a less important friend to Iya now? Iya used to run to me, sharing her unending rants and she used to tell me the little and the most random things. But right now, it makes me feel pathetic that she's not even talking to me.

"Charry is looking for you," I look up to see Chad and I was confused because he is looking at me.

Ano raw? Charry is looking for me?

"Ako?" I asked while pointing myself since there are zero possible reasons for Charry and me to meet.

"Yup. She said she'll wait for you at the coffee shop at Iya's workplace," Chad said that had me so fucking confused.

"Wait, why?" I asked but he just shrugged and left.

What the fuck? What was that?

"Ano 'yun? Hinahanap ka ni Charry?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Leo.

Even though I find it weird to meet Charry, I came to the coffee shop anyway. And if ever I find out that Chad is playing games with me, I will punch him thrice in the face. First is for stealing Iya from me, second is for this fucking trick, and third, wala trip ko lang tumatlo. But all thoughts of this being a trick is erased when I saw Charry inside the coffee shop, obviously waiting for someone.

"Charry?" I called.

"Hey, Elli," She greeted.

"This is unexpected. May nangyare ba?" I ask as I sit across from her.

"It's about Iya," She said and I suddenly felt nervous and anxious for some reason I don't know why.

"What about her?" I asked.

"Nagkita na ba kayo ni Kelly?" She asked that had me confused.

"Why? Is there something wrong?" Tanong ko.

The last time that Kelly talked to me was three days ago and the last time that I saw her was at Iya's soccer game. After that, hindi na siya nag paramdam. I understand because she could be busy with pageants or rehearsals but right now that Charry mentioned Kelly's name after mentioning Iya, I suddenly felt uneasy. Bigla akong kinabahan.

"I don't know if I should be the one to tell you this," Charry said and she looks as nervous and as anxious as I am.

"Tell me, Charry," I said, assuring her.

"Are you sure?" 

"Anything that involves Iya is my business," I said and finally, she looked assured.

"Kelly is cheating on you," The moment she let out the words, I felt a little snap of pain inside me.

"Iya and I saw her with a guy and they were kissing at the mall. Iya slapped Kelly that day and she's been receiving threats since then," Charry added.

I tap my fingers on the coffee table trying to figure out what I should feel. Hindi ko alam kung magugulat ba 'ko, magagalit o masasaktan from the fact that I was cheated on or the fact that Iya is going on through something horrible which I don't know about.

Nakakaputangina lang.

I should be thinking about Kelly right now and I should be bothered by her. But my heart and my mind scream Iya's name.

"Elli, are you okay?" Charry asked.

"Thank you for telling me Charry," I said and she just smiled in return.

I left the coffee shop and went straight to Iya's apartment. When I arrived at the building, I barged inside her unit without even bothering to knock.

And when I saw her sleeping peacefully and beautifully on her standard-sized bed, I felt a slight relief to see that she's okay.

I sat at the edge of the bed, staring at her and studying her pretty face. I can practically memorize the details of her face just by staring at her for entirely an hour without even looking away once. And then I found myself tracing the features of her face, her nose, her cheeks and down to her lips.

What a beautiful sight

"It would be nice to have the opportunity to take care of you forever," I whispered without even knowing what I meant.

I don't really make wishes because I don't believe that they can actually happen. But right now, all I wish is to be with Iya. I wish I can protect her and take care of her for as long as my heart desires.

A wish that could last not just for fifteen or twenty years but a wish that I hope could last forever.