Someone You Loved (COMPLETED)

16 - Three is a Crowd

"Okay ka lang ba?"

"Oo naman."

"Parang di ka naman nag-enjoy sa pinanood natin eh. Alam mo, let's just hang out with Rhys. Nagsorry ka na ba sa kanya?"

"Siya ang nagsorry."

"Dapat magsorry ka rin kasi you yelled at him. Natakot sayo ang bata."

"Sometimes, we need to call out someone kahit pa mahal natin to. I was just teaching him a lesson."

"Nandun nako pero still you have to apologize. He might be scarred because of that, you know?"

I just heaved a deep breath and tried to cool down. Actually, marami akong iniisip ngayon.

"By the way, ngayon ba sinama nila Zoe si Rhys sa Enchanted Kingdom? Your brother must love Zoe so much."

Ayoko mang aminin but yes, Rhys has grown seeing Zoe around. He is so close to her and to her family. "He does. Zoe is like a family, that's why."

Joy is just being chill about it but I know it affects her. Kasalanan ko rin siguro. Nabigla kasi ang family ko. Dapat ipinaalam ko muna sa kanila kung sino ang kasama ko or, na may kasama ako. Through these years, iisang babae lang ang nakatuntong sa bahay namin na konektado sa akin. Of course bringing Joy all of a sudden surprised my parents and Rhys.

"Arcade tayo?" Joy pushed me towards the token booth, "Medyo bored ako eh."

I paid at the booth and gave the Joy all the tokens. "Parang sinasabi mong bored akong kasama."

"Wala akong sinasabing ganun ha. Napakasensitive naman nito." Binigyan nya ako ng token, "Fight me." Motocross racing ang napili nitong unang laruin and that made me forget the things that disturb me. "Ay bakit difficult agad ang pinili mo? Ang daya."

"Alangan naman beginner eh hindi na tayo mga bata. Good luck," I offered my hand and we shake hands, "I won't be gentle on you."

"Tinatakot mo ba ako?" Nakapamewang niyang sabi.

"I'm just telling you that I won't go easy on you. Takot ka?"

"Me? No way."

She pressed start and chose the lap design and off we go. Napakaingay nyang makipagkarera. Oh-oh she's trying to distract me. Sorry but I once lived on the tracks.

She ended up second haha! "I told you."

"Let's do it again," she said.

"Aba, determinadoka ha. Hindi mo ko matatalo."

"Lampake."

Hahaha pikon talaga to! "Game na. Tagal naman."

"Eto na." Naghulog na ulit sya ng tokens sa kanya kanya naming slots.

Naghanda na ako. Pambihira, namiss ko magmotor sa totoong field. This is a trigger ha.

4 out of 5. Yan ang track record. Joy decided to play another games after losing. I should give it to her. Sa motocross lang sya talo. She's a pro sa games dito.

Nang mapagod, nag-aya na si Ma'am na kumain kaya I brought her to a Korean restaurant. "Parang mapaparami ako ng kain," she told me.

"It's okay, sineryoso mo kasi ang mga laro doon akala mo naman olympics."

"Hahaha! Namiss ko maglaro eh pero at least nag-enjoy ako. Salamat ha!"

"May bayad yun noh!"

She tiptoed to kiss me on my cheek and I smiled right away. "Bayad na?"

"May sukli ka pa nga eh," bigla ko rin syang hinalikan sa pisngi and that tamed her.

We sat down and ordered a samgyupsal set and feasted on this beast of a meal.

"Babalik pala ako sa site after kitang maihatid," pag-amin ko.

"You have work today?"

It's Sunday, I know and ako ang nag-aya kay Joy kaya we set this day para lumabas kami. Hindi ko lang talaga natiis na hindi saluhin ang kapalpakan ng isa naming engineer. After all, ayoko ng madagdagan ang stress ni daddy. I have work today but I don't have the heart to cancel my date with her.  "It's an inevitable weekend job."

"Kaya pala parang lumilipad ang utak mo kanina. You know what RJ, I hope next time, you just tell me if something important comes up, okay? Alam mo namang I will understand."

"Hanggat kaya, I'd squeeze everything in para walang macompromise."

"Naku, pa-superman. Kumain na nga lang tayo."

"Basta ihahatid parin kita ha?"

"Hindi na noh! Magko-commute nalang ako. Ayos lang naman."

"Sigurado ka?"

"Yes," she smiled and assured me, "Namiss ko narin kasing magcommute tsaka para narin makabalik ka sa site agad."

"Thank you. Babawi ako."

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After we ate, Joy told me that she's staying at the mall for a few minutes kasi may titingnan sya sa isang store. It's a shame that I can't join her. Mabuti nalang that she assured me that it's okay.

As I unlock my door, a familiar car parked beside my space.

"Kuya RJ!" Rhys called me out from the backseat. Lumabas ito ng sasakyan ni Gael pagka-park agad at yinakap ako. "Saan ka pupunta, Kuya?"

"Babalik ako sa work. Galing na kayo ng EK?"

His sparkling eyes are telling me that he enjoyed his time with them so much. "Opo. The best experience!"

"Tol," Gael and I fist bumped, "I-treat ko lang si Rhys sa dessert shop. Don;t worry, iuuwi namain kaagad after."

"That's fine. Panatag naman kami na kayo ang kasama. Tingnan mo nga't masayang masaya."

"Ate Zoe, look at me finish many cupcakes and cotton candies later."

"Aba nagmayabang ka pa sa akin ha."

"Sure po kasi akong matatalo kita if we compete kasi you have tonsillitis hehe..." He told her while looking up at her at nakaholding hands dito.

"O sige na, maiwan ko na muna kayo. I have to go." Ginulo ko muna ang buhok ng kapatid ko, "See you at home."

"Bye Kuya," he waved at me sheepishly and dragged both Zoe's and Gael's hands to the elevator in the basement.

For the first time, my brain admits that I can't stay in the same place with them and breathe the same air. It intoxicates me. Their oxygen is my poison. God, help me.