Blurry Skies

CHAPTER 3

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Chapter Three

Hurt

Naubos ko na halos ang chips na nasa tapat ko. Ako lang naman kasi ang kumakain doon. Kanina pa nga ako umiinom-inom sa wine na hawak hawak ko. I was blankly staring at everyone else. Matapos umanunsyo ni Daddy, we all seperated.

Daddy was quickly flocked over by his own siblings. Si Nueves naman pumunta sa kung saan. Siguro doon sa mga kausap niya kanina lang. I also saw his parents talking to other people. I never even got to greet them properly. Nakita ko sana si Aling Linay pero mukhang abala siya.

Nalaman ko na ang venue na ito ay pagmamay-ari pala ng mga Nueves. It was a big modern hotel and resort. The venue was quite packed dahil nga sa laki ng pamilya ko. I have some cousins I'm close with pero hindi ko rin sila namamataan. Kaya naupo na lang ako sa isang sulok at tahimik na kumain.

Hanggang ngayon, hindi ako sigurado sa gagawin ko. Surely, I have to tell Alendro about this. And my friends, what would they think about it?

Nakailang buntong hininga pa ako nang may umupo sa tabi ko.

"Congrats, Mariette! Long time no see!" nagulat ako nang makita ko ang pinsan kong si Serine. We used to be close back when we were kids but naging mailap ako dahil nga sa nangyari noon. A year after that eh, umalis na rin siya para mag-aral abroad.

"Rin?" I asked shockingly. Hindi ako makapaniwala at makikita ko siya ngayon.

"Is that you?" namamangha kong sabi.

She looked totally different now. Back then, she was this shy kid. She was very conservative with her clothes. She was still pretty back then but now she totally changed. She looks gorgeous with her lilac backless dress. She was wearing matching stilettos. Her eyes were now fierce. Her aura even screams of confidence. She cut her hair short and that made her look mature and more confident. There was no trace left of that introvert girl.

"Surprise! Are you happy to see me?" she had a wide smile that showed her high cheekbones. For a minute there, I thought she was a celebrity or something.

"You look..." I scanned her one more time from head to toe. "...different from before," pagtatapos ko.

She chuckled. "Thanks and so do you, Yette. You changed a lot and still so beautiful like always," that fluttered me.

I laughed with her. Bigla ko tuloy naalala noong magkalaro pa kami when we were kids. She always slept over at my house kasama pa ang iba kong pinsan noon na sina Orie, Wella at
Reiley. We were actually a group with three more of our cousins that are boys na sina Yosh, Wight and Hared. We eventually all got seperated because of our own issues. Some went abroad or moved while some had problems. Nagkawatak watak na lang kami nang nasa high school kami.

"When did you arrive? I thought kapag tapos ka na ng kolehiyo ka pa uuwi," pagtatanong ko.

"I came for your engagement, Yette," napansin ko ang pagdiin niya ng salitang engagement. Umirap ako and I heard her chuckle.

"I knew it," she said at napalingon ako sa kanya.

"You were forced into this aren't you?" dagdag niya. Uminom siya ng kaunti sa wine niyang hawak and noticed she had a small tattoo just by her hand. It was writings pero hindi ko mabasa dahil masyadong maliit. I just shrugged at that.

"Yeah and it sucks, Rin," napasinghap ako and took another chip. Feeling ko tuloy busog na busog na ko sa kakakain nito. But I don't care. Hmp. I'm stress eating right now.

"Really? I don't think so, though. Your fiancee is hot," she laughed at lumingon sa kung saan.

Sinundan ko ang tingin niya at nahanap ng mga mata ko ang lalakeng iyon. Nakasandal siya sa mesa habang nakikipagtawanan sa iba.