Splendiferous (Legazpi #1)

Twenty-nine

29.

"Okay." Malungkot akong ngumiti kay Xerxes at marahang tumango. "If that's what you want."

I walked towards Arlszent's car and slid inside the shotgun seat. Before we could drive out, I rolled down the window beside me and looked as Xerxes who's got his hands inside his pockets.

"I love you," I mouthed but I didn't get any reply in return. He's just looking at me with a blank expression with his lips pursed.

I sighed and bit my lip before rolling up the window and resting my head on the headrest.

"Saan ka uuwi pagkakuha mo ng mga maleta mo sa condo ko?" I asked Arlszent while he's driving us away from the Gorostiza's mansion.

"Condo ko sa Marikina," he simply answered.

My brows furrowed. "Pasukan na natin next week. Ano iyon, pabalik-balik ka ng Marikina at Sampaloc?"

"Kesa naman wala akong tuluyan?" pabalang niyang sambit. "Anong gusto mo? Sa mga kalsada ako ng Sampaloc matutulog?"

I rolled my eyes hearing his sarcasm. "Remind me again why did you bought a condo in Marikina when we first got here?"

"Because some of my friends are in Marikina and they would help me to adjust in this damn country?" patanong niyang sagot na para bang ipinararating niya na nakakatanga ang kanyang dahilan.

"Oh, right," I nodded my head when I already remembered. "Sila Trevor nga 'no? Trevor Connors, Henry Harden, tsaka sino pa iyong isa?"

"Gideon Hidalgo."

"Yeah, that one." The name was a bit familiar to me because as far as I can remember, someone mentioned to me about him. I just cannot remember what he looks like.

"Well, since hindi na matutuloy iyong stay natin sa mansion ng one week before school, doon ka muna sa condo ko? Kahit bukas ka na lang bumalik ng Marikina?" pag-aaya ko.

He glanced at me for a while. "Please tell me we're not going drinking."

Nakagat ko ang pang-ibaba kong labi. "Konti lang."

I heard him sigh and turned his car to enter the supermarket that's just on our right side. When we entered, he reach for the basket and we both went to the beverage section.

"Zent, ang dami," I spat when he placed more than ten cans of beer in the basket. "Meron pa naman sa condo ko na ilang bote galing sa States."

He arched his brow on me. "Sa lagay nating ito, alam natin pareho na hindi pa iyon sapat sa atin, ate."

I pursed my lip and looked away because I felt embarrassed. Tama naman siya, pareho kaming madami ang maiinom mamaya dahil pareho lang rin naman ang magiging rason namin na uminom.

We also placed some chips on the basket before paying them on the counter. The cashier was looking at us with disgusted eyes, probably she's thinking that we're sort of some alcoholic teenagers who only know how to party.

I faked a cough. "Zent, tingin mo sapat na ito para sa mga kaibigan natin?" pasimple kong tinapakan ang kanyang paa.

"Problema na nila kung hindi sila marunong makuntento," pagsakay nito sa aking ipinahayag.

After paying, he drove us to Asteria Residences and parked his car at the basement parking of the building I'm staying at. We went first to the desk utility where I asked Rave and Lix to leave our luggages. And when we got it, we went up to the sixth floor going to my unit.