Be Mine

27

The night continues to go on until past midnight. The family had a great time bonding with each other. Bianca entertained everyone really well while the boys had to stop drinking after the fifth bottle of Blue Label, as Gary got really drunk and the even had to help Clara get him in the car so they can go back to Manila. The party started to die down when some family members started to go home, too.

Bianca and Lianna chose to go back to the guesthouse as per Bianca's request. They were laughing while walking back to their room as they were talking about some of Ella's drunk cousins who tried to hit on Bianca while she was singing. When they got to the room, they were surprised to see Ella there, sitting on the bed.

"Ella, what are you doing here?", Lia asked. Ella looked at them teary-eyed and it bothered Bianca and Lia.

"Ella, anong nangyari? Nag-away ba kayo ni Anton?", Bianca asked this time.

Ella wiped the tears that fell on her face and stood up. She faced her best friends. Lia is getting worried. She knows there is something going on with Ella and she wants to help her with whatever it is.

"Ella, can you say something? I'm getting – " Lia did not finish her sentence when she felt Ella's palm on her cheek.

"ISABELLA!", Bianca shouts at her, shocked with what happened, and held Lia away from Ella. "What is your problem?"

"Hindi ako ang may problema, Bianca! Itong kaibigan mo!", Ella shouts back.

"What are you talking about, Ella?", Lia is still holding her cheek as she can still feel the sting of Ella's slap on her face.

"You know what I'm talking about, Lia!"

"I don't understand! Can you please – "

"Kailan ka pa naging kabit?", Ella shouts again. That left Lia speechless. How did Ella know? And why does it hurt so much hearing the truth from her best friend? "Now you can't say anything? Ha, Lianna?"

"Pwede ba huminahon muna tayo dito?", Bianca asks of them.

"Isa ka pa, Bianca! I'm sure you know about this! And I can't believe na hinayaan mo siya! You have one job while I'm away and you let this happen!"

"Pwede ba Isabella, wag mo ako isali sa init ng ulo mo. Hindi ako yaya para bantayan si Lianna sa lahat ng oras! Atsaka paano mo ba nalaman?"

Ella smiled sarcastically at them, "I saw them kissing earlier. Sa may garden. I was at the balcony."

Lia looked at her best friend. She feels embarrassed on what Ella saw. She knows how mad Ella is. Among her two friends, Ella is the strongest and the most protective. She's the youngest but she's has the biggest personality. She could not help but cry at what she heard from her.

"Ella..", she calls her.. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep it from you..." Ella scoffs at her, still trying to be strong, but her tears are betraying her, too.

"Kaya ba hindi mo kayang ipakilala sa akin? Kaya ba ayaw mo mag-kwento? God, Lianna! How can you be this low? Ang daming lalaki diyan pero kailangan sa may asawa? Ganyan na ba ang tingin mo sa sarili mo?"

Lia can't stop sobbing with everything that Ella is throwing at her. "I'm sorry. I tried, okay? I tried not to fall!"

"Pero as usual, marupok ka! Sabihin mo nga sa akin, gaano na kayo katagal?"

She does not want to say anything anymore as she knows Ella would get even mad at her. She kept quiet but saw Ella look at Bianca.

"Bianca! Answer me!"

Bianca looked at her then faced Ella, "One year sila"

Ella chuckles at what Bianca just said. "Punyeta. One year ka nagpapaka-tanga, Lia?"