He Broke Me First

Chapter 3

"Sino 'yon?!"

Inilayo ko agad ang mukha ni Inna sa' kin nang sugudin niya ako pagkabili nila ng pagkain ni Yzza. Pinaypayan ko ang mukha ko gamit ang dalawa kong kamay.

"Is that a fling?" Yzza smiled widely.

Mabilis ko siyang kinunotan ng noo. "Of course not."

Wala naman kaming ginagawa! Why would they think that Joaquin's my fling? And they knew I never engaged in that kind of thing with anyone! I put my hands in front to tell them that I don't want to talk about it.

Tumahimik naman na sila pero ang nga tingin, gano'n pa rin! Parang hindi naniniwala sa nga sinasabi ko kaya mahina kong hinampas ang lamesa.

"Alam ko kung anong iniisip n'yo. Tigilan n'yo ko. I'm not lying, okay?" I made it clear.

"Okay lang. Just get your thing watered. We're happy for you," Yzza teased more.

Nahilot ko ang sentido ko. Binilisan ko ang pagkain para maiwan ko na sila ro'n. Hindi ko na kaya ang mga sinasabi nila. Bakit ba hindi sila naniniwala sa' kin?!

Padabog akong lumabas ng canteen. I stopped walking when a thought came up on my mind. What if magkaroon nga ako ng crush kay Joaquin dahil sa kakapilit nila?! Mabilis akong napailing. No!

I heard Zea and Inna calling for me but I didn't look back. They were laughing. They just want to insist their judgement about me and Joaquin! Nakaka-stress sila!

Umikot ako sa mas malayong daan para hindi ko sila makasabay sa paglalakad. Ang init pa kaya mas binilisan ko. While walking, I saw Joaquin talking with a woman. Nasa gilid sila ng isang building. Lalagpasan ko na sana sila nang marinig ko kung anong pinag-uusapan nila.

"I.. uhm, really like you for so long," the woman confessed.

My lips parted and took a step back so I could continue hearing their conversation. Nagtago ako sa puno malapit sa kanila. Wala naman akong pakialam but I thought it would be interesting to hear them.

Joaquin scratched the back of his head a little. "Ano kasi.." He didn't know what to say.

I clicked my tongue. Is he going to reject her? Hinawi ko ang buhok ko at mas tinignan silang mabuti. What could be his reason to turn that woman down? Ah, whatever. I don't need to know that.

Balak ko na sanang umalis nang biglang tumunog ang phone ko. My eyes widened when Joaquin heard that, causing him to look at me with his brows furrowed. Nagmadali kong pinatay ang tawag ni Inna at patay malisyang umalis sa likod ng puno.

Joaquin raised his brows at me so I cleared my throat and tried to pass by them but he grabbed my arm. Napatigil ako sa paglalakad at tiningala siya.

"Let me go, dumbass," I mouthed.

I looked at the woman who was staring at me. I wanted to move away from Joaquin but his arm was draped on my shoulder tightly. Pasimple ko siyang siniko pero hindi pa rin niya ako pinakawalan.

"Who is she?" I could hear the crack on the woman's voice.

I awkwardly smiled at her. "Listen, you two can continue on talking. I'll go-" Joaquin pulled me more closer to him. I glared at him. "What are you doing?" I whispered but he didn't answer me.

"I'm sorry but my girlfriend and I have to leave now," he said to the woman before dragging me with him.

Huminto agad ako sa paglalakad at humiwalay kay Joaquin nang makalayo kami sa babae. Did he just introduce me as his damn girlfriend? I couldn't believe he dragged me with his lie!