C h a p t e r T h i r t e e n
Falling in love was never in my vocabulary. How much more falling out of love...
The word love itself is the lamest thing in literary that I could ever have in my vocab, and it just made the concept even more lame than it already is, when the perfect irony backfired to me for being too much in denial.
I have fallen in love. I have fallen in love with the wrong person. I have fallen in love with the wrong person on the worse timing.
I got my fourth bottle of Black Scotch before I looked back to the amused face of my best drinking buddy on the screen. Although nasa kabilang bahagi siya ng mundo ngayon, hindi pa rin naging hadlang ang gamilyang distansya para 'di niya ako samahang mag-booze up. Tsk. We're both Europeans for a reason.
"Ugh, Yellow... After all this years you still haven't changed one bit. Still thirsty?" Natatawa niyang sabi. "Your approach on guys has been hard that's why... If you had become a little friendly like me? This wouldn't have happened."
I just glared at her upon hearing her last hit, pero mas lalo lang siyang tumawa ng malakas sa ginawa ko. "'Wag mo kong ikumpara sa'yo Jacquetta, hindi tayo talo."
"Ugh please... You could've just took another route rather than alienate yourself you know. You guard your heart way too much thinking you'll get stronger. Little did you know you just made yourself more vulnerable. That's Alistair Zabala, sweetie... Remind yourself again..." Wika niya at napalibot lang ako ng mata sa pagkainis. Her accent is distinct kahit pa ini-English niya ako ngayon, and good thing right now she didn't go all out and talk Italian to me. Wala ako sa mood para mag-effort kaya bahala siya kung paminsan minsa'y magta-Tagalog ako.
"That's the Zabala effect kicking your sorry ass, Yelle. I'm betting my year-worth pennies, Red would give in to the other sib in less than a month!" Dagdag pa niya at napaisip ako sa mga kilos ng kapatid ko these past few days. Leche, hindi nga makatarungan.
"Alam kong alam mong hindi ko masisikmura ang approach mo, Jace. Don't pester me with your what-ifs because never in my life will I ever attempt to try your... ugh, means..."
"You know what? Maybe you should! Because looking at us now, it's me who's all happy-go-lucky and it's you who's being overly emotional. If you had get yourself used having guys around, this wouldn't have happened. I told you... hang out with as many as you want, be in love as mushy as a teenager, and make out and hook up, but try not to get attached is the most convenient way. Still don't believe me?"
I wondered how this woman became my best friend in the first place. We are but a total opposite when it comes to matters like this, and heck sa inuman lang ata kami nagkaroon ng similarity. Hang out with guys?! Syete, nakailang lalaki na ba 'tong si Jace?
"Haaay, woman. Sad to say 'I told you so'." She shooked her head at me for seeing how pretty messed up I am. Siya 'tong mahilig mag-entertain ng mga lalaki at laging subject ng breakups pero mas giddy pa siya kaysa sa akin.
Jace and I met in a random bar in Germany a couple of years ago. She works in a Mafia and I learned that she's doing a great job annihilating drug syndicates on the west, reason why we're teaming up. The agency told me how interesting and exciting she could be as a partner on the field at excited ako noong makatrabaho siya.
But our first meeting was a great big mess. Because during the first night of the mission, she was so drunk as hell!
I gave up trying to sober her down in the pub, kaya inexpect kong sa mission na gagawin namin, ako ang magiging lead. Iniwan ko siyang tulog sa bar at nagpatuloy mag-isa. Plinano ko ang schemes at entrapment the same like what I usually do 'pag ang mga nakakasagupa kong drug dealers ay namumugad sa isang bar. Study the location, study the people involved, plan the most convenient way to finish the job right away, and find the possible means for exit.
