Will You Ever Notice? (Bad Girls Series #2)

Chapter 25

#WYENTwentyFifthNotice

Chapter 25

"Don't do that anymore," Lael told me when he finally looked at me.

"Do what?"

"That," he mumbled and I realized what he's talking about.

The DJ is playing a stripped song and most of the people are singing along with it. Nakita ko pang may mga tumayo para sabayan and indayog ng beat ng kantang 'yon.

Napasimangot ako at natahimik. Alright, I was out of line.

"Sorry," I mumbled and sighed. "It's probably the booze," palusot ko.

"Were you mad?" Lael asked.

I want to answer that I was because I really was. Pero ayoko ring sagutin dahil natatakot akong dugtungan n'ya ang tanong ng bakit.

Because for that question, I don't have an answer. Why was I mad? Was the girl offensive? No. I just didn't like that she's talking with Lael. Hindi ko na napigilan ang bibig ko at parang nawalan ako ng pakialam sa paligid.

And the pickup line was the worst. Not that the pickup line itself was really awful, it just left a bitter taste in my throat because she said it to Lael. Of all the guys here who are alone, she really spotted Lael.

I can't blame her, though. Kaya naman talagang kunin ni Lael ang atensyon ng mga tao kahit na wala s'yang gawin.

"I won't do it again," I closed my eyes and realized that those words felt and sounded new to me.

Parang ngayon ko lang narinig ang boses ko sa mga salitang 'yon.

Nang tingnan ko si Lael at naabutan ko ang ngiti n'ya habang pinagmamasdan ang mga paa namin sa lupa, nawala na rin ang lahat ng nasa isip ko at napangiti rin nang kaunti. I suddenly want to pat his hair.

Masyado ba talagang matapang ang ininom namin kaninang dalawa ni Caleb para tamaan ako nang ganito? I closed my eyes and raised my head to face the sky before I opened it again. The night sky looks magnificent especially with the sounds booming from the speakers and the almost unnoticeable sound of the waves from the ocean not far from the hostel.

Dinama ko ang lamig ng ihip ng hangin at pumikit akong muli. When I felt that someone is staring at me, agad kong ibinaba ang tingin ko at naabutan ang titig ni Lael sa akin. He smiled at me so I smiled back at him.

"Whenever I feel mad, I count to three before I make a decision," he told me.

I stared at him as if I'm seeing another side of his world.

I realized that I don't really know what's going on in Lael's head. I can see his expressions, yes... but somehow, I realized that there are things that I don't completely know.

Bigla kong naalala ang nangyari sa kanila ni Seve bago kami pumunta rito. He was furious that night. Pakiramdam ko nga, kung hindi n'ya tuluyang napigilan ang sarili n'ya, masasaktan n'ya si Seve no'ng gabing 'yon.

Is that what he did to control himself?

"During those seconds, I contemplate about the consequences of the actions I want to do," he mumbled before he raised his gaze up to the night sky. "Spitting hurtful words. Punching him on the face. It will ease the temporary feeling of anger but what about its long-term effect?"

"Words are the worst," Lael smiled before he brought his gaze down on the ground as if thinking everything through. "Once you say it, you can never take it back. It will affect someone worse than we can ever imagine. Ripple effect—hindi lang ang taong sinabihan natin ng masasakit na mga salita ang maaapektuhan. Those words, although simple and short, can tweak something in their character—and unconsciously mold them into someone who can also affect other people negatively."