Fidelity

23rd

The Driver

Contrary to what I expected, Davion didn't neglect me ever since Marina happened. In fact, palagi niya pa nga akong inaaya at sinasama.

"You owe me a plate remember? Tatambay kami sa Wild Bread. We can do that there.." tukoy niya sa isang pastry shop malapit sa campus.

"Ayos lang, you two can go. I can do it naman sa house—"

He sighed. "We do it together all the time, Solace."

"Ako lang naman ang gumagawa?" I stated as a matter of fact.

Totoo naman. Ako lang ang gumagawa ng plates namin. He tries but I can't even stomach how his works look like so I always end up grabbing his drawing materials to do it for him.

He gasped. "Yeah, but I always watch you... do it."

I don't know what difference that makes. Ang point ay magagawa ko pa rin naman ang plates namin kahit hindi ako sumama sa kanila dahil wala naman siyang ambag. Gaya nga ng sabi niya, nanonood lang naman siya.

Sa huli ay natagpuan ko na lang ang sariling third wheel na naman ng dalawa. Davion didn't let me have it my way in the end and still had me tag along with him.

"You didn't call me earlier. Hindi ka nagshopping? Ilang beses ka nang hindi nagpapasama.." Davion said over the phone one weekend.

"Nagshopping ako earlier. I didn't bother you na since may kasama naman me,"

"You did?" he asked right after. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ngunit tila may tunog ng pagkabahala sa tono niya. "With whom?"

"My driver," tipid na wika ko.

Come to think of it, Davion actually haven't met Don. Tuwing sumasabay ako kay Davion ay hindi na ko nagpapasundo kay Don. Their paths haven't crossed yet so I haven't had the chance to introduce them.

I heard some sort of a relieved chuckle from the other line. "Ah okay..."

I don't know what's the real score between Davion and Marina. Kung FwB ba, FuBu, o exclusively dating. Hindi na rin ako nag-aabala pang itanong kay Davion. The last time we touched this topic, we just ended up fighting. Baka isipin niya na namang kumokontrabida lang ako sa kung anong meron sa kanila ni Marina.

Napagtanto kong mainam nang wag na lang manghimasok o mangialam at all. Malaki naman na siya.

"Sa Black Scoop tayo ngayon. Marina started working there last week. Her shift starts in an hour," anito pagkasilip sa relo isang araw matapos ang klase.

"I won't be coming with you guys. Balak kong magpapasundo na lang sa driver ko ngayon—"

He gave me a look. "Solace, it's Friday."

"I know,"

"Magrereview tayo." dagdag niya.

"It's fine. You don't have to teach me naman palagi. Isa pa, sigurado ka bang ayos lang kay Marina na sinasama mo ko sa mga lakad niyo? If I were her, I will be pissed. I don't wanna make her feel uncomfortable. Respeto na lang sa kanya,"

He let out a chuckle. "Hindi naman kami mag boyfriend o girlfriend para pag-awayan yung mga ganong bagay. She's cool, don't worry. You won't be the bad guy nor the evil GBF in the picture,"

Gumuhit ang kunot sa noo ko. "GBF?"

Ngumisi siya.

"Girl bestfriend,"

Oh god. I could never imagine myself as a pathetic girl bestfriend who gets in the way of a relationship.

"Wala nga sabing problema," panay na ang halakhak niya habang papunta kami sa sasakyan. "Isa pa, alam niya namang mag best friend tayo dati pa."