Star-Crossed Melodies (Echoes #1)

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Sunset

"Stop crying. I won't take you home to Makati just yet. Do you have school next week?" I asked Rila when she stopped crying, but her lips were still trembling. Tumigil lang siya pag iyak nang buhatin ko at bilhan ng frappe.

She shook her head at me while sipping her frappe. We were leaving the mall, and I was carrying her.

"Teacher Polly said we don't have school for a week," she said.

I nodded. If that's the case, she'll be with me for a week. I won't take her back to Makati until I've talked to Mommy. It seems like she doesn't want to let go of me either because she's holding onto my neck tightly.

"Are we moving, Kuya?" she asked when I put her in the backseat.

"We're going to my condo, Rila. You'll stay with me for a week. You won't get bored there. I'll have Kuya Reon come over often," Banggit ko sa lokong kaibigan.

Mukhang nabuhayan naman siya roon dahil napabangon siya.

"Gusto ko si Kuya Yael. Ayoko kay Kuya Reon, Kuya. Kung ano-ano ang sinasabi niya kapag kausap niya ako." Nanliit ang mata niya kaya natawa ako.

Kahit bata ayaw sa 'yo, Chavez.

Sa buong byahe namin pabalik sa Bonifacio, tulog si Rila. When we arrived at my condo, she was still sleeping on my shoulder. Hawak ko na ang lahat ng dala niya. Bag niya, frappe at 'yung binili niyang barbie doll. Nang makarating kami sa condo ay iniwan ko na siya sa kwarto.

I changed my clothes before stepping out and sitting on the couch. I turned on the flat-screen TV and rested my head on the sofa. I closed my eyes while the noise from the TV filled the room. I didn't know if I could sleep tonight with so many questions running through my mind.

I took my cellphone out of my pocket and opened Instagram. I rarely open my social media apps, only when I'm bored.

There's nothing important here anyway, gaya ng group chat namin nila Reon na puro kalokohan lang naman ang chinachat.

Bumungad agad sa akin ang napakaraming notifications. Mentions in posts about guitars, gigs, and other band-related stuff. There was also a mention from Reon that happened weeks ago. That idiot actually posted a picture of me sleeping on the sofa in Yael's condo.

Gago talaga.

I checked the comments, and most of them were from unfamiliar people. Halos mag isang libo na ang react sa picture pero ngayon ko lang nakita. I wanted to comment, but I didn't want to bump it up again. It's better that it's buried now.

Binalik ko sa comment at nakita ang comment ni Zede.

zedeardn 17w
sleeping monkey hahah

"Napakagago talaga." bulong ko habang binabasa ang ibang comment.

I scrolled further until I read the first comment.

lelyla 17w
gwapo pa rin. hindi halatang ghoster.

Ngumuso ako nang maisip na hindi ko na nga siya nakita pag katapos kong umamin kay Ellis. I haven't been going to the places where she hangs out either. I didn't want to get close to her again, especially since I already confessed to her friend. It would be awkward if I did something like that back then.

I created distance between Ellis, so I should do the same with his friend.

And besides... if Leyla were to find out, she would surely be surprised. Although I have no plans to hide my feelings for Ellis, I'm not ashamed of them, but it's his friend that I've developed feelings for.