The Perfect Revenge

Fourteen

Jake

I followed AJ's retreat with my eyes. "Fuck off, Gage."

Humalukipkip siya. "You know, para sa isang taong nangse-seduce, you're doing it the wrong way. 'Di ba dapat flirty glances and mischievous smiles? The whole time I was here, the only thing you did was glare at her. No wonder you're not getting anywhere."

Sa kanya ko itinapat ang glare na binabanggit niya. "Akala ko ba hindi ka sang-ayon sa ginagawa ko?"

"I'm not. Pero pwede ko pa rin namang pagtawanan yung sitwasyon mo, 'di ba? What are friends for?"

"Some friend you are," I muttered. Umikot uli ako sa lamesa para bumalik sa upuan ko. And then I glanced towards the kitchen, nag-iisip kung iche-check ko ang wound ni AJ. Kaso naisip ko si Gage at yung calculating niyang tingin sa aming dalawa kaya nanatili ako sa kinauupuan ko. I don't want him to come up with the wrong conclusions.

Kilala ko si Gage and I know why he's here. Kahit pa anong palusot ang sabihin niya, it boils down to the fact that he does not trust me with what I am doing. It was clear with the messages and emails he sent me. Those that I never bothered to answer. The only time I contacted him was for the tickets sa Trans Sport Show and even then, I talked to his assistant dahil pinili kong tumawag habang busy siya. Dapat pala kahit isa man lang na tawag niya ay sinagot ko para hindi kami umabot sa point na isingit niya ang sarili niya sa plano ko. Not when it's going so smoothly.

"She's different," says Gage, interrupting my thoughts.

"I know."

"Sana alam mo pa rin yung ginagawa mo. That girl's going to get hurt by what you're planning to do and she'll never forgive you for that." Mahina niya lang sinabi ang mga ito pero umugong sa tenga ko ang mga salita.

I know that. It was the point, wasn't it?

"Trust me on this," pagdidiin niya.

I looked at my friend straight in the eye. Napuna ko na nung huli kaming magkita sa bar na may bumabagabag sa kanya. Itatanong ko na sana kung tungkol iyon sa Papa niya pero bumalik na uli si AJ before I can even ask. "Oh, ba't hindi pa kayo kumakain?"

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Sumulyap si Gage sa direksyon ko at ngumiti na nagpapainosente. I want to punch that grin off his face because I know what he's doing. Ine-engage niya si AJ sa conversation para ilayo sa akin. Ginamit niya yung mechanic jargon para silang dalawa lang ang nagkakaintindihan. Worse, he started to get his hands dirty. Sinamahan niya na si AJ sa pag-repair ng Impala.

Tuwang-tuwa naman yung isa na game na game sa pakulo ni Gage. It's either she enjoys flirting with the bastard or she really is that ignorant when it comes to men. Siguro napapagaan na lang ako ng thought na talagang ignorante si AJ. Hindi kasi siya yung tipo ng tao na nag-iisip ng masama sa iba. Sa kanya, everyone's a friend with good intentions. It's an admirable trait but right now, it's annoying.

"Ayos ka lang?" I snapped to attention nang tanungin iyon ni Gage.

Tumango si AJ at nagpatuloy sa ginagawa.

Napakunot ang noo ko nang biglang hawakan ni Gage ang kamay ni AJ. "Are you sure?"

She blushed. Again.

That's it. "Ihahatid na kita pauwi. Rest your hand. Ipagpatuloy na lang natin kapag magaling ka na."

Umiling siya. "Wala 'to, Tsekwa. Malayo sa bituka."

I was getting frustrated. "AJ..." I warned.

Lumapit na sa amin si Gage. "Sige na, AJ. Sumama ka na kay Jake. Rest your hand. I promise hindi ko itutuloy yung project mo while you're not here."

Nakita ko yung pagbagsak ng shoulders niya in disappointment but she still smiled. "Sige. Salamat sa pagtulong, Gage. Makakapagyabang na ko sa mga pinsan ko na nakatrabaho rin kita!"

"You do that." He made a move as if to take her hand pero hinarangan ko na siya bago pa makalapit kay AJ. He smirked at me before saying, "I'll see you."

Nang makaalis si Gage, naiwan kami doon ni AJ na nagtititigan. Why is she suddenly so angry? Dahil ba inihiwalay ko siya kay Gage? I know she fancies him. Like a schoolgirl crush. Iyon lang, right?

"Come on, let me take you home." Nilumanay ko ang boses ko baka sakaling she will go easy on me.

It had the opposite effect. She glared at me while fixing her stuff. Tahimik lang siya samantalang ako, hinihintay na pansinin niya. Umiinit na lalo ang ulo ko. Why is she acting like such a... girl?

Napatawa ako sa naisip. All this time I wanted to see her act like one and she only did because of Gage. Dapat na ba akong masaktan?

Dumiretso si AJ sa Owner niya. Inii-start niya yung kotse when I sat at the passenger's side.

Hindi pa siya umaabante. "Marunong akong umuwi mag-isa."

"I know. I'm going with you just in case. Alam kong naba-bother ka ng kamay mo."

She did not respond. Ganito na lang ba kami everytime na may hindi kami mapagkasunduan? I thought we were friends? 'Di ba friends are supposed to talk to each other, no holds barred?

I cleared my throat, trying to get her attention.

She didn't budge.

Bumuntong-hininga ako. "Look, I am also bothered by your hand. Kung sinabi mo sakin kaninang umaga na masakit, hindi ko sana ipinagawa sa'yo yung trabaho mo."

She snorted. "Alam naman nating pareho na hindi yung kamay ko ang nagpapa-bother sa'yo."

Napataas ang kilay ko. "Are you accusing me of jealousy?"

Saglit siyang lumingon sa akin, nakataas na rin ang kilay.

"I am not jealous." Jealousy means I feel something for her. Paano ko ba ipapaliwanag sa kanya na kaya ko lang naman siya nilalayo kay Gage ay dahil ayaw kong masira ang plano ko?

I can't. So I left it at that.

"Pero gusto ko lang ipunto na wala ka namang dapat ikaselos," pagtuloy niya.

With those words, I felt something lift from my chest.

Good. No explanations needed.

She got out of the car and I followed, a smile forming on my lips.

"Kasi umpisa pa lang talaga idol ko na si Gage. Natural lang na gano'n maging reaksyon ko, 'di ba? Ikaw ba naman makita mo yung idol mo nang harap-harapan at samahan kang magkumpuni, hindi ka maihi sa tuwa?"

Meron akong pang-counter sa statement niya about the difference between idols being nice to their fans and men being forward kapag may gusto silang makuha pero napatigil ako. She smiled so wide, pakiramdam ko mabubulag ako.

Nang mag-concentrate ako sa ngiti na 'yon, nakalimutan ko yung worries ko and it felt as if all is right in the world.

Kaya lang dahil maghapong istorbo si Gage, the words he told me earlier rang in my ears, That girl's going to get hurt by what you're planning to do and she'll never forgive you for that.

And when I imagined that smile slowly turn into a frown, I felt guilt. Ito ang unang-unang beses na na-guilty ako sa ginagawa ko. I had a moment's hesitation. Could I really stomach what I'm about to do to this girl?

Yung umiiyak at nasasaktang expression ni Vivian naman ang pumasok sa isip ko.

Yes. Yes I could.