Back at Step One (COMPLETED)

21: Standing Out (Party Pt. 2)

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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*THEA*

There are times that you’d actually wish for the ground to eat you all up and there were times that you’d wish for the ground to eat you up and then there are times where you’d want to be left alone and there was this one nutjob who wouldn’t take the clue.

At this situation, I was having both.

 

It was funny to think that we both refused to dance the stupid dance number from the start yet when time came, we did so without anyone actually forcing us to.

At the same time, it was utterly humiliating.

I don’t dance infront of other people since… Well, I just don’t.

“You know, sooner or later, we’d have to go back papasok sa loob.”

And there was the nutjob I was telling you guys about.

I didn’t bother looking back and glaring at Jake. He was somewhere near the glass doors. Ako naman, nasa gitna ako ng garden, standing and hopefully, forgotten by anyone else who had just seen us dance.

Sadly, people’s memories don’t work that way. For all I know, they’d all but recognize me in this glittering mess they like to call a dress.

“Then go.” Sabi ko, glaring at the poor decorative gnome sa tabi. “I’ll stay here.”

 

Hindi siya nagsalita. I didn’t hear any movement either, so hindi ko nalang pinansin and tumahimik. It was better that way. 

Generally, I wasn’t just embarrassed about that whole tango thing. I was pissed off too. Pissed off at Jake.

Well, isn’t he supposed to be mad at me or something? Tapos ngayon ayaw niya akong lubayan? Hindi ko talaga siya maintindihan.

 

“Come on, Thea.”

That made me fume. “Don’t Thea me!” Sabi ko, glaring back sa kanya.

Nakasandal siya sa may wall, sa may tabi lang ng glass door, nakatingin sa akin while his hands stuffed in his pocket. “Leave me alone, okay?!” Sabi ko, crossing my arms. Nakatingin parin siya and I get uncomfortable, looking away.

I silently fumed, and I could still feel him boring a hole on my back. After a few minutes, he speaks up again.

 

“Thea.”

I didn’t move, but my eyebrows crunched. “Ano?” I said. “What do you want?”

“Why are you mad at me anyways?”

Nairita nanaman ako. “You’re kidding right?” tanong ko.

“Do I look like nagbibiro ako?”

I glared. “I’m the smart-ass here, if you don’t mind.” Sabi ko sa kanya. “And yes, I just called myself smart-ass. Deal with it.”