Every Bad Thing

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Laurene, I'm sorry." hagulgol niya nang hindi ako nakapagsalita.

And I still couldn't. I stared at her, completely speechless. Lumampas ang tingin ko sa kanya at nakita si Des na nakasunod sa kanya. She looked torn and in pain. She knows about this of course.

Ginawa niya. Two nights ago. Alam ni Des. Two nights ago. And yet they didn't tell me. Even Silas who I thought would tell me everything didn't. Bakit nila itinago? Bakit niya ginawa iyon? Bakit?

"Why?" I asked in a low but dangerous voice.

"Umiinom kami nila Des... Nalasing ako. N-Nakita ko siya malapit sa restroom mag-isa. N-napatid ako.. Sinalo niya ako pagkatapos h-hinalikan ko siya." hikbi siya ng hikbi habang sinasagot ang tanong ko.

Lasing? That's it? That's the explanation she could give me? Walang baril na nakatutok sa kanya nung ginawa niya iyon?

"Bull... shit." I gritted through my teeth. My eyes were warm. Angry tears from my friend's betrayal built in my eyes.

Pia winced at my harsh curse. She closed her eyes. "I'm sorry. Wag kang magalit sa kanya. Ako ang may kasalanan. Hindi niya... It's my fault. Ako ang humalik sa kanya."

"Malandi." I heard Rachel cough from my back.

Napangiwi si Pia, na parang sinampal siya dahil sa salitang iyon. I ignored Rachel's comment, placing all of my attention to Pia.

"You were my friend, Pia." I exclaimed.

"Nalasing lang ako, Laurene. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ko ginawa iyon. I'm sorry, L. Sana mapatawad mo ako. I'm sorry... Hindi ko sinasadyang halikan siya."

"Ang landi." Rachel commented again.

Nilingon ko siya. "Are you not gonna stop?"

"No." Rachel smirked. "Did you also hear that the kiss lasted long? That your Silas kissed him back?"

My heart, for the first time, cracked. It gutted me. Those words were enough to feed my brain with enough imagination to visualize Pia and Silas kissing.

Pia violently gasped, shaking her head. "Hindi totoo yan! Ako lang ang humalik! Nagsisinungaling siya, L!"

"But I'm not lying. Totoo naman. Hinalikan mo si Silas kasi malandi ka na hindi sanay uminom. At hinalikan ka naman ni Silas pabalik. He even held your waist and I saw tongue—"

Hindi ako nakapagpigil. Hinarap ko si Rachel at muling lumipad ang kamay ko sa pisngi niya. Nanlalabo na ang mga mata ko kaya hindi ko agad nakita ang pag-angat ng kamay ni Rachel at nagawa niya akong sampalin.

"Laurene!" Pia and Des called out in worry. How fucking fake that sounded to me.

 "What the fuck? Hindi ako yung kaaway mo rito!"  

Tinulak ko si Rachel kaya bumagsak siya pababa. Sinama niya ako sa pagbagsak niya. I quickly fixed my stance and swung my hand against her face. I reached for her hair again, pulling her up from the floor. 

"Laurene!" chorused voices shouted for my name. Boses ng mga lalaki. 

Nanginginig pa rin ako sa galit kaya hindi ko iyon pinansin. All I wanna do right now is hurt this bitch for her lies. I refuse to believe that she's saying the truth. Silas will never do that! He'll never do that to me!

"Anong kaguluhan ito?" another voice followed. An older woman, this time.

Rachel pulled my hair and a whimper escaped me. It was followed with curses from someone. Naramdaman ko na lang ang pagpulupot ng mga braso sa bewang ko at pag-angat ko sa ere. Sunod kong nakita si Orion at Takumi. Hinawakan nila sa magkabilang braso si Rachel para pigilan ito sa pagsugod sa akin.