A Six-Word Story II

Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Of all the sad things I've ever heard , 'we used to be so happy' is the most heartbreaking of all.

"You're cheating again, Vash! Maybe we should really file a case against you!" Zeck said. "JD, ano ba ang pwedeng ikaso sa gagong 'to?" 

We were at JD's house waiting for the others. The Magnetic has a gig at Rock Edge tonight. Ang meeting place ay sa bahay nga ng abogado na si JD. Habang nag-hihintay ay napag-katuwaan ng mga lalaki na  mag-laro ng Uno. At ito ngang si Vash ay kanina pa nandadaya.

"Whoa! May ebidensiya ka ba na nandadaya ako?" Vash retorted. "Masyado kayong judgmental!"

Natawa na lang ako sa kalokohan nila. Vash hasn't changed at all. Madaya pa rin siyang mag-laro. 

"Langya ka naman, Vash. Huwag kang mandadaya!" said Inaki.

"Kakasuhan ka talaga namin kapag nandaya ka pa," segunda ni JD.

"Mga baliw talaga ang mga ito," komento ni Tamara na napapailing habang tumatawa.

"Let them be. No one wants to lose kasi," said Missy.

"It's just a game," I said.

"Hindi rin." Tumaas ang mga kilay ko. "Ang matalo ay ang manlilibre ngayong gabi." 

Natawa ako lalo. Kaya pala puro seryoso ang mga mukha nila. Napunta ang tingin ko kay Jeck na pangiti-ngiti lang pero halata namang ang buong atensiyon ay nasa laro. Nag-ingay pa sila at nagka-gulo ng matalo si JD. 

"Yes! Safe ang wallet ko ngayon!" yelled Vash. 

"Madaya ka kasi!" kontra naman ni Tamara.

"Mas maganda ng madaya kesa mabutas ang bulsa." He even stuck out his tongue like a kid.

Mas lumakas ang tawa ko. Pero unti-unti iyong nabawasan ng mapunta ang tingin ko sa kanya. He was busy talking on the phone. I had an idea who he was talking with. He looked so happy. Napalunok na lang ako at umiwas ng tingin. 

It was past midnight when we had decided to join the crowd in the dance floor. The Magnetic band was rocking the whole bar. The people couldn't help but groove with them and so did we. At first, we were dancing as a group but when the music had changed it became awkward. The couples started dancing sweetly together.

The only ones who were left with no partner was Jeck and I. Our eyes met and for a crazy couple of minutes I though he would ask me to dance with him because his eyes were giving me that feeling, but sadly, he didn't.

"Uh, let's go back to our table?" he asked.

I forced a smile and nodded. Pero parang gusto kong pag-sisihan na tinanggihan ko pa iyong nagyayang sumayaw sa akin. Sadness suddenly filled me because I found myself having difficulty trying to strike a conversation with a guy I used to be so comfortable with.

"The Magnetic band is really awesome," I said.

He nodded. After a simple 'yeah', silence enveloped us again. It was getting more awkward by the minute. I started wringing my fingers, secretly beating my brains out to come up with an interesting topic. 

"So-"

"I h-"

That was even more awkward. Natigilan kami at tumawa na lang para pagtakpan ang nakakailang na sandali. 

"You go first," I said.

"No. Lady's first."

I shook my head. "It's nothing important. Please go ahead."