Almost, But Not Quite (COMPLETED)

Chapter 15

#ABNQ15 Chapter 15

Ilang beses kong kinurap iyong mata ko.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

Inisip ko kung nasobrahan lang ba ako sa pagod dahil sa ginawa ko buong linggo, but no matter how I tried to argue with myself that my mind was just playing tricks on me, hindi naman nababago iyong nakikita ko.

What the actual fuck?!

Seryoso ba?!

"He's just drunk," Matt said, as if it would excuse Psalm's behavior.

Tahimik lang akong naka-tingin sa baba habang nangyayari ang lahat. Huminga ako nang malalim at saka tumango. "Ah..." I said. "Ganito ba nangyayari tuwing puma-party kayo?" I asked.

"Hindi," mabilis niyang sagot. "He's just really drunk this time. 'Di naman 'yan ganyan palagi."

I would have believed him, had I not seen how... wow. Hindi ko alam na ganito pala ka-wild kapag nalasing si Psalm! I had heard stories, sure, pero never kong na-visualize kasi okay naman siya kapag kasama ko. Totoo nga palang party boy si Psalm... totoo nga pala na if there's smoke, there's fire.

Tumango ulit ako, at saka humarap na kay Matt. "Si Kitty?" tanong ko. Kahit medyo madilim sa club, hindi naka-takas sa akin iyong itsura ni Matt. "Bakit ganyan itsura mo?" I asked, laughing a little because it felt like the aura had gone too heavy. "Ayos ka lang?"

"Jo..." sabi niya sa pangalan ko.

"Oh?" sagot ko naman. "Ayos ka lang ba?"

Mukhang magsasalita na si Matt, but decided against it. Instead, he smiled—but not his usual cheeky grin. "Wala," sabi niya. "Tara, hanapin natin si Kitty." Inalalayan ako ni Matt since medyo maraming tao sa party. Not totally unexpected since sobrang dami talagang kaibigan ni Psalm sa school.

Wala si Kitty sa lounge sa second floor kaya napilitan kaming umakyat pa sa taas. There, we saw her sitting by herself.

"Mag-isa ka lang?" I asked, and she nodded. "Sorry, medyo na-late ako," sabi ko pagkaupo ko sa tabi niya.

"Okay lang," she replied. "Okay na si Jax?"

Tumango ako. "Medyo, pero baka sa Sunday na makapagpahinga talaga kasi may exam pa ulit bukas 'yun, e," paliwanag ko. Kitty just nodded, but I knew that she was really worried. Minsan, nagtataka ako kung bakit parang sobrang attached and affected niya kay Jax, e minsan lang naman sila nakakapag-usap... ang weird, no? Kahit hindi mo kakilala masyado, ang daling magustuhan. Pag iyon na, iyon na.

Baka totoo nga.

A heart wants what it wants.

After that, we just talked about things not related to school. Nag-usap kami about our plans after graduation, and even made a silly promise to see each other at least once a week.

"I wanna graduate already, but also I wanna stay in school..." malungkot na sabi niya. "Wag mo kong kakalimutan kahit may bagong friends ka na, ha?"

Natawa ako. "Baliw. Of course, hindi. At saka future sister-in-law kaya kita," I said, causing her to blush too hard kahit na medyo madilim dito sa club.

"Uhm... Nag-usap na ulit kayo ni Marcus?" she asked.

"Hindi," sabi ko. I bit my tongue to stop myself from asking further. Ayoko kasi. Tama na iyong joke-connection naming dalawa. Also, I didn't see the sense since malapit na akong grumaduate. Three months halos na lang. I just didn't want a connection that would get severed soon. Hassle lang.