I could feel it.
I could feel their stares.
Oh I wish I have an invisibility power! Para poof! I'm gone!
Bakit ba kasi sumama ako kay Cleo? I should not trust her! Ever!
Dapat talaga di ako pumayag nung niyaya nya ako na sumama sa kanya. Nagmumukha tuloy akong statue sa upuan ko. Kumuha sila ng VIP room sa isang hotel para sa brunch na ito. I'm fine with anyone naman. Actually, I'm close to Cleo's family so I really thought na sila ang kasama namin for this brunch pero halos madulas naman ako sa pintuan ng makitang nagsasaya ang buong kupunan ng UPMBT sa loob ng VIP room na pinuntahan namin ni Cleo.
"Can I go now?" Bulong ko kay sa nagiisang kaibigan na nakikipagusap sa pinsan nyang si kuya Gelo. I wanna go home. This is too much!
I can't breathe normally. Sitting across with the GdL's are like sugarcoated punishment.
Gusto kong kiligin, pero kaharap ko lang sila. Everytime I move in my seat, napapalingon sa akin si Juan at si kuya Joe.
Nilingon nya ako at sinamaan ng tingin.
"No. Bawal." May diin nyang sagot. I groaned and grabbed my phone. "And girl, why you sweating?" Natatawa nyang bulong sa akin.
Di ko alam kung bakit sinama ako ni Cleo sa brunch nila, obviously, the members of UPMBT are all here. I'm good in socializing since my parents are always in events, madalas ay sinasama ako. Di ko alam anong nangyari sa akin ngayon. It's just a simple brunch!
Pero kinakabahan na agad ako?
This is far from the luxurious parties and events we always attend to, wearing just a nude tank top and black pleated skirt.
"So...Cleo. Ipakilala mo naman sa amin yang friend mo." I shot a shocked look to Javi who's sitting beside Juan. His lips is curled into a playful smirk while he rubbed his chin. I swallowed a big lump.
Gosh. I'm getting anxious.
Nilingon ko si Cleo na malapad na ang ngiti at parang masaya sa nakuha kong atensyon kay Javi.
Ang iba naman nilang kaibigan ay nakatingin narin sa akin. Even kuya Noah looked at me. I was biting my bottom lip and I could feel my cheeks burn.
I was asking for his help but he just shrugged. Pagtingin ko sa mga kaharap ko ay nagtama ang tingin namin ni Juan. He look so serious and bothered.
"Ah! Yep! I forgot. By the way, this is Amanda, she's kuya Noah's cousin." She tugged on my side while smiling big and wide. "She's my bestftriend." Pagmamayabang nya.
"Nice meeting you, Amanda." Javi extended her arms for a handshake. I was hesitating since this is the first time we'll introducing ourselves. Tumikhim naman ako para makabawi, tinanggap ko ang kamay nya.
"Nice meeting you, too." Mahina kong sabi sa kanya. His palm is caloused and big. Parang pangbata tuloy tingnan yung kamay ko.
"Mands, your face is burning." Natatawang pansin ni kuya Noah. Nagulat naman ako nang magsimulang maghiyawan ang mga kasama nila. Nahila ko ang kamay at nahihiyang yumuko.
They were hooting and smacking Javi's arm. Sinasagi naman ni kuya James Spencer si Juan na mukhang namumula na rin.
"Oo nga, girl!!! Yieee kinikilig ka noh?"
I stepped hard on Cleo's foot kaya bigla syang napa-aray.
I glanced at Juan and he's clenching his jaw. Medyo nadistract naman ako dahil sobrang prominent ng jaw nya! Nakaka!
Oh! Wow. Nagkakagulo na dito, pero yung panga pa talaga nya ang inaatupag mo!
"Hindi a." Marahan kong depensa.
"Jav, single pa yang pinsan ko!" Hiyaw naman ni kuya Noah kaya pinanlakihan ko sya ng mata. Nababaliw na ba sya! He's very over protective sa akin pagdating sa mga boys, but it looks like binubugaw na ako ng pinsan ko.
I covered my face with my palm.
I heard Javi's laugh. Si Cleo naman ay paulit-ulit na nag-OMG sa tabi ko. She's shaking my arm to get my attention.
"I would like, too. Pero baka may magalit." Natatawang sabi ni Javi. I jumped from my feet and excuse myself in a not offending way. Cleo was calling me pero lumabas ako sa room namin at tumungo sa balcony kung saan makikita ang buong city.
I held the railing and huffed a breathe.
Damn! I almost got a heartattack!
I clutched my chest and breathed again. Damn! Damn, Cleo! Damn!
"Never thought you curse that much."
Napatalon naman ako at nilingon ang kakarating. I didn't know, nasatinig ko pala ang mga naisip ko.
"Juan!" Napasigaw ako.
"Did I scare you?" He crept beside me, examining my face.
I move a little and shook my head. "Hindi naman. I-I was just thinking something..."
"Did they upset you?" Tanong nya, habang nakatingin sa akin. Naconscious naman ako sa paraan ng pagtingin nya kaya napatikhim ako.
Umiling muli ako at tiningnan nalang ang malawak na syudad.
"You like him?"
"Ha?!" My head shot back at him, my nose flared.
"Javi." Biglang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. Paano nya nalaman?!
"Ha–uhm...ano kase–"
"You know what, it's fine. I'm gonna court you anyway." Dirediretso nyang sabi at nilingon ako. The corners of his mouth turned up. "Though Noah threatened the hell out of me."
F-Fcuk what?! Court what?!
Hindi pa halos maprocess ng utak ko ang sinabi nya nang bigla naman nya akong hinila sa kamay.
Ang ibang tao naman ay napapalingon sa amin dalawa. My face heated and I could feel my palm getting sweaty.He dragged me to the nearest elevator. I want to ask him kung saan ba nya ako dadalhin but my mouth went agape as he pulled me inside. I awkwardly stand beside him as he tightly clutch my hand, as if someone would pull me away from him.
"Juan! Saan mo dadalhin ang pinsan ko?!"
Nakita kong lumabas si kuya Noah at Cleo mula sa VIP room. Kuya's face is flushed at mukhang nairita nang makita kami ni Juan. He run our distance but he was too late. The door closed.
I glance at Juan.
Damn.
I am inside a close space with the mighty Juan Gomez de Liaño!
How to calm?!!!
