My Boyfriend is a Freak (Published under Pop Fiction)

71: Mira

"Buenviejo... As in, Ervic Buenviejo? Si Ervic ang tatay ni Zac?"

"I don't know, Mira." I was pretty sure Vren's gobsmacked expression mirrored my own. "It can't be, but..."

Matagal ding walang nagsalita sa amin. We just stared at the writing on the back of Zac's tiny photo, still lying on my boyfriend's palm. I know what his silence meant — he was desperately trying to make sense of our shocking discovery... of the fact that Ate Bella cheated on him with one of his best friends.

"Vren, sigurado ka bang sulat-kamay ni Ate Bella 'yan?" I eventually asked. After all, there still might be a tiny chance that we were getting this all wrong.

"Yeah." He nodded, and what little doubt I had vanished. "I borrowed Bella's notes a million times during college. I'm pretty sure this is her handwriting."

"Okay. Okay." I fanned myself, flustered. "So, ito na nga ang sagot sa problema natin. Mukhang alam na natin kung sino ang ituturong ama ni Zac. Wala na naman tayong ibang kilala na Buenviejo, 'di ba?"

"Yup. Only Ervic-fucking-Buenviejo." Vren chuckled darkly. "What the hell."

"Pero siyempre, kailangan pa rin nating makasiguro. We don't want another false alarm," I said, hoping I sounded reasonable enough for Vren to listen. I knew that any moment from now, his anger would surface, and it was making me apprehensive. "Ano na ang susunod nating gagawin? Do we talk to Ervic now?"

"Good idea. I want to hear the truth from him — to know how he had the guts to fool around with Bella and make me look like a complete idiot." He clenched his fist, something that didn't escape my sharp sight. Then he started to walk away.

"Uy, teka! Parang hindi lang naman pakikipag-usap ang balak mong gawin kay Ervic, ah!" I still kept my voice low to avoid waking up Zac, but it didn't hide how frantic I felt. "Vren, halika nga muna rito!"

"Mira, I need to talk to him. Now."

"Sabi nang teka lang, e!" I grabbed his arm, forcing him to look back at me. "Hindi ba pwedeng bukas mo na siya kausapin? Kumalma ka muna!"

"This can't wait until tomorrow." Vren let out a sharp exhale. "Are you coming with me or not?"

My exasperation morphed into indecision, then into resignation — all in a matter of seconds. Knowing that I had no other choice, I winced and finally exclaimed, "O siya, sige na! Sasama na ako!"

****

"Alam mo ba kung saan pupuntahan si Ervic?" tanong ko kay Vren na ngayon ay tahimik at seryosong-seryosong nagmamaneho. I had no idea whether Mom and Dad sensed that something was wrong, given how we rushed out of their house, but right now, my second set of parents' reactions were the least of my worries.

"Of course I do," my boyfriend answered without so much as a glance at me. "I sent a message to Francis earlier. I had a hunch that the gang would be in Blue Cavern, as usual, and it turned out to be right."

Our trip was silent after that, until finally, Vren spoke again.

"We're here," he announced. He parked his car at the last unoccupied space in front of the bar. "Mira, are you sure you really want to go inside? I know you don't like this kind of place."

"Hindi, okay lang. Sasama ako. Gusto ko ring marinig ang totoo mula kay Ervic," kaagad ko namang sagot.

"Alright." He got out of the car and opened the door for me. "One more thing, babe," he said once we're both outside. "Ride on, okay?"

"Huh?"

"Just ride on," he repeated, not even bothering to explain further.

Kahit na hindi ko pa rin gets ang ibig niyang sabihin ay tumango na lang ako. "Okay... Pero Vren?"