Valeria bent and looked in.
Nagtama ang paningin naming tatlo at pare-parehong mababakas ang matinding pagkagulat doon. Valeria's lips opened and closed as if she wants to say something but is unable to. In the end, we all stayed deadly still, none one of us making a single sound.
"Tsaran!"
Napaigtad ako ng umalingawngaw ang matinis na boses ni Juaneza sa likod.
Nanlalaki ang mga matang pinanuod ko siyang parang pison na bumalya sa pagitan nung dalawang naestatuwang tao na nasa harapan ko saka kumawag-kawag pa para makalusot siya sa gitna ng dalawa. She even managed to flick her hips a little to Valeria's side making the other girl slip and lose her balance.
"Oopsie, sorry." Mahina niyang banat na halata namang labas sa ilong dahil sinabayan niya iyon ng paninirik ng kanyang naniningkit na mga mata patungo sa langit. Damn. Muntik na akong bumunghalit ng tawa dahil sa ginawa niya.
She winked at me before opening the compartment box to take something out. Kahon na nakabalot sa kulay silver na wrapping paper at may kulay pulang ribbon sa taas.
I tried really really hard to look anywhere. Sa mukha ni Nessi. Sa regalo. Sa digital clock. Sa dashboard. Sa anak ko. But there's a magnet right in front of me who won't let up.
Hanggang ngayon ay ramdam na ramdam ko ang riin ng pagkakatitig niya sa akin. Miah's. Kagaya kung paano siyang tumitig noon, pero mas higit na matiim ngayon. I can feel the force of his stare as if it's a living moving thing.
Sumipol si Nessi, tunog nang-aasar. "Wag mong pakatitigan dahil hindi yan ang regalo ko sayo Attorney Lewis." She smirked wickedly.
Nahihiyang nagbaba ako ng tingin habang tinatapik-tapik ang likod ni Macky. I remembered now. Birthday niya ngayon since it's the 13th of August. How old is he anyway? I can't remember.
"Here oh. Wag sabing tingnan masyado at baka magalit yung asawa e." Pilyang birit pa ni Juaneza sa kausap.
I saw Miah's eyes harden imperceptibly when he heard what Nessi had said. Ako naman ay napalunok na lang at saka nag-iwas ng tingin.
"Asawa?" He growled the word as if it's an enemy he did not anticipate. He glanced at her gauging if she's joking before looking back surreptitiously at me.
Seryoso ang mukha ni Juaneza noong nilingon siya ni Miah, pero noong bumaling naman saken ang tingin nito, nakita kong pabirong pinanlakihan niya ako ng mata habang nakabilog ang bibig, tawang-tawa.
Shit. She's crazy. I forced myself to stop smiling.
"Oh, so you're married now Lumierre?!" Sa narinig ay biglang sumingit si Valeria, at punong-puno ng kaligayahan na nagtanong. She even looked back in and held her hand at me for a handshake. Wew. "Who's the lucky guy?" Dagdag pa niya, mababakasan ng sigla ang boses.
I wrinkled my nose.
"Uhmm.." Napangiti na lang ako, ayaw nang dagdagan pa ang kasinungalingan nitong magaling kong kaibigan. I took Valeria's outstretched hand and shook her hand firmly.
Nagpalinga-linga siya sa paligid na animo'y may hinahanap. "Asan ang asawa mo kung ganon?"
Nessi made a face before answering Valeria's question. "What happens in Switzerland stays in Switzerland, diba Lue? Hahahahahaha!" Parang bobang sagot naman nitong gaga kong kaibigan. Gustong-gusto ko na siyang sabayan sa kanyang halakhak pero pinigilan ko talaga. I don't wanna sound rude.
"Tara na. Nangangawit na ako." Yun na lang ang sinagot ko sa pang-gogoodtime niya.
It's true though, totoong kanina pa akong nangangawit dito.. Infact, kanina pa akong hindi makagalaw. Hindi yata magaan tong si Andromache.
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The Kontrabida Series #2: LUMIERRE HELENA YURIKO (COMPLETED)
Romance"What if the kontrabida fell inlove with the bida?" Lumierre Helena is a bitch. Being an heiress of an International School made her so. But her life was suddenly turned out of its orbit when the Supreme Student Government President won't bow down t...
