Love is a Riot

3

« I've been lost
without a trace. »

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Hindi ko alam kung ano'ng pumasok sa isip ko at simula noong makita ko ang kaibigan ni Cain sa may gate, hindi ko na siya sinubukang kausapin at nagpasya na lang akong sundan siya. Hahanap pa ako ng pwedeng ipang-blackmail sa kanya bukod sa asukal mami niya.

He seems like a really interesting guy! Pero baka naman nagkakamali lang ako. Baka naman sweet lang talaga siya. Maybe she's his aunt or what...

I saw him go to the community park kung saan kami palaging nagkikita ni Chou, and I was shocked by what I saw!

He's talking to Chou! Is he her friend too? I didn't know... Nanatili lang akong nakaupo sa katabing bench habang nakaluhod siya at kinakausap si Chou. He looked around kaya naman idiniretso ko lang ang tingin ko sa playground. I saw from the corner of my eye how he shifted his gaze to Chou, kaya naman napalingon ako. I saw him looking for something inside the paper bag that his asukal mommy gave him, at nagulat ako nang ilabas niya ang isang lunchbox. He looked around again at naramdaman ko ang pagtingin niya sa direksyon ko, pero ibinaba ko ang suot kong cap. I don't even understand why I'm hiding from him!

Noong iniangat ko ang cap ko, nagpanic ako bigla dahil nawala na siya sa kinatatayuan niya kanina. Only Chou was left there, enjoying her meal, at halos hindi na ako napansin. I just called her and waved at her, but she continued eating. Ang suplada! "I'll talk to you later, Chou!"

Nagpaalam na ako sa kanya at hindi man lang siya sumagot. Seriously? He gave his lunch to Chou? As if Chou can refuse! She just eats what others give her! We even became friends just because I gave her food!

At saka nasaan na ba ang lalaking iyon? He sure is quick on his feet! Well, he's pretty tall though.

Unti-unti nang dumami ang mga tao kaya naman nahirapan akong hanapin siya. I kept on searching for his slightly wavy hair na katamtaman lang ang haba, pero iyon lang ang palatandaan ko sa kanya bukod sa height niya. But unfortunately, it's Friday today and it's still a busy day for everyone... no wonder he was swallowed by the sea of people all of a sudden. Too bad.

I just walked with my head facing the ground. Maybe I should've just called him or didn't bother at all. And I also can threaten him using his sugar mommy!

I washed the thoughts away and decided to just call Cain again. When I was about to get my phone, someone bumped into me and didn't even say sorry. I'm just going to shrug it off but my phone dropped on the ground too, kaya naman nainis akong bigla.

"Hoy! Usong magsorry!"

"Sorry," sabi ng lalaki at nagulat ako nang lingunin niya ako pero hindi man lang tumingin sa akin. The guy! He's Cain's friend! "I'm in a rush."

Pagkatapos noon ay humahangos na siyang umalis kaya naman ako itong si gaga na sinundan siya kung saan siya papunta. Is he going to school? Does he have classes today? Too bad, I can't ask him to spare me some time because he's obviously running late now.

Pero nagulat ako dahil imbes na sa school namin siya pumunta, he went to a preschool, kaya naman biglang sumibol ang kaba sa dibdib ko.

Fuck! Terence is a preschool teacher and he works here!

Is that why he's in a rush? Maybe he's rushing to tell my cousin about it immediately!

Nagmamadali akong tumakbo papunta sa preschool pero hinarang lang ako ng guwardya, asking me why I came at kung sino'ng pupuntahan ko. Wala naman akong choice kundi maghintay sa labas at sinubukan kong tawagan si Terence, but he's not answering his phone. Siguro ay nagsisimula na ang klase niya...

God, I'm doomed... What am I going to do now?

Nanatili akong nakaupo sa labas ng gate at parang baliw na nagpapadyak. He really won't tell Terence about it, right?

Napapitlag ako nang maramdaman kong nagvibrate ang phone ko. Deuce is calling...

"Hello?"

"Where are you?" he said on the other line. "Didn't I tell you to behave? Don't leave the house. Are you going against me now?"

Napatakip ako sa bibig ko. He sounded really mad just now. And how the hell did he know that I'm not at home? Is someone following me to report to him?

"Sorry. May binili lang ako..." pagsisinungaling ko sa kanya.

"Ano'ng binili mo? I made sure na kumpleto ang gamit sa bahay para hindi ka na lumabas," he said again, and was followed by a sigh. "Stop making me worried about you, Cielo. I'm really stressed now, so don't be stubborn."

Nakagat ko kaagad ang labi ko dahil sa narinig ko. He's right. I mustn't be a burden to him lalo na ngayon at busy siya. I should make him stop worrying about me! He really cares about me that he actually asked someone to look after me while he's gone... Maybe it's really hard for him to be away from me.

I apologized to him immediately and he told me he isn't mad at me, and after that, he hung up. He told me to just send him a text kapag nakauwi na ako.

Deuce is becoming really busy these past few days... Well, he's being trained because he'll be given a position in his uncle's company.

Napatayo ako kaagad nang makita kong lumabas ng gate ang kaibigan ni Cain. I almost forgot about him!

Promise, I'll go home after settling things with this guy!

I was about to walk when someone grabbed my arms at nang lumingon ako, nakita ko si Damian, with his brows furrowed and looking a bit grumpy. "Didn't Deuce tell you to stay at home?"

Tumango ako. "Yes, sandali lang–"

Humigpit ang kapit ni Damian sa braso ko at marahas akong hinila palayo at tumigil kami pareho sa harap ng kotse niya. "Just fucking listen to him, damn it. Do you know that I have classes today and I had to go to check on you?"

Nanlaki ang mata ko dahil sa sinabi niya. Deuce is going overboard again!

But this isn't the first time that this happened...

"Sorry, Damian," nakayuko kong sabi sa kanya. "I'll stay at home..."

"Yeah, do that," he hissed before letting go of my wrist. "Fucking prostitute."

Napayuko ako dahil sa sinabi niya at nakita ko siyang dumiretso na sa kotse. I looked one last time sa direksyon kung saan pumunta ang kaibigan ni Cain bago siya sundan sa loob.

Maybe I really don't have to bother changing people's opinions about me.

But it isn't like I have any choice...