Bad Times at Sunrise (La Fortuna Series #3)

Kabanata 11

Kabanata 11

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Tinulak ko ang dibdib ni Sextus bago siya matalim na tinignan. His jaw dropped as what happened sank into his senses. Parehong namimilog na ngayon ang mga mata namin. Marahas kong pinunasan ang labi ko at bigong-bigo siyang inilingan.

"S-sunny—"

"It's best if we don't see each other anytime soon." Ipinikit ko ang mga mata ko't hinilot ang noo ko. With eyes gleaming with disappointment, I said, "Excuse me. I need to find my boyfriend."

Akmang aabutin pa niya ang kamay ko pero nakatalikod na ako't nagsimula nang maglakad papasok sa country club. Wala akong kasalanan sa nangyaring 'yon pero nababagabag pa rin ang isipan ko para sa maaaring sabihin ni Ico. I couldn't keep this a secret and whether or not he'd hate me for this, he needed to know. He deserved to.

Una kong hinanap si Ico sa club pero bukod sa mga usual party goers na nando'n ay hindi ko siya namataan. Sunod ko siyang hinanap sa pool area pero 'di ko siya nakita. Panghuli akong tumungo sa casino. Bago pa ako makapasok sa loob ay napatigil na 'ko dahil tumambad sa harap ko si Levi.

He crooked a smile. "Look who we have here! If it isn't my favorite Sunny girl!"

Iniwas ko ang sarili ko sa kaniya pero dahil sa kalasinga'y napapasubsob siya sa 'kin. We were in the corridor and he was leaning on the door totally wasted. Tangina naman. Ba't kasi 'to umiinom kung ang weak naman pala? Hassle, amputa.

Ngumiwi ako. "You're drunk, Lev."

"I'm not drunk!" he protested, wiggling the can of beer on his hand. Napairap ako nang senyasan niya akong pumasok. "Com'on, come inside! Everyone's having fun! Libre ko alak mo!"

Bumuntong-hininga ako at pagod siyang tinignan. "Hindi ako nandito para makipag-inuman. May hinahanap ako."

"Woah! At sino naman 'yan?"

"My boyfriend..."

His face distorted in confusion before he let out a loud bark of laughter. "Boyfriend? Sunny Vega has a boyfriend?" 'Di makapaniwala siyang umiling-iling. I was starting to get pissed by the inconvenience he was causing. "Dude, for real? Second coming na ba?"

"Shut up. I do have a boyfriend, okay?" Napaiwas ako ng tingin. "Kailangan ko siyang makausap kaya please, padaanin mo na ako."

Ngunit imbes na pagbigyan ako'y mas hinarangan niya pa ang pintuan. He was spreading his arms and spanning the width of the doorway with them. Bahagya nang nakayuko ang ulo niya pero pilit niya 'yong inaangat upang magtama ang mga mata namin.

Ngumisi siya't itinaas ang beer can niya. "I can help you! Sino ba 'yang boyfriend mo at nang matulungan kitang maghanap?"

"Levi..." He was seriously getting on my nerves now!

"What? Com'on, Sunny, don't be shy!" sulsol niya pa. "I've been hanging out with some guys in the poker area for a while now. Baka naman nakausap ko na 'yang boyfriend mo?"

I let out a sigh of defeat. "His name's Ico Benavidos. Nakita mo ba siya?"

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay nang bigla siyang natahimik. He closed his slightly-opened mouth like he was thinking about what I said. Irritation and impatience prickled across my shoulders as I tapped my feet on the carpeted floor repeatedly. Ang walang silbi naman ng lalaking 'to!

"Ano? Ba't parang nakakita ka ng multo diyan?"

Napakurap-kurap siya. "Oh! I just can't, uh, believe that he's your boyfriend."

"Why? Because he's too good for me? Too rich?"

"No... I mean, seriously?" A line formed between his eyebrows. "You'd date an asshole like that and refuse to date me?"