The Secrets We Keep (Completed)

Chapter Nine

Within thirty minutes, everything was put back in order, nobody was seriously hurt or killed and all the club patrons had a free drink and vouchers they can use for their next visit to Sizzle.

Mula sa pagtao sa surveillance van ng UIN upang tumulong magdirekta sa operasyon ay nasa Sizzle uli si Jendra upang hanapin at i-check kung okay lang si Stefan.

Isinama pa niya ang dalawa sa nagpapanggap na fellow 'bridesmaids' para hindi kahinala-hinala. There was no traitor employee, just a hopelessly in love one. Bill apparently hired people to kill the person he suspects was his partner's lover.

Giovanna appeared shocked to find out she's been wrong. Kanina ay narinig niya sa pagkakagulo na may kung sinong minamanduhan ang babae para siguraduhing hindi maagrabyado si Bill.

The manager maybe a fool in love but he knows so much, so he has to stay loyal to the Mellonis.

"Excuse me, only Sizzle employees are allowed beyond this point "

Napatingala si Jendra sa lalajing humarang sa kanya. One of the gorgeous dancers who warmed up the stage earlier.   "I'm looking for Paul. Is he here?"

Minasdan siya ng lalaki. "He's in one of those rooms but you still can't go there.

She bit her lip. "Fine. Will you just call him for me, please? Say it's JC."

Umangat ang isang kilay ng lalaki, na parang may naalala. "JC, right. The reason why he wasn't interested in horny bridesmaids." He smiled and motioned to the second room in the left. "He's there. You may go in."

Relieved na nasapo niya ang dibdib. "Thank you, thank you so much --"

"Carter." the man grinned. "No worries. Just invite us to the wedding." sunaludo ang lalaki bago ito pumunta sa backstage.

Wedding? Sila ni Paul? Yeah, right. Nice idea, but definitely not gonna happen. Naiiling na kumatok siya sa pinto, pero walang sumagot mula sa loob. May kung anong kumalabog doon, at agad siyang kinabahan. Itinulak niya ang pinto na bukas naman pala, at napasinghap sa eksena.

Stefan was pressed up to the wall, as he sat nearly slumped on a bench and Giovanna straddled his lap and gripped him by the arms. The woman looked feral, Stefan looked shocked and confused.

Napako siya sa kinatatayuan. "I... S-sorry. I didn't know " tumingin siya kay Stefan, na nagawa nang makawala mula sa nagmumurang si Giovanna na muntik mapaupo sa sahig. He slung his backpack over his shoulder as he stared at her like she's an apparition.

"I just want to check if you're okay." mahinang sabi niya.

"You went all the way here to do that?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Giovanna. "I thought nothing was going on between you two? That you have zero feelings for this guy? You gave your fucking word, JC. I have it on tape."

"I know I said that." nakagat niya ang labi. "But I'm here tonight for a friend's bridal shower and didn't expect Paul will be up there." bumuntung-hininga siya. "We're friends, am I not--"

"Friends, JC? Really." Stefan's eyes challenged her. The unsaid words were loud, and clear. Do you kiss your friends the way you kissed me?

Napailing ito. "I'm okay, if you must know. " he sighed, as if in defeat, before he walked past her.

Tinawag niya ito pero hindi siya nilingon ng lalaki. Dire-direcho ito sa main lounge, at saglit na tumingin lang nang marinig na tinawag din siya ng dalawang kasama.

"What's going on, Jends?" mahinang tanong ni Kelly.

She sighed. "I just need to talk to him." halos takbuhin niya palabas, at naabutan si Paul na kahahagis pa lang ng dalang bag sa front passenger seat. Napailing ito nang makita siya.

"Ano pa'ng kailangan mo, JC? Hindi ako nasaktan. I'm fine. Puwede mo nang balikan ang mga kaibigan mo." he crossed his arms as he looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"Galit ka ba sa akin ngayon, Paul?" sa halip ay tanong niya. "Dahil sa sinabi ko kay Giovanna? Why would it matter that much to you, Paul?"

"Because you said there was nothing to what we have? Iyon ba ang gusto mong paniwalaan?"

"Magkaibigan tayo, Paul. That will never amount to nothing. What I told Giovanna to be nothing was --"

"I love you, JC."

Tila may bumunggo sa dibdib niya sa narinig. "Excuse me?" she croaked.

Mataman siyang minasdan ng kaharap. "I --"

"Oh God, Paul," she said wearily. 

Napailing ito, bago hinila nang muli pabukas ang pinto ng sasakyan. "Pasensya na. I guess I know now what you believe was nothing." He sighed, "Forget it."

"How can I?  Paul, akala ko nagkaintindihan na tayo? We can't let things get too complicated..." humakbang siya palapit kay Stefan at sinubukang hulihin muli ang tingin nito.

"It's a little late for that, don't you think?"

"I didn't think it was," mahinahong kontra niya, at hinawakan ito sa braso. God, why is this happening? How could she allow this? How could he? Hindi siya puwedeng mahalin ni Stefan! 

Their world was too fucked up for love, too unstable to allow it to cloud matters, to twist them so that they were even more complicated than they already were.  Humigpit ang hawak niya sa braso nito. "Look at me, Paul. Please."

Sa wakas ay muli siya nitong hinarap. "No, JC.  You look at me, and tell me that what you feel for me, what we have, isn't love. Go ahead."

Sinalubong niya ang mga mata nito at marahang umiling.  "Hindi puwede, Paul. Hindi ko puwedeng sabihin iyan." 

"Alam ko." umangat ang isang kamay nito na tila gusto siyang hawakan, pero binawi din iyon. He ran his hand through his hair instead.  "JC, we can't shut off our feelings, can't deny them. Hindi tama."

Siya naman ang nag-iwas ng tingin. "I'm sorry, Paul." halos bulong niya, bago siya na ang lumayo.