I Thrived

Kabanata 2: Babe

"Want some hot night ladies?" tanong ni Riche. Umiling naman kami sa sinabi ni Riche. We're dead tired from walking. I think 3 kilometers yung nilakad namin.

Pa’no ba naman kasi si Riche may pa sabi-sabi pang siya na bahala. And look what happened to us. Nasiraan ng kotse and yung si Riche na gaga. Kakapagod daw magpa-ayos ng kotse kaya mag-exercise na lang daw muna kami.

That was my biggest regret kung ba’t ako sumama kay Riche.

"Aren't you tired?" Chae asked while drinking almost a litter of water. Yeah hindi kami binigyan kasi uhaw na uhaw na siya. So we decided to bought for ourselves.

Napasimangot naman si Riche. "Tired but you already know I’m thirsty and the night still young," sabi ni Chae and napabuntong hininga nalang ako.

"Why don't we just watched a movie?" I suggested while almost lying on the floor. And yes I'm sitting on the sidewalk. Can't even move my legs.

"Where?" Mia asked. Nilipad sa ere ang tanong ni Mia. ‘Di namin alam kung saan kami nito.

Sabihin na nating we had a bad reputation. Kaya we are the ‘rebels' of the family. In short palamunin.

"We'll just go to a hotel,” sabi ni Chae. I'm having a bad feeling about this.

"Who's gonna pay?" I asked them almost pleading na ‘wag muna ako. I'm saving for my future.

"Not me," Chae said while throwing the empty bottle in the trash can. ‘Di man lang ba nito alam ang salitang ‘Save Nature' dapat ni-recycle niya ‘yun. Pwede yung paglagyan ng bulaklak. Well just saw that one sa YouTube.

"We'll divide it," Mia said with authority. Nakahinga naman ako ng maluwag sa sinabi niya. What Mia says Mia gets. She's a ruler. A cruel leader, almost cause she's not a leader and we're not some kinds of gang or whatever.

"We're too far from the city already and look at me," reklamo ko. Tinuro ko pa paa kong halos di ko na magalaw. We're doomed ba’t ba kasi kami pumayag kay Riche eh walang utak ‘yun?

"Call your boys," sabi ni Chae sabay kuha ng phone niya.

"Got no one on the list, broke up with them already," I said while stretching my legs. "Damn! It hurts," I shouted.

"Me too," Riche seconded. And Mia just shrugged her shoulders.

Ayaw lang talaga ipakita yung mga boys niyang pangit. "So?" Chae asked while getting another bottle of water.

Ihi aabutin nito.

"We have no choice," Mia said while pointing at something, behind our back. Nanlaki naman mata ko. And I also heard the others complaining.

"Arte niyo," Mia said while getting her bag and started making her way at the entrance.

I saw Riche and Chae also walked towards Mia. While leaving me behind ni hindi man lang ako tinulungang tumayo.

"Need help?" someone asked behind me. I extended my hands agad without looking at the owner of that voice.

"Nice underwear," he commented kaya napatingin agad ako sa kanya.

"Leave," I said while getting ready to stand up.

"Witwew," sabi pa niya sabay sipol. And in my frustration I throw my bag at him. And yeah that hurt cause powerbank lang naman ng bag ko.

Tumigil naman siya kakatawa and tinulungan akong tumayo. "’To naman tutulungan lang naman kita. Not my fault your friend down there came in disp---"

"Gago," I said and raise my middle finger.

"Didn't know you go places something like this," sabi niya ng makatayo na ako. I didn't get what he said so I just stares at him while he's slowly walking, out from my sight.

"Motel," he shouted at nahiya naman ako sa sinabi niya. Ang kitid ng utak ng gago.

"Tagal mo," sabi ni Chae. Umupo lang ako sa tabi niya while Mia and Riche andun sa may reception area.

"Saw some fat ass kanina," sabi ko. Tumawa naman siya sabay hampas sa’kin. Feeling nito. ‘Kala siguro ‘di mabigat kamay niya.

"Let's go guys!" sigaw ni Riche. Tumango naman kami kay Riche.

Nang makarating kami sa kwarto namin. Humiga agad ako sa kama. ‘Di na talaga ako sasama kay Riche. Daming naiisip na kalokohan.

"Wait," si Chae. Tiningnan ko naman siya na nakatayo sa gilid ng kama. She look around. Surveying something. Seryoso ng mukha.

"What are we going to use? There's no television in here," sabi niya at dinaganan ako.

"Bigat ng puki mo," reklamo ko. Tumawa naman siya sa sinabi ko at dahan-dahang umalis sa ibabaw.

"You guys didn't asked the receptionist?" tanong ko sa kanila. Mga bobo din kasi. ‘Yun ang pinunta namin tapos pa’no na ngayon?

"Kahiya sayo Zelle, wala ka ngang naitulong," sabat ni Riche. Okay fine. ‘Di na dapat ako nag-reklamo kahiya naman sa kanila.

"We'll just borrow," Mia suggested while taking a glance sa labas. The sunset is gone. Welcoming the darkness.

Not me. Bahala sila diyan gusto ko munang matulog. Iidlip na sana ako ng may naramdaman akong humihila sakin pababa.

"Get up you'll join me," sabi ni Mia at hinila ako. Kita mo ‘to ba’t ‘di na lang isama yung dalawa. Ako pa talaga nakita.

"You can do it, ‘di ka na bata," sabi ko sabay akyat ulit at dumapa.

"Want me to call your mom?" seryosong sabi niya. Napatayo naman ako.

"Good dog," rinig kong sabi ni Riche. So I stared at her with my dagger eyes.

"Richard panot," pang-asar ko. Tumawa lang siya sa sinabi ko. See ‘di man lang magawang ipagtanggol dad niya.

"Tara na," sabay hila ni Mia sakin. I looked like a dog already.

I don't have a choice kaya sumama nalang ako. Binitawan niya agad kamay ko ng maramdamang kusa na akong sumama.

Kumatok siya sa katabing kwarto namin.

"f**k,” sabi ko. Didn't know na dito pala. Kakahiya talaga ‘tong si Mia. Ang kapal ng face kaya ‘di to natatablan ng sampal. Sabunot gusto nito.

"Can we just borrow sa receptionist? Haler baka mamaya maka-istorbo pa tayo," sabi ko at tiningnan siya na naghihintay buksan yung pinto. Baka mamaya lumabas na lang ‘yung tao dito ng walang suot. Or like we'll caught them doing some heaven thingy.

"Be quite," iritadong sabi niya and yeah like what I expected may lumabas na mukhang kasing edad lang namin or a year older? Nagulat pa siya ng makita kami. Maybe we're just too beautiful.

"Yes?" I can't looked at him without looking at his bulge down there cause tayong-tayo eh. ‘Di man lang nagsuot ng short. Tuwalya lang talaga.

I'm not gonna throw myself at him naman and no plans but yeah it's just distracting.

"Can we borrow your laptop for an hour?" Mia asked not minding his pet. Manyak mo talaga Zelle.

"Uhh... Sure,” walang pag-aalinlangang sabi ng lalaki. Pumasok naman siya pabalik sa kwarto niya. Sana pagbalik niya may suot na siyang short.

Pa-virgin pa ako pero kasi naman it's nakakapanghinayang wala akong kasama ngayon.

"Know him?" mukhang kakilala ni Mia. ‘Di man lang kasi siya nagpakilala or what. ‘Di man lang kami tinanong na baka magnanakaw kami diba?

We can't truly trust people today. Not easy to gain anyone's trust.

"Here," sabi ng lalaki sabay abot sa ‘kin ng laptop niya. Kinuha ko naman yung binigay niya. Mia's just staring at him with some disgusting face.

Kami na nga nanghihiram kami pa may galit grabe naman ‘tong si Mia.

Nginitian ko nalang yung guy. Si Mia? Ayun umalis agad walang respeto.

"Thanks po," sabi ko nalang at sinundan si Mia.

I smell something fishy.

"Who farted?" I asked immediately ng nakapasok ako.

Umiling naman yung dalawang naiwan. Chae's massaging Riche back. Sosyalin anak ni Richard panot. I looked at Mia na dali-daling pumasok sa CR. Kaya naman pala bad mood.

Natatae na pala. ‘Di man lang nagsabi ng matulungan ko ‘di sana ‘di niya nasungitan yung guy kanina.

Riche chose a movie kaya nanood nalang kami. It's a horror movie kaya I'm bored. Well not really into horror movies kasi ‘di naman nakakatakot.

I like action more. Yung p*****n talaga.

When I looked at them parang sisiw na. Si Chae and Riche nagyayakapan na while Mia just giving a tired look.

"You guys don't want some snacks?" I asked. I'm hungry and it's past midnight already. We ate dinner naman but I'm hungry again.

"Sama," sabi ni Chae sabay kapit sakin. Ba’t sila natatakot eh palabas lang naman yun.

"Me too," I heard Riche said and walk straight towards the door.

"Ikaw?" I asked Mia. She just shrugged at humiga sa kama.

Lazy.

Lumabas nalang kaming apat. And I saw the guys who lend us a laptop on the balcony, nagsisigarilyo.

"Buy your own ha, I don't have much money with me," sabi ko sa kanila. As I've said I'm saving money for my future.

They just looked at me with some puppy look.

Iniwan ko na lang sila, mamaya ma-scam pa ako. I can only afford a pack of biscuits baka gusto nila.

"You should try some vanilla flavor, try some different flavor," a guy behind me suggested. I already know his voice kaya ‘di ko na tiningnan baka masuka pa ako.

I'm holding two ice-cream. On my right hand is chocolate flavor while on the opposite side is vanilla flavor.

I put back the one he suggested.

"Ang attitude,” he said while laughing.

Mamatay ka sana kakatawa.

"Move," sabi ko. Ang rude mo Zelle halatang bitter.

"Xander why are you here? I was looking for you," malanding sabi ng babae. Ang landi talaga kakairita.

Nginitian ko naman si Chloe. Plastic na ngiti. "Didn't know na may nakatakas na wild animal,"

"A desperate woman I see," seryosong sabi niya sabay kapit kay Xander.

"Let's go? Don't wanna fight a lower class," rinig kong sabi niya sabay hila kay Xander.

Susugurin ko na dapat siya ng may yumakap sa likod ko.

"Been looking for you babe," he whispered.