Badboy's Addiction (Badboy Series 2)

Chapter Ten

Ashley

Nakaramdam ako ng matinding hiya, nakalimutan kong isarado ang blusa ko dahil sa pagmamadali at sa dinami-dami ng pwedeng makakita sa akin ay si Emmanuel pa talaga na binabalak kong iwasan. Hiniling ko na sana kainin nalang ako ng sahig dahil sa kahihiyan. Ang malas-malas ko ngayong araw.

"A-ako na." Sinubukan kong alisin ang kamay niya ngunit tinabing niya lang ito at natulala ako dahil duon. "Nuel..."

"Why the hell do you look like this?" He asked, his jaws clenching in irritation. "What came in that thick head of yours that you decided to run around almost naked?"

Napakagat labi ako, iniiwasan ang tingin niya.

"I-it's not like that, I-i'm not like that. I-i was just—'

"Just what?"

"It's not what you think!"

"Ano ba sa tingin mo ang iniisip ko, ha?" May diin ang bawat salita na bitawan niya, sasagutin ko sana ng tanong niya subalit nagpatuloy siya. "Bakit ganito ang ayos mo? Did someone tried to harass you again sexually? Tell me and I'll beat the s**t out of that man."

"No, no, no! Walang nambastos sa akin, may nakita lang akong bastos sa restroom. A couple—or maybe they're not a couple—are getting it on in the restroom."

He didn't reply until he was done tying my necktie properly. He dropped his hand and stared at me.

"You avoided me."

"Hindi ah, bakit mo naman nasabi?" Hindi ko makatingin sa kaniya. I always had a problem lying

"Let me guess... It was Kosovar, tama ba ako?"

Hindi ako makasagot.

"He also threatened me that If I don't stay away from you, he will report me to the cops. Bullshit, right?"

My eyes widened, "he did that?"

"I also planned to avoid you. Marami akong atraso kay Kosovar at ayoko ng dagdagan pa 'yon, but one look at you, my plan to avoid you crumbled. I want to see you everyday."

Kumunot ang noo ko. Kaya ba hindi niya ako nasundo kanina? Dahil pinagbataan siya ni Kosovar? Pinagbantaan?

Naiintindihan ko na nag-aalala lang si Kosovar sa akin pero kaylangan bang umabot sa punto na pagbabataan niya si Emmanuel? Sa kanilang dalawa, sino ngayon ang nagmumukhang masama?

Huminga ako ng malalim. "He's just worried and trying to protect me," I explained, "sorry that I tried to avoid you. Ayoko lang na mag-away kami ni Var."

"You care about his feelings that much?" he asked with furrowed eyebrows, he looked pissed and his ears were red, he can't even look at me in the eyes. "And you're letting him dictate what you have to do?"

"I've known him longer than you, he's important to me, Nuel kaya ayoko na nag-aaway kami. Hindi naman siguro kita forever na iiwasan, 'diba? Pinapalamig ko lang naman ang ulo niya eh."

"His head will never cool off if it has to do with me."

"It'll cool off it it has to do with me. I'm his little sister after all and he has a soft spot for me. Hindi niya madalas ipakita but I know he cares for me and only wants what's the best for me. He's the closest I got for a family, he's like the brother I've always wanted. But between me and Jezer, si Jezer palagi pinipili niya kaya minsan nagtatampo ako."

Sinadya kong isali si Jezer sa usapan, tinitignan ang magiging reaksyon niya. Gusto kong alamin kung ginagamit niya lang ba ako tulad ng sinasabi ni Kosovar. Gusto kong kumpormahin na gusto lang talaga na makipagkaibigan sa akin ni Emmanuel, in that way, hindi na siya mag-aalala sa akin.

Hinintay kong sumagot si Emmanuel pero tumahimik lang siya at tumitig lang sa mga mata ko, tila inaalam kung nagsasabi ba ako ng totoo o hindi.

Bumuntong hininga siya pero hindi sumagot.

"Don't be mad at me, Nuel, that doesn't mean na hindi na tayo makakapag-usap. We can talk behind Var's back... or if he's not around... or maybe if we're alone."

Mas lalong nagsalubong ang kilay niya, hindi nagtagal ay nakuha niya ng ibig sabihin ng sinabi ko. Tumaas ang sulok ng labi niya at may ngising gumuhit sa labi niya.

"You're becoming a badgirl."

...

Hinatid pa ako ni Kosovar sa backstage nang matapos na ang shift ko, nanduon lahat ng mga kaibigan ko pwera lang kay Emmanuel. Madalas ay maaga siyang dumarating sa backstage, in-assume ko nalang na baka nakita niya na kasama ko si Kosovar at nagpahuli nalang muna.

Sinubukan ko namang pigilan si Kosovar, masyado lang talagang OA. Ayokong magkita pa sila ni Addison, alam ko na hindi sila okay lalo na't hanggang ngayon ay siguradong may gusto pa rin si Addison sa kaniya.

When I entered with Kosovar, Addison' eyes glinted, she straightened her posture on her seat.

She's still into him? Magiging okay sana kung kalimutan niya nalang ito at maghanap nalang ng lalaking kayang suklian ang pagmamahal niya.

"Okay na 'ko rito, Var." Ngumiti ako sa kaniya. "Pwede ka ng umuwi."

"Mayieh, your promise." Pinaalala niya sa akin.

"I know, I know." Pinatalikod ko siya at tinulak paalis sa backstage. "Magbi-video call pa kayo ng girlfriend mo 'diba?"

Dahil sa sinabi ko ay umalis din siya agad. Napailing nalang ako sa kaniya at sa obsession niya sa girlfriend niya.

"Bakit ka hinatid ni Kosovar, Ash?" Takang tanong ni Addison sa likod ko.

Humarap ako sa kaniya, nagkibit-balikat ako at pilit na ngumiti. "Trip niya lang siguro."

Nilampasan ko siya dahil hindi ko gusto ang mga tingin niya sa akin. Ang kumplikado niya pagdating kay Kosovar, lahat ng babaeng nakapalibot dito ay pinaghihinalaan niya, daig niya pa ang girlfriend. Hindi ko lang gusto ang katunayang may gusto pa rin siya kay Kosovar at umaasa pa rin ito hanggang sa ngayon.

Sinalubong ko ng yakap si Alonzo at si Reece, nakipagkwentuhan at nakipagbiruan sila sa akin ngunit ngiti lang ang naigaganti ko dahil wala ako ngayon sa mood. Ang daming nangyari ngayong araw, sumasakit lamang ang ulo ko tuwing binabalikan ko ang mga ito. Dahil hindi ko na kinayanang mapanggap na okay ay pumwesto ako sa gilid, naupo sa isang sulok at tumugtog gamit ang gitara ko.

"Without you I feel broke

Like I'm half of a whole

Without you I've got no hand to hold

Without you I feel torn

Like a sail in a storm

Without you I'm just a sad song

I'm just a sad song."

Mahina akong kumanta sa Sad Song ng We The Kings ft. Elena Coats. Maingat kong kinakalabit ang strings ng gitara, sinusubukang hindi magkamali sa pagkalabit.

"With you I fall

It's like I'm leaving all my past

In silhouettes upon the wall

With you I'm a beautiful mess

It's like we're standing hand in hand

With all our tears upon the edge

So stop time right here in the moonlight

'Cause I don't ever wanna close my eye—"

"Hey..."

May umupo sa upuang nasa harapan ko, nag-angat ako ng tingin para salubungin ang kulay tsokolateng mga mata ni Emmanuel.

"Hey." Bahagya akong kumaway habang nakangiti. Kanina pa ba siyang nakarating?

"I wonder why you still need another guitarist when you know how to play it." He asked, smiling like there's something amusing about me.

"Don'y flatter me, alam kong hindi ako magaling sa pagtugtog ng gitara."

"You have a really amazing voice though. Have I mentioned that before?"

My cheeks burned. I looked down to cover my bashful face. "Hindi naman kasing ganda ng sayo ang boses mo."

"That should be a lie because I love your voice, Ash. Everyday you always manage to amaze me with just by your voice."

"Pinapakilig mo ba ko?"

Mahina siyang tumawa. "Bakit? Kinikilig ka na ba?"

"Tama na nga 'yan, baka pagkamalan pa kitang may gusto sa akin eh."

He chuckled, moving his seat closer to me until our knees are touching. "Paano kung may tinatago nga akong pagtingin sayo, Ash?" He leaned forward, my breath hitched when he stop just a few inches away from my face.

I swallowed my saliva in a wrong way, I couldn't open my mouth to speak. My tongue couldn't form a single word to respond.

"Paano kung gusto nga kita, anong gagawin mo?"

"W-what..."

Ngumisi lang siya sa akin, hindi ko alam kung bakit mas bumilis ang t***k ng puso ko dahil lang duon. Bumaba ang atensyon ko sa ayos nito na nakakapanibago. Para bang pinagmamayabang niya ngayon ang mga tato niya sa braso. Nakakapagtaka kung may iba pa ba siyang tato maliban sa braso niya.

"Are you done checking me out?" he asked, tilting my head and our eyes meeting again.

"N-no, I mean, I'm not checking you out." Marahas akong umiling, napapaatras dahil sa unti-unting paglapit ng mukha niya. "Stop this, Nuel, hindi na nakakatuwa ang pang-aasar mo sa akin, ha?"

"I can't help it, you're adorable when you're embarrassed."

I became more red. "You know what? Instead of making fun of me, why don't you just practice instead?"

"We don't practice, Ash." He looked at me flatly, "this is probably the first time I encountered a band whom doesn't practice before they perform."

"We're professionals and we're awesome." I bragged, grinning to show him how proud I am for creating such band.

"Oh? So is that why you're not that good at playing guitar?"

I pouted. "You're so bad, Nuel, I hate you."

"Do you really?

"Edi ikaw na ang talented."

"Okay now, lovebirds!" Lumapit si Alonzo sa amin. "Tama na 'yang paglalandian niyong dalawa."

This past few days, Alonzo warmed up to Emmanuel little by little. Hindi nakapagtataka dahil mapalakaibigan naman si Emmanuel at mabait sa lahat ng tao rito sa bar, kaya kinekwestyon ko pa rin ang mga tinuran ni Kosovar tungkol dito. But as I said, between him and Kosovar, I will always pick my brother. So I choose to belive him.

Nagsihanda na ang lahat at tumapak na sa entablado hanggang sa kami nalang ni Emmanuel ang natira sa backstage. Binalik ko ang gitara ko sa case at sinandal ito sa gilid.

"You always bring that guitar everywhere you go. What's so special about it?"

"My lola gave me this, and uh, she passed away. That's the reason why I treasure this thing." I patted my guitar gently. "Ikaw? Wala ka bang gamit na pinapahalagahan?

He looked at me, a bitter smile formed his lips. "Do I?" he questioned, but it seemed like he was asking himself rather than me.

Sabay kaming tumapak sa entablado, maraming nag-aabang sa amin, mostly sa mga boys at lalo na kay Emmanuel. May mga sumipol din at humiyaw sa pangalan namin ni Addison pero hindi ko magawang pagtuunan sila ng pansin dahil parang mga manyak sila.

My eyes widened when Emmanuel wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me to his side. I looked around the crowds, making sure that Kosovar's nowhere to be seen.

"Don't worry, I saw him leave," he whispered on my ear.

A smiled creeped down my face. "Even when he's here or not, I still don't understand why you're being clingy all of the sudden."

"I don't like what you're wearing. Sinamahan ka rin ba ni Kosovar magbihis?"

Kumunot ang noo ko. "He waited for me outside the restroom. And what's wrong with my clothes? Komportable naman ah?"

"You look good in it, but I prefer it better if you wear sweatshirt and pants rather than that." He referred to my ripped jeans and spaghetti-strapped crop top.

"Sa init ng panahon magse-sweatshirt at pants ako? Baka pagtawanan pa 'ko ng mga tao." Nagkibit-balikat ako at inalis ang braso niya sa balikat ko. As usual, I greeted the audience good evening and had a little chitchat with them before we performed.

"You and I

We're like fireworks and symphonies

Exploding in the sky

With you I'm alive

Like all the missing pieces of my heart

They finally collide

So stop time right here in the moonlight

'Cause I don't ever wanna close my eyes."

Si Emmanuel ang kumanta ng verse one papunta sa chorus, naging simple lang ang performance namin, light at simpleng kanta lang ang napag-usapan naming unang kantahin.

Isa sa rason kung bakit nasisiyahan ako na kumanta at mag-perform kasama si Emmanuel sa entablado ay tuwing pinipikit niya ang kaniyang mga mata na para bang dinaramdam niya ang emosyon ng kanta, and whenever he opens in eyes, they would meet mine and he would smile at me.

Everytime, it gets me, and it always manage to make me feel special.