Kabanata 3
1175 Words
Khalila
"Bwisit!" I ran my fingers onto my hair out of anger. "Who does he think he is for him to tell I'm average?"
I heard Halley's soft chuckle before he snaked his arm around my waist. "He's just teasing you. Come on, Lil. He's a playful guy."
Umikot ang aking mga mata. Kahit pa sinabi ni Kalyl na binibiro niya lamang ako ay pakiramdam ko pa rin ay ininsulto ako.
I workout an hour a day, go on a healthy diet, and slay in every occasion because I carry my father's last name and my mother's pride. How could he call me average when I was born out of an immortal love? Nanggigigil ako!
"It's a bad idea to invite him," I said before glaring at Halley. Ngumisi lang naman siya't nakipag-cheers sa akin na parang kahit bumuga pa ako ng apoy ay wala siyang pakialam. God, he's so like tito Jigo. Parang walang hangganan ang pasensya!
Sinulyapan ko ang mayabang na si Kalyl. He's already slouching on the single-seater couch with a bottle of beer in his hand. Nagtatawanan sila ng mga kaibigan niya dahil sa kanilang pinag-uusapan, at sa tuwing mayroon siyang sinasabi habang nakangisi ay lumalabas ang dimple sa kanyang kaliwang pisngi.
Kalyl sipped on his beer. Mayamaya ay napatingin siya sa direksyon namin ni Halley. He saw Halley's arm around my waist, and when he realized that my eyes were glued on him, he didn't hesitate to smirk at me before he winked.
I pursed my lips. The audacity of this guy?
"Hall! Tara rito. Mamaya ka na mag-babe time diyan sa veranda!" sigaw ni Reemo Esguerra, isa sa mga kasama ni Kalyl na dumating.
Halley laughed softly. Mayamaya ay tumingin siya sa akin na tila hinihingi ang permiso ko. That's one thing I like about Halley. He considers my opinion instead of being a toxic guy who thinks that I should get along with everything he wants.
I sighed. This party is for him. I don't want to ruin it anyway so I nodded. Pinagsalikop naman ni Halley ang aming mga palad saka niya ako inalalayang magtungo sa living room ng condo niya. Agrain is already gone, probably went somewhere to bang his new apple of the eye.
We sat on the long couch. Nasa harap ko lamang si Kalyl kaya hindi ko maiwasang madama ang labis na pagtitig niya sa akin. It was as if he doesn't give a f**k if Halley is being too close to me. Kahit pa yata mapansin siya ni Halley ay wala siyang pakialam.
"Matagal-tagal ka palang mawawala, Hall. Sayang naman. May auction pa naman si Kalyl sa September," ani Reemo.
"Yeah. Sayang hindi ako makakauwi. Pati sa Hacienda Mercado hindi na ako nakadalaw. May kursunada si Lila na kabayo ro'n. Gusto kong bilihin kaya lang hindi ko pa nakita nang personal."
Kalyl crossed his leg over the other in a manly way. "Hacienda Mercado? You know Markus Mercado?"
"Melchor Mercado's brother?" Halley asked.
Tumango si Kalyl. "Yeah."
"Of course. He's a good friend of mine. Nakilala ko siya dahil kay Agrain."
Kalyl's lips curved. "I heard he's gonna take full responsibility sa batang dinadala ni Tania."
"Chismoso rin 'to," I murmured, but looks like Kalyl heard me. "We live in a small world and Markus is a great architect. Can't believe he's about to waste his great career for someone else's kid."
Tumaas ang aking kilay. "What's wrong about that?" Umismid ako. "Just because you don't have someone who isn't related to you na tinanggap ka't minahal, doesn't mean you have the right to judge other people who do have someone like Markus."
Ngumisi siya na tila ba ang pikunin ako ang mismong goal niya sa buhay. Nag-sink in naman sa akin kung bakit niya iyon na-brought up, kaya nang tumalim ang tingin ko sa kanya ay lumawak ang kurba sa kanyang mga labi.
"You figured it out, huh?" He sipped on his beer then smirked in a meaningful way. "Your mother is one of a kind."
"I don't know where you learned everything in life, but you understood how compliments work in a completely terrible way. Kung mamumuri ka ng tao, diretsahin mo hindi 'yong bibwisitin mo muna ang tao."
"Okay?" He licked his lips then smirked. "You're very pretty, Khalila Ducani."
I was taken aback. Hindi ko man lang nagawang kumurap o huminga. It was like for the first time in my life, a compliment about my physical appearance mattered a lot to me.
Tumikhim si Halley saka niya ipinatong ang kanyang palad sa aking tuhod. "Isn't she a star?"
"Magnificent?" Kalyl asked.
Halley smirked. "Unreachable, man."
Napalunok ako sa sinagot ni Halley. Bihira siya tamaan ng selos, ngunit heto siya ngayon, nakangisi habang malinaw na nakaukit sa mga mata ang pagiging dominante. It was as if for the first time, he finally sensed a threat to what we have.
Hinagod ko ang aking palad sa kanyang braso. "Take it easy."
Halley looked at me. "Oh, no baby I'm cool." He sipped on his beer. "Khalila loves your artworks. I'm planning to purchase your most expensive piece for her."
Inilapag ni Kalyl ang bote ng alak sa mesa. "Pwede naman. Kaya lang baka hindi rin niya magustuhan ang tema."
"Why? What is it about?" Halley asked.
"A painful love? A love once lost and was never found again? You could put it that way."
Halley whistled. "Aren't you a hopeless romantic?"
Ngumisi si Kalyl. "What can I say? This world ain't totally made for happy endings. Pwedeng hawak mo ngayon tapos sa huli ay sa iba rin mapupunta." His eyes focused on Halley's hand that's resting on my knee. "Right?"
"If there's a will, there's a way, my friend. My dad fought so hard to be with my mom again. Tito Khalil and Tito Lee did everything to spend a lifetime with their wives, too."
"But what did it cost?" tila naghahamong tanong ni Kalyl.
"Everything," I answered on Halley's behalf.
Kalyl drifted his gaze towards me. "Is it worth it, though?"
I smirked with confidence. "Sobra."
Ngumisi siya pabalik saka muling dinampot ang kanyang bote ng beer. "So if someone will get in your way, sa inyo ni Halley, do you think you will still find your way back home, or you'll stop by at your person of convenience forever because loving him is too painful?"
Hindi ko nagawang sumagot, siguro ay dahil hindi pa naman ganoon kalalim ang samahan namin ni Halley. Nang siguro ay nadama ni Halley ang hesitations kong sumagot, pinagsalikop niya ang aming mga palad saka niya hinalikan ang likod ng aking kamay. Mayamaya ay sinambit niya ang mga salitang nakapagpatulala sa akin sa kanyang ngayon ay seryoso nang mukha.
"Kahit ilang pit stop pa, as long as she still wants to come home to me, I'll always sit outside the home we built, waiting for her to return."
Tumaas ang isang kilay ni Kalyl. "Kahit may bagahe nang dala, hmm?"
Halley flashed a smirk. "Basta sa akin uuwi, kahit ilang bagahe pa ang dala..."
- Writer
