No Label

D-2

"I will give Yanyan to you"

What does she mean by that? Akala ko ba jojowain niya si Yanyan if magawa ko yung deal? Bakit ibibigay niya kay Jill? Ano akala nila kay Yanyan, laruan na pwedeng ipagpasapasahan?

"What was that?", tanong ko kay Mina na nasa harap ko ngayon habang pinaglalaruan lang ng straw ang kanyang drink. I asked to meet her because of what she did yesterday. She looks the usual now. Ibang-iba sa Mina na nakita ko kagabi. What's happening to her?

"Yung alin?", she asked full of innocence.

"Why would you give Yanyan to Jill? Are you changing the deal? Pwede ba 'yun?"

She stopped whatever she's doing and looked at me. Her stare slightly creeps me out. "That was just an excuse. Of course we will stick to the plan."

"How about Jill? You gave him false hope!"

"You're worried for him? Are you having feelings with him now?", I brushed off my hair because I'm getting pissed off with her. She is acting like a villain. I don't understand her anymore.

"Mina, tell me. What's wrong with you? Are you having a hard time? Talk to me, I'll listen", I tried to calm my self.  I tried to understand her.

"No. I'm fine. You're getting me chills, Nana", her expression changed again. I'm about to lose my mind with this girl.

"What are you up to, Mina?", I was being serious and that she stopped smiling.

"I told you. I'll tell you after this deal. I can't confirm something If you and Jill will broke up too soon."

"Bakit ba seven days? Bakit hindi na lang four days? Or five days?"

She sighed. "That person should be aware you are dating". Mas lalo lang akong nalito.

"Who?"

"I don't know. That's why I need a week. The longest time for me to find out and the shortest time for you to suffer."

"Hindi kita maintindihan..."

"I know. No one could understand but me. Everything is just blurry and I can't just tell anyone because I'm still not sure", she hardly explained. I can somehow understand  why she is so obsessed with this deal. But I still have lots of questions and I don't know how to ask.

"Okay fine. I believe I will be enlightened with all of this after seven days. But my problem now is...Jill. He still wanted to break up."

Saglit na natahimik si Mina. Kumuha siya ng ballpen sa bag niya at ginamit yung likod ng resibo para sulatan. Inabot niya sakin yun.

"Tell him to meet at this place.", Tinignan ko yung nakasulat. It's just an address and the name of... i think a restaurant."Mamaya, 6pm"

Tumayo na siya at iniwan ako dito nang hindi man lang hinintay sagot ko. Tinignan ko yung oras sa phone, it's 2pm. Agad ko ding tinawagan si Jill.

[Hello?] Sagot niya sa kabilang linya.

"Can we meet later?"

[Nana... let's stop this, please? I'll talk to Mina if this is still because of the deal]

"No. I just want to say something important", Yung totoo, hindi ko talaga alam ano mangyayari. Hindi man lang kasi sinabi ni Mina.

[Okay. I'll meet you later, but I hope this meeting will be a closure for our relationship]

"I'll text you the address", huli kong sabi at binaba ko na yung tawag.

Tumayo ako para umuwi ng bahay at magpalit ng damit kasi naka-uniform pa rin ako. Hindi na muna ako papasok sa last period. Wala naman kaming importanteng gagawin sa subject na yun. 

Inayos ko ang sarili ko. I still want to look good at this moment. Hindi ko alam ano pinaplano ni Mina pero may tiwala ako sa kanya.

5:25pm

Sinabi sakin ni Mina na sabay na daw kaming pumunta ni Jill doon sa sinabi niyang place kaya hinihintay ko siya ngayon dito sa cafe kung saan kami usually 'nagde-date'. Hindi na ako pumasok kasi di din naman ako oorder sa loob. Hinintay ko lang siya sa labas. Parang uulan pero sinadya kong wag magdala ng payong para magkaroon kami ng konting moment ni Jill.

I'm still trying my best to keep this relationship going kahit gustong-gusto na makipag break sakin ni Jill. Kahit na ako mismo ayoko ko na din. Kahit na nasasakal na kaming pareho. Mas nangingibabaw ang kagustuhan kong maintindihan si Mina at ang katotohanan.

Nang pumara ang pamilyar na sasakyan sa harap ko, sinilip ko muna kung kay Jill ba talaga iyon pero biglang lumabas siya. Lumapit ako habang naglalakad siya sa kabilang side, pinagbuksan niya ako ng pinto. Still a gentleman.

Walang may nagsasalita sa byahe. Kung may magsalita man, siguradong sa 'break up' na naman ulit mapupunta ang usapan kaya mas mabuti nang ganito. Tahimik.

Nakarating kami agad sa restaurant na sinabi ni Mina, hindi din naman pala ganoon ka layo. Hindi ito tulad ng ibang restaurant na glass yung wall. Hindi namin makikita ang loob pero mukhang maganda naman yung exterior design nito. It made me curious about its interior kaya pumasok na kami. Naunang maglakad si Jill at sumunod na din ako.

As we entered, I jumped the hell out of me because of that loud sound from party poppers. They are all clapping and howling as if we are newlywed couple entering a reception.

What the hell is this?!

"Congrats, pare!", bati ng isa pang mataas na guy na kasama nila. The whole Tulips is fcking here! Nandito din yung mga noonas, pati si Mother Horn... Pakana ba lahat ni Mina 'to? I looked at Mina and she just winked at me.

"OMG! Kayong dalawa? Nana, for real?", lumapit sakin si Jimmy na parang di makapaniwala sa nakikita niya. Pilit akong ngumiti. Pati si Ina ay nandito din, nakikipalakpak. She totally moved on from Jill at mukhang hindi naman siya gulat na gulat na ako yung girlfriend nito.

Tinignan ako ni Jill. His eyes are asking me what is this all about, I shrugged coz I don't know either.

"Upo na kayong dalawa, mukhang mahabang interview ang pagdadaanan niyo", Mother Horn grabbed us to the vacant seats.

Mahaba and table at nasa center kaming dalawa ni Jill magkatabi. Patagong tinext ko si Mina.

[Hoy babae, ano 'to? ]

Tinitignan ko lang silang nagtatawanan at medyo sumasakay na din ng konti. Awkward para sakin kasi hindi ko sila kilalang lahat. Napapansin ko ding palihim na tumitingin itong si Jill kay Yanyan. Talagang may gusto siya sa lalaking yun.

Sumenyas ako kay Mina na tignan niya phone nito. Ilang saglit ay nagvibrate yung phone ko at patagong binasa ang reply ni Mina.

[To save your relationship at least for one day] 

It means, araw-araw may ganitong pakulo  yung bruha? Haist!

Isa-isa na silang nagsitanungan tungkol samin. Here comes the hot seat! 

"Kailan naging kayo?"

"Pano kayo nagkakilala? "

"Kailan yung first kiss?"

"Hindi naman siguro ito scam tulad ng kay ate Mina at Yanyan diba?"

Ilan lang yan sa mga tanong nila. Si Jill lahat sumasagot. Nagsesecond the motion lang ako sa kanya. At baka iyong tintukoy ni Mina na 'mission', ay yung scam nila ni Yanyan. Hindi naman naikwento sakin ni Mina kung bakit nagkaroon sila ng ganoong mission, hindi ko din naman naitanong.

"Sana talaga hindi ito scam. I'm wishing you guys a good relationship", wika ni Mother Horn sa aming dalawa. Siya pinakamalapit sa amin pero hindi siya masyadong nagtatanong. Parang ino-obserbahan niya lang kaming dalawa, kung pano namin sagutin yung mga tanong ng members. She is smiling at us... weirdly.

We all both survived the night. Jill didn't talk about breaking up with me. Maybe tomorrow... I don't know what kind of trick would Mina do but I'm sure Jill will insist to break with me again.

Jill offered to bring me home because it's late and he is still my boyfriend at this time. We haven't broken up yet. But I rejected his offer. "I'll go with Mina. We are heading the same way". Sumakay ako sa sasakyan nila. Si Mother Horn yung nag dadrive. Si Ina muna yung nasa front seat dahil tinabihan ako ni Mina sa likod.

"You really like torturing me huh?", komento ko.

"Why? Hotseat ka kanina?", Mina teased me.  Sinabayan pa niya ng tawa yun.

"Don't worry Nana, naranasan din ni Mina yan, yung ma hot seat", sabat ni Ina na nakikinig din samin.

"Kailan?", tanong ko.

"Nung nagpapanggap sila ni Yanyan na magjowa"

So talagang may fake boyfriend thing na ganap itong kaibigan ko. Pero...

nakaya ni Mina yun? Eh kahit i-ship ko pa yan sa crush niya, sobrang cringey na para sa kanya.

"Pero bagay kayo ni Jill. Buti't ipinakilala ka niya samin, akala ko secret relationship kayo",dagdag ni Ina.

"Nahihiya ako kasi sa Tulips talaga? Eh hindi naman ako close sa kanila, yung iba hindi ko pa nga kilala.", reklamo ko. "Pero honestly, bakit may ganoon kang pa set up?",inilipat ko ang tanong kay Mina.

"You want to know why I revealed your relationship to Tulips? ", Mina asked.

I nodded.

Lumapit siya ng konti sakin. My heart kinda beats fast. "The person I'm looking for...", mahinang sabi niya pero mukhang naririnig pa rin nila nina Ina at Mother Horn. "I think it's someone from the group"

Muntik na kaming mauntog sa biglang pag-apak ni Mother Horn ng preno.