Taming The Spoiled Brat

12

"Where do you want to go first?" I asked sol when we arrived at our mall. Today, hindi ko muna pinasara ang mall dahil biglaan lang naman din ito. "Hm... I think, Versacé!" She exclaimed like a happy kid and run first to the store.

Napailing nalang ako.

"Okay, pick whatever you want then just gave it to them," sabi ko pero isiniwalang bahala na lang niya 'yon dahil alam naman din niya na sa'kin 'tong mall na ito kaya lagi ko siyang nireremind na ibigay nalang sa counter then ako na magbabayad.

Of course, I need to pay even if it's my own company. I don't want to lugi 'no.

Umupo nalang ako sa gilid at napag-isipan na picturan si sol nang palihim at ipost ito sa ig. Likod lang niya ang nakikita at habang tumitingin-tingin siya ng mga bag na naka display do'n.

'Treat.'

That was the caption that I put then... Upload! In just one snap, thousands of likes just show up. Many people like sol so I liked to tease her with them. But to be honest, not one of them was my type for my best friend. I mean, I know I don't have rights to make decisions for her, pero alam kong wala din siyang nagugustuhan do'n.

May mga pogi naman na nagkakagusto sakan'ya na pinakita noon, at lagi niya 'yong ayaw. She's too loyal for duke. I just knew that, ever since then; sol like duke.

"Here," tumayo ako ulit para ibigay sakan'ya 'yung card ko. "Thank you," lumingon siya sa'kin para kuhaain 'yon. Nginitian ko lang siya at bumalik na sa upuan.

Pagkaupong-upo ko nag message sa'kin si duke.

From: Duke

Where are you?

Tanong niya sa message.

To: Duke

At Zamora's mall.

I messaged him back while I looked again to sol kung ayos pa siya. She's okay so I put my attention back on my phone.

From: Duke

Are you with sol?

To: Duke

Yes, why?

I simply smile at the thought that he was missing sol.

From: Duke

Ah, 'wag na lang. Nakakasawa na mukha niyan. Bye.

My smile faded when he said that. Problema no'n? Napakunot ang aking noo sa magulo kong kausap. Dami ko na ngang problema dadagdag pa siya, yawa.

"Thank you keir!" She said and then hugged me tightly. Napatawa Naman ako and hug her back. Pero some minutes passed by, sobrang higpit na ng yakap niya so pinalo-palo ko siya sa braso niya saying to her that I can't breath na.

"Hehe, sorry," she made a peace sign after the hug and then smiled at me. "Let's go?" I asked her. "Where?" She curiously asked. "Somewhere," I simply said. "But, how about the bags?" Lumingon pa siya sa mga pinamili niya. "May magdadala niyan sa house niyo." Tutal kilala naman na din siya ng mga nandito at ng mga services naming. So uutusan ko nalang sila upang ihatid 'yan lahat sa bahay ni keir. Hindi madadala 'yan ni sol sa kaniyang car because ang dami niyang pinamili.

Ganiyan kami magpasalamat to each other, spoiling each other. Well, that is okay with me. Since I like spending my money on designer bags. "Okay," she said and smiled crazily. She clanged her hands on my arms and we start walking outside the store.

"Bye, I'll just message you the place that we're going to," I bid goodbye to her as we separate. She brings her car and I bring my own.

When I'm starting my engine, some unknown number messaged me. Takang -taka ko pinindot ang text niya at napataas ang aking isang kilay nang mabasa ang message niya.

From: UNKNOWN

Do you even know what did you to us?

I think this is just another wrong number since madami nang nag me-message sa'kin ng wrong number. "I think it's time to change my number," I whispered to myself at napabuga ng hangin. I deleted that from my inbox at papatayin ko na ang cellphone sana when sol messaged me.

From: Solis

So, where do we off to?

Nag-isip pa ako ng mga lugar na pwedeng puntahan at biglang pumasok sa isipan ko ang park.

To: Solis

Park

I didn't even know that I typed that word. Nagtaka din ako sa sarili ko why I chose that place since the park was my number one hated place since it was too crowded. I just shrugged my shoulders and let myself drive into the park.

~~

"Anyare 'te? Ba't bigla mo ata naisipan mag-park?" Sol greeted me nang makalabas siya sa sasakyan niya. Ako ang nauna dito kaya sumandal muna ako sa trunk ng car ko habang nagmamasid sa paligid. " I don't know either," nagkibit-balikat nalang ako at umupo sa may malapit na bench. Sumunod sa'kin si sol at sumandal sa may lamesa pagkaupo niya sa tabi ko.

Silence ate us pero rinig pa rin ang mga tawanan ng mga bata sa paligid. "So, what happened nung wala ako?" Tanong ko sa gitna ng katahimikan at habang tinitignan ang mga bata sa paligid na nakikipaglaro sa kanilang mga magulang.

"Nothing special," sagot niya. Pero nahihimigan ko ang lungkot sa boses niya. And she was trying to hide it.

"Tell me honestly, sol. We've been friends since we were a child. I knew you well, sol." I said. Narinig ko ang pagbuntong-hiniga niya sa tabi ko so may nangyari talagang hindi maganda nung wala ako.

"Ano, about kay duke," my brows lifted and faced her na ngayon ay nakayuko na at pinaglalaruan ang mga daliri.

" I saw him-" She didn't continue her words because I knew what she was going to say. "Hayy..." I took a deep breath before saying anything. "So what's your plan? Are you gonna let him be like that?" Inangat niya ang kaniyang ulo and I saw her eyes getting wet.

Bahagya niyang inangat ang kaniyang ulo para hindi bumagsak ang luha niya. Pero hindi na niya kinaya. Tuluyan na itong bumagsak. "I don't know, keir. Siguro mas okay na 'to." It must've been hard for her to keep her feelings for him for a long time.

"Sol, I know it's hard but mas mahirap kung itatago mo 'yan and patuloy kang nasasaktan sa mga nakikita mo..." Mahinahong sambit ko. She didn't say anything but she just let out a deep breath and wipe her tears off.

"I'll just choose to keep this forever than to ruin everything... But I remember, mapaglaro ang tadhana. So I guess I'll just ride the game of destiny." Malungkot niyang ani.

"Come here," I open wide my arms to hug her. Lumapit naman siya at niyakap ko siya ng mahigpit while saying comforting words.

Pero habang yakap-yakap ko siya, tumutunog ang cellphone ko sa loob ng kotse ko. Rinig ang pagtunog nito dahil wala nang masyadong tao dito because lumulubog na kaunti ang araw. "Wait, I'll just get that," I said nang kumalas ako sa pagkakayakap. Tumango naman siya sa'kin at pinunasan ang kaniyang mga luha.

"Hello?" I asked in the line.

~~