Her Ever After

Chapter 1

"Uy, Gab. Teka, uuwi ka na?"

Nakangusong kumapit si Rome sa braso ni Gab, na nag liligpit ng mga gamit nya. We're here at the student lounge at katatapos lang mag arrange ng notes ni Gab.

Sana all masipag!

"Maya ka na umuwi. Tambay muna tayo, maaga pa oh." Ungot ni Rome. Mabilis na umiling si Gab pero tuloy pa rin ang pamimilit ni Rome sa kanya.

Dapat kasi ay may dalawang klase pa kami mamayang gabi. Pero dahil wala ang mga instructor namin nun maaga kaming makakauwi ngayon.

Napatingin naman ako sa cellphone kong nakalapag sa desk ko. Dinampot ko ito at tsinek kung may message na ba si Matt. I sighed nang makita kong wala man lang itong paramdam.

"Dun na lang tayo sa bahay tumambay. Ipagluluto ko kayo ng meryendahan," Gab said. Agad namang lumiwanag ang mukha ni Rome.

"Ano, g kayo?"

"G na g!" Tuwang tuwang isinukbit ni Rome ang bag nya.

Napatingin ulit ako sa phone ko bago tumayo. I need to see him pero ayaw ko namang magtampo ang dalawang 'to. Hayst. Daanan ko na lang sya mamaya pag-uwi.

"Take a seat guys. I'll just change my clothes first," Gab said then she went to her room.

Pabagsak na umupo kami ni Rome sa sofa, making ourself feel at home.

"Shuta naman! First day na first day may pa-reporting agad," Rome groaned while massaging her head. "Tapos hindi pa tayo magkakagrupo. Shede!"

"Sinabi mo pa. Buti na lang mukhang matitino ang kagrupo ko," i said as i took out my phone.

"Wala pa rin?" I just gave Rome a small smile at ibinulsa ko na lang ulit ang phone ko.

"Maiwan ko muna kayo dito, sunduin ko lang si Gwen," Gab said as she went out of her room.

"Sama kami," saad ni Rome at mabilis na tumayo. Tumayo na rin ako dahil wala rin naman talaga akong balak na mag paiwan dito.

"Saan mo ba susunduin si Gwen?" I asked.

"Dyan lang sa may Tita ko," sagot nya. I just nodded and then we followed her.

I was looking around while we're walking not because im familiarizing the place, but because she's living in this neighborhood. Hindi ko nga lang alam kung saan mismo ang bahay nya.

"Chill ka lang, Tori," Gab said, smiling, maybe she sensed that i'm feeling uneasy.

"Oo nga, chill ka lang. Mas maganda ka naman dun pero sya nga lang yung mahal," sabi naman ni Rome.

Mabilis syang nakatanggap ng malakas na hampas sa braso mula kay Gab. Ako naman ay napatahimik na lang dahil sa sinabi nya.

"We're here." Anunsyo ni Gab at pumasok na sa gate ng medyo may kalakihang bahay.

"Woah! Sana all rich." Manghang saad ni Rome habang pinagmamasdan ang bahay.

"Pakisara ang bibig, Rome. Napapaghalataang magaling kang sumubo. Charot!" Natatawang biro ko then the two of them stared me like i said something amazing.

"Yak! Ang sagwa mo, Tori!" Nakangiwing saad ni Gab.

"Ang baboy mo. Hype ka!" Mas lalo lang akong natawa sa mga reaksyon nila.

"Charot lang naman!" I said. Kumatok muna si Gab sa pinto bago buksan ito at pumasok. Tahimik na sumunod naman kaming dalawa ni Rome.

"Ganyan ba ang epekto sayo ng pagiging broken?" Tanong ni Rome habang nakangiwi pa rin.

"Tanga. Anong broken ka dyan? They haven't broke up...yet," sabi ni Gab at nginisihan ako sabay paikot ng eyeballs nya.

"Amputa, mga kaibigan ko ba talaga kayo?" Kunwari ay di makapaniwalang saad ko.

"Duh! We're singles and we promote break up's," Gab said at natatawang nag apir silang dalawa ni Rome. Seriously?

"Good afternoon, Tito! Si Gwen po?" Gab greeted to a man at nag-mano, Rome and I also did the same.

"Kaawan kayo ng Diyos." He smiled. "Hindi ka ba nasabihan ng Tita Trina mo? Nandun sya ngayon sa shop kasama si Gwen," saad nito.

Matapos ang maiksing pag-uusap nila Gab at ni Tito nya ay nagpaalam na kami. We we're offered to have a snack there but we refused because we want the food that Gab will cook.

"Riell!" Three guys caught our attention as we come out from the gate. Dali daling bumaba si Theo na syang tumawag kay Gab mula sa motor nya.

My brows furrowed when i recognized the other two guys, nang alisin nila ang kanilang helmet. Its Jiro and Owen.

"Esang! Este Tori pala," saad ni Jiro sabay halakhak. Inirapan ko na lang at sya at inalis ang tingin sa kanya.

Papansin, amputa.

Napunta naman ang tingin ko kay Owen na pinagmamasdan sina Gab at Theo na nag-uusap. Oh my ghad! I can sense something from that stare.

Napangisi na lang ako at lalapitan sana si Owen nang hilahin ni Rome ang braso ko at pinaharap nya ako sa kanya.

I frowned when i felt na namamawis ng malamig ang palad nya. Tapos para pa syang natatae na ewan.

"Woy! Natatae ka ba? Pinagpapawisan ka ng malamig, eh." I joked.

"H-ha? A-ah, oo! M-medyo masakit nga ang t-tiyan ko." Nauutal nyang saad.

"Gab, si Rome natata—

"Hoy, Esang! Diba jowa mo yun?" Jiro cut me off. Mabilis na lumingon ako kay Jiro at sinundan ang direksyon na tinuturo nya.

It felt like everything around me stopped when i saw how Matt wrapped his arm around Chanel's waist and kissed her.

"N-no... M-matt." I whispered. I tried to walk towards them but my knees failed me.

"Tori!" Rome squealed when i fell on my knees and darkness envelopes me. But before that, kitang kita ng dalawang mga mata ko kung gaano kalawak ang ngiti ni Matt na hindi ko man lang makita pag magkasama kami.

I gasped for air when i opened my eyes. Mabilis na lumapit sa akin sina Gab at Rome. I took a sit and i roamed my gaze, i realized that we're here at Gab's Uncle's house. Then i quickly stand up when i remembered what happened.

"Uy, gaga! Okay ka na ba?" I looked at Rome. Instead of answering her question, I quickly walked towards the door but someone grabbed my arm. It was Gab.

"N-no, i h-have to s-see him." I tried to remove Gab's hand but she's too strong. "P-please, Gab." I pleaded.

But instead of letting me go, i received a hard slap in the face from her. My lips parted in shock, so as Rome. At kahit na sina Jiro na kadadating lang dito sa may sala.

Numbness envelopes my face.

"Potangina, Tori," Gab said through her gritted teeth. "Hanggang kailan ka ba magpapakatanga sa hinayupak na yun? Potangina, nakikita mo ba ang sarili mo? Napaka desperada mo na!"

I looked at Gab, with my serious face. "I don't care if i look desperate. I love him and i will fight for him. Stop talking like you know something about love because you don't! Not even a litte!" Then i forcefully grabbed back my arm.

When im on my way to see Matt, i received a message from him. Saying that he wants to meet me. And when i arrived on the place that he said. I quickly went to him and hugged him tight.

"I miss you, Love," i said in a low voice. Then i buried my face in his broad chest.

I love him and i won't let anyone take him away from me, not even Chanel. Alam kong natututunan na rin nya akong mahalin. Naguguluhan lang sya kaya nya kasama si Chanel.

"Let's stop this, Tori."

Bigla ay parang nabingi ako sa sinabi nya. Unti unti kong niluwagan ang pagkakayakap ko sa kanya at iniangat ang tingin ko para salubungin ang mga mata nyang walang kabuhay buhay.

"Is it because of Chanel?" I asked.

"You know that it's always been her."

Always?

Napangiti na lang ako ng mapait at hindi na muling pinigilan pang lumabas ang aking mga luha.

"Im sorry, Tori. I tried but i just can't."

"Just leave," i said. "Wag ka ng magsalita pa. Umalis ka na lang, Matt. Mas lalo mo lang akong papahirapan if you keep on talking that you tried to love me. Baka umasa na naman ako. Kaya umalis ka na lang, pakiusap." I managed to stop my tears from falling.

But when he really left, that's when i broke down. I fell on my knees for the second time and then i cried so hard. Until i can't cry anymore.

It's been weeks since 'that' day happened. It pains me so much whenever i remembered it, ow, lagi ko pala syang naaalala. Walang segundo na hindi sta pumapasok sa utak ko. But i can't cry. It looks like naubos na ata ang mga luha ko sa katawan.

"Chuckie?" I frowned when Jiro showed up in front of me, handing and shoving the chuckie in my face.

"Baka naman may balak kang kunin 'to, diba?" I frowned more when i saw him rolled his eyes.

I just looked away and ignored him. I don't have the strength to talk to anyone right now.

"Pota." I cursed when he gently grabbed my jaw and made me open my mouth, just to put the straw na nakatusok na sa chuckie.

"Drink it up then i'll leave you alone," he said, so i did what he wanted for him to leave me alone.

And when i finished drinking the chuckie, he took it from me, throw it in the nearest trash-bin and he left me alone here in school's student lounge without saying anything.

I sighed. Suddenly, my forehead creased when i saw him walking back towards me, holding his bag. His hair looks a bit messy and his face looks distress.

"Im sorry. I just can't leave you alone like this," he said, his voice sounds tired and worried. He then took a seat beside me silently and it made me smile.

Another week have passed and slowly, everything seems to be fine. Gab and I already talked and said sorry to each other. Hindi na rin ako gaanong nasasaktan kapag naaalala ko ang nangyari. Well, thanks to Gab for slapping me real hard. Nagising ako dun ng very very slight lang, charot! Nagising ako ng bongga at mukhang dun nya ibinuhos lahat ng galit nya sa mundo.

"So, what's your plan, girls, for the upcoming acquaintance party? Pupunta ba kayo?" Rome asked. We're here at the school's canteen, having some snacks. Maaga kasing natapos ang klase namin ngayong araw.

I swallowed first the Nova that im chewing. "Not sure. Birthday yun ng pinsan ko, eh," i answered. We both looked at Gab whose busy drinking her dutchmill, waiting for her answer.

"I'll have a date..." Nanlaki ang mga mata naming dalawa ni Rome at magsasaya na sana when she showed her books and notes to us. "With our lessons." She added. Gez.

"Kala ko pa naman sa lalaki na," i said in grimace.

"Utak mo, Tori, nakakatangina. Puro lalaki ang laman." She glared at me. I just grinned at her at kumain na lang ulit.

I went home straight from the school when we finished having some snacks. Im so tired kahit na wala naman kaming masyadong ginawa, that's why i took a nap. And it's already 8PM when i woke up.

I went downstairs when i felt my hunger. Good thing Mom's still there at the kitchen. After eating i went to my room again at ginawa ang night routine ko. I brushed my teeth, cleaned my body then I crawled back to my bed when i finished doing my skincare routine.

I wrapped the comforter in me and i tried to go back to sleep. Minutes have passed pero hindi ako makatulog ulit. Argh!

Mabilis na bumangon ulit ako at bumaba mula sa kama habang nakabalot pa rin sa akin ang comforter. I walked towards the veranda's door and opened it.

My gaze automatically landed on Jiro's veranda. I bit my lip when i didn't see him there but the lights in his room are turned on. Lumapit ako sa may vase na may halaman na andito sa may veranda ko at kumuha ng maliliit na bato.

I tried throwing it to his glass door but unfortunately isa lang tumama. I waited for a little bit, waiting if he'll come out. I heaved a heavy sigh when it looks like he won't come out. I was about to go back in my room when his glass door suddenly opened.

"H-hey." I greeted, smiling. His hair looks like a mess, as always.

"Hey too," he said, sounds groggy. I frowned when i noticed something about him.

"Are you drunk?" I asked. "Kaya ba hindi kita nakita sa school kanina?"

He looked away at kinusot kusot ang mga mata nya.

"Is everything okay? You can talk to me," i said.

"Oo naman! Okay na okay ako. Paranoid ka, Esang." Natatawang saad nya.

"Gago!" I hissed at inirapan sya. Basag trip talaga 'tong kumag na 'to!

"Yuy, concerned sya sakin." He teased. Pinaningkitan ko naman sya ng mata.

"Wag kang asyumero, uy! Bahala ka nga sa buhay mo!" Inirapan ko ulit sya bago pumasok sa kwarto at isinara ang glass door.

My gaze instantly shifted to my phone when it suddenly beeped. I frowned when i saw a message, it was from an unregistered number.

From: +639**********

Pagkatapos mo akong palabasin tapos iiwan mo lang din ako. Bad ka, Esang! :'(

Napatawa na lang ako nang mabasa ang message. It was from Jiro. Saan naman kaya nun nakuha ang number ko?

To: Jiro

Haha. Baliw! Itulog mo na lang yan. Night!

After i replied, humiga na ulit ako sa kama. Thank God at nakatulog agad ako right after I closed my eyes.

The next morning, i woke up early. My class will start at 11, wala raw kasi yung instructor namin sa first sub kaya i still have a lot of time to consume. After i ate my breakfast i decided to bake a cookies.

Nang maluto at lumamig ay nilagay ko na ang mga ito sa dalawang box. Ang isang box ay para kina Rome at Gab. Then the other box is for Jiro. Pa-thank you ko sa kanya for making me happy and for staying by my side nitong mga nakaraang araw kahit na lagi ko syang binabara at sinusungitan.

After getting ready for school I quickly went out of our house to go to Jiro's. My brows furrowed a bit when i saw a girl standing outside the gate of Jiro's house.

"Sino pong hanap nyo?" I asked nang makalapit ako sa kanya. She almost jumped in shock when i appeared out of nowhere.

"A-ah, i was looking for Jiro,"

?