Painful Scar

Kabanata 15

Because my grades are quite good, she let me go to the beach with friends. Nagtungo ako sa harap ng aming bahay para suminghap ng sariwang hangin. I felt like staying here for a while rather than staying at my room.

I pulled my phone from my coat's pocket and put my earphones on. It was past 6 in the evening. I first checked my inbox but see nothing important there so I played some ear-chilling music while scrolling through my phone.

My forehead creased when my peripheral view saw someone waving at me from a far. Palihim kong nasapo ang aking noo nang mapagtantong si Xyrene iyon, hila-hila ang isang pink na maleta habang naglalakad papalapit sa akin.

Nang makalapit siya ay roon ko lang napansin ang kaniyang kabuuan. She's wearing a black fitted jeans top with a sports bra, with her white sneakers on. Dumagdag pa sa appeal niya ang nakalugay niyang buhok. Her hair is fine black-brown with small curly tips but then it is still wavy that makes her more beautiful.

I removed my earphones and shot a gaze. "What in the grey's anathomy high school musical are you doing here?!"

"Nag-re-schedule sila ng flight! Ang bobo mo naman, 'di mo ba nakita?" She asked and even afforded to roll her eyes.

Kumunot-noo ako saka napatayo. "Saan ba? I haven't seen any messages from them."

"Haler! Uso na kasi mag-IG ngayon! Masyado ka kasing anti-social at puro Messenger lang alam mo. Umamin ka nga, marunong ka bang mag-twitter?" puno ng sarkasmong tanong niya saka lumapit sa gate at nag-ring pa ng door bell.

"Wait a minute, you'll sleep here?" I asked while pin-pointing her suitcase.

She nod couple of times. "Yeah, what's wrong?" Inosenteng tanong niya ngunit umiling na lamang ako. "4am ang flight at wala ang family driver namin bukas kaya sasama ako sa 'yo. Meet up place is in front of our old school."

I crossed my arms over my chest and raised a brow. "Hanggang kailan ka naman matutulog dito, ha?"

"Gagi! Lutang ka ba?" Maarteng tanong niya with flip hair pa. "Today is friday! Wala ngang isang araw akong mag-e-stay, eh!"" Rinig na rinig yata pati ng kapitbahay namin ang boses nitong si Xyrene. It seems like she's carrying a megaphone on her throat. And hell yeah! I forgot it's friday.

Mayamaya'y lumabas ang isa sa mga kasambahay namin, agad na inabot ni Xyrene ang kaniyang maleta. "Sa room po ni Vali." Tila nagdalawang-isip pa ang babae ngunit nang makita niya akong tumango ay napayuko na lamang siya.

"Sige po, Ma'am Xyrene," saka niya kinuha ang maleta at umalis.

Xyrene pace me with her arms crossed. "Masyado ka kasing nawiwili sa tutor-tutor-an niyo ni Lyle, 'yan tuloy 'di mo na bet ang weekends, duh! Dati naman you can't wait for friday nights, but now you even do forget na. Tapatin mo nga ako, ano bang ginagawa niyo ni Lyle roon sa condo bukod sa mag-aral?" I can see the lustfulness in her eyes.

"Gago ka talaga!" Inis ko siyang tinabig dahilan para mapahalakhak siya nang bahagya. "Shut up!" muling asik ko. I place my pointing finger against my lips and asked her to shut her mouth. Baka may ibang makarinig at bigyan pa ng kahulugan ang mga kalokohan nitong si Xyrene.

"And another thing, bakit ganyan ang suot mo? Mag-g-gym ka ba?"

"Paano mo nalaman na mag-g-gym ako?"

Napatingin ako sa kanya na kunwaring nagtataka pa. Itinuro ko ang kabuuan niya at nagwika, "Sa suot mong 'yan, 'di pa ba obvious?"

I heard her giggled. "Oo nga, 'no?"

My eyes widened. "What the heck! Seryoso ka talaga?"

"Yes! Yayayain ko lang naman si fafa Kairus. Ang iyong dearest brother na medyo suplado pero keri na," aniya pa saka humalkhak ng may halong landi.

"In the middle of the night? Seryoso talaga 'yan?"

"Oo nga! Shuta 'to! Seryosong-seryoso ako, may halong harot pa!" Pasigaw na sagot niya habang nagpo-pose na para bang model. "Kuya mo 'yon, 'no! Baka isang araw pagkagising mo kapamilya na ako," dagdag niya pa sabay flip hair.

"Jusko, Xy. Wala akong masabi sa 'yo!" Napairap na lang ako saka pumasok, ramdam ko ang masiglang pagsunod niy sa aking likuran.

"Sandali! Nand'yan ba sa loob ang Kuya mo?" hindi magkanda-ugang tanong niya. "How do I look? Maganda na ba ako? Papayag kaya siyang samahan ako?"

"You look like a whale, Xy." Sagot ko saka binilisan na lamang ang aking lakad.

"Oh my god! Look at my figure! Kailangan ko na talaga ng gym. Siyempre kailangan fit na fit ako kasi nga beach 'yun, 'no!" Hindi pa rin matigil sa kasasalita hanggang sa tuluyan kaming makapasok sa bahay.

"Tss."

"Yayain ko kaya sa beach si Kai?" Bigla akong natigilan nang marinig ko iyon. Napabaling ako sa kanya at hindi pa rin mapawi ang ngiti sa kaniyang labi. "Ano sa tingin mo?"

"Don't you dare," I answered with my coldest voice. The smile on her face slowly fade.

"Bakit naman?"

"Hindi naman natin ka-batch si Damon so why do we have to bring an excess bagage?"

"P'wede naman 'yun, 'e! Crush ka naman ni Theon noon, 'di ba? kaya p'wede 'yun!" My forehead creased.

I hold my irritation and shouted, "Stop, Xy! Hindi ako sasama kung kasama siya!"

"Bakit nga ayaw mo? Parang sasama lang naman," she insisted again.

"You know him, ayoko ng gulo roon, nakakahiya!" Iritado pa ring sagot ko nang hindi man lamang siya tinatapuanan ng tingin.

"Sa guwapo kong 'to mahihiya ka? Sinong niloloko mo?"

Bigla kong narinig ang malamig niyang boses This is freaking weird!

"Hindi naman yata siya manggugulo roon. Isama mo na kasi si— Kai!" Natigilan ako nang tumigil din si Xyrene habang ang tingin ay diretso lamang sa center tabe kung saan nakapamulsang nakasandal si Damon.

"Are you guys talking 'bout me?" Nakatabingi pa ang kaniyang ulo habang itinatanong iyon.

"You heard everything?" Bakas sa mukha ni Xyrene ang hiya nang tumango si Damon. "Wag mo sanang isiping crush kita kasi... slight lang n-naman. Mga 99.8 percent hehe," halos magkandapiyok-piyok na saad niya. Nasapo ko ang noo at bahagya pang napahagikhik dahil sa itsura niya habang kaharap si Damon.

She looks like something I couldn't describe!

"Baby, let's talk," a baritone voice took over the place. I shifted my gaze to meet his charcoal-eyes but in a suprise, he was looking right through Xyrene.

I felt something jump out of my chest.

Sa hindi malamang dahilan ay nakaramdam ako ng kirot. Damn!

"Gago Vali! I'm getting married," hindi mapakling bulong sa akin ni Xyrene. "Ugh baby let's talk daw! Hindi pa ako ready ro'n, Val!" Kaunti na nga lang ay magtatalon-talon siya sa kinatatayuan niya at sunggaban ng yakap si Damon. "Ang wild naman ng kuya mo ehe!"

Xyrene took a step closer to him. "Hoy! Enebe! beket nemen dito pe?" She even lightly hit Damons arms. "Nakakahiya kay Vali, you know? Ehe."

Dito pa talaga sila maglalandian? Sa harap ko pa? Ang kapal talaga ng mukha ni Damon! Kairita!

Napahalukipkip ako at naparolyo ng mata bago tuluyang tumalikod at naglakad papalayo. "Vali," I heard his voice calling me. I got irritated in an instant.

Gusto niya pa talaga ng audience? Gago!

Hindi ko siya nilingon at nagpatuloy lamang sa paglalakad. I raised my middle finger in the mid-air and shouted, "f**k you, Demon!"

"Jusko mother earth! Kain niyo ako, ngayon na!" Xyrene hissed.

Wala sa sariling inihakbang ko ang aking mga paa at binaybay ang daan patungong kusina. Doon ko nadatnan si Mommy at isa sa aming kasmabahay na bahagya pang nakatingin sa gawi ng pinagmumulan ng boses ni Damon at Xyrene. They looked like they were listening on our conversation all of the time. "Mom?" Wala sa sariling usal ko.

"Hey, you wanna eat?"Gulat na tanong niya matapos akong madatnan sa kaniyang gilid.

"What are you two doing?"

She smiled at me before she lent a glass of orange juice. I shook my head and started drinking the juice. "Do you think they're so bagay?"

"You think so?" I asked back. They nodded.

"Pero mas bagay siya kay Miss Athena, Ma'am. 'Di ba?" One of the helpers said.

"Yieee Oo!"

"Gustong-gusto ko talaga ang batang 'yon para kay Sir Kairus."

My forehead creased. "Who's Athena?"

"'Yung Ex po ni Sir Kairus," she answered immediately. Mom immediately covered the helper's mouth and fake a smile.

She said, "You're so madaldal din, 'no?"

I wonder why I didn't even meet this ex of him. Kung kilala nila ay marahil dinadala ito ni Damon dito sa bahay. How come na hindi ko ito makikita o makikilala man lang. Maybe, I was too busy to win Kian that time.

"May Ex pala siya? I haven't met her," I conclude. Hindi ko na ito pinagtuunang pansin at muling nilagok ang laman ng baso.

"Damon— este Kai, samahan mo naman ako sa gym, oh?" I heard Xyrene voice, it's getting smaller and smaller each word she uttered.

A smirk formed on my lips. Knowing Damon? Hindi siya papay— "Sure."

I almost spit up the juice inside my mouth that made me cough a couple of times. "Eshhhh!!!"

"Baby! Are you okay?" Nag-aalalang tanong ni Mommy saka inabot sa akin ang isang malinis na tela. Agad kong pinunasan ang labi at inilapag ang baso sa lababo.

"I didn't expect that coming!" Iritadong asik ko. I run my fingers through the dining table and pretend that lately it was the dust that made me cough. I ended up sneezing 'cause I feel cold.

"Hi, Tita!" Napatingin agad ako sa pinagmulan ng boses na iyon. I saw howwide her smile is. She then hugged Mom and said, "You look like you never aged!"

"Naku! Nambola pa!" Mom laugh back. "You look so good, Xyrene! I think you'll vibe with my son!" Nakangiti pa rin aniya habang hawak-hawak na ang kaliwang kamay nito.

Ako? Kanina pa ako nakakunot-noo rito! Tupang Ina!

"Xy!" I slowly turn my gaze and saw a man standing from behind. He's wearing a fitted black sleeveless shirt and a jogging pants. His hair were messy as if. He looks too freakin' good for gym!

He offered a hand and asked, "Let's go?" Xyrene just nod and planted a small kiss on Mom's cheek and then reach for Damon's hand.

"Go home before dinner!" Mom exclaimed.

Damon took a glimpse and smiled at Mom. "Don't bother to wait for us. I already ask Xyrene for dinner. We'll probably be home late."

My forehead creased, again. If this can make me aged in an instant, I probably would be an old woman right now. "Do remember our flight! I won't drive, you do!" I don't know how I sounded like but I saw them looking right at me with their jaw dropped. Well, except for Demon who's grinning a mile-wide.

What a jerk he is!

"No problem!" She waved her hand. "If by a chance that I got myself drunk. I'll ask Kai to drive for us," she added before leaving me with my lips parted.

"Darn! Esh!!!" Iritado pa ring singhal ko.

Gusto ko pa sanang makipag-usap sa mga kasambahay para malamang kung sino si Athena pero nawalan na ako ng gana.

Napalapit ako sa ref at kumuha ng tubig doon. Inis ko itong nilagok at padabog ding inilapag ang baso sa mesa! "Don't ask me for dinner! I lost my appetite," I hissed. "Bullshit!"

"Vali!" Mom tried to pull me back but she failed.

Nagdire-diretso ako sa kuwarto at padabog na isinara ang pinto. Inis kong pinagtatapon ang mga gamit ko sa kung saan at inihiga ang sarili sa kama. Hindi maiwasang sumagi sa isip ko ang maaaring ginagawa nila ni Damon ngayon. Maybe they went far from town or hangout in a crowded bar. I just can't stop myself from thinking until I got frustrated! He never failed to annoy me!

Wala sa sariling napupo ako't napasabunot sa aking buhok. "God! He's getting on my nerves!"