Tempted [Tagalog]

Chapter 7: Just Commoners

“MAGKAKILALA kayo?” tanong ni Justice na parang naguguluhan sa nangyayari.

I grabbed Belle’s arm at unti-unti akong tumayo mula sa kinauupuan ko so that I could face Aome at the same level. She looked bothered because she can’t even look straight into my eyes.

“Let’s go, Justice,” natatarantang sabi niya habang pilit na hinihila si Justice palabas.

“Oh? Leaving so soon, Aome?” I said sarcastically. “Is that how you’re going to greet an old friend?”

“Teka, magkakikala kayong dalawa?” Justice asked so I faced him.

“Hindi lang magkakilala, we're actually good friends,” I said. “After she decided to break my friend’s heart about a year ago. Hmm, seeing you two together, I assume na he's your new boyfriend. Am I right Aome?”

Maingat kong pinalipat-lipat ang tingin sa dalawa, ang ngisi sa labi ko'y hindi pa rin mawala. I don't know what kind of coincidence this is but I'm loving it.

Who would have thought, right?

“You don’t know anything, Alison,” may halong pagbabantang sagot ni Aome but I just laughed at her.

“Oh? I’m sorry about that,” I said in between my laughs. “You know what? Sa mga titig mo pa lang, parang gusto mo na akong patayi—”

“Alison, cut the crap and let’s go.” Anabelle grabbed my arm to stop me pero hindi ako nagpatinag.

“Let me be, Belle. I just want to catch up with an old friend—”

“Tama na!” inis na sigaw ni Aome at padabog siyang nagwalk-out, leaving me, Belle and Justice.

Napatingin ako kay Justice and there’s a dark aura surrounding him right now as he stares at me with cold eyes.

“I guess, I helped a wrong person,” he said at saka kami tinalikuran at patakbong hinabol si Aome sa labas.

I heard Belle let out a deep sigh.

“If you’re a guy, Allie? I would consider you a jerk.”

My lips curved into a grin. “It’s better that way, Belle. Kaysa naman isipin nilang anghel kang naturingan pero nakatago naman ang sungay mo. Gaya ni Aome.”

That snitch is just like any other commoners I've known. Alam nila kung saan kakapit para makinabang. Lalo na kung nakabingwit sila ng taong handang gumastos para lang ma-satisfy ang financial needs nila.

“Kaloka ka!” reklamo niya. “Let’s go na sa clinic! Baka gising na si Clarkson.”

Nawala ang ngisi sa aking labi when Belle mentioned Clarkson's name. I even rolled my eyes because of it. Nakakainis! Ang galing sa babae pero wala naman say sa bugbugan.

“Pesteng Clarkson, makita ko lang siyang gising? Patutulugin ko siya ulit!”

"Kailan ka ba hindi nainis sa isang 'yon?" nanunuyang komento ni Belle. "Saka pwede ba? Tumigil na kayo sa bangayan niyo at baka mainis ang langit, kayo ang itadhana sa isa't isa."

Sandali akong natigilan matapos marinig ang nakakasukang sinabi niya sa akin. Bahagyang tumaas ang kilay ko habang mariing nakatitig kay Belle. Kaagad naman niyang napansin iyon kaya nagsimula na rin magsalubong ang kilay niya.

"What?"

"Hindi ka ba kinilabutan man lang sa sinabi mo?" I rolled my eyes at nauna nang maglakad. "Yuck ka talaga, Belle! Baliw na lang ang magkakagusto sa Clarkson na 'yon!"

"That was a joke, Allie. You don't have to—"

"Well it's not funny!" yamot kong usal sa kanya. "Let's go na nga!"

Inalalayan na ako ni Belle pasakay ng kotse niya and the whole ride to the private clinic made me think about a lot of things that happened earlier.

I can’t help but to imagine his serious face a while ago.

I know I should be taken aback from his sudden mood change dahil siya itong nagligtas sa akin kanina but I just can’t help it. Siguro’y mas mainam na rin ito para mawala ang kung anong attraction na namumuo kanina sa sistema ko.

Like what I thought earlier, they're just commoners. Nothing more and nothing less.