Sarang

Chapter 8

"Please, Sia! Just this once. Samahan mo na ako. Please!" I just frowned even more as I looked at the earlier. "Please, please, please," he begged that he almost knelt down.

"You woke me up for that?" I asked him again. He just pouted and look away. After a few seconds, he started to beg again. He just woke me up because he said he had something important to say.

"Sige na kasi, uuwi rin naman tayo kaagad! Magpapakita lang ako!"

"You're going home din naman pala kaagad. Why are you taking me with you?"

"Kasi gusto ko!"

"I'm not into crowd places, Asher. I don't do attending parties," I told him.

"It's not a party, it's a reunion!"

"And reunion," I added and rolled my eyes.

"Sumama ka na kasi. Paano kapag may biglang mangyari? Paano kapag may manakal sa akin o bumaril o sumaksak? Paano kapag namatay ako?!"

"Fine!" I told him as a sign of defeat. "If we spend an hour there I will kill you myself!" I warned him. I went straight to my room to get dressed. It's already 5 PM and the reunion will start at 6 PM. I just wore a black bodycon strap dress partnered with my stiletto. I just put a light makeup and curl my hair before wearing my accessories. I sprayed my perfume on me before getting my pouch and finally going down.

He stared at what I was wearing for a long time before his face suddenly became serious. "Bakit ganiyan?" he asked me as he points my dress.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Bihis ka. Magsuot ka ng maayos!" I was shocked when he suddenly shouts.

"Let's just go. We're getting late," I said and went out first. He was silent the whole trip going to the venue. He's just frowning and didn't speak. I just ignored him. The venue was a private resort and looks like it was rented for this event.

I just kept quiet while following Asher. We stopped with the group of men laughing. "Asher, p're!" The boys greeted him as they give each other a fist bomb.

"You came! Panigurado mangingisay nanaman sa kilig si Cresia mamaya!" a boy with his specs told him. Asher just shook his head before going beside me again that's why they all looked at me. I heard someone whisper and someone whistle.

"U-uy! Sorry, may kasama ka pala tol. Hindi ka man lang nagsabi!" The other one said but Asher didn't answer. Asher just said something to them before he pulled me to sit at the other table. I was no longer surprised when I saw Kooper at the table who was currently talking to the woman.

"Oy, Sia! Hi!" Kooper was surprised when he saw me but he smiled at me immediately before doing his handshake with Asher. I just smiled at him before sitting down. "Buti dumating ka na, kanina pa paikot-ikot mata ni Cresia, mukhang inaabangan ka. Umalis lang ata kasi sabi ko baka mamayang alas otso ka pa darating."

I heard Kooper saying that but I didn't bother to listen anymore. I just look at the woman in front of me who is now looking at me. When our eyes met, she smiled at me. "Hi!"

"Hello," I greeted him back. She was about to say something when but Asher got her attention.

"Wow! For the first time in my life, I saw Asher with that face! Nakasimangot si Asher!" she shouted which made me look at Asher. Nakasimangot nga siya! Kooper was just laughing at his friends face while whispering something which made Asher frowned!

"I'm Jiara, kaibigan ako ni Asher!" she introduced herself.

"Sia," I said before accepting his hand.

"Ang ganda mo!" I smiled shyly at her. I am used to hearing those compliments before but it was different when she said that. I mean, she's also pretty! "Girlfriend ka ba ni Asher? Nililigawan?"

"Uhm, I'm also his friend," I told her. She nodded but she didn't seem to believe my answer.

"Do you drink?" she asked me while offering a glass of wine. I just took it even though I wouldn't drink it because it seemed embarrassing to refuse her. I felt Asher beside me and I was surprised when he whispered.

"Since when have you ever been like that as if embarrassed in front of other people?" he whispered.

"Since earlier," I said and secretly rolled my eyes at him before I looked back at Jiara. I caught him giggling while looking at us.

"Tama na 'yan! Masyadong clingy, pare!" Kooper commented before pulling Asher so he can get away from me. "Sia, iwan muna kita rito kay Jiara ah! Huwag kang mag-alala, kahit mukhang aso 'yan hindi ka kakagatin niyan!" A handkerchief suddenly hit Kooper's face so I laughed. "Joke lang! Basta pahiram lang saglit."

I saw that Asher didn't want to go but since it was Kooper, he just agreed. He even looks at me twice. Jiara and I just talk about random stuff until everyone else starts eating.

"Are you hungry?" she asked me. I was about to speak when Asher suddenly appeared in front of me with a plate full of food in his hand. He placed it in front of me before looking at me.

"Kumain ka muna," he said.

"Where's mine, Daddy?" Jiara teased him.

"Kumuha ka ron."

"Sungit mo! Hindi naman ganiyan ugali mo!"

"Kinuhanan ka na ni Kooper," he told her before leaving. After a few seconds, he came back with my juice. Kooper also gave Jiara the food. They both returned to the table with their friends so Jiara and I were left alone again. We were silently eating when suddenly two men approached us.

"Ji, pakilala mo naman kami," I heard them whisper to her.

"Lumayas ka sa tabi ko Bogart, sasaksakin kita gamit 'tong tinidor," Jiara warned them.

"Sige na Ji, pakilala mo lang kami tapos aalis na kami," the one man said.

"Lumayo kayo sa akin bago ko pa kayo magawan ng panget na pangalan. Tigil-tigilan niyo 'yan baka malagutan kayo ng hininga ng wala sa oras."

"Hi, I'm Miguel. You are?" he suddenly held out his hand to me but I just stared at it for a moment before eating again.

"Ay masungit p're, ako nga. Hi, my name is Russel, have we met before?"

"No," I answered immediately. I heard Jiara's small laugh so I just shook my head.

"What's going on here?" Asher suddenly appeared in front of me. He looks at me but I just shrugged before continue eating.

"Asher, tol! Ikaw pala 'yan. Nagpapakilala lang kami sa kaibigan ni Jiara." The one with Miguel name answered him. I saw Asher whispered something to them before they walked away from us. I was surprised when he took off his coat and put it on me. I immediately looked at Jiara who's now looking away while smiling.

"I'm not his girlfriend," I told her when Asher left.

"Hindi nga," she said, still smiling. We went back to eating when I suddenly looked at where Asher's table is. I saw a woman walking towards them. Some of the boys laughed and looked at Asher. They were teasing him.

"That's Cresia. The sampung taon na ang nakalipas pero hindi pa rin maka-move on." I looked at Jiara when she suddenly spoke. "Since high school may gusto na siya kay Asher at alam ng lahat 'yon. Pinupush nila masyado si Cresia sa kanila kahit na ayaw ni Asher."

I did not speak and looked at them again. I was even surprised when I caught them looking at the two of us. Asher was telling something to her but the girl remained looking at me with an annoying face.

A few minutes later, I was surprised when suddenly there was juice poured in front of me. "Oh my God, I'm sorry! I was trying to pour it on your food," she said before standing straight and smiled at me.

I rolled my eyes and took my juice. Without a warning, I intentionally poured the juice on her clothes. "Oh my God, I'm sorry! I was trying to pour it on you," I said, mocking her.

"What?!"

She was about to grab my hair when Asher suddenly intervened. "That's enough," he calmly said.

"Enough?! Look what she did to me!"

"Manahimik ka, ikaw nauna," Jiara told her. Some of the people have already approached us to see what was going on.

"Excuse me, you DO NOT have the right to act like this towards me. I am the daughter of the owner of this resort!"

"That doesn't give you the right to start a fight with me," I told her seriously. The others are trying to stop her from shouting. "Let her. It seems like she lost her manners as she drinks the juice she was holding earlier. I don't even know you. Papansin ka?!"

"What?! You're really---"

"Stop it," Asher told her and she stops right away.

"Look at the attitude of the trash you brought here. She's so annoying!"

"Trash?!" I was about to grab her hair but Asher stopped me.

"Please, calm down," he said emphatically. "I'm sorry about this. We'll go now," he said before holding my hand but I looked at Cresia before speaking again.

"It would not hurt to practice having manners from the very beginning. Let's meet each other next time and I'll show you who the real trash is."

"Tell that woman of yours to never show up in front of me again," I told him while I was fastening my seatbelt.

"Woman of mine?"

"Am I wrong? Everyone knew that she's been in love with you since high school. Why don't you date her?" he just looked at me before shaking his head and started to drive. I kept complaining about that woman until I saw we stopped in front of a restaurant. "What are we going to do here?" I asked him while removing my seatbelt.

"Kakain malamang," he said while smiling. I just rolled my eyes at him. We went inside and immediately found a seat. "Let's eat I know you're still hungry."

"Good evening, what's your order Ma'am, Sir?"

"I would like to order..." I was stunned when I met the waitress' eyes. "Missy," I whispered.

"Yes, Ma'am?" she asked me while smiling sweetly. I slowly looked at the name tag hanging on her uniform. Missy.

"I would like to order anything," I said quickly and averted my gaze. I accidentally met Asher's eyes who was just looking at me seriously.

"Po?" she asks in confused.

"Carbonara will do. Thank you," Asher answered her. She said something about the order before finally leaving. I remained downcast in my seat while tightening my grip on my ring. I looked up at Asher when he suddenly holds my hand. "Namumula na 'yong daliri mo," he said before taking off my ring.

My tears were already welling up when I looked at him but he just smiled at me. "Don't worry, I won't ask anything."

"Enjoy your food, Ma'am and Sir," she said when served our food. I remained silent until I finished eating. Asher just let me and didn't talk to me.

"Can you at least tell me that you're okay?" he finally asked me when got in his car. I looked up at him and smiled weakly.

"Asher, what should I do? I met someone important to me from my past again," I said. The tears that I had been holding back since earlier started to fall. "That girl... is my best friend. She didn't... she didn't change her name like what she promised to me before she died," I said in difficulty. "What should I do? Should I apologize to her for letting her die?" I said while crying.

"Ssshhh," he comes closer to me and hugged me. "Don't cry. It's okay, it's okay."

It took me an hour before I calmed down and stopped crying. Asher didn't stop saying things to make me feel better. Only now have I realized that I can show how I feel to other people... and it happens to be him.

"I'm sorry...for crying," I apologized. "I just can't help it. I didn't expect to see her today after a long time."

"You don't have to say sorry. It is not your fault to feel sad and cry," he smiled at me.

"I..."

"It's fine. You don't have to say anything to me," he took my hand and put on the ring he took from me earlier. "Don't get all sad and mopey by yourself. I am always here to listen."