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Again, sorry guys sa napakatagal na update. Grabe talaga. Kung miss niyo magbasa, miss na miss ko magsulat. Kaso ayun. Trabaho mode. Tapos ang layo pa ng commute ko. kaya walang time. Sorry. Sana maintindihan niyo. :(

CHAPTER 23

"Aray ko! Teka lang naman! May galit ka ata sakin eh!" Ryan shouted.

Napagulong na lang ang mata ko. Ni hindi ko pa nga masyadong dinidiinan eh ngumangawngaw na siya. Kanina pa kami pinagtitinginan ng mga tao dito sa Serenitea.

"Para ka namang bata! Asan tapang mo ngayon?"

Napasimangot si Ryan sabay buntong-hininga. "Sige na. Di na ko aangal. Pero dahan-dahan naman! Masakit eh," utos niya.

This time, natawa na lang ako. Parang ewan talaga to. Kanina kala mo kung sinong siga. Ngayon naman na pinupunasan ko lang yung sugat niya at dinadampian ng yelo para di mamaga, para namang batang papainjectionan.

Nakakaloka talaga ang mga lalaki.

As gently as I could, dinampi ko ulit yung yelo na binalot ko ng panyo sa may labi at pisngi niya. Naramdaman kong nanigas ung katawan niya pero salamat naman at hindi na siya nagreklamo. Matagal na umiral ang katahimikan habang nilinis ko yung mga sugat niya.

After a while, his hand covered mine and he moved it away from his face. Kinuha niya din yung yelo mula sa kin at ibinaba. Nung tignan ko siya ulit, pansin ko na seryoso na yung mukha niya.

"Andreia."

"Hmm?"

"Gago pala talaga yung ex mo eh no?" he said without any preamble. Nagulat ako sa una sabay natawa na lang. With everything that's happening now, saktong sakto ung words niya tungkol kay Mike.

"Di naman sya ganun dati," sagot ko.

"But we're not talking about the past. We're talking about now—as in present tense."

I sighed. "Ewan ko nga bakit siya nagkaganoon. I wish I knew sooner ano ung mga nangyayari. Natulungan ko sana siya at hindi sana umabot sa ganito. Pero on another note, masaya na din ako. It's easier to move on this way."

I felt Ryan's gaze on me and it was so intense.

"You're better off without an asshole like that," sambit niya.

Hindi na ako nagcomment. Alam kong totoo ang mga sinabi niya pero sa akin na lang yun. Ayokong maging yung babaeng bitter. Ung babaeng sinisiraan ang ex niya sa lahat ng tao. Hindi ako ganun. Past is past and the only thing I can do is move on.

Instead of answering, I just shrugged and sipped my milk tea. Tumingin ako sa labas ng glass window. Kakaiba kasi tumingin si Ryan. He was one of those guys with this really intense gaze. Hindi yung tipong manyak. Yung tipong pag tinignan ka eh feeling mo para kang isang bukas na libro at nababasa niya na ang lahat tungkol sa iyo. It was unnerving as hell.

"So. Kayo ni Reeve... Is that like a done deal?" tanong niya matapos ang mahabang katahimikan. Sa sobrang gulat ko, pumasok yung milk tea na sinisipsip ko sa lalamunan ko at sa baga ko. Ang tagal kong umuubo bago ako nakapagsalita. Si Ryan naman, tumatawa habang hinahampas yung likod ko.

"Pwede next time yung mga tanong na ganon eh kung kelan hindi ako umiinom?"

Ryan threw back his head and laughed. Napatingin yung tatlong babae sa table katabi namin. They looked at Ryan like they wanted to devour him alive. I rolled my eyes again. Kapag magkakasama kami ng mga kaibigan ko, ganoon din naman kami makatingin sa mga gwapo.

I raised my eyes and looked at Ryan. Well, I guess I have to admit that he's hot as well—boy-next-door type. He's that kind of guy who didn't need to put in a lot of effort to look charming. Natural yung charm niya and it oozed out of him and filled the room. And I guess the ladies seated on the next table felt that. Ito na din ang rason bakit ang sama nila tumingin sakin.

I flipped my hair and ignored them. From the corner of my eye, I saw Ryan smirk. He looked at the girls and smiled at them. At ang mga babae naman, kilig na kilig! Parang mga bulateng inasinan kung makagalaw sa mga kinauupuan nila.

"Don't mind them," Ryan told me.

Hindi ko narealize nakasimangot pala ako.

"Parang ngayon lang nakakita ng lalake eh."

Ryan's smirk widened.

"Baka ngayon lang nakakita ng gwapo, kamo."

"Gwapo? Asan?" Umacting pa kong shocked na shocked. Tumayo pa ako sa silya ko at umarteng hinahanap yung gwapo.

Ryan rolled his eyes.

"He's sitting right here, babe," sagot niya. At ang lokong to, nakisakay pa sa kalokohan ko!

"Parang hindi naman."

"Then you must be blind," he retorted with a huge grin.

Tumayo yung isa sa mga babae at lumapit sa table namin. She stood beside me but totally ignored me at the same time. Kay Ryan lang siya nakatingin. She smiled and leaned forward to showcase her non-existent cleavage.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Ryan and I almost snorted.

"Hi!" bati nung malandi.

"Hey," Ryan said.

"I'm Mae. And I was just wondering... Can I get your name and your number?"

Natahimik si Ryan for a few seconds. Then, he leaned forward and reached for my hand. Nagulat na lang ako nung hinawakan niya ako ng mahigpit. Tinignan din niya ako and his eyes held the message: just get along with it.

I shrugged.

"Sorry, I'm here with her," he answered and then jerked his chin toward me. Hindi ko na napigilang mangiti.

"Oh. Okay then, bye!" sabi nung babae. Tapos bumalik na siya sa table nila. Hindi nagtagal, umalis na din yung barkada nila. Sa kahihiyan siguro. Once they were gone, tinanggal ko agad ung kamay ko.

"Bakit? Ayaw mo sa kanya?"

It was Ryan's turn to shrug.

"Di mo type?"

Medyo matagal bago siya sumagot. "I don't like girls who are easy," sagot niya.

"Meaning?"

"Yung madaling makuha. Gusto ko yung paghihirapan ko. Yung may challenge."

"Why?"

He shrugged again. "Di ko din alam eh. That's just how it is," he replied.

Ang mga lalake talaga napakagulo. Sabi nila mga babae daw ang mahirap intindihin eh sila din kaya!

"So ano nga ba?" Ryan prompted.

"Alin?"

"About you and Reeve."

Ah yun pala. Hindi ko alam ano isasagot ko.

"Are you guys together?" tanong niya. He raised his hand, palm-up, and brought his index and middle finger together.

Napalunok na lang ako. Bakit biglang ang hirap huminga? Bakit feeling ko bigla akong nalagay sa hot-seat?

"Yeah," sagot ko. Yun lang ang nakayanan ng utak ko.

Ryan sighed. Then, he leaned back in his chair, raised his arms and crossed them beside his head. Matagal bago siya nagsalita ulit.

"Shoot. Late pala ako," he sighed.

Buti na lang di ako umiinom ngayon kundi nasamid nanaman ako. Did Ryan just say what I think he said? So like the coward I was, I waited for him to talk again while I mustered up courage and sorted my messed-up brain.

"I hope you're not offended, pero ang bilis! You like him that much?" tanong niya.

Sa totoo lang, medyo nairita talaga ako. Pero sa pagkakakilala ko sa kanya, may pagka taklesa lang talaga tong si Ryan.

"I've known Reeve almost all my life. Best friend ko siya since I was five years old. Marami akong bagay na hindi na natatandaan sa childhood ko but memories of him and me are always there."

Ryan sighed again.

"Well then... I wish I met you when you were four."

"Ryan—"

"Wait. Don't. I know what you're going to say. I like you, Drei. But I was too late. And in order not to make things weird between us, I'll concede my defeat against Reeve in this battle."

Huminga siya ng malalim at tumingin sakin. I felt the force of his intense gaze and it took all the courage I had not to look away.

"I'd still like to be your friend though. So that if he messes up, I'm going to do all I can to win you. Yung tipong hindi na sya makakasingit ulit. But that's for later. For now, friends?" he asked.

Feeling ko nanlaki yung mata ko matapos kong marinig yung mga sinabi niya. Parang tumigil din sa pagtibok yung puso ko at hindi ako nakahinga. Ryan smiled at that worsened my condition even further.

"You okay?" tanong niya. That snapped me out of my trance. I coughed to clear my throat.

"Friends?" he asked.

I nodded. "Friends." Then, I took the hand he offered.

"Wait. I have one condition."

Tumaas ang kilay niya. "Ano yun?"

"No fights," I said with a huge smile.

He leaned forward and raised both hands, palms-up, in a gesture of surrender. Then, he smiled. It was the kind of smile that stopped hearts—the kind that made a woman feel that the whole world stopped turning for a few seconds and that the universe shined a spotlight directly on her.

It was good—but it was not for me.

No matter how hot and how charming Ryan is, there's only one smile and one pair of intense blue eyes that I wanted to see.

It was Reeve for me. Him and no one else.

Ryan is a good guy. Kung sino man yung mamahalin niya, magiging sobrang swerteng babae. He was one of those guys that are one of a kind. Yung tunay na treasure na hinding hindi na dapat binibitawan.

I smiled too and waited for his reply.

"Sorry, can't promise that. Kung katulad ng ex mo na nangangailangan talagang masapak, eh bibigyan ko talaga," sagot niya.

I rolled my eyes.

"Warfreak!" I teased. Sa sobrang tuwa ko, nahampas ko siya. He grimaced and groaned.

"Dahan-dahan naman! Masakit eh!" reklamo niya.

"Aba! Kasalanan mo yan! Makipagsuntukan daw ba kasi sa airport!"

"Gumugusto yung ex mo eh."

I shook my head. "Ewan ko sayo. War freak!" ulit ko.

"Tara na nga. Hatid na kita."

"Okay."

Sobrang excited na ako umuwi. Kahit gaano kaganda yung hotel sa Vegas, iba pa din yung matutulog ka sa talagang kama mo. Nothing is more comfortable than home. I picked up my purse from the table. Yung suit case ko, nasa kotse naman ni Ryan.

I started to walk towards the door but Ryan's hand on my arm stopped me.

"Andreia. This doesn't change things between us, right? No weirdness?"

"Nope," sagot ko agad na may kasamang iling.

I lied.

************************************

#RyanFeels

Hahaha. Next chapter may Reeve na talaga ulit promise! Miss ko na din siya. <3

Sana nagustuhan niyo to!

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