Back To His Arms (Del Fuego Series #1)

Kabanata 2

Friend

Wearing my white dress, I walked towards the entrance of Tita Mia and Tito Seve's mansion. Ngayon ang welcome party ni Kuya Seven at late na nga ako dahil sa mall shows namin. Maraming tao na sa loob ng mansyon nila at marami ring mga reporters ang nandoon.

When they saw me, agad na napunta ang atensyon sa'kin ng halos lahat ng tao na nandoon. I smile and hide all my feelings. Ngumiti ako na parang wala akong problema.

Ganito na palagi ang nangyayari sa'kin tuwing nasa harapan ako ng maraming tao. I always smile. Na parang ang saya-saya ng buhay ko tulad ng sinasabi ng iba, pero hindi.

Nakangiti ako sa mga tao na kinamusta ako, pero alam ako sa isip-isip nila, they're judging me. Sa loob ng mga taong nasa harapan ko'y palihim nila akong hinuhusgahan.

It's fine though. Sanay na ako…

"You're so beautiful, Annalise!" Tita Iris hugged me gently and kissed my cheeks after.

"Thank you, Tita. You're gorgeous too!" Papuri ko sa kanya.

"Ang mga pinsan mo'y nasa tabi lang malapit sa veranda," Anang niya. "You should go there now and they look like they're been waiting for you."

I bid my goodbye to her before I went to see my cousins. Nasa malaking lamesa silang bilog. Not only my cousins are already there, but also some of our friends like Nolan, Damian, Tita Zyska and Tito Beau's quadruplets and of course, Jaime.

Nakagat ko ang pang-ibabang labi at pinagmasdan si Dash na nakangiti kasama si Jaime sa tabi niya. Nakaakbay siya sa dalaga at bakas sa mukha ang sobrang kasiyahan.

A small smile crept on my lips. Seeing him happy now makes me happy too. Kasi kung ako ang nasa posisyon ni Jaime ngayon, baka hindi siya makangiti ng gan'yan.

"There you are, Avianna Louise!" Belle smiled at me playfully and held my hand.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Sabi ko bago ngumiti ng marahan.

"Hindi ikaw ang late. Si Ginny hanggang ngayon wala pa," si Ate Nezy bago pilyang ngiti kay Kuya Seven. "Someone's being impatient here to see her."

"Shut up, Nezy!" Mariin na suway ni Kuya Seven sa pinsan namin.

"Tangina, kinikilig ka lang, eh!" Pang-aasar pa nila Kuya Cade sa kanila.

I just laughed the way they started teased Kuya Seven. Napuno ang lamesa namin ng halakhak. Mahina akong tumatawa bago kumuha ng wine and my eyes settled at Dash again.

He was looking at me with his hand holding a glass of wine. Hindi ako naka-iwas agad ng tingin sa kanya dahil sa uri ng tingin niya. After so many years, ngayon ko lang siya natingnan ng ganito katagal!

His buzz cut hair makes him more matured and it defined his looks. Mas lumaki rin ang katawan niya at tumangtad din siya kahit na matangkad na siya noon pa man. He's wearing black suit and tie. He also has this serious look on his face.

Dati lagi akong naiinis pag gan'yan siya kung tumingin sa'kin. We grew up together and I hate seeing that serious face of him, because it means he's planning something. Aasarin ako o kaya kukulitin ako.

Ngayon, imbis na mainis. Parang gusto kong tumakbo palayo sa kanya. My body shivers they way his dark eyes looked at me like he's scanning whole life. Matagal kaming nagkatitigilan at naputol lang 'yon dahil kinalabit siya ni Jaime.

His eyes went to Jaime immediately. Si Jaime naman ay tumingin sa'kin. I just smiled and she did too.

"Power room lang ako," Paalam ko kay Belle.

"Make it quick. The party will start anytime soon."

Mabilis akong tumayo at pumunta sa power room. I was on the way to the power room when I saw Damian. Nagsalubong pa ang kilay ko dahil kasunod niya si Noelle na papunta sa labas ng mansyon.

Pumasok ako sa power room at bumuga ng malakas na hangin. I looked myself in the mirror and smile.

"Act naturally, Annalise..." Bulong ko sa sarili. "Don't be affected by them."

I wash my hand and immediately stepped outside the power room. Naglakad ako pabalik sa p'westo namin ngunit natigilan din ako nang makita ang mga pinsan ko na masaya. Mula sa malayo, I saw my cousins are laughing.

I smiled bitterly and realized that I hope I can laugh and act like they were doing. I feel so small again. I feel like I'm really an outsider in our family. Na kahit wala ako, masaya sila. They don't need someone like me who's a big burden.

Napayuko ako, pinipigilan ang luha na huwag tumulo. Imbis na bumalik, tumalikod ako. Slowly, I stepped my foot away from them... away from anybody.

I found myself outside the mansion. Alone. Lonely. And no one noticed me again.

I wipe my tears but another tears slid from my eyes. Tumingala ako at pinakalma ang sarili. I wish I could stop myself for having this feelings. 'Yong feeling na sa inyong lahat ikaw ang kawawa, kulelat at walang kwenta.

Mabigat sa pakiramdam habang tumatagal. Mas lalo akong nanliliit sa sarili ko. Sa sarili kong kakayahan.

I tried to be strong so no one can noticed my true feelings. I tried, but I always failed. Kasi kahit ako, hindi ko alam kung anong problema ko. Lumaki ako na magulo ang isip at may nararamdaman na inggit sa lahat.

I took a deep sighed and calm myself. Ilang minuto rin akong mag-isa bago napagpasyahan na bumalik. I turned around and my shock I saw Jaime.

She smile at me. "Hi!"

"Anong ginagawa mo rito?" Gulat na tanong ko bago inayos ang sarili.

I hope she didn't she me crying.

"Kagagaling ko lang sa power room. Then I saw you here."

"Let's get inside. Magsisimula na yata ang party."

"Ahm… Annalise, can we be friends?" She asked out of nowhere, making me stunned.

I looked at her, confusedly. Hindi ako masagot sa tanong niya. I never expected her to say those words.

"I know what happened to you and Dash before," She added. "He told me everything."

Mas lalong hindi ako naka-react sa kanya. Of course, Dash told her everything. Hindi naman malihim na tao 'yon. He will tell you everything because he doesn't want to hide anything to those people around him. He's that honest.

Ang sa'kin lang kung alam niyang alam, bakit makikipagkaibigan siya sa'kin? It will be awkward if we became friends the fact that I'm Dash ex-girlfriend.

Impokrita ba siya?

"Actually, I'm a fan of yours. I wanted to see you when I came back to the country. And I know it'll be awkward and you might think I'm pathetic, but I really want you to become my friends, Annalise."

Tiningnan ko siya maigi. Jaime is half Chinese. Her family is known in China. Kaya rin siguro nagustuhan agad siya ng pamilya ni Dash dahil chinese rin siya. Isa na 'yon sa mga tradisyon nila lalo na pag galing ka sa kilalang pamilya.

Si Tita Zyska, galing sa kilalang pamilya ng mga Chinese. May dugong Chinese sila Dash at ang mga kapatid niya.

"Why?"

'Yon lang ang lumabas sa bibig ko pagkatapos ng ilang minuto na nakatingin sa kanya.

She bit her lip and look down. "Taga-hanga mo talaga ako. When I first met Dash in Shanghai, I didn't know you were his ex-girlfriend. Hindi ko rin intensyon na guluhin ka o kung anong nakaraan niyo noon—"

"My relationship with Dash happened a long time ago. Wala na 'yon at alam ko na masaya na siya ngayon sa'yo."

"I know," Tugon niya. "I know that he loves me. Simula naman noon, hindi niya pinaramdaman sa'kin na hindi niya ako mahal. He's a good man."

Malungkot akong ngumiti. "Yeah… he is."

"K-kung…" Tumikhim siya. "Kung pwedeng maging magkaibigan tayo, wala namang magiging problema roon, 'di ba? You already moved on."

Naka-move na nga ba ako? Hindi ko rin alam.

"Do you really like me to be your friend?"

She nodded. "Yes… you seems nice, Annalise. You're so special somehow to me… siguro dahil lagi kang na ku-kuwento ni Dash sa'kin… pero ayoko rin namang pilitan ka kung ayaw mo. I understand if you don't want to be my—"

"Okay… let's be friend, Jaime," Putol ko sa sinasabi niya.

Hindi ko rin alam bakit ako pumayag na makipagkaibigan sa kanya. Bahala na kung anong mangyari.