Chapter 28
1255 Words
“IS THAT really a good reply though?” tanong ni Madison habang nag-aayos ng kanyang gamit sa loob ng kanyang maleta. “I mean, I was aiming to sounds cool. Did I even sound like one or the desperate one?”
“The cool one,” ang sagot ni Sabrina at engganyo na itinuro siya bilang pagsang-ayon sa kanyang sinagot.
“Oh, don’t sugarcoat, Sab. You and I both knew that Madison sounds desperate by that reply,” pagtutol ni Annie.
Seryoso na napatingin siya sa dalawa kaya nagkibit-balikat ang dalawa. “Not helping guys. I’m serious.”
“Okay, I’m not going to lie but...” panimula ni Sabrina at umupo sa kanyang kama. “You really sound desperate that time.”
“What?” natatawang palahaw ni Annie at pagak na ngumiti. “I’m just kidding though. Madison sounds cool to me, she did the right thing by turning down that mixed signals.”
Naikiling ni Madison ang ulo sa pagkalito. Sabrina and Annie switch their answers in a blink of an eye making her even more baffled.
“How is it the right thing? Weekends that suddenly turn MWF, if I’m the guy, I could say that I’m just a s*x toy to her,” wika ni Sabrina para mapabuntong-hininga na lamang si Madison.
“That's exactly the plan, make him believe that she's nothing to Madison, so I guess that's the best string you should pull for those, you know, people, who give mixed signals. Like... Wyatt,” paliwanag ni Annie para umasim ang mukha ni Sabrina sa pagtutol.
“How is that even mixed signal? I mean, how do we know that it was even a mixed signal? What if... what if Wyatt is finally feeling something that day? What if he's reciprocating?” tanong ni Sabrina habang nagtutupi ng kanyang damit.
Itinaas ni Annie ang kanyang bikini at pabiro na ibinato kay Sabrina. “That fast? Don’t be funny. You couldn't reciprocate feeling that fast, Sabrina.”
Nang tumama sa mukha ni Sabrina ang kanyang bikini ay banas na hinawi nito ang kanyang saplot at itinupi. “Fast? Is six years too fast for you? Alam mo, Annie. Ibang klase din tumakbo ang isip mo, eh. Yung trust issue mo umaarangkada.”
”I'm just being secured here, Sab. Madison could be hurt any minute,” depensa ni Annie at nag-aalalang tumimgin sa kanya.
“And you are being pessimistic, as always...” sagot ni Sabrina at pagak na natawa. “You are afraid of taking risks. Just like how you are afraid of handling your people.”
“Do not bring my people into this,” mariing wika ni Annie para magbigay na sa kanya ng pagka-alarma. “You don't know my life in my home town England. If you were me, you would have to do the same.”
“Maybe I will,” sagot ni Sabrina at umismid. “But that doesn't mean I have to look on the negative side of everything.”
Mariing nagkatitigan ang dalawa kaya binasag niya ang namuong tensyon sa pagpalakpak para makuha ang atensyon ng mga ito.
“Okay, everybody chills out. Hindi niyo kailangan na magkainitan, ha. Mahal ko kayo pareho. Your opinion matters to me that’s why I’m asking,” ani Madison at hinawakan at kamay ng mga kaibigan. “And I’m sorry for bringing you, girls, into this mess. I should have known that not all the time, you guys would have the same answer. I know you have your own insights, but let me figure them out by myself, okay? Besides, that happened four months ago. Kasalanan ko talaga kasi hindi ako maka-move on.”
“Four months ago or not, your worries are ours as well,” sagot ni Annie at pinisil ang kanyang kamay. “That’s why we are friends. As for Sabrina and me bickering, you know that after this, we will act like we didn't argue. Ganoon lang naman tayo lagi. Kami lagi nag-aaway, ikaw naman ang referee. That’s why the triangle is called the strongest shape.”
“Our friendship is stronger than our judgment and beliefs, Madi, you know that,” dugtong ni Sabrina at sinalat ang kanyang pisngi na agad niyang dinamdam. “We are here for you. Always. Zacharias or Wyatt, we will support you no matter what.”
“Oh, I’m pretty sure it's Wyatt who will win,” sagot ni Annie at ngumisi. “Halata, eh. That’s the thing that you can't put into a competition because somebody already won.”
“I thought you hate Wyatt?” tanong ni Sabrina at nalilitong tumingin sa kanya.
“I do hate him. But Madison doesn't hate him,” sagot ni Annie at pabiro na umismid. “Kapag tataya ka, doon ka sa mas angat para manalo.”
“Isa kang barat at balimbing!” asik ni Sabrina at natawa. “Team Zacharias ka noong nakaraan tapos biglang nag-iba. Ang daya mo.”
“When you’re become the countess of some particular land, you will have to not want to lose. In our place, losing means everything. We can take that in our grave,” wika ni Annie at kumindat sa dalawa. “So, hayun. Lipat ako sa team Wyatt. Wala naman sinabi na hindi na puwedeng mag-iba ng pambato.”
Nagkatinginan sila ni Sabrina at sabay na umiling.
“Madaya ang tawag doon,” pagtatama ni Madison para mapangisi na lamang si Annie sa kinauupuan.
“Madison darling, you have to ensnare in order to win,” ani Annie sa English Accent at napangiwi kalunan. “God, I sounded like my mom. I hate her.”
“You sure do,” sagot ni Madison at bahagya na natawa nang may napagtanto. “But you have your mom's attitude.”
“I know,” tugon ni Annie at eksaheradang pinaikot ang mga mata. “You don’t have to remind me that. That’s why, I, myself hate for who I am. I can be vicious at a times, it’s toxic. I don’t know what I can become someday. I could be worst than my mother.”
“But we don't hate you,” Sabrina interrupted making Annie glance at them both with those wistful eyes.
Napangiti lamang si Madison kay Annie bilang pagsang-ayon.
”I mean, sometimes we hate you for your manipulation but that doesn't mean you don’t deserve us to be your friends,” dugtong ni Sabrina st nilapitan ito. “Napadpad ka dito sa Pilipinas para sa maraming rason. At isa na kami doon. Be with us and we will looked for the other reson with you.”
Napayakap si Annie sa kaibigan kaya sinalubong niya ang dalawa ng mahigpit na yakap.
“And don’t say that you’re going to be like your mother one day. You will never going to be your mother, Annie, Because you are our Annie, always remember that,” ani Madison para mapatango-tango ito habang nagilid ang mga luha da mga mata nito. “You are the version of your own self.”
“Oh, god. How many times do I have to say that I hate group hugs?” wika ni Annie, pinipigilan ang pagluha. “We don’t do that in our place.”
“Don’t humor yourself, Annie. I know you like hugging us,” wika ni Sabrina at napangisi. “There’s nothing wrong with crying. In our place, crying doesn't make you weak. It makes you stronger than you have ever been. Keep that in mind.”
- Writer
