"What's the letter all about? To be bestfriends and what?" Heira asked curiously while the others were just quietly waiting for Kyst to continue reading.
"And we should go back." Sabi ni Kyst at inirolyo ang papel. Tumayo na siya at nang makatayo ay inalalayan niya ako. "We should go back now. They must finish cooking our food."
"Hey! That's unfair. Tell us what's next!" Sabi ni Hillary at kung ano-ano pa ang sinabi nila habang binabaybay namin ang daan pabalik ng bahay. Natatawa na lang akong umiling dahil gusto talaga nilang malaman ang sunod.
"That paper was written by Love right?" Tanong ni Ashton na nakaagaw ng atensyon ko ngunit nagpatuloy pa rin ako sa paglalakad. "From 17 years ago?"
When they heard what Ashton asked they started making a fuss. I couldn't understand their questions because they're asking all together.
"Be quiet please!" Malakas na sigaw ko nang makarating kami sa pinto ng bahay. "Let's talk about it over dinner but first let's wash ourselves." Sabi ko at naglakad papunta sa kwarto ni Kyst. My skin feels sticky and the sand was all over me.
"I'll lend you my hoodie and sweatpants." Sabi ni Kyst nakakapasok lang sa kwarto. Ibinigay niya sa akin ang itim na sweat pants at nude na hoodie. "Here. Yung kasunod nung 'to be bestfriends and to be partners if ever we grow up without someone by our side, lovingly yours, El'. That's what the letter says." Sabi niya saka ako tinulak papunta sa banyo. "Ligo ka na."
"I know, I remember what we wrote that time." Nakangiting sabi ko sa kanya saka isinarado ang pinto ng banyo. I took a quick shower and head out wearing his hoodie and sweatpants. Dumiretso ako ng higa sa kama niya dahil nararamdaman ko nanaman ang pananakit ng puson ko.
"Does it hurt again?" Tanong ni Kyst sa akin kaya tinanguan ko siya. "Kukuha ba kita ng hot compress?"
"No. I don't need hot compress. Ligo ka na. Baka hinihintay na nila tayo." Sabi ko sa kaniya at kinuha ang unan na nasa ulunan ko at niyakap ito. "I'll wait for you to finish. Wake me up when you're finish." Sabi ko at ipinikit ang mga mata. I woke up with his voice calling my name.
"Lovelle let's go." Sabi niya nang dumilat ako saka ako inalalayan patayo. When we arrived at the dining room they're already complete.
"They're here. We should eat now." Sabi ni Cristy nang makaupo kami ni Kyst. After we pray, we eat while telling each other stories.
"How is your mother Love?" Tanong ni Sydnie sa akin kaya napatigil ako sa pagkain at sinagot siyang okay lang naman ito saka bumalik sa pagkain.
"How's your relationship with Kyst?" Tanong ni Hillary at gaya ng sagot ko kay Sydnie ay okay lang din ang sinagot ko rito.
"Alam niyo ba si Love may ex-fling siya na hindi siya kayang ipaglaban." Panimula ni Ashton kaya sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. Ako nanaman ang topic. "Nagiisip siya kung magaabogado siya. What do you guys think? Should she get that, since she's the only one who fights."
"Don't start with me, Ashton Martin!" Nagbabantang sabi ko sa kaniya at binitawan ang kutsara at tinidor dahil baka maibato ko ito sa kaniya.
"You shouldn't involve Hudson in this matter, Ashton." Sabi ni Gia sa kanya kaya napasandal na lang ako sa kinauupuan ko.
"Move on na kayo kay Hudson pwede ba? Naka move on na yung tao tapos kayo hindi pa." Sabi ko sa kanila saka tumingin kay Kyst na mukhang curious sa sinasabi nila.
"Hudson? As in Justin Hudson?" Nakatingin ng diretsong tanong sa akin ni Kyst. How could he know his name?
"You know him? Justin Hudson?" Gulat na tanong ni Cristy kay Kyst. Tinanguan lang siya ni Kyst at bumaling sa akin.
"He's a friend of yours?" Tanong ko sa kanya at tumango siya. Look how small the world is. "He's my ex-fling. To clarify things, hindi ko siya naging boyfriend. Why am I explaining? Change your topic. Hudson and I are already done."
"No, don't change the topic." Sabi ni Ashton kaya naman napairap nalang ako. They like talking about my past and life. Ashton was about to talk again when Kyst's phone rang.
"Justin." Sabi ni Kyst kaya napatingin ako sa kaniya habang nanlalaki ang mga mata. How lucky if that Justin is the Justin we're talking about. I was mentally rolling my eyes. "Cali? No. I don't know her."
"Don't tell us it's Hudson." Sabi ni Prier kay Kyst.
Tinignan lang siya ni Kyst bago ibinaling sa akin ang atensyon niya. He's glaring at me like I did something wrong!
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Tanong ko sa kanya habang nilalabanan ang tingin niya. "Don't look at me like that and just continue talking to whoever Justin you're talking to."
"Why? What look am I giving you Lovelle?" He asked me glaring. "Yes. You heard me right, Hudson. Yup, the same Lovelle you loved." He said then smiled sweetly. I didn't control myself and just snatched his phone and ended the call.
"You guys have this habit of talking about me in front of my face." Sabi ko sa kanila at inilapag ang cellphone na nagr-ring nanaman. I answered the call. "Call Kyst later, Hudson." Sabi ko sa kabilang linya at inend ang tawag.
"Wag kang mag alala Lovelle ipaglalaban kita kaya pwede ka nang maging abogado." Nakangiting sabi ni Kyst kaya sinamaan ko siya ng tingin.
"Can you guys just talk about different things? I know that you guys were drunk but please stop talking about me." Sabi ko saka tumayo sa upuan. "I'll get going. Don't disturb me please." Sabi ko at naglakad palayo sa kanila. Dumiretso ako sa katapat ng kuwarto ni Kyst at inilock ang pinto. I know that we stayed here when we got here.
I slept for a while until I heard someone knocking at the door. I got up in bed and opened the door to see Sheina's helpless face. She looks like a complete mess. She looks drunk as well. Don't tell me they drink? Gosh!
"Help me Love. They're too drunk. I can't handle them by myself!" Sabi niya at hinila ako papunta sa garden. Nang makarating kami sa patio ay agad na humiga si Sheina sa isang sofa. I saw them there. Some are lying on the grass while some are still drinking with closed eyes. Everyone is a mess!
I looked at them one-by-one until my eyes landed on Kyst, who's quietly drinking beer while looking at me. He's looking at me softly. "El." Oh. He's drunk. Naglakad ako papalapit sa kinauupuan niya.
"Are you okay?" Tanong ko sa kanya ng makaupo ako sa tabi niya. I handed him the glass of water on the table and snatched the beer in his hand. "Sober up."
"I'm not drunk." Sabi niya at ibinaba sa lamesa ang baso ng tubig. "I just want to call you El. If you're gonna ask me why did I call you El if I'm not drunk." Sabi niya at tumayo. Saka lumapit kila Kiel na nakapikit na umiinom ng beer. "Stop drinking and go to your rooms." Sabi niya sa tatlong lalaki at inagaw ang baso na hawak ng mga ito. Walang nakinig sa kaniya ngunit tuluyang nakatulog ang tatlo habang nakasandal sa upuan.
"Let them sleep there. I'll go get some comforter and pillows." Sabi ko kay Kyst at tumayo saka dumiretso sa mga nakahiga sa damuhan. "We'll move them to the patio later." Sabi ko kay Kyst na kararating lang sa tabi ko at itinuro ko sila Heira na natutulog sa damuhan. "Tara na kumuha tayo ng pang sapin saka mga unan."
We got what I said a while ago. We clean the patio and move the furniture around until there's enough space in the middle where we laid the comforter and other stuff. We also woke them up and guided them to go there. We did all those things for a whole hour because some of them are heavy sleepers.
"That was hard." Sabi ni Kyst at nagunat bago bumaling sa hinihigaan ng iba na wala nang space saka tumingin sa akin. "We should sleep inside. Let's go."
"No. May pang sapin pa ron. Ilalatag ko ron sa damuhan. Let's do star gazing." Sabi ko at kinuha ko ang pang sapin na nakapatong sa lamesa at isinapin ito sa damuhan saka kinuha ang comforter at dalawang unan. "Tell me a story since you said you're not drunk." Sabi ko at naupo sa sapin na nakalatag.
"Okay. I'll tell you the day we thought we saw my eldest brother." Sabi niya na ikinagulat ko. He has an older brother? "I do have an older brother. We're still finding him up until this day, we're still hoping that he's alive." Sàbi niya at naupo sa tabi ko. "My brother went missing when I'm just 3 years old. Kilala natin si Kuya Klyston dahil lagi nilang ipinapakita sa ating dalawa noon ang mukha ni Kuya. Then one day when we're 7. We're playing somewhere at the beach when we saw someone with the same features as my brother. The one we saw was also 9 years old like my brother but he has a different name."
"Do you remember his name?" Tanong ko sa kaniya at tumango naman siya kaya nanahimik na ulit ako.
"His name is Ton? Marton? I don't know his exact name but it ends with Ton. He looks really like him but his parents came up to him and told him they needed to go, which made us think he's not my brother. Not only because we learned that he has parents but also because he seems to not know about me." Sabi niya at tumigil sa pagsasalita na tila ba nag iisip kung sasabihin niya sa akin o hindi ang gusto niyang sabihin.
"Hesitating whether to tell me or not? It's okay. You can tell me when you're ready." Sabi ko at humiga. Hindi gaanong komportable humiga rito ngunit ayos naman dahil may unan naman. Nahiga rin siya at sabay naming pinanood ang mga bituin.
"I saw someone again with the same features of my brother. I already investigated it when I first saw him. It's the reason why I went to Tagaytay a few days ago." Sabi niya kaya napalingon ako sa kanya. Who? I'm curious! "Sasabihin ko sana to sayo pagkakuha ko ng Dna test pero hindi ko na napigilan sarili ko." Sabi niya kaya nanlaki ang mga mata ko. He already got that person's Dna? He's cool!
"You get his Dna that fast? You're cool!" Namamanghang sabi ko sa kanya. "Tell me who it is! Sino yung pinaghihinalaan mong kapatid mo?"
He was about to say something when his phone rang. He answered it and put it on a loud speaker while looking at me. "Justin. What do you need? It's 2 am here." It's Hudson again. Oh I remember telling him to call Kyst later.
"It's 2 pm here and I was told to call you later. I didn't disturb your sleep, right? You sound drunk." Sabi ni Hudson sa kabilang linya. Ibinaling ko ang atensyon ko sa mga bituin. Tahimik ko iyong pinanood habang pinakikinggan ang usapan nila Kyst at Hudson.
"You're not disturbing my sleep but you're disturbing something." Sabi ni Kyst kay Hudson. "Just tell me what you need."
"It's about you and Lovelle." Narinig kong sabi ni Hudson kaya napatingin ako kay Kyst na nakatingin pa rin pala sa akin. "Is it true? You're really dating her?"
"Don't talk about that. She hates being talked to in front of her. She's glaring at me." Sabi ni Kyst sa kabilang linya kaya sinimangutan ko siya dahil sa sinabi niya. I'm not glaring at him!
"What the? I'm not glaring at you! I'm just looking!" Pagtatanggol ko sa sarili ko na tinawanan niya lang. "Don't be so happy. Tell me the name."
"You heard her Justin right? I'll talk to you some other time." Sabi niya sa kabilang liniya bago ito pinatay saka binaling sa akin ang buong atensyon. "He's—" his words were cutted by someone shouting.