Pikon na pikon ako sa mga tao sa mga sumusnod na araw. Kung ganoon pala isip nila sa sa akin, e di sana sinabi nila noong una pa lang! Hindi yung akala mo okay lang lahat tapos biglang sasabog na lang. E ayaw ko pag-usapan buhay ko, bakit ba? Kung atat na atat silang magbalikan kami ni Jaxx, e di sila gumawa ng paraan! Hindi ako ready!

"Nakakapagod ka naman kausap, Cars. When will you be really ready? Yung wala nang atrasan?" tanong ni Val, halatang hindi interesado. She just let me rant at nakikinig lang sya habang pinapanood yung nagpepedicure sa kanya.

"Ewan! Soon. In due time," sagot ko. "Miss, wag niyo na lang po tanggalin ang cuticle, masakit e."

Nasa lanai kami nila Val, nagpapa home service na mani-pedi. Si Ace ay kanina pang nasa telepono kausap si Bart, habang si Seb was reviewing the web page na ginawa ni Bart para sa business ni Chino at ng pinsan nya.

"In due time? Carabiner, ang pagbubuntis ng tao nga nine months lang, ano ba naman tong revelation mo, daig pa pagbubuntis ng elepante," sabi ni Seb habang patuloy nakatingin sa laptop.

"Hindi naman kasi to pagbubuntis. Ilang taon nagpapalaki ng bata until legal age? Diba eighteen?"

"So, eighteen years mo balak maghintay bago makipag-usap kay Jaxx?" tanong ni Ace nang bumalik sya sa lanai.

"Correction, thirteen na lang kasi five na Justin," paalala ni Seb.

"Hay naku, Scarlet." Napabuntung-hinga si Val. Ngumiwi ang mukha ni Ace at umiling sya.

"Ano? Don't tell me pati ikaw? Pati kayo?" I glared at them. "Seb?"

"Oi, labas na ako sa isyu niyo ni Jaxx. Guys, hayaan niyo na siya. It's her life," sagot ni Seb. Hindi pa rin sya tumitingin sa amin.

"Thank you!"

"So you'll just let her ruin both their lives kasi she's so stubborn?" tanong ni Ace kay Seb.

"Anong both? Sinong ikalawa?"

"Malamang yung anak mo! Ano ba. Tingin mo si Jaxx tinutukoy ko?"

"Hindi naman," maikling sagot ko habang nararamdaman ko nang umiinit ang tenga ko.

"Oo eh, you were expecting si Jaxx! Aminiin!!" alaska ni Val. "Liar, liar, pants on fire!"

"I don't see any flame anywhere." Tinaasan ko lang sya ng kilay.

"Pulang-pula na tenga mo, girl."

"Guys, whatever. It's her life. Kung gusto niyang maging miserable, so be it. Wag lang syang mandamay, diba?" Finally, tiningnan na kami ni Seb. "Okay ba, Scarborough shoal?"

"Seb, if you're trying to do some reverse psychology shit on me, it's not going to work," I rolled my eyes at him.

"I'm not! Mukha ba akong marunong nun? Diba I say things as they are, no matter how silly they sound? Hashtag, CarJack? Kung ayaw mo, wag mo, plain and simple," he said while looking at me briefly. Binalik nya ang atensyon nya sa laptop niya bago sya nagsalita ulit.

"Just don't bother me with your petty shit kasi sasabihan talaga kita ng 'I told you so!' Hindi ako tulad ni Val at Chino na basta lang makikinig. Kulang ang aking brain-mouth filter so if you're going to ask for my opinion, you'd better be ready for it because I won't tell you what you want to hear. I'll tell you what I want you to hear."

"Chino, ikaw ba yan? Bat ka masungit?" binara ko sya.

"Ikaw ang nagsusungit, hindi ako. I'm just busy. If you want my participation, wag mo akong sungitan. Masyado kang defensive. Gusto mo lang lahat ng tao sasang-ayon sa sasabihin mo na hindi ka ready. As I said, if you want my opinion, you'd better be ready for it. Otherwise, don't ask for it."

"And just so you know, none of us think you need more time for this. What you need is to get your shit together ASAP," he added before sya bumalik sa laptop niya.

"Ano ba pinagkakaabalahan mo diyan at hindi ka pwedeng makipag-usap sa amin?" inis kong tanong. Seb was one of my kinder friends, ano naman nakain nito at nagiging parang Chino sya?

"I'm busy fixing my life, Cars. You should try it! Uso s'ya ngayon." Binato ko sya ng tsinelas pero nakailag sya. Kainis.

"After what feels like ten years, finally, pwede na kaming magkaayos ni Chloe. I'm not letting the opportunity slip just because tingin ko kasalanan nya that she didn't give me the chance to explain years ago. So, if you'll excuse me, we're busy making amends to each other."

Val and I shrieked in excitement. Masyang-masaya kami para kay Seb. Ilang taon niya rin na gustong makausap ulit si Chloe. After their nasty break-up, he was reaching out to her for a while hanggang binantaan sya ng manager ni Chloe.

"Oh my gosh, Seb! Kailan pa kayo nag-uusap ulit?" tanong ni Val.

"Since May. She sent me a DM sa Instagram. Di ko pa nga agad nakita e kasi doon sya nagmessage sa account ng Cocina Español. I unfollowed and blocked her kasi years ago para I won't see her posts and I wouldn't be tempted to message her."

"She actually reached out to you! I'm so happy!" tili ni Val.

"It's about time! Ilang taon na rin, diba? Finally." I agreed. I'm happy for Seb but medyo na inis ako kay Chloe that she didn't give him the chance to explain. Kung nakinig lang siya, sana masaya sila ngayon. Happy ever after na si Seb.

"Six," Seb said in a heartbeat. Bilang na bilang!

"Ipokrita! Look who's talking! Akala mo sinong walang ganyang isyu right at this moment of her life. Ano, gusto mo maghintay pa ng isang taon?" Val badgered me.

"Val, thank you. You took the words right outta my mouth." Nakipag-high-five si Ace.

"Pasalamat kayo hindi pa tapos ang pagpe-pedicure ko kung hindi nag-walk out na ako."

"Gusto mo pagbuksan pa kita ng pinto?" nakangiting tanong ni Ace.

"TSE!"

Tamang-tama when he opened the door, Val's parents were standing behind it.

"Oh my, I didn't know everyone was here. It's so nice to see you, kids!" Tita Joan said as she gracefully walked into the room. She was smiling but when she saw me, she tensed up a little. She sat beside Val and held her hand while Val looked at her cautiously.

I've been friends with Val forever and her folks are like my second set of parents so alam kong something was bothering Tita Joan. Not long after, Val's dad barged in, followed by what I presume was the reason for her tension: Uno.

"Val, look who we found loitering in – oh my, nandito pala kayong lahat!" Tito Gerry exclaimed looking pleased with us.

"Yep, tito, all in the crew, minus two," Ace said while he shook his hand. Tinapik nya si Uno pero nanlaki mga mata nito habang dinaanan kami ng tingin. Natawa ako kasi it was probably the first time he was in Val's home here in El Valle, tapos ganito pa ang sumalubong sa kanya: mani-pedi session while the boys figure out what they want to do.

Ito rin ang unang beses na makita siyang in casual clothes: a striped white and mint green polo shirt, white shorts, and designer Hermes sneakers. His hair wasn't gelled pero naka-ayos pa rin. The Oakley frames of his glasses were also more casual. Ilan bang salamin meron tong si Uno? I held back a smile when I saw Val checking him out.

"I'm glad we brought Uno and the boys with us," he clapped his hands and looked at me expectantly, na para bang nanggagago. Inirapan ko lang sya, respectfully, if there was such a thing. Val's dad has done this trick with me more than five times na, and each time, kinakabahan ako. Well, now, I'm not falling for it!

Tumawa sya ng malakas at tumabi sya sa akin at tinitigan niya ako. Nakikita ko pa rin ang kapilyuhan sa mga mata nya, but there was also worry in them. The same kind of worry in Tita Joan's eyes. When I looked around, it was the same expression on Val's face. Uno just covered his eyes with one hand while the other was on his waist. Parang lagi ko syang nakikitang naka ganyan na pose. Lagi ata siyang nape-perwisyo?

Biglang bumukas na naman ang pintuan to the lanai and Chino walked in.

"Bros! Looks like an impromptu meeting just like old times?" Seb smiled. Nanlamig na agad mga kamay ko. Seb would not say 'bros', with an 's' kung si Chino lang ang karagdagang dumating. He would call him by some crazy pet name he thought of a second earlier.

"Nah, Chino is here, can't be like the old times. Plus, it's never going to be –" the speaker cut himself short when he saw me. Tumigil din sya sa paglalakad and the smile on his face faded.

"Oh, hi," he said flatly and walked to the opposite side of the room. He settled next to Ace.

Shit, is it just me or malamig na naman ang panahon? Tutal, '-ber' months na nga naman. Nag e-eight degrees ba dito sa Maynila?

"Hi," I squeaked and slid lower in my seat to effectively hide behind Tito Gerry. Naalala ko yung huling encounter namin na sinampal ko sya dahil sa katangahan na lumabas sa bibig niya. Teka, oo nga ano, dapat pala galit ako sa kanya, I should not be shrinking in my seat! He was at fault now, not me!

"Anyway, we saw the guys walking in the village so we decided to invite them to dinner," Tito Gerry announced. "We'll leave you to catch up and see you in twenty. Uno, tell your dad you're with us. Baka hanapin ka noon."

Gusto ko sanang gumawa ng excuse para makaiwas ng dinner but Val stopped me. I dreaded being in the same room as Jaxx, lalo na na hindi ako basta basta maka alis. Lalo na't hindi pa tapos ang pedicure ko.

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A/N

I know this is chapter is a little boring but we all need a breather in between dramatic scenes, and especially before the climax starts ;) Sit tight!