Lumipas pa ang halos dalawang oras, natapos na ang lahat sa pagluluto at paggayak ng kung ano-ano. Marami na rin naikwento sa akin si Alyssa tungkol sa trabaho niya sa Quezon City. Hindi rin daw kasi sila madalas umuwi ng Bohol kaya kapag ganitong nagkikita-kita ang marami sa kanila, nagkakaroon ng ganitong celebration na parang reunion.

Nang tuluyan nang dumilim, nagsimula na rin ang inuman session nila habang may malakas na tugtog. Nobody had a proper dinner since sobrang dami namang pulutan. They encouraged everyone to just eat the foods while drinking and so, everyone did.

Kasama ko sa table sina Alyssa, Queen and her boyfriend Loki at siyempre, itong katabi ko na si Gray. Binigyan niya ako ng mga niluto nila kaninang inihaw na manok.

"Eat first, Summer. You're not going to taste any alcoholic drinks unless you eat."

Napabuntonghininga na lang ako habang pinakikinggan ko ang pang-aasar ng tatlong kasama namin.

"You're not that sweet to me, baby," nagtatampong sabi ni Queen.

Loki laughed and then he kissed her instead.

"What am I doing here, anyway? Fifth wheeling???"

She jokingly rolled her eyes before standing up and went to the other table since she said she couldn't stand being alone in a table full of couples. Napapailing na lang ako habang kinakain ang inihaw na manok na nasa plate ko.

Ilang sandali pa, dumating na rin si Hugo.

"Hey, everyone! I'm back!" sabi nito sa tono ng pang-aasar. "Iniwan ako ni Ruth and Gray! I got lost!"

"Wow, you sounded like a tourist, huh?" sagot ni Pau.

Hindi niya ito pinansin. Lumapit siya sa amin at hinila ang upuan na kaninang inuupuan ni Alyssa, saka doon naupo . . . sa tabi ko.

Fuck, I am—once again—in the middle of two flaming balls!

"Doon ka nga, bawal ka dito," sabi ni Grayson dito.

Hugo chuckled. "Wala akong nakitang sign na bawal, Gray." He smirked as he took a chicken leg with his bare hands and ate it.

Wala nang pumansin pa sa pang-aasar ni Hugo pero mukhang ako na ang maaasar dahil ako talaga ang trip niya! Busog na ako! I want to drink too! Everyone here's already drinking but these two idiots kept on feeding me!

"Tama na sabi, busog na ako," irita kong sabi.

Grayson took the plate in front of me. "Let me eat this." He turned to Hugo. "Thanks, Hugo!"

Hugo laughed at what Grayson did. Tumayo na lang ako at iniwan sila para maghugas ng kamay since we all ate barehanded. Masarap nga namang kumain ng gano'n nang nakakamay lang. Naghanap din ako sa kusina ng cold water since I really ate too much. I need a very cold glass of water.

"Hija, what are you looking for?"

Napalingon ako sa nagsalita. Nakita ko ang mama ni Grayson na kadarating lang sa kusina.

"Ohh, I just need a very cold glass of water po. Marami pong nakain, eh." I winced.

Bahagya siyang tumawa bago kumuha sa freezer ng ice cubes at inilagay sa baso. Pagkatapos, sinalinan niya ito ng malamig nang tubig.

"Hintayin mo na lang mas lumamig pa."

Tumango ako. "Thank you po."

Nagpaalam na itong babalik sa backyard. I waited for a few minutes until I reached the coldness of water that I wanted. Ininom ko 'yon at naglakad-lakad sa loobg ng kusina para bumaba ang maraming nakain. Nang makapagdighay na, nakahinga na ako nang maluwag.

Pagbalik ko sa backyard, paubos na ni Grayson ang kinakain habang may mga nagsasayaw naman sa tugtog ng party songs. Hindi pa man ako nakakalapit sa table namin, hinila na ako ni Hugo.

"Let's dance!"

Lumapit na rin sa amin si Alyssa, Kate, Queen at ang iba pang mga pinsan ni Grayson. Even his aunt's dancing to the song so I had no choice but to dance with them.

"Stylin', wildin'

Livin' it up in the city

Got Chucks on with Saint Laurent

Gotta kiss myself, I'm so pretty . . ."

I danced to the rhythm of music as I clapped my hands. This is what I missed back in Manila. We always went to a party place and danced this way. I never thought I'd get to enjoy a party once again in this simple set up and place.

"Girls hit your hallelujah (wooh)

Girls hit your hallelujah (wooh)

Girls hit your hallelujah (wooh) . . ."

Hugo, then, came to me and held both of my hands as we danced. I wanted to look at Grayson but it seems like he's doing things to not make me.

Bahala na nga. Ang hirap naman kung hindi ako makikisama. At isa pa, ngayon lang naman.

"'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you (wooh)

'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you

'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you

Saturday night, and we in the spot

Don't believe me, just watch, come on!"

Hugo danced his all in front of me like a wild man in a bar. I laughed so hard because he's probably already had a few shots. Ako, kahit isang shot, wala pa! But I still danced sexily like he did which made the people around us cheer for me.

Hugo laughed and clapped his hands because of that. I was about to dance again when Grayson grabbed my waist.

"Okay, time to stop dancing. Let's go and drink," he said.

Tumango ako at umalis na sa dancefloor. Patuloy pa rin si Hugo at ang iba na sumasayaw sa kanta. Oras na maupo ako, Grayson gave me a shot glass and poured it with Tequila.

"Thanks," I said before drinking it while watching the people happily dance to the music. I chuckled at the cute sight of Queen and Loki. They're chaotic!

"Do you really want to dance?"

Napalingon ako sa kan'ya. "Huh? Not really. Bakit?"

He shrugged. "You kept on watching them. You forget about me."

I laughed. "Hinila lang ako ni Hugo. And besides, I'm watching Queen and Loki. They are very chaotic as they dance!"

He poured my glass again. I left it there for a while since we both don't have any plans of getting drunk.

"What do you think of Hugo?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Malandi."

"That's a given. Besides that?"

I held my chin to think of an accurate answer. "Hmmm . . . he's kind, I guess?" He scoffed. "Why? Don't scoff at me, Grayson. I'm still pissed-off." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Tell me why, then."

My forehead creased. "What? You didn't know what you did earlier?"

"I did know what I did but what's wrong with that?"

I laughed sarcastically as I drank my shot. "You lied to all of them!"

Napakunot-noo siya. "What? About you, staying at my house?"

"Yes!"

"I just say that so Hugo won't plan on bothering you! If you told him that you're staying in a hotel, he'd probably visit you all the time that he can!"

I sighed, laughing a little. "And what's so wrong about that? You were visiting me everyday. Did I badmouth you?"

Umawang ang bibig niya bago napabuntonghininga. "You don't know Hugo."

"I didn't know you back then but I didn't judge you, Grayson."

Napahilamos siya ng mukha dahil nararamdaman kong alam niyang matatalo siya sa akin sa usaping ito.

"Hugo's a big flirt—"

"And so are you!"

"But you know that I like you, right?" He sighed in frustration. "Don't defend him on me. It hurts."

Napaawang ang bibig ko. "What?"

Umiling siya at sinalinan na lang ang mga shot glass namin. Hindi ko na ipinilit pa ang tungkol kay Hugo dahil tama naman siya. Hindi ko naman talaga kilala ang pinsan niya.

"Then, why did you say that I have an indefinite stay here?"

He gulped. "Because I want you to."

"What?" kunot-noong tanong ko.

Nag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin habang hawak ang shot glass niya.

"I want you to stay here with me."

Napainom ako ng shot ko dahil sa huling sinabi niya.

Parang kanina lang noong nasa hotel pa ako, I was thinking about it . . . that I only have eighteen days left to stay here. I also wanted to stay but is that even right? I want to stay here but I know that I just can't do it . . . especially that there's a lot of people waiting for me.

My new job . . .

My friends . . .

My parents . . .

Enzo . . . ?

I just realized that not thinking about Enzo made me feel better. Maybe this whole Bohol thing is what I really need. I've been very depressed because of our break up but after I came here, I really feel better.

Did I just . . . move on from him?

Ganito pa rin ba ang pakiramdam kapag nagkita na kami?

"What are you thinking?"

Nagulat pa ako nang muling magsalita si Grayson. I shook my head in response.

"Tell me."

I sighed. "Do you really want to know?"

He gulped and was silent for a few seconds until he opened his mouth to answer me.

"No."

Maybe he figured out that I'm still thinking about Enzo. Well, I did but not in a way that Grayson might think of.

I feel better now without the sight of Enzo.

But I feel better now that I am with . . . Gray.