"Do you think he's okay?"

"He keeps playing these god awful songs, you think he's okay?!"

"Hindi kaya sinasaniban siya?"

"Or he's just sick."

"No, I really think he's being possessed."

"Yeah, I think you might be right."

"We must call someone, a ghostbuster maybe?"

"You do that, I'm going to restrain him."

I laughed at the absurdity of my friends. So what if I'm playing pop songs in my office sound system? It's what Hera and Phae would listen to twenty four hours a day. Try that and see if the songs doesn't get to you. Besides, it relaxes me whenever I'm away from my girlfriend. Para bang kasama ko narin siya habang pinapakinggan ko ang mga kantang pinapakinggan niya.

Fuck, just how girly does that sound? I'm such a fucking pussy when it comes to that woman!

I need to kill something just to feel like a man again. Preferably these two annoying creatures who wouldn't stop cringing at my playlist. Para pa ngang may epilepsy si Ram sa ginagawa niya.

"Can't you just leave my office and stop being a pain in my ass?" halos mag-isang linya na ang mga kilay ko.

"We're nothing but concerned friends!" lumapit si Ram sa mesa ko at inilapat ang kamay sa ulo ko na para akong pinepray over. "Kung sino ka mang sumapi sa katawan ng kaibigan namin, we will give whatever you want. Maraming pera yan si Scor. Just spare our eardrums."

I growled at him and slapped his hand away. "Cute mo. Sarap mong patayin." binalik ko ang atensyon ko sa nilalaro ko. Dammit! Namatay nanaman! I'm going to fucking throw this thing!

"What are you playing?"

"Go back to your wife, Ram." I shook my head at him.

"I can't! I'm worried about you!"

Helpless na tumingin ako kay Liam na prenteng nakaupo parin sa beige couch ko.

"Don't look at me, bro." itinaas niya ang magkabilang kamay at ipinatong ang paa sa ibabaw ng salamin na lamesita. Pagkatapos ay tinuro si Ram. "He's the one who dragged me here."

"Put your feet down, Sy." I said, sighing. Binalingan ko ang kaibigan kong pahimas himas sa braso niya na parang kinikilabutan. "What's going on, Ram?"

Para bang hindi makali na naupo siya sa swivel chair sa harapan ko. "Do you ever get that feeling like something bad's gonna happen?"

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Why?"

"I don't know," he thumbed his chin. "Sense of impending doom ba ang tawag dito?"

I rolled my eyes. "If you're having an anxiety attack, you should go to a psychiatrist. I don't have time to deal with your pathetic ass." bumaling ako kay Liam. "Pakibitbit na nga palabas ang isang 'to. Busy ako."

"Tinatamad ako."

I huffed. "Pag hindi pa kayo umalis, raratratin ko kayo."

"Yuck! Pwede ba? I don't swing that way, pare!" iwinagayway ni Liam ang kamay na parang naaalibadbaran.

"Inaabala nyo lang trabaho ko!"

"You're not working," sabat ni Liam. "You're playing with your phone and listening to Justin Bieber. God! Ganyan ba pag in-love?"

"Will. You. Please. Just. Leave. Me. Alone?"

"Nag-aalala nga kasi ako sa'yo."

"Tumigil ka nga!" suyang suya ako kay Ram. Ibabato ko na sana sa kanila ang cellphone ko nang tumunog ito.

Phae calling...

"Hi babe, what's going on?" the two assholes made gagging noises. I shot Ram a dirty finger. Motherfucker. Mas malala pa nga siya kapag si Charlie ang kausap niya!

"Scor, listen.."

"Hey, baby, are you okay?" naalarma ako sa paos niyang boses. Napatayo ako mula sa Lazy boy. "You sound like you're crying. Is something wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just--"

"Let me talk to him." I heard Drae from the other line.

Narinig ko pang nagtalo ang dalawa na nagpakunot ng husto sa noo ko. Bumalik si Phae sa linya. "Kuya wants to talk to you."

"Alright, put him on the phone--"

"Magkita tayo sa Elle's mamaya. An hour from now." Drae said.

Hindi na ako nakasagot dahil binabaan na ako ng tarantado. What the hell was that? Tinotopak nanaman ba siya?

"Oh, look!" Ram was looking at his phone. "Drae says to meet him up at Elle's."

"I got that text, too." ani Liam.

"Anong meron?" tumingin si Ram sa akin at nagkibit balikat na lang ako. Napansin kong napatiim bagang siya. I fucking hope it's not what we are both thinking or else I'm going to be dead before I hit the ground. Damn sperms, why can I not fucking control you?!

Kung alam na ni Drae na buntis si Phae, malamang nagbabalak na siyang ipapatay ako. But on the bright side, ibig lang nun sabihin ay magiging tatay na ako. How cool is that?

Whoa, chill! Hindi ka pa nga sigurado eh! To hell with it! Kinapa ko ang maliit na kahita sa loob ng coat ko. Parati ko itong dala, just in case. Pinigilan ko ang mapangisi. I gathered my things and headed out. Sumunod ang dalawa sakin.

"Birthday niya siguro?" pabulong na sabi ni Liam. It took me a lot not to lock him inside my office until he grows some neurons.

APPARENTLY IT WASN'T just me, Ram and Liam who got the message from Drae. Everybody's present including Caleb who's planning on proposing to his girlfriend a few days from now, and everybody's got their own guess about Drae's bizarre invitation.

"Hindi kaya mag-aasawa narin si Drae?"

"Baka sa wakas magpapatuli na!"

They all laughed at that, except me.

"What about you, Scor? Any idea?" tanong ni Z.

Parang walang narinig na inabala ko lang ang sarili ko sa paglalaro ng Color Switch. Damn, I'm beginning to lose my mind over this game.

Ang sabihin mo, ginagamit mo yang pantanggal ng kaba!

Fuck that shit. Hindi ako takot kay Draegan! Kaya ko siyang balatan ng buhay at alam niya iyon. Kung tama nga ang hinala ko na balak niya akong komprontahin tungkol sa pagbubuntis ni Phae, I suspect na gagamitin niya ang mga ungas naming kaibigan as a buffer.

That's smart, considering that I can beat his ass and make him throw up his own intestines. Yeah, he really should have them as his shield.

Sige lang, Scorpio Ledesma, magyabang ka. Coz later you'd start groveling your ass for all eternity.

Inis na ibinalibag ko ang iphone ko sa mesa.

"Talo ka?" pangaasar ni Liam.

I shot him the bird.

"Bakit ba kasi bigla na lang nagyaya si Drae?" tanong ni Caleb matapos ibaba ang telepono niya sa mesa. Katext yata niya ang girlfriend niya. "Ano bang meron, Scor? You're his best friend. Kahit papaano may clue ka naman siguro?"

"Ay nako." singit ni Ram mula sa kabilang mesa. "Mag-aaksaya lang kayo ng laway sa isang yan. Kanina pa namin sya tinatanong. All he does is play with his fucking phone and grunt like a caveman."

Natawa si Z. "How very Scor."

"Asan na ba kasi si Drae? Nagugutom na ako." reklamo ni RD na kinawayan ang waitress. He ordered pancakes and hot chocolate. "You guys want anything?"

Umiling ang mga kasama ko. Kahit ako nawalan ng gana sa nerbiyos. Tangina kasing Drae yan. Daming pautot, di na lang makipagsampalan na para matapos na agad. Nangdadamay pa ng iba. Puta, duwag. Ano? Resbak niya 'tong mga 'to? Tangina, kaya ko silang patumbahin sa isang suntok lang. Pagbuhol buhulin ko pa sila, kung gusto niya! Fuck. I'm such a moron and I'm so fucking paranoid. Baka naman hindi dahil kay Phae? Malay mo naman kung birthday nga niya?

Tanga mo, Ledesma. Yan ang napapala mo sa pagdikit dikit kay Liam, nabobobo ka na rin!

Maya maya ay narinig namin ang tunog ng chime, hudyat na may pumasok sa loob ng Elle's. Drae strode inside and my insides clenched. I smell trouble.

Dahil kilalang kilala ko ang ungas na 'to, lakad pa lang niya alam ko nang galit siya. Kulang na nga lang may tumulong laway galing sa bibig niya dahil para siyang asong nauulol. I almost laughed while trying to picture Drae drooling. Tangina, ang pangit ni gago.

Dumiretso siya sa manager ng Elle's at may inabot dito. It's a thick wad of cash. Fuck. Biglang nanuyo ang lalamunan ko. Cmon, Scor, don't be a dickhead. You know you can take on Drae, anytime. What are you so scared of?!

Well, for one. Takot akong saktan siya dahil alam kong magagalit sa akin si Phae sakaling mapatay ko sa gulpi ang kuya niya. At pangalawa, hindi ako sigurado kung tutulungan ako ng mga hinayupak na ito na ilibing ang bangkay niya.

Maya maya ay lumabas ang lahat ng staff ng coffee shop. Including the one's assigned in the kitchen.

"Okay, what the fuck is going on?" Liam was freaking out. "Where are you guys going?" tanong niya sa mga papalabas na tao. Nang walang sumagot sa mga ito ay hinarap niya kami. "What's going on?!"

"World war III's about to start, that's what." Caleb said. "Quick! Hide those knives!" utos nito kay RD.

"But these are just bread knives!"

"And it hurts like a motherfucker if it's used to get our entrails out." Ram muttered with a shiver.

Parang toro na naglakad papunta sa amin si Drae na agad namang hinarangan ni Z. What the fuck? This guy definitely have a death wish. I shoved Z away and met Drae head on.

His fist connected on my face so hard I saw stars. I staggered and caught myself against the counter.

"You motherfucking piece of shit!" Ram managed to snatch Drae off me. Hinawakan siya sa magkabilang balikat ni Ram at Liam pero para siyang pusit na patuloy na pumapasag. He spewed strings of profanity that would probably make a sailor blush. His face is flushed with so much anger and his molars are in the verge of breaking. "How dare you! Putangina ka! I will fucking skin you alive!"

"Drae, bro, ano ba?" Caleb pulled him back. "What the fuck? Ano bang nangyayari?!"

"Why don't you ask that bastard?! Binuntis niya ang kapatid ko!"

"Binuntis mo si Phae?" Caleb was so stunned he loosened his grip on Drae. Muling sumugod sa akin ang gago at hinayaan ko siyang sapakin ako ng paulit ulit. Damn, it's confirmed. I'm going to be a fucking father! Fuck!

Nang makarecover ang mga kaibigan namin sa sinabi ni Drae ay saka lang nila napagtanto ang nangyayari sakin. Nang maawat nilang muli si Drae ay nagmumumog na ako ng dugo. I laughed inspite of myself. "Magiging tatay na 'ko."

"Oo, putangina mo! At kung di mo pananagutan ang kapatid ko, I'm going to skin your balls and make you eat it. You hear me?!" he caught me on the collar of my shirt. "Do you fucking hear me? Papatayin kita at tatahiin ko bayag mo!"

Liam winced. "Wonderful imagery, Drae. Now get off the poor guy."

"Bitawan mo ko, William! Babayagan kita!"

"Okay! Okay!" Liam let him go with his hands raised. Pagkatapos ay tinakpan niya ang harapan niya. "Hindi naman ako yung nambuntis bakit ako babayagan mo? Kainis."

Ram glared at him. Siya na ang umawat kay Drae. "Cmon, Drae. Enough! Hindi naman kasalanan ni Scor--"

"Eh ano? Kasalanan ng kapatid ko dahil nakipagsex siya sa hayop na to?!"

Ram actually paled. "What, ano--"

Si Zeve ang sumalo. "Ang ibig sabihin ni Ram, kasalanan ng sperm ni Scor--"

"Z!" RD shoved him away. "Seriously, guys! Kailangan ba talaga 'to?"

"Oo! Kailangan! Hindi pa ko tapos bugbugin yang hinayupak na yan!"

"Overkill ka na, pare." ani Ram.

"Anong gagawin mo kung buntisin ni Liam si Adri?!" gigil na tanong ni Drae kay Ram.

Si Ram naman ay tumingin ng masama kay Liam.

"Hoy, putangina mo Drae! Wag mo ko isali diyan!" he smiled sheepishly at Ram. "You know I would never touch Adri."

"Dapat lang! Kundi iitlugan kita!"

"Anong iitlugan, puta, Ram, ano ka manok?!" tatawa tawa si Zeve.

"That's enough!" sa wakas ay nakapagsalita muli si Caleb. "Tama si Ram, overkill na tong ginagawa mo, Drae. You knew from the start na mag-syota sila. What do you think they're doing when you're not looking? Twiddling thumbs? Nagja-jack n poy? Damn, bro. Hindi na bata si Phae, she knew what she's doing. Why do you have to punish your bestfriend for something they both did consensually?"

Nagtanguan ang mga kasama namin. Oh thank fuck for Caleb!

"Scor loves your sister." he said. "He wouldn't risk his balls going after her if he doesn't. Right Scor?"

"Damn straight." sagot ko. Kumuha ako ng tissue at pinahiran ang bibig kong puro dugo. "I love her. And I only let you beat me up like this because I do."

"Taran--"

"Diba sabi ko tama na?" sawata ni Caleb. Buti nagpaawat ang loko. "Pag pinatay mo si Scor, mawawalan ng tatay ang pamangkin mo. Magisip ka nga! And Phae would probably hate you for killing her kid's father. In fact, I think she might kill you for that."

Noon na bahagyang huminahon si Drae. Tumingin siya sa akin ng masama. "Pakakasalan mo si Phae, naiintindihan mo?"

"Yeah. No problem." I said grinning. I get to marry Phaedra with Drae's blessing. Sweet.

Ain't that fucking worth the beating?