Chapter 4

Club

I have been trying to reach her for a few days but I couldn't get to talk to her, even responding to my messages. I know, we knew each other for a few weeks but it doesn't mean that nothing happens between us—not the one thing they already have in mind but the connection, I'm sure they do get that. And I can't find that steering connection to the other girl—even if I wanted to forget her, just like my brain can't do that easily.

I go back from time to time to that club where we met, I keep asking the staff there to know if Lany came back or if she never resigned from her work because of what she said right, she needed money. And what the hell was that?

"Why is the determination, kid?" the bartender asked.

I shrugged my shoulder. "I don't know because I think she's my soulmate."

He laughed, he might think it was a joke. "Are you drunk? Because you look like... when you were just on your first drink." 

I shook my head to him, he would never understand what was inside my head.

"By the way kid, I'm Deyon." He offered his hand. "You can't be choosy enough, your girl isn't here anymore at least you got some company to have your drink served." He chuckled saying that.

Don't know what to say, my head is not in the game. Later, Deyon served me a martini, I looked at him confused.

"I didn't order this."

"It's on me," he said, raising his brow. "No, kidding, I can't pay for that, she did." Deyon pointed out someone, and so when I looked at her, I immediately stood up from my stool. "Now, that's what he's waiting for..." Deyon commented.

My feet moved too quickly to her and didn't even hesitate to hug her. She giggled when I came to her, and so when I close to see her, and about to kiss her, she stopped me from doing it.

"Sorry..." she said.

I shook my head. "You should be, 'cause you keep me worried."

"I know I should never texted that, should never done that to you but right now, I can't take it into further. I have my priorities."

"I understand that!" I said. "That's why I keep waiting on you here."

She put her hand on my shoulder. "You never stop, why?"

"I have the scholarship for you, not from me but I got you one. Hindi mo na kailangan pang mag-trabaho for tuition. You will also be receiving a salary every month with this scholarship. I hope you accept this." I explain to her, that this is just my way of showing how much I want her.

"Does that come with a price?" she asked.

Napakamot naman ako sa batok ko. "Actually wala!" Saka ako umayos sa pagkakaupo ko, "you just have to accept the scholarship and that's it... of course, if you wanted me to be your man..."

She took a deep sigh. "I already have been thinking of this since you told me that few weeks, if it will help my study and that's fine for me."

"So you're accepting it?" I muttered waiting for her approval. And when she looked at me, unknowingly but then she nodded and her lips came into a curve. The next thing I did was to hug her, tightly. "Oh, I am sorry..."

Natatawa na lang din siya sa reaksyon ko. "Masasanay din ako sayo."

"Guys drinks on... you tonight!" Deyon exclaimed.

I thought I was not gonna see her again, I was ready to fall apart and move forward—just kidding, not at all. I'm not going to lose my soulmate—the crack joke Deyon couldn't get over. Seemingly, I find it hard to accept if she's going to reject my offer, it's hard to get by of Guz when he's too busy with things that's why I ask him to get me on his father and now I did the one thing I could be proud of.

"Did you do this to your previous girls?" she asked.

Napakunot noo naman ako sa tanong niya. "What do you mean by that?"

"Giving some gifts, you know what I mean."

Agad naman akong umiling sa sinabi niya. "Really, no, I never did that to anyone. Maybe offer for drinks but this isn't."

She smiled genuinely. "I must be that important."

I look straight into her eyes. "You are."

She came closer to me and gave me a peck on my cheeks. "That's for being great to me."

I couldn't speak any words when just looking at her was enough. Hindi ko maipapaliwanag kung bakit hindi siya mawala sa isip ko, kung bakit sa dinami dami nang babae sa club, sa kanya talaga napunta ang tingin ko. Someone will say, there is much more better on her, but I couldn't find that better when I can see the perfect girl in my eyes. That must be a little bit blurry but hey, if you know it is the one, then it's real.

She also told me they moved to another city that's why it is the reason she has to resign her work on here. Ang inakala ko talaga noon ay iniiwasan niya ako kaya siya lumipat but its not me, nakahinga ako nang maluwag doon. I told her she doesn't have to do part time jobs anymore dahil may makukuha naman siyang salary sa scholarship and that will help naman, you know, galante ang mga Pettyfer.

"Armie, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"I just thought of this, if you know something to me—for example, how would you react if that something would change your mind?"

Napaisip naman kaagad ako sa sinabi niya. Napakibit balikat na lang din naman ako sa sinabi niya, "I don't know... I can't tell."

She nodded. "That's okay, I just wanna know..."

Napataas naman ang dalawang kilay ko. "Why? Is there you wanna tell me?"

Umiling naman siya sa akin. Hindi ko rin naman ikinabahala na iyon dahil may tiwala naman ako sa kanya, for starters like me, kailangan hinding hindi mo siya lolokohin, kahit may babae mang dumaan sa harapan ko.

Friday night, nagkayayaan na naman nag barkada sa session namin. Syempre, katuwaan lang din naman namin kapag lumalabas kami lalo na't nakaka-stress ang school—though mga tamad gumawa ng home works, nandiyan naman si Dornan, ang aming tagapagligtas.

Alam na rin nilang nagkalabalikan na kami ni Lany. Ang dapat na pupuntahan namin nito after ay sa bahay ni Brent pero ni-re-renovate pala ang basement nito para sa playroom. Kung ano ano lang naman ang gustong mangyari ni Brent, siya ang pinaka spoiled sa barkada pero loyal naman pagdating sa relasyon, hindi lang sa ngayon.

Nang sinerve naman ni Deyon ang beer bucket namin, napansin ko naman ang kakaibang kilos ni Lany. Nang lumingon ako kung saan siya nakatingin ay nakita ko naman ang mga grupo ng mga lalaki na naglalakad papasok sa isang kwarto.

Hinawakan ko naman ang balikat ni Lany. "Okay ka lang? Anong meron, Lany?" tanong ko pa.

Agad naman siyang umiling sa akin. "Wala kung pwede lang mauna na ako?"

"Agad agad?" tanong ko pa. "Pero okay lang naman. I'll drive you."

"Hindi na." Pagpigil naman nito sa akin. "I'll book na lang..."

"Okay. Let's get you out."

Nagpaalam naman si Lany sa mga kaibigan ko. Sinamahan ko naman siya papalabas ng club, kung ano ano namang pumapasok sa isip ko kung bakit siya nagmamadali and why can't she tell me what's with it, huh? Habang hinihintay namin ang sasakyan, hindi na ako nakapagtimpi na magtanong.

"You know, we can stay longer, what's the hurry?" I asked.

She looked at me. "I just needed to get home."

"Is there an emergency?" pagtatanong ko muli sa kanya. "If that's it, I can help you."

"You can't always help me, Armie," sagot naman nito sa akin. Medyo nagulat pa ako sa sinabi niya dahil ngayon ko lang narinig sagutin nang gano'n. Nang dumating naman ang sasakyan ay nagpaalam na ito sa akin. "I'll call you."

"Okay, be safe." I waved at her but the car drove off. Can't even seem to guess what's happening.

Pagkapasok ko naman sa loob ng club, nakasalubong ko naman ang grupo ng mga lalaki. Nakuha pa akong bungguin nang isa sa kanila pero hindi ko na lang din pinansin. Gulong gulo na nga ako sa nangyari, makikipag-away pa ako, that's a no-no.

Iniwan ko muna sa table ang barkada at tumuloy sa bar counter.

"Iniwan ka na naman?" pagbibiro pa ni Deyon.

"Fuck you, that's not funny."

"Then why did she leave early?"

Napailing naman ako sa tanong niya, wala akong ideya kung bakit kailangan niyang magmadali, sa pagkakaalam ko ay wala namang problema sa aming dalawa kaya kampante ako doon, ibigsabihin, hindi ako ang problema, ano naman kanya—or more like, sino?

Mayamaya lang din ay nagtext siya sa akin.

Lany:

Sorry, I got off early.

I reply:

No, it's okay, somehow, you should've told me why.

Lany:

It's just I needed to, okay? Hope you understand that.

No, I don't.

"What she says?" tanong naman ni Deyon.

Hindi ko naman na siya sinagot pa, sinerve naman niya ako ng inumin, isang tungga ko lang din naman iyon. Saka bumalik na ako sa table namin.

Few days past, we were okay, naiintindihan ko naman kung bakit gano'n na lang siya no'ng nakaraang gabi. Hindi ko na rin naman in-open sa kanya 'yong topic na 'yon pero nang magkayayaan kaming magkita sa club ay hindi na siya pumayag. Sinubukan ko naman siyang puntahan sa bahay niya kahit hindi ko alam ay hindi rin naman siya pumayag. Kaya ang ending, sa ibang lugar kami magkikita.

Palabas na naman ako ng sasakyan ko, sa isang fast food kami ang kitaan namin dalawa. Pagkarating ko naman doon ay wala pa siya, siguro parating na rin iyon. She even texted me na male-late nga siya. Dahil tinamaan na rin ako ng gutom, I order something for me. I don't know why she chose this place, pwede naman kung saan hindi dito sa iconic place ng mga taong naghihiway.

Lany:

Where are you? I'm here.

Thirty minutes passed, wala pa rin siya. Almost the seats are occupied at wala nang maupuan ang ibang tao kaya pinili ko na lang din namang lumabas at sa sasakyan na lang maghintay sa kanya.

Suddenly, I get a call from an unknown number.

"Who's this?"

"What?! You didn't save my number?"

Nagtaka naman ako, "Deyon?" seems like it's his voice.

"Yes, put me on your contacts, kid, okay?"

"Whatever," sabi ko pa. "What's with the call?"

"Are you with your girl, as in right now?"

"No, but we were supposed to meet each other an hour ago, why?"

"Oh, shit."

"Hey, what is it?"

"I should never tell this but I can't help!"

"Deyon, what is it? You're making me nervous!"

"You should be! I saw your girl kissing some guy here at the club."

Nagulat naman ako sa sinabi niya. "Why is she there?"

"I don't know man, you should be here, right now," aniya. "Oh fuck, that guy has been harassing her!!!"

"Deyon! Do something!"

"Okay! Okay! I'll get the bouncers and get your ass right here. Hanging up!"

Mabilis ko namang pinaandar ang sasakyan ko. Hindi ko naman maisip kung anong nanyari o nagbibiro lang si Deyon pero nababahala ako. Siguro, minsan masama ang sobrang magtiwala. Hindi ko alam.

Lany... Lany... please, don't do that.