CHAPTER 3.1

IT'S BEEN two days since the last time she saw Luscious' handsome face.

Angel was recovering from the laceration she had, because of her wild and steamy night with the man. A night that will never happen again.

Hirap na hirap siya sa dalawang nakalipas na araw magmula nang nakalabas siya ng ospital. Halos ayaw niyang umihi kung maari lamang dahil sa hapdi na dulot no'n.

Wala sa loob na napahawak siya sa kaniyang tiyan habang nakatingin sa kawalan. Magbubunga kaya ang nangyare sa kanila ng binata? Wala na siyang ibang nais kundi ang magka-anak.

Nasa balkonahe siya ng kanilang penthouse para lumanghap ng sariwang hangin. She felt so bored while looking down the busy street. Karamihan sa mga tao ay papasok pa lamang sa kani-kanilang mga trabaho. Angel could also see the heavy traffic— something usual in the country. Hindi na bago.

Naglakad siya papasok sa sala para manood ng telebisyon. Ito na naman ang gagawin niya buong araw. Hindi naman siya maaring lumabas at mag-gala dahil nagpapagaling pa siya.

Pabagsak na na-upo si Jasmine sa kaniyang tabi. Pansin niyang palagi itong nakangiti nitong mga nakaraang araw. She looked blooming and radiant. And she had this feeling that it has something to do with what happened to her friend in Palawan.

Tahimik itong kumakain ng ice cream na mabilis niyang inagaw para makuha ang pansin nito.

"Hey, that's mine!" Jasmine whined, irritated.

Kung tama ang hinala niyang nakipag-s*x ito noong party, malamang 'yon ang dahilan sa masiglang bati ng mukha nito. Angel also had s*x. But on the contrary, she's feeling terrible! Not mentally or emotionally, but definitely physically! The world is so unfair!

O baka naman hindi kasing laki ng alaga ni Luscious ang sa lalakeng nakakuha sa kabirhenan ng kaniyang kaibigan. Magmula kasi nang lumabas siya sa ospital ay hindi pa rin nila ito napag-uusapan. Wala rin naman siyang balak na itago ang nangyare sa kaniya. Mapagkakatiwalaan ang mga ito, kahit pa iba ang tabas ng dila ni Joy minsan— ang nag-iisang matatag na birhen sa kanilang tatlo. Gusto niyang matawa sa bagay na naisip. But she's sure as hell that something also happened to Joy in the party. She's certain.

Angel took a spoonful of ice cream inside her mouth. Hindi niya na pinansin pa ang kaibigang nakasimangot sa kaniyang tabi. She can buy her a truck, full of ice cream, if she wants.

"At dahil medyo naka-recover na si Angel. This is the perfect time to talk about what happened in the party," kapagkuwan ay wika ni Joy habang nakangisi.

She gazed up with a playful smile on her lips.

Mabuting ito na ang nagbukas ng usapin. Hindi rin kasi sanay si Angel na siya ang nauunang magtanong o umu-usisa sa mga ito.

"So..." Joy drawls, "I want you two, to make a pinky promise to never lie, and confess your dirty little secrets. Lalong-lalo na ang tungkol sa nangyare sa party." Palipat-lipat ito ng tingin sa kanila ni Jasmine. She can see amusement in her eyes, but she has an 'ace' against her.

If only her friend knew...

"Fine, fine, promise." Lumapit si Jas ng upo sa kanila.

"It's a promise," she swore nonchalantly. "But we should be able to ask you too." Bumaling siya kay Joy na halatang natigilan. May nakita siyang kakaibang emosyon sa mga mata nito. She's right! Something's really going on. Lihim siyang napangisi sa ideya.

'Lintek ka Joy!'

"Oo na. Sinong mauuna?" tanong ng kaniyang kaibigan kasabay ang paglunok ng sariling laway.

Lihim siyang napangisi.

"Bato bato pick na lang."

Tumango naman siya bilang pagsang-ayon rito.

Angel stretched her arms like she's about to go for a run. Mukhang mahaba-habang diskusyon at pag-uusap ang magaganap sa pagitan nilang tatlo. Mapapalaban siya kung sakali. Basang-basa niya na ang dalawang kaibigang halatang may mga itinatago.

She never forced them to speak. And this is the perfect time to make them spill everything she's dying to know!

They all leaned forward while facing each other. Their hands fisted. Seryoso ang dalawa at gusto niyang matawa sa mga pagmumukha ng mga  ito. They looked like constipated shits! Halatang ayaw ma-una!

"Bato bato pick!" they all chanted in chorus.

Malakas silang natawa ni Joy dahil parehong bato ang gamit nila habang si Jasmine naman ay gunting. Nakasimangot itong napahalukipkip. Now it's only Joy and her.

"Bato bato pick!" they both chanted.

Angel smirked mischievously. Napasuntok siya sa hangin dahil papel ang ginamit niya habang bato naman rito. She yelped triumphantly. Napa-palakpak pa siya sa sarili. What can she say? No one could really beat her in rock, paper, scissors...

Joy hissed, "bw*sit!"

"So it'll be Jas, Joy, at syempre last ako," she scoffed at her friends, who looked annoyed.

"Umpisahan mo na, Ja," natatawang baling niya rito.

Ilang beses itong napabuntong-hininga bago magsalita.

"Guys.... I had s*x—"

"Alam namin, Ja! Magsabi ka ng 'di namin alam," sansala ni Joy rito.

"Patapusin mo kaya ako dep*ta!"

"Oh basta, game na!" She's grinning from ear to ear.

Jasmine tsked. Huminga ito ng napakalalim. "So ito na nga, I had s*x with Kaj—"

"Kaj?!" sabay silang hindi makapaniwalang napasigaw ni Joy sa sinabi nito.

Kaj was Jasmine's only 'ex'. Ito ang lalakeng nagpaiyak sa kaniyang kaibigan kaya gano'n na lamang ang reaksyon niya sa narinig. Jasmine can't be serious right? How can her friend be so stupid to give her virginity to that cheater?

"Gaga, seryoso?" napabulalas na tanong pa ni Joy rito. "The hell!"

Laglag ang balikat na nagbuga ng hininga ang kaniyang kaibigan. Hindi niya alam kung babatukan niya ba ito o sisinghalan sa kagagahang nagawa. Bakit sa dinami-rami ng lalake sa mundo, sa ex pa talaga nito napiling isuko ang 'bataan'?

She gets it! Kaj is definitely hot and gorgeous as freaking hell, but Jasmine shouldn't have fell to that temptation personified!

'Nakakahiya naman sa 'yo na nakipag-sex sa lalakeng 'di mo kilala,' anang isip niya.

Alam naman niya iyon but of all men, why her ex? It doesn't make any sense to her!

Jasmine continued, "I was in the restroom when I saw his ex-fiancee talking to a woman. Tapos nalaman kong hindi pala natuloy ang kasal nila dahil sa akin."

Napatanga siya sa sinabi nito. It only means that Kaj really loved her friend, but why didn't he said anything when Jasmine asked for his explanation?

Nagpatuloy ang kwento ng kanilang kaibigan. Tahimik naman silang nakikinig ni Joy rito.

Angel has to hear her reasons. That way, she could stop the impulse to gut that Kaj Levin Walton alive! Kumukulo talaga ang dugo niya sa hinayupak na iyon! Gusto niya itong balatan ng buhay!

"So, ibig sabihin mahal ka ni Kaj noon? Pero ang tanong mahal ka pa ba niya hanggang ngayon?"

Joy was right. Nakita niya rin ang pag-aalinlangan nito. Jasmine's knuckles fisted, resting on both her legs.

Minsan niya nang nasaksihang umiyak at nasaktan ito noon dahil sa binata. And she can't afford to see Jasmine on that state again. She was too wrecked and broken. Nag-aalala lamang sila ni Joy para sa kaibigan.

She's sure as hell that Jasmine still has feelings for her ex-boyfriend. Hindi man ito nagsabi sa kanila noon ay alam niya ang bagay na 'yon. It was something that she can confidently confirm without words.

Jasmine used to say that she had already moved on and was perfectly fine. But Angel knew that it's a lie. Jasmine never moved on. She loves Kaj too much even if it hurts her.

Yeah, it was so idiotic for her, who never encountered romance. But who is she to judge her friend? It is said that love makes people stupid, and seems like hindi rin nakaligtas ang kaniyang kaibigan. That was the sad part.

Tahimik itong napaluha habang nakayuko. Namayani ang nakabibinging katahimikan sa kanila. No one dares to talk, until Jasmine spoke.

"I-I don't know w-what to do," she mumbled in between sobs.

Angel hated this kind of scene, because she couldn't bear seeing her friends in this state. It's heartbreaking.

She did her best to hold her tears. She can't cry. She has to be strong for her friend.

Angel cleared her throat and sighed audibly. "If you really think that he deserves a second chance, then go on. Hindi ka namin pipigilan. Malaki ka na. Alam mo na ang tama sa mali. We saw your tears when you thought that he cheated on you. We're there everytime you would breakdown because of your first heartbreak caused by him. But if you see your happiness in him, then go on. Siguraduhin niya lang na hindi ka niya sasaktan."

'I'll kill him if he does!'

Gusto niyang idagdag, ngunit pinili na lamang manahimik.

"I-I love him."

"Alam namin, gaga." Joy kept on drying Jasmine's tears, falling like broken strings.

Angel heaved a deep sigh. "Move on to the next one. Tama na 'yan. Basta siguraduhin niya lang na hindi ka niya sasaktan."

"Puputulan namin siya 'pag sinaktan ka niya."

She smiled when Jasmine chuckled at Joy's words.

Better. Her friend looked prettier when she's not crying. But hell will freeze first before she tells her that.