Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Victoria Abbel's Point of View

"You really wanted me to tag along?" Pangatlong beses na naitanong ito ni Elizabeth. Halos dumugo na ang tenga ko sa paulit ulit niyang tanong. Still, I tried to be more understanding. She was locked inside her own house due to some accident. Ngunit ngayon ay pinapayagan na itong lumabas.

She knew that I'll be staying in New York, so she wants to spend more time with me. Kaya naman naisipan ko siyang isama sa party isang party.

"Wow! This house is beautiful, is it okay if we go there?" I facepalmed.

"Just come with me Eliza, I promise you this is going to be fun, and just enjoy the night, okay?" Tumango siya sa akin kahit nararamdaman ko ang kanyang pangamba. I think it's normal to feel that way, she's been locked up all her life. I wonder how her parents will react to this if they will know that I brought their princess to a party. Sometimes, alam kong ayaw ipasama sakin si Elizabeth. I don't know why? Mabait naman ako.

Anyway, we're here in the house of Alexander Coben III. I don't know the purpose of this party but I'm here to enjoy my last stay here in the Philippines. I don't really know when will I come back.

"Ang daming tao dito, Tori." Humawak sa braso ko si Elizabeth habang nakatingin sa mga maraming tao. Hindi ko maintindihan kung namamangha ba siya o natatakot dahil sa kanyang nakikita.

"Of course, this is a party. What did you expect? Parang hindi mo naman ito madalas makita sa mga series na iyong pinapanood." I shrugged my shoulders like it isn't a big deal at all.

"But still, it's different if you're the one who'll experience it firsthand." Pinaupo ko siya sa isang high stool at hinawakan ang kanyang magkabilang balikat.

"Okay, let's make things clear first. I want you to stay here and get drinks whatever you want and don't let everyone come near you. May pupuntahan lang ako at babalikan din kita agad." I smiled at my beautiful cousin but she just pouted her lips.

"Where are you going?" Tumingin ako sa aking gilid to avoid eye contact. I'm really a bad liar and I can't lie with my eyes straight.

"Just...just do what I say, okay?" Tumalikod na ako bago pa siya may masabing iba. I think it's okay to leave her here. Puro studyante ang nasa loob ng bahay ni Alexander at mukhang wala namang may balak na kunin si Elizabeth.

Stay safe, cousin. I whispered in the air. Ang gagawin ko talaga ay hanapin si Trevor dito sa party. For sure, nandito siya sa party ng kanyang kaibigan na si Alexander. Minsan, pinagtataka ko na rin kung bakit nagkaroon pa ng kaibigan si Trevor. He's someone who doesn't talk much and doesn't socialize with people that well, I wonder how can he make friends? Unlike me, I really wanted to have a true friend but what did I have in return? A bitter love life and a two-faced backstabbing son of a bitch. Gosh! I really hate that girl now.

I'm trying to look for Trevor in the crowd. At wala pang limang segundo ay nakita ko na agad ito. No wonder why I really like him. He stands so much in the crowd. Naranasan mo na bang magmahal ng isang tao at sa tuwing maraming tao ay siya agad ang iyong hinahanap at nakikita? 'Yon kasi ang nangyayari sa akin. Everywhere I go, I always look for Trevor's presence. I used to do that. Siya agad ang aking unang hinahanap hanap.

He's there sitting on the round sofa, with his group of friends and they are drinking brandy. Naguusap ang kanyang mga kaibigan siya lamang ay tahimik na nagmamasid. Kung hindi pa naman ako nababaliw at nasisiraan ng kukote ay iisipin ko na nakatingin din sa akin si Trevor. But I know better.

I looked at him with full of adoration and affection. Do my feelings reach him? I wonder. Someone says that girls should always have their pride and self reservation. Girls should never be desperate for someone's attention. Girls should be like this, girls should be like that. I'm getting tired of that kind of function. Society always has standards for everyone and I'm getting tired of it.

But I say girls shouldn't always conform to what society demands for them. So what if I like Trevor. So what if I'm like a dog trying to chase him and desperate for his attention? That doesn't mean that my value is low and I don't have any dignity. And by the way, dogs are cute.

Kaya naman nilalakasan ko ang loob ko at sa huling pagkakataon ay ipakita sa kanya ang nararamdaman ko. Bago pa ako makapunta sa kanyang pwesto ay may dalawang kamay na humawak sa aking magkabilang braso at inangat ako. My feet is now hanging on the ground!

I screamed! But everyone just laugh. Tiningnan ko ang dalawang lalaking nakahawak pa rin sa akin hanggang ngayon at dinadala ako sa isang lugar na hindi ko alam.

"Sorry Miss, you'll be stuck inside this empty closet for 15 minutes. Oh, don't worry you can still breathe inside. We're just preserving the tradition that we used to do. Please cooperate." Sabi ng isang lalaking nagdala sa akin sa akin sa loob.

"What kind of sick tradition is this?" Inis kong turan. Sa labinlimang minuto na aking sasayangin dito ay mas mabuti pang magpapansin na lang kay Trevor!

"You don't have any choice but to comply, Miss. Actually, our purpose of this tradition is to have an open conversation. You'll be stuck inside together with a person. Pero huwag kang magalala dahil madilim ang loob nito at hindi mo makikilala kung sino ang kasama mo. Just do whatever you want for 15 minutes and you're free to go." Said the other guy. Pinagisipan ko muna kung tutuloy ba ako o hindi. I scratches my nape and just nodded my head.

"Fine! Just for 15 minutes and I'm done." The two guys chuckled and high five each other. I went inside the closet. Geez. No kidding, it's really dark inside. Buti na lang at kasya ang aking katawan sa loob.

Somehow, I understand this kind of thing. Maybe their purpose is to let an individual let his or her real emotions for once. And the purpose of the other person inside is to make sure that someone will listen to you, and vice versa. Maybe I should give it a try. Wala rin naman ang mawawala sa akin.

Since I'm kinda tall for my age, I barely manage to fit inside. Not until I can feel someone just entered the other door of the closet. Sumara na lang ang pinto ng closet at tanging kadiliman na lamang ang aking nakikita and some faint noise coming from outside.

"So...uhmm..." Geez! This is so awkward! Should I keep on going or should I shut my mouth? I don't know, seems like I never have the power to shut my mouth in a situation like this.

"I'm going away." I heard the person besides me gasp. Our skin is almost touching. Sobrang liit kasi ng loob kaya naman pinagkakasya lamang namin ang aming mga sarili. And this place is so hot!

Hindi ko alam kung bakit iyon agad ang unang lumabas sa mga labi ko. I'm not afraid to say something personal about me. First of all, hindi niya ako kilala at hindi ko rin siya kilala. Malilimutan niya rin ang mga sasabihin ko dito sa loob.

"But I want to say." I laughed before I continue.

"It seems so hard to let go if you still want to fight for it. I mean, my feelings are holding me back. Should I choose him over my family? I don't know. I wanted to stay but I'm risking the life of my family." I sighed. Sadness envelopes my body. I really like Trevor to the point that I'll choose him over my family. I love Trevor more than I love myself. Maybe they are right, I'm too young to know what love is. But love doesn't require age to know the meaning of it.

"Maybe he thought that whenever he pushes me away, I'm not hurting. Siguro iniisip niya na ayos lang sa akin ang ginagawa niyang pagtulak. But the truth is, I'm hurting deep inside. It breaks my heart. And I'm aware that I am a fool for love because even if my heart breaks into pieces, it's okay, as long as it's him who will break it." I chuckled a little. Humawak ako sa dibdib ko na hanggang ngayon ay nasasaktan.

The stranger's skin is cold and I can feel it since our skin is brushing against each other.

"I don't know if I'm making sense here." Sabi ko pa dahil kahit ako ay di ko maintindihan ang mga sinasabi ko.

"I can't live without him." I said with a low voice. At niyakap ang mga binti ko at pinatong ang ulo ko sa aking tuhod.

"How come you're still alive?" The stranger said. Bigla akong napatingin sa aking gilid dahil sa gulat na magsalita siya. Though, I can't see his face because of the darkness. His voice is deep and sultry and slurred. Siguro ay dahil nakainom na ito ng alak.

"Not literally speaking." I countered. I heard his sarcastic laugh.

"Don't speak a damn word if you don't mean it." Bigla kong kinagat ang aking dila.

"I mean it. I mean everything I said." What's his deal? Napaka weird naman ng isang 'to.

"Leave." He said again.

"Huh?" I asked confused.

"Seem like you're really not living your life. You live for him. But what about you? Do you live your life for yourself? The answer is no. Find yourself and come back if your heart still wants him. Maybe today, you're just confused about your feelings because of the things you used to do and feel." And before I can say a word, he opened the door and leave right away. Kaya naman binilisan ko din makaalis sa loob ng cabinet pero bigla na lang ako nauntog sa kahoy at napaupo. I'm not so lucky! That man is weird! Lahat na lang ng taong kakilala ko ay sinasabing naguguluhan lang ako sa nararamdaman ko para kay Trevor. But for me, my feelings for him are genuine. Hindi nila alam ang nararamdaman ko kaya naman wala silang karapatan para sabihing naguguluhan lamang ako.

Hindi ko akalain na 15 minutes na agad ang nakalipas. Seems like 2 minutes lamang ang tinagal ko sa loob.

Tatayo na sana ako nang bigla akong may nahawakan isang bagay. It's an anklet. There's a TR initial written on it. And I'm sure that this anklet belongs to the stranger. Oh well, might as well keep this thing.

I stand up from my feet and looked around. I gripped the anklet in my hand. I will prove that my feelings for Trevor are real. That I'm not confused about it. And distance is the right answer to know that.

Tumingin muna ako kay Trevor na prenteng nakaupo kasama ang kanyang mga kaibigan.

"Wait for me, Trevor. If ever I will come back, I'll make sure it's still you." I whispered and turn my back on him.

I should probably look for my cousin Elizabeth first.

I've been looking for her for almost an hour now. Hindi ko na siya makita kung saan ko siya iniwan. I started to get worried. What if something bad happen to her? Napapansin ko na maraming tao na rin ang umalis sa bahay ni Alexander. Iilan na lang ang natitira sa loob. Hindi ko na rin makita si Trevor at ang kanyang mga kaibigan. Siguro ay umalis na din sila. I really got sad, hindi ko man lang nagawang kausapin si Trevor ngayon. I shook my head, I should probably look for my cousin first because they'll gonna kill me.

Napadpad na ako sa pool area ng bahay nila Akexander, pero hanggang dito ay hindi ko pa rin siya makita. Not until I heard some familiar voices talking. Kaya naman ay tumago ako sa bushes. I know eavesdropping is bad but still it's fun.

"How long have you planning to keep her around?" That must be Raven talking. Sa tuwing nakikita ko pa naman ito ay nagtataasan na agad ang balahibo ko sa batok. This man is really creepy and dangerous. Raven is not the approachable type of a person.

"Keep her around? Who are you talking about?" Oh my! It was Trevor's voice! Mas lumapit pa ako sa kanila upang mas marinig ko ang pinaguusapan nila. Geez. Mamaya ko na lang hahanapin si Elizabeth. They are sitting on the side of the pool, holding a beer in one hand.

"The girl who keeps on hitting you. Isn't she a Stanislaski? Akala ko puro lalaki lang ang mga Stanislaksi." Biglang tumibok nang mabilis ang puso ko.

"Victoria." That's me! They're talking about me! My heart started to beat loudly inside my chest and I'm afraid that they will hear it.

"Let's not talk about her, it's annoying." Sambit ni Trevor. Parang pinagbagsakan ako ng langit at lupa sa aking narinig. I got disappointed right away. Does he hate me that much?

"I hate her guts." Sabi pa niya at ininom ang beer na hawak niya. Tears started to roll down to my face. Dahil sobra akong nakatitig sa mukha ni Trevor ay bigla na lang siyang napatingin kung saan ako nakapwesto.

"I don't like her and I will never like her." That broke my heart into pieces.

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