3.1

Seraphina's pov

‎Flashback

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‎Ever since high school, I'd been the black sheep. The one who never followed the rules, the one who never gave a d*mn about what anyone expected from me. And honestly? I was damn proud of it.

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‎So, today? Pinili ko na naman ang bar kaysa pumasok sa klase ko. Wala namang magagawa kung tatanggapin ko ang parusa na babagsak ako sa subject na yon, eh. Hindi ko naman talaga gusto 'yong course ko. Pero, hell, what’s the point of pretending? Rebelde ako, at hindi ako magpapanggap.

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‎I was supposed to be in class right now. But, instead, I found myself with a bottle in hand, sitting at the corner of a dimly lit bar. The place was starting to get a little crowded, pero I didn't care. I loved the fact that no one here expected me to be anything but who I was. 

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‎I took a long swig of my drink, feeling the burn as it slid down my throat. My head was already spinning, but that didn't stop me. Mas gusto ko pa 'to. Hindi ko na kailangang magpanggap na perfect na anak o magpakasaya para lang magustuhan nila ako.

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‎My phone buzzed, and I knew exactly who it was without even looking. Mom. Always checking up on me. As if my life was a simple checklist for her. "Saan ka na? Anong nangyari sa klase?"

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‎I grinned bitterly. Walang pasok. Tsaka na lang kita papansinin. The truth was, I wasn't doing anything that was going to make her proud. 

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‎Then, someone tapped my shoulder. I didn't even need to look up to know who it was. While swirling the ice in my glass, I felt someone slide into the seat beside me.

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‎"Hoy, Miss Cutting Queen," he said, his voice smug. "Ginagawa mo na namang opisina 'tong bar?"

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‎I glanced at him, a smirk playing on my lips. T*ngina, kahit kailan, walang kupas ang pambwibwisit ng Frown na 'to. With his messy hair, teasing smile, and that twinkle of mischief in his eyes.

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‎"Ano naman ngayon?" I shot back, taking another shot of vodka. "Wala naman nagsasabing bawal  diba?"

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‎He chuckled, shaking his head. "Grabe ka talaga, Sera. Wala kang paawat, siguro nililigawan mo yung bartender, ano?"

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‎I laughed with him, the sound a little too loud for the quiet corner we were in. He leaned closer, like may malaking tsismis siyang ibubulgar.

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‎"Alam mo ba," he said, pa-cool pa kunyari, "may fiancé na ang Ate mo?"

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‎PFFT.

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‎I choked mid-drink, coughing while laughing at the same time. Hindi ko napigilan, ang malas nga naman. Ang sakit ng lalamunan ko sa kakatawa at kakasinghot ng alak.

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‎"T*ngina mo, Frown!" I slapped his arm habang humahalakhak pa rin. "Ba't mo naman sinabayan habang umiinom ako, gago!"

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‎He laughed harder, habang ako'y umiiling na lang. Damn him. Pero wait lang—

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‎Wait.

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‎Fiancé?

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‎Bigla akong natahimik sandali, looking at him.

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‎"You serious?" I asked, my voice dropping.

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‎Tumango siya, looking dead serious for once. "Oo. Ikakasal na raw ang Ate mo. Malamang alam na ng buong subdivision. Except sayo."

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‎I blinked.

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‎Talaga nga naman, no? Kahit hindi part ng pamilya namin, si Frown pa ang nauna pang nakakaalam kaysa sakin. Ang saya saya naman.

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‎I just smiled. "Good for her," I said simply, waving my glass in the air. "Sana hindi siya mabuntis agad. Kawawa naman siya, baka magulo ang napakaganda niyang buhay."

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‎Frown raised his eyebrow, amused. "Oyy, bitter ka teh."

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‎"Ulol," I snorted. "Masakit ba dapat? Hindi ko naman ramdam ang pamilya samin. So, bakit ako masasaktan?"

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‎He laughed, obviously not buying it. "Eh di wow. Puso mo teh, baka maglaglag jan sa sahig."

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‎Rolling my eyes, I threw a peanut at him.

‎Tahimik akong nakatingin sa baso ko, swirling the half-melted ice around habang pilit kinakalimutan yung sinabi ni Frown.

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‎Pero siyempre, hindi papatalo ang mokong.

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‎"Uy, umiiyak ka na ba dyan?" he teased, leaning closer with that annoying grin. "Kailangan mo ba ng tissue, Sera? O yakap?"

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‎Napatingin ako sa kanya nang masama.

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‎"Put*ngina mo, Frown," I spat, without any real heat. "Tigil-tigilan mo ko, babasagin ko yang pagmumukha mo."

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‎He just laughed, leaning back coolly sa upuan niya, clearly entertained by my reaction. Parang na-amuse pa lalo na naiinis ako.

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‎Then, tahimik niyamh hinigop ang alak niya, swirling the drink like he's some deep-ass philosopher.

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‎Hindi ko pa siya tinatanong kung saan niya nakuha yung balita, pero ayan na, spill na agad si gago.

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‎For a while, silence settled between us, the clinking of glasses. I was stuck in my head, thinking about my sister, about what Frown just said.

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‎It wasn't even the fact that Sahara Dianne Reeves was engaged that stung. Nah, I wasn't the type to get all emotional about other people's lives. It was the way it happened, the fact that everyone seemed to care so much more about her than me.

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‎I thought I could drink it off, just drown those thoughts in whiskey, but hell, it was no use. I took a long sip, staring blankly at my glass. Frown wasn't talking, so I stayed in my head, my mind wandering as the alcohol made everything feel fuzzy.