Chapter Five: Truth or Dare?

There are times that I wish Nicolas will just stop being nice to me or maybe do something that will give me reason to hate him but it doesn't just happen.

Hindi ko na mabilang kung ilang babae na ba ang nagdaan sa kanya since high school, but it never became a reason na magka lamat ang pagkakaibigan namin. Usually, there are friendship especially kapag babae at lalaki ang magkaibigan ay nasisira once na magkaroon ng karelasyon ang isa but it never happened to us.

"Hey.. Nakapagpaalam na ako kay dad baka gusto niyo sumama. Di ba may ancestral house kami sa Batangas? Let's stay there over the weekend," I heard Jyrus said to the boys.

Nandito ulit kami sa Casa Gandia because our other friends wanted to meet.

"Count me in! Dalhin mo 'yong girlfriend mo, Blake nang makilatis namin," Jerrzhye answered na ikinatawa nung isa.

Jyrus and Jerrzhye are brothers. At anak sila pareho ng isa pang kaibigan ni Tito Blaise.

"Hindi ko siya girlfriend. I mean, she's fun and I like her but I don't think we'll go there anytime soon," Blake said at inistraight 'yong iniinom niyang brandy.

"Bakit hindi mo pa girlfriend? Hindi pa ba approve ni Millie?" nang-aasar na sabi ni Jerrzhye so I threw a piece of popcorn at him though hindi umabot.

"Bakit ako nasali naman? If gusto niya naman 'yon e di go lang," kibit balikat na sabi ko but they just laughed.

Nicolas put down his glass and made his way towards me. Nandito kasi kami sa playroom and the place is quite big at medyo malayo ako sa kanila.

"Sasama ka ba roon sa Batangas?" he asked.

"Not sure. Magpapaalam pa ako. Hindi ko sigurado kung papayagan ako kasi malapit na pasukan," though alam ko naman na kapag sinabi kong kasama si Nic, my parents will let me go right away.

He pulled a stool and sat in front of me. Hinintay ko siya magsalita because I know he wants to say something.

"I'm starting to get tired of her, Mills," he started.

"Why, what happened?" I asked curiously though hindi naman na ako nagtataka. As far as I remember, isang buwan na ang pinaka nagtagal na babae sa isang Blake Nicolas Gandia. Not because he's a playboy and likes going around, breaking hearts but it just puts him off if he feels that the girl is toxic and I don't approve of.

"She's kinda bossy and demanding when in fact, she's not even my girlfriend. Iniisip ko lang paano if naging girlfriend ko na siya? She'll probably demand me to stay away from you too, which I will never do," he smiled bitterly.

I don't know but I really feel bad about it. "I can't say anything about her yet kasi hindi ko pa naman siya nakakasama.. But you know, if you really like her at kung magiging problema ako, I can keep my distance. I guess ganun naman kasi talaga ang mga girlfriends. They can't just stand their man being friends with a woman."

He didn't answer at that. After a few seconds, he looked at me then clutched my hand.

"You perfectly know me, right? Between those billion of girls and you, I will choose you," he said.

Hindi ako makasagot because to be honest, hindi ko rin naman alam kung ano ang sasabihin. Kung nasa movie kami, maybe it will be reasonable for me to kiss him, but this is reality. And here, we're just bestfriends.

"Isama mo siya roon sa lakad natin. Let's show her as well na wala siyang dapat pagselosan sa'kin," I said impassively that almost made me cry.

***

The good thing is, Jerrzhye brought Eunice sa lakad namin so I have someone to talk to. Atleast kahit paano, nawawala ang pagka out of place ko.

Even though Nicolas still talks to me at inaasikaso ako, kasama niya si Alice kaya dumidistansya pa rin ako.

Beach ang tapat ng ancestral house nila Jyrus kaya tuwang tuwa si Nicolas. The guy is a good swimmer. Sa dalawang araw na stay na namin dito, siya ang pinaka matagal lagi sa dagat.

Hindi namin naging problema ang pagkain dahil napaghandaan naman kami nung caretaker nitong ancestral house nina Jy. Maraming kwarto rin rito. Nicolas and Alice are of course together, even Jers and Eunice, habang ako, si Jy, at Criell tigi-isa.

"Are you okay? Do you need help?" hindi ko napansin na nalapitan na pala ako ni Nic. Hinihiwa ko kasi yung mga liempo and I'm quite focused on it.

I shook my head. "I'm fine, bumalik ka na roon. Mamaya mag-away pa kayo dahil sa'kin," I don't want to act like a bitch towards him pero alam kong totoo 'yon. Sa ilang oras na byahe namin, I have already figured that I don't want her for him.

She's just like the others before. They just want him for his body and money.

And it's obvious that she hates me.

Whenever Nic will try to talk to me, bigla siyang sisingit. The nerve.. even the boys don't like her especially Criell na ilang beses kong nahuling umiikot ang mga mata sa tuwing nag-iinarte siya.

Nic walked towards me at kinuha ang kutsilyo. Siya ang nagpatuloy nang ginagawa ko habang nakatingin lang ako sa kanya.

"You don't like her too," he said more of a statement than a question.

I shrugged my shoulder. "She's a walking headache, and I can't wait for you to throw her away," I said harshly though it's the truth.

He laughed at that. "I don't know why I always end up with the bad ones. Is this my destiny?"

I badly want to tell him na nandito lang naman ako na naghihintay sa kanya but I held my tongue. No, I should not go there dahil siguradong ang isasagot niya ay hindi ko magugustuhan.

"Tara labas na tayo" he then said nung matapos niya na and I gladly come with him. Naabutan namin 'yong iba na nasa cottage na nagtatawanan. More likely lahat 'to mga lasing na.

"Hey come here! Maglalaro tayo!" Alice called out pagkarating namin. He instantly entwined her arm with Nicolas possessively habang ako naman umupo sa gitna ni Jers at Eunice kung saan ako nakaupo kanina.

"What game are we playing?" it's Nicolas

"Truth or dare" said Alice then looked at me as if she's planning something.

"Yuck, very high school," Criell said na tinawanan ng iba.

"Nah. It's actually a good game. It will make someone reveal their darkest and deepest secrets."

I rolled my eyes at that.

"You're not talking about the truth or dare movie, right? Yung kapag nagsinungaling sila or hindi nagawa yung dare, mamamatay sila?" Eunice asked.

"How I wish truth or dares are like that," Alice answered then rolled her eyes.

It's a game that we don't want to play pero pinagbigyan na lang din namin. If there is anything, kahit kailan hindi ako lantarang nagpakita ng rudeness sa kung sino mang dinadate ni Nic. Even our other friends are like that.

And anyway mukha naman silang nage-enjoy. They let each other do stupid stuff.

It's all laughing and teasing hanggang sa matapat ang bote kay Alice.

"Truth or Dare?" Eunice asked.

"Truth," Alice said without blinking.

"Hmm, tell us three things what you like the most about Blake."

Lahat kami nanahimik at nakatingin lang sa dalawa. Nic momentarily looked at me then at Alice. Lasing na 'yan so more likely she'll tell the truth. 

"Hmm.. Three things I like the most about Blake? He's handsome, thoughtful, and he's genuinely amazing in bed," she then looked at me and I know na sinadya niya 'yon to make me jealous. What a bitch.

Inisang straight ko 'yong beer na nasa harap ko which made Nic's eyes widened pero nginitian ko lang siya.

Iniikot ni Alice yung bote at sa'kin 'yon huminto.

"Truth," sabi ko kaagad but she shook her head.

"Rule of the game, eh? Kapag may dalawang nag truth consecutively, you're obliged to pick dare," she said.

"Fine," kibit balikat na sabi ko dahil ayoko naman makipagtalo. Isa pa, totoo naman na rule 'yon that we all agreed on last time.

Alice crossed her arms then looked at me. "I dare you to kiss Jyrus on the lips for three seconds," my eyes widened at that.

"What the fuck?" it was Jyrus who reacted but Alice seems to don't mind.

"Bakit hindi mo magawa? Are you disappointed na hindi si Blake ang hahalikan mo?" she asked bitchily.

"Alice, you're not supposed to talk that way to Millie. They're bestfriends since forever," pangangailam ni Jers.

"Bestfriends my ass. I don't know what's with you that you all don't see it, but it's obvious! Millicent is inlove with Blake. I see it everytime I look at her. The way as well that she's calling him Nicolas instead of Blake to make herself different? For what? Sa tuwing hahalikan at yayakapin ko si Blake, she has this look on her face that she wants to pull my hair. You're jealous, aren't you?" napatayo na ako but Jers and Eunice pulled me to sit down again.

"This game isn't fun anymore. Lasing ka na. Get some sleep," Nic said then he stood up.