Chapter 28

I don't even know which eyes I should be focusing now! Si Hillary kanina pa sa baba nakatingin, si Lucas at Clarkson parehong nakatitig kay Hillary, ako lang talaga ang hindi malaman-laman kung sino ang dapat kong tingnan.

"I don't even understand why we're presently in one table," Clarkson broke the ice and Hillary immediately looked at him.

"Didn't you like it?" Hillary asked.

Clarkson smirks and said, "who the hell would like this kind of setup, Gold?"

"Ako," she replied so soon. Clarkson's brows knitted. Lucas remained no expression at all, as well as I am. "Since we're in one frame, now let's settled this."

"Settled, what?" confusion was written in Clarkson's face.

"Turn your plan into ash."

"Gold, I don't get you."

"She knows everything, Clarkson," Lucas interfered. "I saw her slowly walked out earlier when I am talking with you," he added.

Clarkson seems can't sink in his mind what Lucas had just uttered. Ako naman, I still got no expression at all.

"He's right," Hillary replied. "And, I just want you to know that I was never yours-"

Lahat kami nagulat nang hampasin ni Clarkson ang mesa. He also stood up and it's written in his eyes that he's in pain and he's now getting angry. "YOU'RE MINE, GOLD!" he yelled.

Hillary stood up, too, and she stared straight at Clarkson's eyes, "even if you turn the world upside down, you can never own me. Even if you turn back the time wherein we're best friends, I will never be yours," Hillary uttered. And, note the seriousness in her voice that makes the ambiance feels strange. It seems like you can never understand what you should feel.

"BAKIT, GOLD, HA? DAHIL SA KANIYA?" he pointed me. Ayan, nasali na ako. Tsk! "ANO BANG IKINALAMANG NIYA SA'KIN? MAS MAYAMAN SIYA? MAS MATALINO? TALENTED? SPORTY? SIKAT? NAME IT ALL, GOLD!"

"NO!" Hillary also shouted back. "HE HAS A HEART! HE KNOWS WHAT IS RESPECT! HE KNOWS WHAT REAL LOVE IS! AND YOU? YOU JUST KNOW HOW TO BE SELFISH!"

"SH*T" / "DAMN!" sabay kaming napamura at napatayo ni Lucas when Clarkson grabbed Hillary's arm and it's clear that she's hurt. Agad siyang inawat ni Lucas at inilayo ko naman si Hillary.

"GET OFF!" Clarkson shouted.

"Stop this, Man, please," Lucas begged. Hindi na rin niya sinabayan ang galit ni Clarkson, he's now really in his right mind. Pero, sa sobrang lakas ni Clarkson ay nakawala siya sa pagkakahawak ni Lucas at agad akong sinuntok!

Damn this man! He had hit me twice! Baka naman pwedeng pasapak din kahit dalawa lang. And yes, I did! I was about to give him another hit for the third time, but Hillary grabbed me, crying. Sh*t!

"DAMN THAT IMMATURITY YOU HAVE, CLARKSON!" I yelled at him.

Clarkson stood up from lying in the floor after I hit him, "Gold," he called her, teary-eyed. "W-Why are you crying?" he asked.

Hillary's still holding in my arm and if she hasn't, she's probably in the floor now. I can certainly feel her shaking. Damn! "Why on earth you turned like this, Clarkson?" she uttered between her sobs. I immediately held her when she's about to fall. Hillary's damn hurt right now. Her tears never stop flowing and Clarkson's now started shedding his tears. "I-I gathered everyone to settled things up. I want to meet Lucas to say that I'm sorry kasi at first I just want to get close with you to hurt you...just like what you did to those girls who were damn in love with you before... I really am sorry.... I also brought Sky with me to talk with you, Lucas. I knew that you guys are rivals, but I just want you to know that you shouldn't be. Both of you are good at ayokong 'yong galit niyo sa isa't isa ang magiging dahilan para kamuhian kayo ng lahat...because I'm telling you, it will never feel good...it will kill you."

Napatingin kami ni Lucas sa isa't isa. Then, we both looked down. Hillary's right. Pareho kaming may mali ni Lucas. Siya nakikipaglaro sa'kin at ako sinasabayan ang laro niya. That is always the scenario whenever I made him lose and that's our mistake.

"At, ikaw," Hillary uttered again, looking at Clarkson. "Gusto kong malaman mo na..." she started crying again, "I cursed you to hell and I hid the real Hillary Aeiou Madrigal because of you... And, I just want to hit you... I want to let you feel what I felt when you were bullying me when I am still at MU... I want you to feel regretful... But, I let it all get vanished because I know that you're still here," she pointed her right chest, "you're my first best friend and that fact will never be forgotten... Clarkson, no matter how evil you were I am still missing you... I want you to know that I was so happy being with you in the past... I always feel protected knowing you're by my side... And, I am still praying that one day, I can be together again with my best friend and I can finally feel those feelings again that only Clarkson Martin can give."

Call me gay, but I am now crying to hell! I can really feel the genuineness in every word Hillary uttered. And, I just realized I am not the only man crying here, even Lucas can't control his tears.

"Gold, I-I am sorry. I sincerely apologize," Clarkson uttered in tears. "I am just so in love with you to the point that I forgot what acceptance and respect are. I can't accept that you can't love me back. I can't accept that you like someone else you just met online. And, I forgot to respect you, as my best friend and as a woman. I'm sorry," he kneeled down and held both Hillary's hand. "Kahit 'di ngayon, Gold, kahit 'di bukas, o sa susunod na araw, pero sana mapatawad mo pa ako," he uttered.

"After all those sh*ts you did, I still have the willingness to forgive you. You should feel fortunate to know someone like me, Ckarkson. And, also, I'm sorry," Hillary replied, smiling sincerely. And, can I just feel confused? Did she think highly of herself again? He should feel fortunate to know her? Wait-Hillary is really Hillary. Tsk, tsk!

Suddenly, Lucas cleared his throat and mutters, "I guess we should say sorry to each other, too, Sky."

I chuckled and said, "I'm sorry, Lucas."

"Damn, Man, this is so gay!" he's somehow complaining, "but, yeah, I'm sorry, Sky," he said.

"Tumayo ka na," Hillary helped him stood up, "the next time you talk to me, I hope that it's already the real you, Clarkson."

Instead of giving her a response, he hugged her, "I missed you so much, Gold," he whispered.

Hillary smiled and caressed his back, "again, I am always missing you," she replied.

People said your best friend is your worst enemy, but it always depends on your level of maturity. Best friends know how to lower their pride if needed, best friends respect each other, best friends valued each other, and best friends love each other.

If a storm came and destroyed your friendship and it never gets build up again, then it means you never became a real friend. But, in Hillary and Clarkson's case, I am certain, they had an amazing and memorable friendship, and they're real towards each other prior to their affair.

***

I went home so exhausted. Mabuti na lang at si Sun lang ang naabutan ko sa bahay dahil busy and Mommy at Daddy sa paperworks.

"Who hit you?" Sun asked with knitted brows as he'd seen the bruise in my forehead.

"It's Clarkson," I replied. Then, I started telling him what happened.

"What? You should have filmed it, Sky! I feel like everything happened was so dramatic!" Sun exclaimed.

I just shook my head, "the important is everything has now settled," I uttered and he nods, smiling. "Aakyat na 'ko, Sun, gonna change my clothes," then, I stood up.

"Sige, baba agad, ha. Sabay tayong kakain."

"Hinintay mo 'ko?"

"Of course. Hindi na tayo sabay na naglalunch, pati ba naman dinner? Are you torturing me, Twin? You don't know how I badly miss you!" and he hugged me.

"Enough with your gaysh*t, Sun," I uttered, trying to hide my laughter.

He just sat back, crossed-arm, "by the way, tomorrow, I have set a date with Veia since we don't have class and Dad wants you to be with us."

"What?" date nila tapos kasama ako? Sh*t? Are they really want me to get dead so soon?

"Yeah, and you must bring Hillary. You know how much Dad likes her for you," he's now teasing me. Tsk!!

"Enough! Hindi ako sasama."

"Iiyak ako, Twin."

"Gay as always."

"Tss. Sasama ka, ha."

"Ayoko!"

"Kasama naman si Hillary. Double date."

Damn that double date!! This man-argh! I messed up my own hair, "Sun, ayoko," I uttered.

"Stop being a KJ, Sky," he replied.

We argued for how many minutes, but in the end, I fell in his acting skill and I said yes to stop him being so dramatic as fudge!