His Girl Friday 2

Chapter 12: Curiosity Kills

Chapter 12: Curiosity Kills

Leila: Have you started with the annulment process?

Ara: Not yet, why?

Leila: When are you starting?

Ara: Not sure pa if I can afford it.

Everly: If you need money, I can loan you some

Ara: Thanks, babe

Ara: I'm just thinking...

Ara: Bakit ako ang gagastos for the petition?

Ara: I'm not the one who cheated!

***

Matapos ang dress fitting from hell, hinatid ako nina Reed at Everly sa Hacienda Arcangel at ibinaba nila ako malapit sa farmhouse. It didn't escape me that they knew their way around the area where Apollo's new home was built, especially Everly since she's the one who's driving.

I jumped out of the car after saying goodbye to them, then slammed the car door shut. I was walking down the path towards the farmhouse when I heard a sniffling sound like someone was crying. My head whipped around until I saw a girl hunched down on the porch, her arms wrapped around her legs, crying as she stared down at something.

Carefully, I walked towards her and crouched down to her hunched form. "Hey, are you okay?"

Her head whipped up and frantically wiped the tears off her face. "Uh, opo," she said suddenly standing up. "Sige po, papasok na po ako sa loob."

Without thinking, I stopped her from walking away from me. "Wait! What's going on? Why are you crying?" But before she could make any excuses, I saw what the crying was all about when I looked down. "Oh no! What happened to your shoes? Okay ka lang ba?"

"O-okay lang po."

No, she's clearly not okay! Her sneakers are ruined with this ugly-ass lime green paint!

I flashed her my friendliest and hopefully, kindest smile as I introduced myself. "Anong pangalan mo? I'm Ara."

Tumango siya at patuloy na nagpunas ng kanyang mukha. "Opo, Miss Ara. Nabanggit na po kayo sa akin ni Mama. Nanay ko po si Manang Jocelyn."

"Anak ka ni Manang Jocelyn?" I repeated, still smiling at her. "Ilang taon ka na?"

"Fifteen po."

Dahan-dahan ko siyang hinila pabalik sa porch at pinaupo. "What happened here?" I asked, pointing at her shoes.

Her sniffles broke my heart. "Natapunan po ng pintura noong kaklase ko," she finally answered. I knew it was the truth when the waterworks started again and the heartbreak was all over her face.

"Natapunan o tinapunan?"

She didn't speak for a while. I was a kid too, I know she's deliberating if she's gonna tell me the truth, some version of the truth, or just lie to me.

"Okay, I won't ask na. But if you're getting bullied at school, you have to tell someone."

Huminga siya ng malalim, but it was interrupted by a sob.

"Gumagawa po kasi kami ng art project sa school kanina. Nagulat na lang po ako natapunan na po 'yung sapatos ko ng pintura, tapos nagtawanan na po silang lahat."

Those little shitheads... "Why were they laughing at you? Natapunan ka na nga ng paint!"

"Kasi fake naman daw po 'yung sapatos ko, deserved naman daw pong sirain kasi hindi daw dapat binibili 'yung mga fake goods!" sagot nito. "Hindi naman po fake itong sapatos ko, pinag-ipunan ko 'to ni Mama! Regalo niya sa akin 'to nung pasko."