From a rich man's daughter to a struggling single mother, kontento na si Laurene sa simpleng buhay simula nang itakwil siya ng mga magulang. But her world flipped over ng madawit ang anak niya sa live fansigning ni River.
The video clip went viral a...
Hello. I thought I already updated this chapter but it was still a draft when I checked. I'm sorry. The updates for this will be slow FOR NOW. I'm reeeeeally busy.
Anyway, please don't forget to connect to internet to see the pictures.
Also, 🍉!
Thank you, Lab-labs! ❤️
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Laurene has been thinking for a while now. 'For a while,' she meant, nine dates with River every after gigs.
Oo, nagbilang siya, may hugis-puso pa sa kalendaryo niya. Hindi pa kasama doon ang mdalas nilang pagtambay sa campus field bago mag-uwian. 'Di bali na't laging kwek-kwek o siopao na bola-bola and kinakain nila.
Date 'yon.
Date pa rin 'yon.
Kasi kung hindi, bakit naghoholding hands sila? Bakit may payakap? Bakit minsan may pa-Lab-lab na tawagan?
In their earlier dates, River would take her hand, then wait for her to react, and if she would smile at him, he would intertwine their fingers.
At dahil palaban si Laurene, ganoon rin ang ginagawa niya kapag niyayakap ito o sumasandal siya rito. Within three weeks, their relationship progressed from sending him memes, to random and shallow conversations, to something intimate like a hug.
Sa loob ng tatlong linggo, nagpakiramdaman sila. Tila ba naging permanenteng tanawin sa dapit hapon silang dalawa sa shool field. Madalas naggitara si River, habang siya ay hibang na hibang na nakikinig at kinukunanan ito ng videos pagkatapos ay pinopost online sa fanpage ni River na siya ang admin.
She liked their progress and it was like a dream come true for her. She was not a just an outsider trying to get in. River was letting her in, beyond his music.
Hindi na 'yon happy crush. Or simpleng gusto.
Laurene knew she was already falling for him. Hard and deep, like his lowest hum, as they watch a battle of the bands River invited her to.
"Oh god," bulong niya nang mapagtanto ang lyrics ng nakasalang na banda sa stage. Paano nalaman ng bandang ito na malabo ang relasyon nila ni River? Sinamaan ni Laurene ng tingin ang bokalista.
"Kilala mo?" tanong ni River nang mapansin ang irap niya sa kumakanta.
Umiling siya. "Do you know them?"
Umiling rin si River. "Ba't ang sama ng tingin mo? May atraso ba 'yan sa'yo? Which one am I gonna punch? Panis, English 'yon."
This. This River confused her. Paminsan-minsan itong nagbibiro. Sa loob ng tatlong linggo, tila ba nabaliktad ang mundo. 'Di man lang siya binigyan ng babala sa mga banat ng lakaki.
It just happened. She liked it of course, but the universe didn't warn her that it would give what she wanted and more.
Hindi siya pinaalalahanan na may 'siya at River,' na masusuot niya ang paborito nitong jacket na may sirang zipper, na kinakanlong ng masuyong palad nito ang pisngi niya at bakas ang pag-aalala.
"Lab-lab?" And he's calling her the same endearment too.
Pero ano nga ba sila?
Sumagi sa isip niya ang usapan nilang magkakaibigan kahapon.
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Nag-init ang mga mata niya habang nakatingin kay River. 'Di bali na kung nakikichismis ang mga katabi nilang manunood sa mala-drama nilang posisyon.
Laurene will do it. There's reason why she skips Sexbomb's "Laban o Bawi" these days. She hated uncertainties, just like how their relationship has no label.
"River, what are we?"
Hindi ito sumagot, ngunit hinila siya paalis ng venue, sinuotan ng helmet kahit mukha na siyang naiiyak at pinaharurot ang motorsiklo.
Dinala siya nito sa 7/11 na paborito nilang tambayan, pinakadulo sa hilera ng nga mesang nasa labas ng tindahan. It was their spot, their comfort in those weeks, sitting there, just talking as the world outside their bubble moved on.
"Kain muna?" anito, matapos ilahad ang biniling siopao at tubig.
"That!" bulas ni Laurene. "You're doing that." Hinampas ni Lau ang mesa, pigil ang halong kilig at inis.
"Words, Lablab. I need words."
"Sweet ikaw. You call me Lablab. We ano, yakap, like madaming times. And, and..." Humingang malalim si Laurene. "River, what ba tayo? I landi you, landi rin ikaw. What ba tayo?"
"Malandi."
"Joke lang," bawi nito nang muntik na siyang tumayo. Inabot nito and kamay niya at pinagsalikop ang mga daliri. "Natatandaan mo pa rin ba ang sinabi ko?"
"Which one?"
"Pag-ikaw sineryoso ko, baka mas lalo kang maulol sa'kin," paalala nito. River kissed the back of her hand while her fingers were intertwined with his. "Mas naulol ka ba?'
"I fcking hate you," sambit ni Laurene, tila sasabog ang dibdib sa kilig. It was the way he looked, the way he smiled, so triumphantly, knowing that she was falling hard for him. "Now what?"
"Parang engot naman," anito. "Wala naman sa'kin ang desisyon. Hinabol-habol mo ako, tapos ngayon sinasalubong kita sa gitna, 'di mo na alam ang gagawin. Ako lang 'to, si River na kinahuhumalingan mo."
"I don't know what's kinahuhumalingan but sound's like mayabang ikaw."
Umiling ito, tila natatawa at bumulong, "Tangina, ang cute."
Inipit nito ang ilang hibla ng kanyang buhok sa likod ng tenga niya.
"What do you want me to be, Lablab?" River asked. "Ako, alam ko kung ano ka sa'kin. Alam ko kung anong gusto kung maging papel sa buhay mo.
Andaming gusto kong sabihin, pero tsaka na. Sa susunod kong mga kanta, sana doon ka makinig. Kulang kung sasabihin ko ngayon na siopao lang ang witness na'tin. 'Di mo deserve 'yon, Lau."
Pakialam ba niya kung malamig na siopao lang ang saksi nila? Laurene didn't even care about the barker across the street, calling for the last two passengers before the jeepney could leave.
What mattered was how River looked at her in the eyes and spoke so cooly, yet, his hands holding hers were trembling in uncertainty.
"Can I sikip muna?"
"Sikip?" tanong nito.
"Like, mag-wait ikaw for a few days. I'll think about it, but not really, I just want to sikip."
Pumikit si River at huminga malalim. "You mean, magpakipot?"
"Yeah, maybe."
Kinanlong nito ang mukha niya, nagpigil ng tawa, Hayop ang cute talaga, bulong nito. "Sana kayanin kita. Sige, magpakipot ka muna. Masyado rin yata tayong mabilis." Ngumiti si River. "I'll be the one waiting this time."
