Argue
Jay-jay's POV
"Aren't you going to answer that?" Ci-N asked me while eating ice cream. I kept flipping through the catalog I was holding. I ignored both the phone and this kid who already finished a whole liter of ice cream.
Ci-N glanced briefly at my phone then went back to what he was doing.
"Are you guys having an LQ?" he asked. I still didn't answer.
"What's that? No L but already a Q," he added.
I paused. No L yet? What L? Damn it. He got me. I was forced to face him and talk.
"What L?" I asked.
"Love," he quickly replied.
Pffft…
"And what's the Q then?"
"Q-warrel," he said, then burst out laughing.
Sometimes, it really feels good to punch someone in the face. Especially a face like this kid's.
"Whatever," I said irritably and went back to the catalog.
He said I should choose the place where he'll live because he doesn't know how to handle those things. But even more so, I don't! Still, I helped him, just to keep myself busy.
"Quarrel," he said after laughing.
"Hm?"
"Lover's Quarrel. You and Keifer."
I avoided his gaze. "We're not lovers."
"Exactly... no L, but already at Q," he repeated.
Ugh!
I don't want to talk about him right now. I know he's the one who keeps calling me. Let him be!
Ci-N's phone rang. He fiddled with it for a second then turned to me.
"Keifer has a message for you," he said. "In 5 minutes, if you don't show up, he'll talk to Angelo right now."
What? Show up? Talk to him?
I stared at Ci-N in confusion, waiting for more, but he just shrugged.
His phone rang again. "He said he's outside."
I jumped up. That jerk! I knew it—he plans to tell Kuya Angelo about our relationship.
I nearly tripped running out, but I didn't care. I just needed to stop him before he did something.
When I got out the gate… there was nothing!
No one. No car. That jerk! He's messing with me. I was about to go back inside when I noticed a fancy car not too far away.
The window was rolled down and… there he was!
I walked up to it and faced that pest, the king of all scumbags.
"Hey! I'm here! What do you want?!" I angrily asked.
"Get in," he calmly ordered.
"No! Just say what you want."
"Get in."
"I said no! If you've got nothing to say, leave!"
"Tss."
That's it?! That's all he's gonna say? Wow. I could cry.
"You jerk! I'm leaving!"
"You're getting in or getting in!" he shouted.
Fine! I got in!
I was shocked at myself. It was like I lost control and got in his car. I couldn't resist his anger.
Just like with Kuya.
He started the car again without warning. I just clutched the seat.
I didn't know where we were going. I was scared to speak. I felt like he was about to breathe fire at me.
"Say something," he said, which surprised me.
"W-what am I supposed to say?"
"Anything. You're mad at me? Shout! Curse me! Say anything!"
What's his problem?
Maybe he's having one of his episodes again. Yes, I'm mad at him. But why am I the one who has to speak?
"W-where are we going?" I changed the topic.
He didn't answer until I noticed the gate we were entering. It looked familiar.
Where have I seen this—wait! This is the same place he brought me that night… the night I said those hard-to-say words to him.
I was right. It was a subdivision. But there were no houses yet, most of them were still under construction.
We stopped under a big tree. I stayed quiet. I looked out the window, in every direction except his.
A few minutes passed in silence. From the corner of my eye, I saw him looking at me.
I glanced briefly at his side. Pretended I was looking at something else. I was right. He was staring. Staring hard.
It's awkward how he looks at people!
"So, you're not going to speak?" he asked.
"Why me?" I asked, but it came out sounding angry. He was so irritating. You're already mad, and he'll just keep pushing.
"Because you're mad."
Your face is mad!
"Just because I'm mad, I'm the one who has to speak first?! What about the one who made me mad?" I snapped.
"Look, if this is about what I said earlier—"
"Good you remember!" I cut him off. "...and I'm still the one who has to speak?!"
"And what exactly am I supposed to say?!" he asked irritably.
He really matched my tone. Looks like he's trying to match my anger too.
"Why don't you try figuring it out?!"
Let's see how smart you are!
"I'm not a fortune teller! How the hell would I know what you want to hear?!"
Damn it!
I just smacked my own forehead. Can't he figure it out? A simple sorry and a little appreciation would've been enough!
"APOLOGIZE!" I said firmly, which made him raise an eyebrow.
"Why would I?!"
"Hello?! How about all the crap you said to me?! I just helped you, and now I'm the villain?!"
"I know I hurt your feelings but you need to understand that what you did was wrong! What if Dylan actually did what you suggested?!"
"Did he?! No, right?!"
"Still wrong!"
"Fine, it was wrong! But at least you could've appreciated what I did!"
He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He was clearly trying to hold his anger back.
"I did appreciate it! I appreciated you putting your life on the line! Especially when you made me worry like hell!"
You know that level of anger where you just want to punch your opponent so the argument ends?
Aaaarghhh…
"Damn it! That's exactly it! I risked my life! And I don't even get a sliver of credit?! Damn! I should've just let you sign that stupid paper—" I stopped when I saw him smiling at me.
This idiot!
I was yelling my throat raw and he just smiled. He's definitely gone mad.
"What?!" I asked, annoyed.
"Three," he said, holding up three fingers.
Three?!
"Three profanity words."
My eyes widened as I realized. I totally forgot about the profanity limit. But before he could act, I raised both arms in front of me.
"NO!" I shouted.
"No?"
My name is NO, my number is No...
What the heck?! I was singing out of nowhere. This king is a curse.
"What do you mean?! You forgot we had a deal?" he reminded me.
"I didn't forget! But since I'm mad, NO KISS!"
"HEY! That doesn't count!" he protested.
"Your face doesn't count! And I said no! You smell like cigarettes!"
Right after I said that, he immediately smelled himself. He probably thought I wouldn't notice. The smell was so strong.
"And so what, if I smell like cigarettes?" he arrogantly asked.
"I just don't like it!"
"Tss… As if you never smoked before?"
I glared at him. "Excuse me! That was just a try! I won't kiss you if you've smoked! Not for the whole day!"
"What?! You can't be serious about that?!"
You bet I am!
"I'm dead serious," I said, teasing him.
"Jay... If this is still about our argument, fine! You win!... Thank you! Thank you... for risking your life to help me and my brothers."
Ahahahaha…
"Nice... You changed your mind real fast when it came to the kiss, huh?"
He looked at me like he was begging. As if I'd fall for his handsome face.
...but still, my answer is no. I'm still annoyed at you! For so many things and reasons!"
He let out a loud sigh. Looked like he was about to scream from frustration.
"What now?!" he asked.
I rolled my eyes. "I don't know. You figure it out."
He suddenly smacked his own forehead. I really wanted to laugh hard at how he looked but I had to stay in character for this fake-angry moment.
Besides, there was something I wanted to know too.
"It's just that…" I started, making him go silent and look at me. "...I feel like I still don't really know you."
"What do you mean?" he asked calmly.
It seemed like he understood that I was getting serious now.
"It's about what happened between you and your dad…" I didn't finish what I was saying. He suddenly averted his gaze. It seemed like he didn't want to talk about it.
I looked away too. I felt like I didn't really know him. Not even his parents' names. I felt like—
"My dad killed my mom."