CHAPTER 370 - DINNER PARTY 2.0
JAY-JAY'S POV
"Dance Blaster! Dance Blaster! Dance Blaster!" we shouted in unison, clapping our hands.
He didn't say anything. He just stood up and started dancing. He showed off those sharp hips of his again—even managed to twerk in front of Sir Alvin and Ma'am Cindy. Even Mama and Aunt Gema, who were peeking from the door, burst into laughter at his antics.
He looked like he was really missing Eskilan.
"How can you act like that? Your hips are harder than mahogany!" Drew said, shaking his head.
Blas stopped dancing because of our loud laughter. He turned to Drew and replied,
"My talent is probably singing!"
"You'll be made to dance too, of course. You need to have all the talents. How else will you become famous?" Felix chimed in.
Is he actually serious about his acting dreams? At first, I thought he was just joking—especially when he said he was the composer of that song.bAnd then when he sang, he ended up doing something silly.
Nothing but snake moves.
But maybe it would be cool if he actually became famous. I'd have something to brag about: "That tukmol was my classmate!" Every time I see him on TV, I'd keep shouting that he's my friend. I believe a lot of people would admire him—just because of his charming presence at parties and feasts.
When he gets rich, maybe he'll pay me back for all the food and drinks he mooched from me. I'd also ask for free tickets to his movie or concert, if he ever has one. As long as the show's not obscene—Kuya won't let me watch stuff like that. But if I'm already an adult by then, maybe I can. As long as he doesn't find out. Hehe. Still, watching your friend do that kind of thing on screen would be… weird.
The thought suddenly gave me chills. Yeah, maybe not that.
Blaster's got strong appeal with the girls, so he'll probably be liked by many. Even now at school, a lot of people are chasing after him—sometimes even throwing notebooks or shoes at him while cursing.
Isn't it easy for our schoolmates to fall for him? I'm really looking forward to his future fame..We all looked at Denzel when he raised his cellphone.
"Is that Grace?" Rakki asked as she set down the plate she was holding. Grace could only wave.
"Say 'hi' to baby Grazel!" Denzel said, and we all started goofing around, excited to see the baby's face on screen.
"Hello, child!" I shouted, waving my hand.
The Ulupongs also congratulated Grace and got excited seeing the baby. They even fought over the cellphone.
"Hey, that's my phone!" Denzel shouted, but no one listened.
"Grazel! Your handsome godfather is here!"
"Right here! Look at us!"
"Baby Grazel! Next time, we're coming to visit you!"
"Ci-N! Don't block the whole screen!"
"Hey! Let's show Grazel to Sir!"
After saying that, they immediately approached Sir with the cellphone. He accepted it and looked at the child. The Ulupongs even moved behind Ma'am so they could still see what was on the phone.
"What a cute child," Ma'am said, and I saw her wide smile.
She was obviously happy because she grabbed the phone from Sir's hand. The Ulupongs followed, eager to look again at what was on the screen. Daig was still guarding the store.
"Hello, baby," he greeted Grazel.
Ma'am looked at Sir Alvin, and suddenly her expression changed. He handed the phone back to the Ulupongs, who continued talking to the baby. I didn't notice anything unusual about Sir's expression—except that he was staring deeply at his wife.
Why was that?
"Are you done eating?" Keifer asked me.
I nodded. For the first time, I didn't last long in the dining room. My stomach hurt, and I felt like I was going to throw up. I might have even passed out for a moment.
"I'm fine. I just can't take it anymore," I replied.
"Kuya is right—you can't eat that much. You overworked your body," Aries said, lecturing me, so I gave him a glare.
I couldn't understand his sermon. He should just read my fortune and give me a cure for this stomach pain so I can be satisfied. This horoscope guy is so annoying.
"Maybe some hot tea will help," Yuri said as he stood up. "I'll go make some."
"Don't make it too bitter," I whispered to him.
He chuckled. "I'll find a way to make it less bitter." Then he turned and went into the house.
I bowed, holding my stomach. It felt like I poured in the wrong lechon. It was like my digestion just gave up. My stomach felt so heavy—like it was filled with air. Drinking soda probably didn't help either. When have I ever been this weak at a restaurant? This isn't me!
"Hey, don't lean like that," said the King of Snakes as he gently pulled me closer to him.
I almost pushed him away, but I realized what he meant—he wanted me to lean on him. Maybe we were already in Kuya's territory. But I let myself soften. I rested my head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around me. I just hope my cousin doesn't catch us—otherwise, I might end up back in the hospital.
This must be my punishment for getting hospitalized because of the glue. Now I can't even eat properly. There's still food I haven't tried—what a waste. Poor Snakes, they have no one to help them finish the food.
I glanced over at Ella and Aries. They were deep in conversation, and I didn't understand what they were talking about. Ella was still holding my brother's hand.
"Did he call you again?" Aries asked.
"He did. But I didn't answer."
I felt like I knew what they were talking about. I couldn't help but listen.
My gossip radar is back on.
"Maybe you should get a restraining order against your father," Ella said, and something tugged at my heart.
I thought the same thing.
"I doubt it'll be granted since he's not doing anything to harm us."
"Do you think your big brother can't help you?"
"I know he can. Maybe I'll talk to him later."
I closed my eyes. I wanted to sleep, but I needed to clear my mind. When I remembered the day I brought his real dad home, I felt like slapping myself. That was such a mistake.
His father seems to be struggling even more now. He had a chance—and now he wants to do it again and again, hoping to earn forgiveness. What a mess. I really should've asked before doing something so impulsive.
When did I get like this?
My eyes snapped open when I heard the Snakes say goodbye to Baby Grazel. Denzel snatched his phone from Ci, who had been holding it last.
"Dirty hands!" he said irritably, wiping the screen.
"That's Ci's hand! He ate chicken without even cleaning it!" Rory reported.
"Kadiril," teased Calix, immediately followed by the other Ulupong.
These guys are cool. They also eat onions. Sometimes, you forget where you placed your hand when someone's in front of you, ready to swallow. Sometimes, it's already in someone else's mouth, about to be taken anyway. I won't say I saw Rory do that to Edrix's food before—and Mayo did the same to Kit's.
They're like snakes.
"Here, Jay," I heard Yuri say as he lowered a cup of hot tea in front of me.
It smelled like freshly cut grass.
The King of those Serpents approached me, so I sat up straight. I didn't want to refuse it, especially since Yuri had put in the effort and was now waiting for my reaction. I used both hands to hold the cup.
Maybe it'll clean out my intestines. It's a bit scary—what if I lose my fat? I've been saving that for a long time. I need it to protect my sexiness from being scratched. Fat is also important in life.
I gently blew on the tea before taking a small sip. It was hot, so I only managed a little. Bitter, but not like store-bought teas. I took another sip and noticed it wasn't that bitter after all. I could handle the taste—it was better than what I'd had before.
Is this how goats and buffaloes feel when they eat grass?
"It's okay, it's not that bitter. Thanks for this," I said to Yuri, and he smiled.
"I put some honey in it to reduce the bitterness," he replied before sitting back down.
I deliberately looked at Percy when I heard the word honey. Just slap the shanghai into his mouth. Every bite seemed full of annoyance.
I don't know if he was annoyed because someone even mentioned the word honey, or because Freya was busy talking to the Serpents. Either way, I should probably talk to him about those two. He still doesn't know that Kuya and Honey have a little something-something going on. Nothing serious, of course, but it's nice to say. And of course, we're courting Freya for Edrix.
I just hope I can explain it to him properly.
Next, I looked at Freya and Edrix. I smiled slightly when I noticed that Edrix seemed comfortable talking to his Friend. Just a moment ago, he could barely look at the person beside him—but he couldn't resist when Freya asked him something.
"Who are you staring at?" the King asked before grabbing a chitcharon and eating it.
"Don't be noisy. I'm observing," I whispered back.
He glanced at where I was looking. His eyes seemed to catch the same person I was watching. He turned back to me and leaned in to whisper.
"Do you think there's progress?" he asked. I smiled and nodded.
I giggled like a kid. He laughed too. Gago, why am I getting thrilled by someone else's love life?
"You really think so?" he repeated, and I nodded again.
"Yeah, because if there's progress, there's also a chance your brother and step-brother will kill him."
Huh?
My smile faded. I almost didn't understand what he meant.
But his point kind of made sense. My step-brother might get mad—but Aries too? What does my brother's fortune-telling have to do with Freya's love life? I know they're BFFs, but they don't control each other's lives. Unless Aries predicted something bad about Edrix?
"Why would Aries care? I get Percy, but Aries? They're just BFFs."
He leaned in even closer to whisper properly. "Just like you, your brother's been watching them too. And it's not good—he doesn't have a great opinion of Edrix," he explained.
I drank from the cup I was holding and simply turned to my brother and his new jowa. Ella was bent over, busy reading her notes. My brother was just staring at Freya while pretending to read as well. When there's tension, there's probably going to be a fight.
I turned to Keifer again and whispered,
"Why does it look like that? Edrix looks so mad."
The King laughed lightly. "I told you."
I didn't know whether to laugh or be annoyed. Kwanan and I really click when it comes to gossiping about my brother and his exes. Great. We're good at this.
But honestly, I'm more amazed than anything. He never used to be like this. He'd even gotten mad at me before when I meddled in someone else's drama.
But now? He's joining me in my antics. Wow. He's been infected by my gossiping ways.
How embarrassing. MARK KEIFER WATSON — heir of the WATSONS, King of snakes, and respected president of Section E — has become a gossip because of me. I'm such a bad influence.
I looked at the gate when it opened, and Kuya walked in with a paper bag in hand.
"Let's have a drink," he said, looking at Sir Alvin and Ma'am Cindy while waving the bag in front of them. You could hear the bottles clinking inside.
I figured the paper bag must contain alcohol. That's probably what he left to buy. I thought it was something important since he left his guests so suddenly. Suddenly, the Serpents screamed and clapped like fans cheering for a celebrity.
"Yes, drinks!"
"You're an angel!"
"You're so generous, Big Brother!"
"Nope! None of you are drinking alcohol under my roof!" Kuya Angelo snapped, and the cheers quickly turned into groans and applause.
Someone groaned like a toddler throwing a tantrum. You could even hear someone being thrashed on the floor. Sir just laughed at their reactions.
He's really used to this kind of chaos.
"Most of you are minors. No alcohol for you," my cousin added.
"Aww, I'm sad now," Eren pouted.
Kuya started setting up a small table and glasses for them.
"You still haven't told me who called me rude."
They ended up scolding the Snakes. No one could give a straight answer since they were taught different things, but most of the blame went to Ci. The kid immediately complained and ran to Rakki, who was busy talking to Mica.
"Rakkkiii! See? They're bullying me!" he whined like he was reporting to his mom.
Mica laughed. Rakki just scratched her head and frowned.
"You'll survive, you're a big boy now," he said, and the Ulupongs laughed.
We just watched and laughed too. The kid got teased even more.
There was barely any food left. Aunt Gema tried to bring more out, but David stopped her. The Ulupongs and their jowabels—or future jowabels—were already late anyway. If they bring out more food, we'll be eating again in the morning. They don't know how to stop yet.
Just like me. Haha.
I looked at Aries and Ella when they stood up.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"Ella needs to go home. I'll take her," my brother answered.
They approached Kuya Angelo to say goodbye. Ella even tried to invite Mica and Freya, but they declined.
They clearly didn't want to leave yet. They were having too much fun—especially Freya, who was smiling at Edrix's stories.
Hehe. Cute.
"Are you going to the house? Don't make any sudden turns," Kuya instructed as the couple walked away.
Ella chuckled a little, but my brother looked annoyed. Huh? What's that about?
I quickly turned to Keifer. "What does he mean by 'sudden turn'?"
Yuri almost choked on what he was drinking when he heard my question. The King of Serpents stared at him. Then Percy suddenly burst out laughing.
I looked back and forth between them. "Why? What is it?"
Keifer coughed slightly. "It's a place where… things happened," he explained, but I still didn't understand anything.
"Just ask Boss," Percy said, nodding toward Kuya Angelo.
We all turned to him, but instead of answering, he pointed at Sir Alvin.
"That's your teacher, ask him."
Sir Alvin quickly shook his head, and the Ulupongs who were also listening to me laughed.
"Ask Eren. He knows that well," Kit said, and Eren's neck nearly snapped from how fast he shook his head.
"Gago, I haven't even reached that yet," he said.
"It's Rory! Suki of that place!" Edrix shouted, and Freya laughed a little.
Oh, oh, oh. So things have progressed far already.
"Hey, kapal ng mukha mo!" Rory replied, annoyed.
"Aren't most of you minors? How come you know these things?" Kuya asked, and the Ulupongs fell silent.
It was their turn to avoid eye contact. Some even stuffed their mouths with lots of shanghai.
"What's with that sudden turn? Can we go there?" Ci-N asked.
I wanted to know too—and go, maybe. It seemed like the crooks knew very well what a "sudden turn" was. I couldn't help but be more curious.
"What is it?" I asked again.
"That's how Baby Grazel was made!" Drew shouted—and immediately got smacked by Denzel.
Huh? Now I was even more confused.
"It's a motorist hotel, or a cheap motel," David answered, sounding bored. "Easy check-in, cheap price for travelers who need a place to sleep—but it's kinda popular with couples who want to... do stuff."
We all stared at him in awe. He answered like a walking dictionary. But I finally understood—"the sudden turn" was just code for a motel. That's why Kuya teased Aries. I thought it was a scenic spot! Now I want to go.
"Is it nice? Let's go, Rakki," Ci said innocently, making Rakki smile and the rest of us laughed out loud.
"Are you crazy?" She replied to Ci.
The conversation turned into nonstop teasing. I think we kept at it for another two hours. The food disappeared. My brother didn't take long to drop off his jowa and came back right away—probably so we wouldn't think they did anything else.
The Snakes began to pack up. I just sat in the corner, drinking water with both hands. Rakki, Mica, and Freya wanted to help, but the crooks didn't allow them, so they just sat beside me instead.
"Did you enjoy yourself?" I asked them.
"I did. Thanks for preparing this," Mica said with a smile.
"Same. I honestly thought it was my birthday. Crooked Ci-N," Rakki added, and we laughed a bit.
Freya didn't answer, so we all looked at her. She was busy putting face powder on. I just noticed something had changed in her makeup. She used to wear really colorful makeup—sometimes even purple on her eyelids. That's why I used to call her a 'coloring book.' Now, she still wore some, but it wasn't as bright. Just a little darker than her skin tone.
She's still the same in my eyes, but really different from me. "Did you enjoy yourself, Freya?" I asked, but before she could answer, I added, "--talking to Edrix?"
She stopped what she was doing and looked at me. Then she rolled her eyes and scowled.
"He's easy to talk to, unlike the others from Section E. I think he's the only one who's sane," she said, pulling a brush from her pouch.
"Why are you still putting that on? Let's go home," Rakki said, trying to peek into the pouch, but Freya slapped her hand away.
"Don't touch that."
"Leave her alone—maybe she wants to look good when she says goodbye to Edrix," Mica teased, and we all laughed again.
She didn't answer and just pretended she had to finish putting on her make-up. We just let her go and simply teased her, especially when Edrix glanced at her.
"Shut up! You should be the ending."
They finished making arrangements. The Ulupongs thanked Tita, Mama, and Kuya Angelo. Aries had already entered the house, and Tito Julz seemed to be sleeping. I just walked my classmates to the gate because my cousin was still busy drinking with Sir Alvin and Ma'am Cindy. Yuri stayed behind because he was going home with the couple. He doesn't usually stay, so it was better for them to go together.
Each person was assigned someone to drop off. Ci-N and David would take Rakki. Since the boy didn't have a car, he asked his grandfather to help him. Calix would take Mica, though they said they'd just ride a taxi. The others had already gone home.
"I'll take you," Percy said to Freya, but she ignored his request.
"Edrix is going to take you," Rory said to Freya, surprising Edrix.
Freya was obviously waiting for his response, but she seemed confused about what to say.
Just say yes.
"How? He doesn't have a car. Are you going to walk?" asked my step-brother.
I couldn't help but pay attention to his tone. There was a hint of seriousness in it, which made me a little worried.
Edrix looked away. "Maybe you should go with him to drop her off. Rory and I will just walk."
Rory was clearly surprised. "Dude, we have a taxi. Do you want us to rent a whole jeep?" he complained, but Edrix just pulled him away.
Freya was left visibly annoyed. She turned to Percy, and my step-brother smiled widely before opening his car door.
"Someone's about to start a fight," whispered the King of Snakes as he looked at the two.
Obviously.
We watched their cars leave. The young man from David's car even waved at me. His grandfather smiled and waved too, and Rakki did the same.
The Serpents walked away without a car. Some of them even waved at me. I turned to Kwanan, who was already looking at me.
"Why?" I asked.
"Saving your smile in my memory so I won't miss you when we part tonight," he answered, and I winced.
"Keifer, for heaven's sake, there's still tomorrow."
He suddenly laughed. "You sound old."
"It's like you don't know we'll see each other again."
"I'm going to miss you so much. If only I could bring you home so we don't have to part ways."
Damn, is this what they mean by butterflies in the stomach? But it's probably a monster in mine. I simply bit my lip to get rid of the feeling.
My hair is long. I'm just too lazy to shampoo.
"Go home," I ordered, pushing him.
"You won't miss me?" he asked, as if hurt.
I looked behind me to see where Kuya was. They were quite far, so they probably couldn't hear our conversation.
I approached the King of Snakes and whispered, "Of course, you'll be missed."
"Then, can I kiss you?"
I shook my head at him and pointed to the people inside. "What if they catch us?"
"Just a quick kiss," he insisted.
I bit my lower lip. I peeked at Kuya again, and when I saw that they weren't looking, I leaned closer to Kwanan. He did the same. Our noses almost met, with his hand blocking our faces.
Crap! Am I going to end up back in the hospital?
"I said, come inside!" Kuya Angelo shouted, and I ran inside the house. "And you, go home!" I heard him yelling at Keifer.
I went straight to my room and fell on the bed. I was tired, but satisfied. I really liked that we were all together. It's just a pity that Baby Grazel and Grace weren't there—but maybe next time, they can come.
At the next party.