Chasing the Fire

Chapter 19

"Can I court you?" he asked. 

I blinked thrice. I looked at him. W-What did he just say?

"A-Ano 'yon?" I asked, stammered. Damn, damn, I can't believe he just say it!

"You heard it but let me repeat it," he paused for a while. "Can I court you?" he asked again.

This is so... damn!

I looked at him intensely. I-Is he really courting me? Is this real?

"I-I...  I don't know what to say. S-Sorry." I apologized. Tangina, ano ba kasing sasabihin ko?

He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "Is that a rejection?" he asked bitterly so I shooked my head in an instant. "N-No, of course not!" I said. I'm j-just really speechless." napailing-iling ako. 

"Y-You can know the answer bukas, p-pwede?" I asked nervously. Kahit mahal ko siya, ayokong magpadalos dalos, 'no!  

What did I say? Mahal? Oh damn.

"Okay. Bukas." he said before he stood up. "Let's meet tommorow, then?" he asked. 

I nodded nervously. "S-Sige." I said. He smiled at me before he left. I sighed heavily when he left. Oh my... parang hindi ako makapaniwala pero hindi nagtagal ay napangiti rin ako. So, this is what it felt like by having a suitor, huh?     
     
Natapos ang klase ko hanggang hapon at hindi mawala sa isip ko si Aeon. I want to literally think of my answer kasi ayaw kong magsisi sa huli. Of course, he's handsome, intelligent, caring at bonus pa ang perfect built body pero I want to make sure of it. I don't want to hurt myself and him. I should ask Kuya Lance for this, I guess.  

When I went home, wala pa rin si Kuya kaya naman dumiretso na muna ako sa kuwarto ko. I took a bath for a few minutes, feeling ko ang lagkit ko na, e.

I wore a light blue shirt and tucked it in with my denim skirt. I looked at myself on the vanity mirror. I smiled at my reflection
in the mirror. I'm really beautiful. And this beauty deserves Aeon Jovan.

"Gumamela!" tawag ko sa aking aso. Tumatahol na pumasok so Gumamela sa kuwarto ko. One of this days, she's so jolly. Ang energetic niya, I'm even playing with her.

"Wala pa si Kuya so ikaw muna kakausapin ko, ha?" I said to her, ngumuyo lang siya kaya natawa ako. "What if I give him a yes?" I asked before patting her head. "Wouldn't I regret in the end?" I asked again.

"Yes for what, Lianna?" agad akong napa-angat ng tingin ng marinig ko si Kuya.

Kahit alam kong walang problema sa kaniya ang panliligaw o pagboboyfriend sa akin ay kinakabahan pa rin ako. "K-Kuya." I stuttered.

"What will you regret in the end, huh?" he asked as he walked in to my room.

"S-Si Aeon k-kasi, K-Kuya." I trailed off. "Kilala mo naman 'yon, hindi ba?" I asked.

Tumango-tango siya. "Hmm..." he hummed. "What about him?" he asked and sat cooly on my bed. He's still wearing his uniform so hindi pa siya nagtatagal.

"He wants to court me." I confessed. I'm hoping to see a shock expression on him ngunit ako pa yata ang nabigla nang ngumisi siya, 'ni walang bakas ng pagkabigla. Why?

"I know." he said before smiling.

"W-What? H-How did you know?!" I asked. "Are you kidding me?" I asked sarcastically ngunit umiling-iling lamang siya.

"Before he courted you, nagpaalam muna siya sa akin. Kung nandito daw ang mga magulang natin ay magpapaalam din siya sa kanila." he smiled at me, teasing me. 

"Really?" I asked in disbelief. He did that? Hindi ko mapigilang mapangiti, damn.

He nodded and  gave me a tumbs up. "You should give him a yes." he winked at me before leaving me. I even heard him shouted. "Boto ako ro'n!"

I sat at the couch. I sighed as I looked at my dog. "I think I know the answer, Gams." I smiled.

She barked three times, as if she's agreeing. I smiled, yay.

Kinaumagahan ay maaga na naman akong nagising. I can't explain how exited I am to go to School right now. I never felt it before. Kagabi ay naka-usap ko sa call so Zashiel. I told her everything dahil alam kong mag-aalburuto na naman 'yon. She also knew na mauuna ako sa School ngayon.      

Nagpa-alam ako kina Manang at Kuya na mauuna na 'ko sa Campus, I even laughed when I saw Manang's reaction. Unexplainable.

I enter the Campus with a loud heart beat. Kinakabahan na exited. Dali-dali kong inilagay ang bag ko sa upuan ko. Bukas naman na ang room namin. Si Angie ang bumukas dahil siya ang in-charge sa pagbukas ng room.

"Oh, Lianna Gabrielle, napaka-aga mo, ah." I just smiled at her bago tumalikod.

You don't care.

I leave our room to go to Aeon's building ngunit hindi pa ko nakakarating do'n nang makita ko siya. He's leaning on the wall while looking at the view of the whole ground. Aww, ang lalim ng iniisip ng baby ko. I was about to come near to him but a girl suddenly run over and hugged him so tight. Napakunot ang noo ko, halos magdikitan ang aking mga kilay. Who's that girl? I felt a bang on my chest when Jovan hugged her back. Mapait akong napangiti. So, you're planning of courting me pero may babae ka?

I looked at the girl intensely. I think she's just a second year student based on her looks and height. Pinatulan niyo ang isa't isa? Kadiri.

I turned my back to them silently before walking. Balak ko pa namang sagutin siya pero mukhang may nauna na. Dalawa ba niligawan niya? Bagsak ang aking mga balikat habang dahan-dahang naglalakad. Damn, hindi ko pa nga sinasagot pero nasasaktan na agad ako. So unfair.

I sighed heavily before walking normally ngunit napatigil nang tawagin ako ni Aeon!

"Lianna!" he called out loud. His baritone voice echoed in the whole campus.

I turned myself to him. Seryoso ang mukhang tinitigan ko siya. I looked at his back ngunit wala na ang babae. I then looked at him. Nasaan na 'yung girlfriend mong baby pa?

"What?" masungit kong ani. I don't want to show him that I'm hurt.

Hinihingal siyang tumigil. He inhale and exhale before talking. "Where do you think are you going?" his deep voice make me shiver.

"W-Wala, I was just walking around. Napa-aga ako, e." I even managed to smile. Gumising ako ng maaga para sa'yo, e. May nililigawan ka rin pala siguro.

"And what animal are going to believe you?" he asked sarcastically. He walked over me kaya napa-atras ako. He's smirking while walking towards me.

I stepped back until I reach the wall. And I don't know if where are we. Parang biglang naging baguhan ako rito't hindi ko alam kung nasaan kami!

He trapped me using his two hands at the both sides of my head. He leaned over my ears to whisper something. "Where's my answer?" napa-igtad ako nang maramdaman ang kaniyang hininga.

I got panicked so I didn't manage what to say! "W-Wala kang makukuha sa'kin. Doon ka na sa girlfriend mong bata!" I hissed.

He even smirked more before looking down at my lips. "Hindi ako pumapatol sa apo ni Lola. Pinsan ko 'yon, e."he said using  his soft voice. What?! Pinsan niya 'yon?! 

"Shocked, babe?" he asked but I shook my head nervously.

"So now, where's my answer?" he asked sweetly.

I looked away but I smiled before giving him my answer. "It's a yes." nang sagutin ko siya ay parang ako ang nagdiwang. I don't know, I can't explain it.

He sighed and mumbled 'yes' before kissing my forehead. He closed his eyes so tight and when he opened it, it's so dark as night. "I can't kiss you right now in the lips because a suitor shouldn't." he said.

"May oras ka rin sa akin." he wisphered.