The Guy Who Fell In Love

Marley

Marley was known for being the perfect student and girlfriend material. She was intelligent and she always top on the list of achiever. Kilala rin siya sa larangan ng journalism dahil isa siyang edito-in-chief ng SIBOL, their university school paper. Hindi rin maikakaila na may taglay itong ganda at bait. Laging ligawin at maraming lalakeng humahanga rito but she always remained single because someone never caught her attention except this one guy.

Ang alam ng karamihan, she was focus on her studies because that's her reason whenever someone courted her. Parating 'study first' ang sinasabi nito at mukhang gasgas na rason na rin iyon para sa kanya. Wala siyang magawa dahil iba naman ang gusto niya.

She was deeply in love to her friend, Gideon.

She likes Gideon the moment she laid her eyes to the guy. Sinong hindi mahuhumaling kay Gideon na bukod sa matalino, mayaman, guwapo ay gentleman din. Marley can attest that since the day they became friend when they were first year or the day they became close.

Marley remember when Gideon save her when one of their professor sexually harass her. She saw how Gideon defended her and even file complain in the university head and even in the police department. Hindi siya iniwan nito kahit kailan man. He was his saving grace. Pinaniwalaan siya ni Gideon even the school doesn't acknowledge her complains. Kaya sinong hindi mahuhumaling sa lalakeng ito. Siguro kung medyo badboy lang ang isang ito marahil marami na siyang naging jowa. Bukod kay Marley, marami ding nagtatakang magpahayag ng kanilang pag-ibig sa lalake but he always rejected them. Medyo pihikan rin si Gideon pagdating sa pag-ibig.

Marley was done for the school paper for that day. Lumabas ito kasama ang kanyang mga co-head ng kanilang school paper. They decided to have a coffee in front of the school para mag-meryenda and to relax their selves from exhausting revision of papers and editing.

Pag-pasok nila ng coffee shop agad na nakita nito ang pamilyar na tao. Even it was blurry she can really tell who's figure it is and it was belong to Gideon. Mag-isa lang ang lalake, usually. Sa pagkakilala nito, mas sanay si Gideon na mag-isa lang dahil medyo may pagka-loner ang lalake.

Pagtingin nito kay Gideon ay nakaharap lang siya sa kanyang laptop at may binabasang makapal na libro. One thing also he likes about him is that he knows his priorities. He is a man of goals and dreams. Medyo nakakaattract ang ganong mindset para kay Marley.

Hindi na siya nag-abalang guluhin ito dahil marahil iirapan lang siya ni Gideon at itataboy, which she was used to it. Umupo na lang sila kalayuan sa pwesto ni Gideon at nagsipag-order na lang sila ng makakain. Pagkatapos mag-order ay kinuha ni Marley ang cellphone nito at kinuhanan ng litrato si Gideo. She always does that. Kung kakalkalin man ang phone niya makikita mo sa gallery nito ang mga stolen at candid shot ni Gideon. She always take picture of the guy just to appreciate him at buti na lang hindi ito pinapansin ni Gideon kahit naiinis ito sa kanya.

"Baka matunaw yan?" pag-sagi sa kanya ni Freda, her literary editor and her also one of her close friend. Alam nito na may gusto si Marley kay Gideon dahil halatang halata naman sa kilos nito. Minsan din kinukuwento ni Marley ang paghanga nito sa lalake.

"Tumahimik ka dyan Freda," ngisi ni Marley. Pinatay nito ang phone niya at tumingin sa direksyon nito.

"Bakit kasi hindi ka pa umamin? Take the risk," suhestyon nito pero napangiwi na lang siya sa sinabi ni Freda. Confessing to Gideon has no reassurance at all.

She wouldn't take the risk and compromise their friendship for just the sake of having a relationship with Gideon. Hindi pa siya handang ma-reject ng lalake. Alam na man ni Marley na hanggang kaibigan lang naman ang tingin ni Gideon sa kanya.

"Oh! Hindi na mapinta 'yang mukha mo. Well, just take your time. Gideon will notice you," ngiti ni Freda but Marley sense it was not genuine. She knew that Freda has a thing for her because she accidently heard their conversation with Jeff about Freda confessing that she likes Marley. Also, Freda is a lesbian and she sees how she courted different woman and she has past relationship with the same sex.

Tapos na si Marley sa isang minor subejct nito at naglalakad na siya para pumunta sa office ng SIBOL para ituloy ang trabaho nitong naiwan kanina. Habang naglalakad ito ay binabati siya ng mga kakilala niya at pati na rin ang mga ex-manliligaw nito. Kahit naiilang maman si Marley ay kumukaway na lang siya para hindi siya sabihinan na feeling maganda, famous, or snob. Ayaw na man niyang magmukhang masungit ito sa mata ng mga tao.

Pagdating niya sa office at bubuksan na sana niya ang sliding door ng hindi niya sadyang marinig na may nag-uusap pala. She was trying to neglect it but she heard her name that stop her for opening the door.

"Gusto mo si Marley no," mukhang pabirong sabi ni Jeff sa kanya, isa sa mga cartoonist ng SIBOL.

Marley was stop and she was hesitant to enter. Naghihintay rin siya sa sagot ni Freda. Malabo naman na magkagusto si Freda sa kanya dahil mag-kaibigan silang dalawa. Also, alam nito na man type siya sa tourism department na babae.

"May masama ba dun?" mahinang tawa nito na siyang kinagulat ni Marley. She didn't expect Freda will like her. Besides, this is the first time someone like her in a same gender. She didn't know what to react or how to respond to the situation. She really stack.

"Paano yan mas straight pa yata sa buhok mo si Marley," komento ni Jeff at natahimik na lang si Freda dahil doon. Hindi alam kung ano ang sasabihin. Alam na man ni Freda ang posisyon niya at 'yun ay bilang kaibigan lang.

Huminga na lang ng malalim si Marley at nagpanggap na lang siya walang narinig na kahit ano. She will not acknowledge those things she heard. Freda is her friend and that's the only thing Marley can offer... just a friend.

"Hello!" malakas nitong bati at nagulat ang dalawa dahil kita ang paglaki ng kanilang mata.

"K-kanina ka pa dyan?" nagaalalang tanong ni Freda dahil bakas sa reaksyon nito. Nagaalala kung narinig nito ang usapan nila ni Jeff.

"Nope, kararating ko lang," Marley lied and just ignore the two and sat to his desk. She will busy her self with her workloads rather thank thinking what she heard. Awkward na umalis ang dalawa papunta sa kanilang work table nakita pa nitong inirapan ni Freda si Jeff.

Hindi na lang niya pinansin ang dalawa at nagpatay malisya na lang siya.

"Kumain ka na lang dyan Freda," ani nito at hindi na siya kumibo pa. Tumingin ito sa gawi ni Gideon at eksatong nagkatinginan sila ng lalake.

Kumaway lang si Marley at tumango si Gideon. Samantalang napangiting pait na lang si Freda sa gilid, because she know Marley was a star. She was hard to reach.