GOP 2: His Side (Short Story -- ʿ₯ʾ)

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Dedicated to: pervertedgreen [Hi! Siya iyong unang - unang nagrequest ng sequel. :) Keep Safe~]

• • His Side • •

"Tapos na birthday ko."

Tumayo siya at nagsimula nang lumakad.

She's smiling and maybe even laughing just to hide what she really feels. Pero bakit hindi ko nga napapansin iyon? Matagal na ba niyang ginagawa ang mga pagpapanggap na ito?

"Xel,"

I held her to stop. Hindi niya ako tinitignan. Not even a glance..

"Xel," I called her, again.

"Madaling araw na pala. Antok na ako. Haha!" She even tried faking a laugh.

"Wag ka nga tumawa."

Naiinis ako. She's pretending. Pretending to be happy? Pero naiinis din ako kung iisiping malungkot siya. Ang gulo.

"Why not? I'm happy kaya masarap tumawa." Sabi niya na hindi man lang ako nililingon.

"You're not." I know, you aren't, Xel. Why do you need to lie?

"I am."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Stop it, will you? Even I'm happy or not, you wouldn't care. So stop acting like you do!" Sigaw niya habang nakatalikod pa rin sakin.

Nagulat ako.

She pretends. She laughs, she smiles but her voice, when you heard it clearly, you can feel the pain.

"What if I am?" I asked.

Totoo naman kasi. I do care..

Maybe? Am I?

Hindi ko maintindihan ang sarili ko. Nag - aalala nga ba ako kung malungkot o masaya siya? Well I, for one, am her childhood friend kaya siguro ganoon.

"Hahahaha! You never fail to make me laugh, Ace. You never fail to make me even feel this kind of feeling."

Bigla naman akong naguluhan. Anong ibig niyang sabihin? Anong feeling? Lagi kong ipinaparamdam ito sa kaniya? Bakit ang gulo? Wala akong maintindihan.

I'm dead serious tapos tinatawanan niya ako? Nagkaroon tuloy ng katahimikan.

"Let go, Ace. Matutulog na ako.."

But I didn't.

I pulled and hugged her. I don't know why. I just felt the need to do this.

"Cry."

"What're you doing?" She asked.

"Umiyak ka. Ilabas mo lahat.." At lalo kong hinigpitan ang pagkakayakap sa kaniya.

"Ace,"

What's wrong with you, Xel? And what's wrong with me?