Just This Once (COMPLETED)

Kabanata 5

#JustThisOnce

Kabanata 5 

It was a good thing that I was quick on my feet. Bago pa man mawala si Parker sa paningin ko ay mabilis ko na siyang sinundan. "Parker!" I called after him pero ang lalaki, parang walang narinig! I didn't know what it was that I said that offended him. Wala naman akong maalala. He just... got mad? Hindi pa naman ako kumportable na may galit sa akin. It's bothersome kapag alam mo na may tao na galit sa 'yo.

"Sandali lang!" I still called after him after being snubbed. He was obviously taller than me kaya mas mabilis siyang maglakad. But I wasn't about to lose him. Lalo na at may 90k na pera siyang ginastos para sa akin. I also didn't like the feeling of being indebted to anyone. Kaya nga ako nagta-trabaho dahil gusto ko na sariling pera ko ang ginagastos ko.

"What?" he asked when I held him by his arm.

"Yung 90 thousand," I said.

"What about that?" tanong niya.

Napaawang ang labi ko. "Kung hindi kita hinabol, papabayaan mo na lang 'yun?" hindi makapaniwala kong tanong. I had heard stories about the ridiculously rich people but I witnessing it first hand still felt a little weird. Hindi ko akalain na may mga tao pala talaga na kayang magtapon ng pera.

"It's just money, Gen. Consider this as your lucky day."

"I know that I'm probably stepping out of bounds here, pero ano ba ang nangyari sa 'yo?" tanong ko sa kanya. I didn't know if he's usually this intense pero pakiramdam ko ay malaki ang pinagdadaanan niya. Para bang ang lungkot-lungkot niyang tao.

Nagvibrate na naman ang cellphone niya. Nakita ko na naman iyong pangalan na Preston Suarez doon.

"Hindi mo ba sasagutin?" I asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because he wants me to attend a wedding."

"Ng kaibigan mo?"

He shook his head. "My first love. She's getting married today."

Napaawang ang labi ko. Shit. I certainly hit a nerve. Kaya naman pala sobrang lungkot niya ngayong araw. Kaya naman pala worth one thousand pesos ang ngiti niya dahil malungkot talaga siya. But I didn't know what to say. Alam ko na mahirap 'yung pinagdadaanan niya ngayon. I mean, that's his first love...

"I'm sorry," I said for that was all I could say.

"It's fine," sagot niya. "And as for the money, you can repay me by leaving your ex. It's seriously not healthy that you're paying for his tuition. Masyado ka pang bata para maging sugar Mama."

Napaawang na naman ang labi ko sa kanya at unti-unti akong natawa. I was laughing so hard that I actually felt tears forming in my eyes. Hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi ako na-offend sa sinabi niya. I just found it really funny kaya tawang-tawa ako. "Seriously? Sa 'yo pa talaga nanggaling?" I asked, wiping the tears away from my face.

"Judge all you want but I didn't pay for Imo's tuition."

I arched a brow. "So she has a name," I said.

"Yeah. Imogen."

"Ang ganda ng name. Maganda ba?"

He timidly nodded and gave out a small smile. "Very."

"E 'yung pinalit sa 'yo? Gwapo ba?"

"Of course I'll tell you that he's ugly," sagot niya na ikina-ngiti ko ng malaki. Who knew that this broody guy also had this fun side in him? Akala ko e puro lang siya pagse-seryoso at pagiging mukhang nakaka-takot.