Complexity Of Us (STATION Series #2)

Kabanata 12

Kabanata 12

Suntok

"Thank you for driving me back." Were my words as soon as we stopped in front of our house. Malapit nang lumubog ang araw kaya bahagyang dumilim ang paligid.

He tilted his head. "Talaga lang, Brella?" tanong niya, nanunuya.

I chuckled at his question. "Good luck sa College, Cori."

Umarko ang kan'yang kilay. "Ako dapat nagsasabi n'yan sa 'yo. I already experienced three years of Architectural hell. Ikaw, magsisimula pa lang."

"Bakit parang kasalanan ko?" natatawa kong sabi.

He playfully nudged my shoulder with his elbow. "Ga-graduate na 'ko next year. Ikaw? 'Di pa."

Natatawa kong hinampas ang kan'yang braso. "At least I didn't get to spend my College years with you around the school's vicinity! Nakatatamad kaya mag-aral kasi nando'n ka."

He wiggled his thick brows. I made a face because of it.

"Why? Am I a distraction?" he asked, fascinated.

"Hindi kaya!"

"Then what? What am I?"

I smirked. "A dependent variable."

Something reminds me of that...

Bahagyang nanikip ang dibdib ko.

"Siguro alam mo naman, 'di ba? Kasi Mathematician ka noong high school," dagdag ko, pinakakalma ang nararamdaman. I don't know why I suddenly got hurt about it. Ilang taon na rin ang nakararaan.

Natatawa siyang umiling at dinilaan ang ibabang labi. Bumaling siya sa 'kin. "I am controllable, B? Never thought of myself as one."

Nagkibit-balikat na lang ako at bumaba sa Explorer niya. Pagkasara ko ng pinto ay siyang pagbaba ng bintana.

I groaned at him and put my hand on the ledge of the window. Tinitigan ko siya habang inaanalisa ang kabuoan ng mukha.

Kurap nang kurap. Bahagyang kinakabahan. Kahit na hindi gano'n kaliwanag ay pansin na pansin ko ang pag-aalinlangan sa mukha niya.

I rose my brow when I noticed his uneasiness. "What, Cori? May sasabihin ka pa?"

He blinked. "Iimbitahan sana kita."

Nangunot ang noo ko.

Kinagat niya ang labi. "We'll swim by the beach tomorrow kasama sina Zyrell, Ovid, Virgil, and Daniel..."

"I'll ask my Mom. Sino pa?"

"Some of Virgil's cousins; Priscilla and Bistro. Pati na rin yata pinsan ni Zyrell na si Solace. And then, I don't know, some other girls?"

Priscilla, Bistro, and Solace? Never heard of them. Some other girls?

I shrugged. "Corinthian, if you want to hang out with other girls it's fine. No problem between us."

His brown eyes curiously looked at me. Kahit pa malayo ay ramdam ko ang kaonting tagos nito. "No problem? Are you sure?"

Tumango ako. "Besides, I don't know if I'll go. Iniimbitahan ako ni Raf sa kanila bukas sa Makati."

Humilig ako sa ledge ng sasakyan at ipinatong ang baba sa braso.

"Sunday bukas, 'di ba? May pasok ka sa Monday, Brella. Hindi pwede."

"But you're inviting me tomorrow for beach..." I sighed at him. Nag-thumbs up ako sa kan'ya at kumindat. "Orientation daw ulit sa Monday, Cori. No need to worry about me."