It's Not A Bad Thing: Miefer's Tale of Love

Tale # 8

For a moment, I was speechless. I didn’t know what to say or think, even. He was just looking at me, waiting for my reaction. Yun na nga yung problem eh. Hindi ko alam kung pano ako magre-react! Pano nga ba? My head was spinning and I just felt like vanishing into thin air. I’ve never felt so awkward in my entire life.

So I did what I thought was best to do.

I laughed. It came out as a forced one so I cleared my throat. Nakangiti lang ako.

“Lakas ng trip mo, idol ha.” Tumatawa ako.

“Mukha ba akong nagjo-joke?” he was just looking at me. I stopped laughing the minute I realized he was being seious.

I scratched my head in frustration and leaned on my chair.

“So you like me?” I asked him, pointing to myself. Tumango lang siya. “You know this how? It’s only been two weeks.”

He scoffed. “Speak for yourself.”

“Huh?”

“You know I’ve liked you eversince naman, right?”

Sumimangot ako. “What? Wait… Di ko gets.”

He smiled as he filled it out for me. “I had a crush on you even before pa. It was just a peppy crush so I didn’t mind it especially because I had a girlfriend… But I don’t know… After all that, sayo pa rin ang balik ko.”

I was speechless.

Ano daw?

“So, I guess hindi na ako magugulat to hear na Trinca hates me?” I ask him, still not fully absorbing what he just said.

Umiling siya. “She understands. I loved Trinca, I really did. Pero sometimes, you just fall out of it na lang eh. I didn’t want to hurt Trinca more than I already did by still continuing on with the relationship. We were fighting a lot… We weren’t happy like we used to be. Parang pinilit na nga lang naming mag work yung relationship kasi sayang yung 1 year but it became really messy.” He paused. “So in the end, we just decided to end it na lang and be friends. She’ll continue on with her life, I’ll continue with my own.”

He looked at me but I spaced out.

“I was foolish enough to let my chance with you slip away. Come to think of it, sobrang dami ng chances yung binigay sakin, Vice even became a wingman for me. Remember your ggv guesting?” he asked me. He was laughing now, the mood was lighter.

Tumango ako. I can’t ever forget how Vice Ganda put me on the hot seat.

“Well… I was watching that episode and nagulat ako na Vice mentioned me. I had a girlfriend back then so I panicked, eventually denying everything even if it was the truth.” Napakamot siya sa ulo and this time I laughed.

“That wasn’t the only time he put me on the spot tho. Lagi niya akong binubuking. But I was too afraid to even admit it. Lalo na we were both dating somebody else nong time na yun.” He paused before looking at me smiling. “Pero from all that experience, there’s one lesson I learned.”

I frowned. “What?”

“Natutunan ko na ang feelings kapag matagal na pinigilan, kapag nilabas sobra sobra.”

To this, I found myself smiling.

“And I just want you to know na this time around, wala na akong balak magpigil. There’s no holding back anymore, Mika. This is my chance and I will take it. I’ll even be patient enough to wait until you take yours.”

I became silent for a while, thinking about what I was going to say before finally composing myself.

“Kief, mas gusto ko kasi sanang mag focus muna sa volleyball eh.” I say but he didn’t let me finish.

“I knew you’d say that.” Ngumiti siya. “But, I swear I’ll be a good boy. I’ll court you pero hindi kita mamadaliin. Sabi ko naman diba? I can wait until you’re ready.”

Muntikan na akong mapasigaw when my phone started ringing. Nanlaki ang mata ko when I saw Ara’s name on the screen. Shiz!

“Vic?” I answered.

“Uwi na. May training pa bukas. Kundi lang nagpaalam sakin si Phenom, baka napatay ko na kayong dalawa.”

Napasimangot ako at tinignan si Kiefer na tumatawa na.

“Nagpaalam?” I asked.

“Oo. Kanina lang bago ka umalis. Magpapahangin pala ha… Mga palusot mo, Yeye. Huli ka na.” pangaasar niya pa at naririnig kong nagtatawanan silang dalawa ni Kimmy. I rolled my eyes.

“Uuwi na ako. Lagot kayo sakin, wala kayong pasalubong!”

“Uy! Wala namang ganyanan-“ before she could even finish her sentence, binaba ko na yung phone at binatukan si Kiefer na ang lakas lakas ng tawa.

After having our late dinner, hinatid na ako pauwi ni Kiefer. The whole ride home, nagaasaran lang kami. Kapag minsan bumabanat siya, binabara ko na lang para hindi maging awkward. Hindi pa rin clear sakin lahat kung anong mangyayari saming dalawa simula ngayon pero hindi siya nagpapapigil eh. I didn’t clearly allow him to court me pero parang nagkusa na lang siya without asking for my permission. Makulit kaya bahala siya. Wala namang nagbago… Ang pinagkaiba lang, now nanliligaw na siya.

Hindi ko pa rin ma-absorb. It seemed too... unexpected. I don’t even know how to describe it.

He opened the door for me. “Take care of yourself, superstar. Goodnight. I’ll see you in my dreams.” Tumawa siya and I just rolled my eyes.

I wasn’t expecting to see the whole team sa loob ng room! The minute I walked in, nagsigawan silang lahat and even threw me a pillow na sabay sabay pa.

“Dalaga na ang Yeye namin!!!” sigaw pa ni Ate Cyd.

Tumawa ako at binato pabalik sa kanya yung pillow. She just laughed as she caught it.

“Dedeny pa! Kunwari pang di kilala kung sino si THO.” Pangaasar ni Ate Mowky. My eyes grew wider. “Yes, alam namin yun even before you received the gifts.” She stuck her tounge at me.

“Stalkers!!!” sumigaw ako and they laughed.

“Anong stalkers, eh we received a fair notice naman na talaga. It was so hard to keep Aduke from saying anything. Napaka.” Sabi naman ni Kianna.

Napakamot na lang sa ulo si Aduke. “Eh ang hirap naman kasi talaga.”

“So what did he tell you? Nanliligaw na ba?”

I sat on my bed and laughed at their sudden giddiness. “I’m tired, tulog na ako.”

“Hoy, Ye! Wag mong sayangin yung puyat namin kakahintay sayo!” sigaw ni Alex.

“Ako ba talaga hinihintay niyo or yung kwento ko?”

“Magkukwento ka o kay Kiefer kami magpapakwento?” pangaasar ni Kimmy.

“Oo na! Oo na! Ikukwento ko na nga, diba? Demanding!”

Apparently, hindi nila alam kung san ako dinala ni Kiefer so when I told them na he took me to Cloud 9 to see the city lights of Manila, they lost it. Aduke was even whining about how Kiefer didn’t inform them about it so they could have just gone with us.

Natapos ko yung kwento ko na they were all smiling. Hindi na big deal sa kanila yung issue with Trinca because apparently, Kiefer explained it to them na daw para ma-clear ang lahat. I’m just glad na they’re happy about it eventhough hindi pa ako sure kung ano talaga ang magiging outcome since hindi ko naman talaga literally pinayagan si Kiefer na manligaw. Siya lang tong makulit.

“Just remember what I told you, Ye. Don’t be afraid to take the risk.”

“Basta don’t rush things. Go with the flow ka lang at pahirapan mo kung kailangan!” says Des who was laughing along with the others.

At dahil maaga ang training kinabuksan, hindi na kami nagtagal. It was already midnight so we only had a few hours left to sleep. I was already cuddling my pillow when my phone vibrated. It was a message from Thirdy.

Thirdy Ravena: Medyo late sa balita. MEDYO lang naman. WAHAHAHAHA.