SWIPE HELP GONE WRONG - COMPLETE

Chapter 16

"LET'S GET MARRIED."

Napatitig siya sa mukha ni Alt. Tama ba ang naririnig niya? Mukha namang hindi ito nanti-trip ng mga oras na 'yon.

"H-Ha?"

"Let's get married when you're ready."

Bago paman mag-sink-in sa kanya ang lahat iniwan na siya ni Alt. Naibaling niya ang mukha at katawan sa direksyon nito. Is he walking out? 'Yon lang 'yon? Wala man lang paliwanag? Kaloka, ha?

"Wait! Hindi ko ma gets."

He stopped. Nilingon siya nito. "Ano pa bang kailangan kong gawin para mapansin mong gusto kita, Emari Scroll Catapang!"

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Haaa?" bahagyang tumaas ang kanyang boses. "G-Gusto mo ako?"

"See? You're not even aware."

"Wait! Teka lang. Seryoso ka ba?"

"Sa labas tayo mag-usap, ayokong magmura sa loob ng simbahan."

Muli siya nitong tinalikuran at dire-diretsong lumabas sa pinasukan nila kanina. Siya naman, para siyang na blanko na ewan. Hindi pa nag-si-sink-in sa kanya ang lahat. Pak juice! Did Alt just confessed?

"Alt, wait!"

Humabol siya rito.

Naabutan niya ito sa plaza na nakaupo sa sa isa mga bench na nandoon. Nakatingin ito sa dagat. He don't seem mad. Wala lang talagang emosyon ang mukha nito.

"Hoy Alt." Ibinaling nito ang tingin sa kanya. He didn't say a word. "Let's talk." Naupo siya sa tabi nito. Bahagyang nakaharap dito. "Seryoso ka ba talaga?"

"Seryoso ako. Manhid ka lang."

Napamaang siya. "Wow! Alam mo naman pa lang manhid ako bakit 'di mo pa sinabi sa'kin?"

"Because you never notice me. Laging lumalagpas ang tingin mo sa ibang tao. Hinihintay kong titigan mo rin ako but you never did."

Wait. Seryoso talaga. Alt likes me. Fudge! Pigil niya ang ngiti. The hell she care kung masakit sa panga ang pagpipigil ng kilig.

"Kailan pa?"

"Matagal na. I was just in denial at that time. You caught my interest noong sinugod mo si Chrome sa set at pinagpapalo ng walis tingting. Crazy girl!" Alt tried his best to hide his laugh. Instead, it ended a smile on his face.

"Baliw! 'Yon din 'yong tinapon mo ako sa basurahan."

"I did that because he was not worth it. Kung hindi ako lumapit, he was about to lay a hand on you. And besides, the garbage can was a props. Malinis ang mga nilagay roon na mga basura so move on."

Napakurap-kurap siya. "Really? I-I didn't know..."

"At first, akala ko, na-a-amuse lang ako sa kabaliwan mo. It was entertaining to see you doing crazy things. Naaliw ako sa tuwing nagbabangayan kayo ni Crosoft. Kung paano mo siya sagutin. You were like a breath of fresh air. Since then, I started looking forward seeing you in MS."

"And when the management told me they wanted your boss in the show I was kind of happy about it. It would mean, I would be seeing you around more often. It was crazy. I once thought I had lost my mind. What the hell, why you? Why Emari Scroll?"

"Choosy mo ah. Lagi mo nga akong inaaway."

He chuckled. "Honey, it's because you never notice me. Para akong hangin sa mata mo. I figured out, that when I argue with you, you give me your attention. You argue back. You talk to me. You roll your eyes at me. You look at me straight in the eyes."