Once Upon A Time

Kabanata 13

"Hey! That's mine!" inis na sabi ko kay Jiro at nakipag-agawan sa potato chips.

"Walang pangalan!"

Inis na inis ko siyang tinignan habang tumatawa lang si Dave sa aming dalawa.

"Give it to her, Jiro. Stop acting like a child!" saway niya kay Jiro bago tumawa ng malakas.

We are here at the field, we planned to have our picnic here. To finally forget everything for a while. Just for a while. To be happy again just like the old days.

"Nicky," I froze when I heard that voice.

It was him..

Ngumiti sa akin si Dave, "Talk to him." he said before he stand up.

"Oh," Jiro said as he handed me my potato chips. "Hear him out, Nicky." he said and together with Dave, they left.

Katahimikan ang bumalot sa aming dalawa. Hindi alam kung sino ang dapat magsalita. Kung sino dapat ang mauna.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?" tanong ko sakaniya.

Finally have the urge to start a conversation. To clear things up. To finally fix everything about the issue.

"I'm here for a talk," sabi niya at naupo sa tabi ko. Now, we are both looking at the breathtaking view of the field.

"I don't want to be your girl, Jett."

Tumingin siya sa akin. "I know."

"Pretending is not-"

"I didn't ask you to be my girl to pretend, Nicky," nagulat ako sa sinabi niya.

Hindi makapagsalita. Hindi inaasahan ang biglang sinabi niya ngayon.

Napuyat ako kahapon kakaisip kung paano nanaman ako iiwas sakaniya. Wala akong ibang ginawa kung hindi ang iwasan siya dahil hindi ko na alam kung paano ko paba haharapin si Jett. Hindi ko alam kung kaya ko paba siyang harapin matapos kong makumpirma na may nararamdaman na ako sakaniya.

Hindi kagaya dati na puro inis lang ang nararamdaman ko sakanila. Ngayon, iba na. Lalo na sakaniya.

"Did you ever asked youself why I always appeared when you were in trouble? When you need a helping hands?" biglaang tanong niya.

Suddenly, memories flashed inside my mind. Those days where I asked myself why of all people, It have always been him. It's always Jett. The guy who always pop out of nowhere, ready to help me when I'm about to embarrassed myself.

"Does my moves makes you confused even just for once, Nicky?" he then asked again.

But just like the first question, I didn't answer. More on, I don't have enough strength to answer.

"Jett, ano ba talagang pinunta mo dito?"

"I'm here to clear things out. To make you see a lot of things you failed to see."

"Just go straight to the point, Jett."

"I'm courting you,"

Parang natahimik ang paligid dahil sa sinabi niya. Parang tumigil sa paggalaw ang lahat.

"Are you out of your mind?" I asked him, shock.

"Maybe," sagot niya bago tumingin sa akin. "Maybe I am."

Beat.

"J-jett-"

"Hear me first, Nicky," sabi niya habang nakatitig padin sa mga mata ko.

I'm scared, what if what he said was just for a show? To clear his name? To clear the issue? What if he's just using me?

Am I ready to face the pain?

"I like you," lalong nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa gulat. "Is that enough reason to court you?" tanong niya, parang nag-aalangan.

Halata sa mukha niya ang kaba. Parang hindi niya alam kung anong gagawin niya kapag humindi ako. Parang hindi siya handa.

"What if it wasn't enough?"

Napalunok siya. Kagaya ko, alam kong kabado din siya.

I want to capture the moment. Where Jett was so nervous while confessing. That the person I actually avoid for how many weeks now, is here, beside me. Finally, saying the words I wanted to hear.

But, was it really enough to take the risk?

"I'll still court you," ngumiti siya. "I didn't tell you this to ask for your permission. I tell you this just to let you know that I'll be doing all of those because I like you." sabi niya.

Gustong-gusto kong tumawa sa kabadong mukha na pinapakita niya. Gustong-gusto kong tumawa ng malakas sa tabi niya pero parang hindi akma sa sitwasyon. Hindi akma sa mga nangyayari.

"H-hindi kaba magsasalita?" kabadong tanong niya.

I looked at him, seriously. With no joke in my mind and no joke in my eyes. I want him to see how serious my expression is. I want him to know that it's not only him who takes his confession seriously, that I'm into this too.

"Are you doing this to save your image? Because of the issues perhaps?"

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya bago umiling.

Hindi ko na napigilan pang tumawa.

"Good to know that." nakangiting sabi ko.

Katahimikan nanaman ang pumailalim sa aming dalawa. Walang nagsasalita at puro paghinga lang namin ang maririnig.

Pero hindi kagaya kanina na nakakakaba, ngayon hindi na.

Ito yung klase ng katahimikan na hindi ka kakabahan. Yung klase ng katahimikan na ngayon ko lang nagustuhan. The kind of silence that won't make you feel so awkward, the kind of silence that will make you feel at home. At peace, atlast.

"I.." tumingin ako sakaniya. "I have a confession to make, again."

"What?" tanong ko, bahagyang nagtataka.

"I am him."

"Him?"

Kunot-noo akong nakatingin sakaniya. Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko no'ng tumango siya.

"Yes, him."

Hindi ko maintindindihan ang pinagsasabi niya.

"Hindi ko maintindihan, Jett."

"It's not Dave," I looked at him, confused. "It's me. I'm the sender, Nicky." dagdag niya na ikinalaglag ng panga ko.

"While you're walking outside our classroom, I'm crashing on you. While you're laughing so loud at the cafeteria, I was looking at you. I always notice everything, specially when it's you."

Natulala ako sakaniya. Hindi alam kung anong dapat sabihin. Malamig na ang hangin dahil gabi na. Ang balak kasi namin nila Jiro ay mag-star gazing sana na hindi natuloy dahil biglang dumating si Jett.

Pero mas natulala ako ng unti-unting lumiwanag ang paligid dahil sa mga sky lanterns na nagkalat sa kalangitan.

Napatitig ako sakaniya na nakangiti habang nakatingin sa akin.

"Napansin mo na ako, finally." he said, smiling. Still looking at my priceless expression.

I also have a confession to make, I fell. Hard and fast.