Come Home To You (Book 1 of You Trilogy)

Simula

"Bro, bar tayo mamaya?"

I lazily shot my brows. Alam ni Ivan na tatanggi ako kaya nakangisi siya. I rolled my eyes and fixated my vision back to the reviewer infront of me.

"I have no time for that Van, you know that." I pointed out

"Sus. Kj mo talaga kahit kailan. Loyal ka na masyado sa kabit mong libro, bro. Pati si Angela nakakalimutan na. Taksil!" halakhak niya

"Mister Manalo, you can go out now. Baka nakakalimutan mong library eto?" I heard the librarian

Ngumuso ako para pagtakpan ang ngisi. Buti nga. Kung anu-ano kase ang iniisip. Hindi nalang mag-aral.

"S-Sorry Ma'am. Eto na po." 

Tumayo nga si Ivan. Akala ko ay aalis na siya pero kinalabit niya pa ako. I creased my forehead. 

"Ano 'to? Hindi mo 'ko sasamahan? Hindi na kita bestfriend, bro." kunwa'y pagtatampo niya

I looked at him disgustingly. Nakakadiri 'to. 

"You gay?" 

Ang gago hinaplos pa talaga ang braso ko. Nanindig ang balahibo ko at agad na nainis kay Ivan. Padabog kong iniligpit ang mga gamit at sumunod na sa kanya. 

I was about to mutter a curse when I heard this certain soft voice calling my name.

Nagbaba ako ng tingin at nakita ang isang babae. I can tell she's a junior high just by looking at her uniform. Ano at nagawi siya dito sa college department?

She was petite. Her eyes are round and protruding. Her short hair is dark and shiny. She was fair. Her skin looked delicately soft. And... her lips, darn her lips looked....

"Yes? What do you need?" kamuntikan pa akong mautal. 

Did I hear her right? How come she know me? Parang ang bata pa niyang tignan.

Bakit hindi, kuya? Oh hell. I don't think I want to hear that either.

She was staring at my eyes directly. Nakikita ko ang kaba sa kanyang mga mata pero umasta siyang matapang. Nagtatapang-tapangan.

"I like you."

I was stunned. Nagtaasan lahat ng balahibo ko. Her voice.... it was so soft while she's saying that! What the hell? Who is this girl, anyway?

Oh shit. Now I remember. She's the girl who pretends to be reading but all the time, she was staring at me! Heck. So that explains why.

"Ooooh," dinig kong kantyaw ni Ivan

Tinignan ko naman siya ng masama dahil tinatakot niya.

"How... how old are you?" I stupidly asked

I tried so hard to be nice and to not startle her. I was taken aback by her blunt confession. 

"Bakit mo tinatanong? May chance ba, bro?" bulong ng walanghiyang si Ivan

"I'm t-turning 13 next month." 

Sa sagot niya, para akong napaso. Binura ko kaagad lahat ng naiiisip. 

She is just 12!

Fucking 12!

Saan siya kumuha ng lakas ng loob para umamin sa napakamurang edad?!?

"I'm sorry, kid. I don't think I can do something for your feelings. You're just 12 and I'm already 20. Why don't you just focus on your studies first..."

Fuck. Bakit parang hirap na hirap akong sabihin 'yun? Maybe because of her light brown eyes... her misty brown eyes that is bugging my conscience.

"I just want to let you know. And, I can focus on my studies while focusing on you too." 

My lips parted. I stared at her in awe. What? Is she even aware of what she's saying? 

"Uh Miss pasensya ka na ha pero tama si crush mo. Magfocus kanalang sa studies mo o di kaya maghanap ng ibang crush. May girlfriend na siya eh..." sabat ni Ivan 

The sparkle in her eyes faded in an instant. She then stared at me like she's about to cry any second from now. Makes me want to punch Ivan's face.

"Y-You have a g-girlfriend?" 

I bit my lips before nodding slowly, remembering Angela.

Nag-iwas siya ng tingin at maya-maya pa ay yumuko. My heart raced when I saw tears pooling from her eyes now falling on the floor. I was about to grab her hands when she move her feet and ran away fast.

"Hay. Kawawa naman yung bata bro." ani Ivan, may itinatagong ngisi

I watch her back slowly fading out of my vision. I then look down on the floor to see the remnants of the girl's pain. Umiling ako sa sarili nang makaramdam ng kung ano.

Damn it.