'Di Madama

• Last Chapter (Part Two) •

Nagulat ako nang bigla na lang siya sumulpot at umupo sa harapan ko. He was wearing a black hoodie and black cap. "Anya," he said. I really love it when he calls me by my name. "I don't think I already introduced myself properly to you. My name's Rean Ximenez," he said offering me his hand.

Tinanggap ko naman 'yon. I slightly shook it. "Anya Yanez."

Tinanggal niya ang cap niya bago niya inayos ang buhok niya gamit ang kamay niya. I smiled when I saw his eyebrow slits.

"Wag mo na ulit tatakpan," I told him.

"Alin?" he asked.

Nginuso ko 'yung kilay niya.

"You know this isn't allowed at school," sabi niya. "Gago kasi ng mga kaibigan ko, hindi man lang ako pinigilan."

"Bagay kaya."

He just shrugged. "Did you order already?" he asked as he scanned through the menu of the café.

Umiling lang ako.

"What do you want?" he asked.

Natigilan nanaman ako. Shit naman. Ano? Iiyak nanaman ba ako? Sa tuwing kasama ko na lang ba siya iiyak ako?

Napatingin siya sa akin nang hindi ako magsalita kaya ngumiti kaagad ako. "Strawberry frappé na lang."

Tumango lang siya bago tinawag ang waiter. "We'll have one espresso macchiato and large strawberry frappé."

"So," he said when the waiter left. His hands are now clasped while he's looking at me. Nakapatong naman ang baba niya sa kamay niya habang nakatingin siya sa akin. "Magaling ba talaga ako?"

Pinigilan ko ang sarili ko na matawa.

He glared at me.

"Oo. Pa-ulit ulit naman 'to," I said.

"If you would rate it from one to ten, with ten being the highest, what would it be?"

I smiled at him. "Eleven."

"Totoo?"

I nodded. "Totoo."

Hindi ko alam pero makita ko lang siya, napapangiti na kaagad ako. Ang gaan gaan talaga ng pakiramdam ko sa kanya. Sa tuwing kasama ko siya, wala akong ibang maramdaman kung hindi kasiyahan.

Sana ganito na lang palagi ang nadadama ko.

"What's the difference between me and all the other guys you had sex with?" he asked.

I smiled at him. "I can't answer that," I said. I don't want to compare him to them. Hindi niya sila ka-level. "But I never lied about the part where I said that you're good."

He just smiled at me. Dumating na 'yung order namin. Nakatingin lang siya sa hinahalo niyang kape habang ako, nakatingin sa kanya.

"Is this a date?" I asked him.

"Whatever you want to call it."

"Ikaw na nga nagsabi, formal meeting."

"You're the expert in this field, right?" he asked. "So, why don't you teach me how to be good in this field too? I'm very much willing to learn."

"But wholesome things only of course," dugtong niya kaagad.

"Wholesome," I mocked him. Bakit ba parang takot na takot siya sa mga hindi wholesome na bagay? Akala mo naman hindi pa kami nakakapag-sex. Lalaking 'to talaga.

That night he just asked me to give him some advices. Medyo nahihiya ako kasi wala lang... hindi ako makapaniwalang kinakausap niya talaga ako. Tapos parang ang comfortable niya pa na kausap ako, para bang close na close na kami kahit hindi naman.