All I Want (Capture Series 1)

Ten

"Did I wake you up?"

He put both of his hands inside the pocket of his sweatpants. Napakurap-kurap ako para maibsan ang pagkabigla. Akala ko kasi si Kuya Noah ang nasa harap ko kanina. Anino lang ng lalaking nakahood ang kita ko kaya hindi ko naisip na si Kuya Theo pala iyon. Medyo pareho rin kasi sila ng build ng katawan ni Kuya Noah.

"Ah...no. Naalipungatan ako. I-I was actually waiting for you." I said directly.

Kanina pa ako nag-aantay sa kaniya, magpapaligoy-ligoy pa ba ako? My months of searching for him taught me to prepare myself and not be so nervous about him. The fun I had while playing frisbee with him and when he saved me, that made me erased the thought I had about him... that maybe he's a danger to me. Obviously not.

I saw his adam's apple moved after he swallowed. He bit his lower lip and scratched the tail of his right eyebrow using his index finger.

"You need something?" he asked with his low voice, looking down.

I was kind of taken aback by how distant his voice was. I don't know if it's just me or he really gave me a cold treatment just now.

I shook my head. "Wala naman po. I just want to say thank you... for saving me last time."

Heat crawled up my face when I suddenly remembered how he saved me. Noong nandoon ako sa situation na 'yon, parang wala lang sa akin dahil ang importante ay nabuhay niya ako pero ngayon na buwan na ang nakalipas, naiilang na ako. Sa dalawang buwan naming hindi pagkikita, naisip ko na 'yon pero iba pala ang impact kapag nasa harap na siya. I tried to push the thought away. What important is that he saved me, right? That's it.

Fudge. He's my first...

Really? Really, Oli? Ngayon mo pa talaga naisip yan? Napa-iwas ako ng tingin sa kanya. Okay. Maybe napaghandaan ko ang pagkikita namin ulit para makapagpasalamat ako pero hindi sa aspect na 'to.

"Okay." he said.

"Okay." I repeated. "Was there anything I can d—"

"Do you want ramen?"

Binalik ko ang tingin ko sa kaniya dahil sa biglaan niyang alok ng pagkain. Tinaas ko ang dalawang kilay ko, asking what he meant by that.

"I'm cooking ramen. Gusto mo?" alok niya ulit.

Now that he mentioned it, there's actually a faint smell of food coming from the kitchen. Agad kumulo ang tiyan ko sa sinabi niya. I gave him a small smile then nodded.

"Let's go." he tilted his head toward the direction of the kitchen before turning his back and walked towards it.

Huminga ako nang malalim at nilagay ang cellphone ko sa bulsa ng sweatpants ko bago sumunod sa kaniya. Pagpasok pa lang ng kusina ay tsaka ko naamoy ang kabuohang bango ng niluluto niya. Noong sinabi niya kanina na nagluluto siya ng ramen, akala ko ay instant noodles lang pero hindi pala ako. My jaw dropped when I saw him dropped fresh ingredients inside a pot.

"Wow. You can cook." I said unconsciously.

Lumingon siya sa akin bago tumango. Nilapag niya sa lababo ang mga pinaggamitan niyang mangkok bago bumalik sa niluluto niya. Umupo ako sa high chair malapit sa counter at pinanood siya sa ginagawa niya.

"Dad taught me how." he suddenly said.

"Ang galing. That's the first time I heard na mas superior ang guy sa pagluluto. Mas magaling kasing magluto si Mommy kesa kay...Kuya." I was about to say the other man in my life but decided against it.

Lumingon siya sa akin nang seryoso. Nilapag niya ang sandok bago binigay ang buong atensiyon sa akin. He crossed his arms.

"Do you know how to cook?" he asked.