Captured Heart Strings

04 - Your number?

"Sino kaya 'yon 'no?" tanong ni Hale sa'kin habang kumakain kami nila Larry sa canteen ng school.

"Hala!" biglang singit naman ni Larry "Baka secret admirer mo 'yon!" pang aasar pa ng kumag. Umiling na lang ako at nagpatuloy sa pagkain.

Kwinento ko sakanila yung tumawag sa akin kagabi, hindi ko maintindihan ang sinasabi nung lalaki sa kabilang linya kaya sa tingin ko ay lasing 'yon at nakapag dial lang ng wrong number. Pero ang nakakapagtaka doon ay bakit alam n'ya ang pangalan ng kuya ko.

Tapos na ang klase namin at magkikita kami ngayon ni Ken, dahil niyaya n'ya ulit ako. So I thought that today is the best day to tell him that I really need to end this thing about us.

Yes, I have decided, and hindi ko masunod yung advice ng kuya ko, wala 'e, duwag ako. At the same time I am really nervous, I don't know how to tell him in a good way but I'll just go with the flow.

Nagkita kami sa isang restaurant for dinner. Ang galing nga e, na-kumpleto na namin ang everyday meal for each date.

First date is nag breakfast kami, super aga no'n, early bird siya, athlete e. At nagsabay kami pumasok, pero may practice sila sa soccer kaya walang nakakita na classmates namin. The second date is nag lunch kami, half day kami no'n at nakita niya ko sa locker room na mag-isa, doon niya ko niyaya kumain. Third date is snacks, that time is nag ice cream kami.

And dinner today, ang dami niyang kwento, at napansin kong mas naging comfortable na nga kami sa isa't isa.

"Uh.. ano nga pala yung sasabihin mo?" tanong sa'kin ni Ken habang kumakain kami sa isang Korean restaurant. 

Shit muntik na ako mabulunan sa tanong niya, bakit kasi kung kailan kumakain pa kami saka itatanong 'yon, nakalimutan ko na nga 'e.

"Hey, are you okay?" he stopped eating and hand me a drink. "Here." 

"A-ah oo okay lang.. thank you," nagpunas ako ng bibig bago magsalita. "Uh.. here is the thing Ken.. I think we should.. Uh.. stop this." those last words faded, I gulped and looked down.

This is so rude of me.

Nang hindi siya magsalita ay tumingin ako sakanya. At doon ko nakita ang gulat na reaksyon n'ya.

"I.. I'm very sorry, I know ilang araw palang tayong lumalabas-" he cut me off.

"It's okay, Abby," he still managed to smile. "Let's eat first and then.. talk about that later." he calmly said and smiled to me.

"Thank you for understanding." I sadly smiled back. 

Natapos rin naman agad kami kumain at niyaya niya ko siya sa 3rd floor ng mall dahil doon mas kaunti ang tao.

Matagal lang kaming naka-upo sa bench. The silence was loud, until he asked.

"Why..?" he asked not looking at me.

"Lilipat na kami sa bahay ng lola ko.." I sadly smiled a little and looked at him.

He looked back at me and his brows furrowed. Confusion and sadness.. are all that I can see in his eyes.

"Kailangan 'e. After this school year aalis na rin ako.." I said as I look away. "Sorry." pahabol ko.

"Naiintindihan ko, Abby." he smiled a little. "But can I ask you a favor? For.. the last time." umayos s'ya ng upo at humarap sa'kin.

"Yeah sure. For the last.. time.." I looked at his eyes.

He chuckled. "Let's stop being emotional, it's not my thing." he shook his head and his chuckled turn into a laugh.