Coldest War (War Series #2)

Chapter 16

#war2wp

Chapter 16

Blind

I wasn't a hopeless romantic. I loved hanging out as friends more than I like dating men---one of the reasons why one time, I was called a prude and a killjoy---which I didn't really mind because I didn't care about what people think of me.  

But I can like someone---especially when he is quiet or aloof. I didn't really know that I liked guys who are quiet. Ang unang naging boyfriend ko kasi, si Martin Liao, ay palakaibigan. Pati na ang sumunod kong boyfriend pagkatapos n'ya na si Cole, ganoon din. Napansin ko lang 'yon nang pumunta ako sa birthday ng kaibigan ng isa sa mga kaibigan ko sa ibang bansa.

"Hey, Rinnah! Come here!" One of my friends shouted from the other side of the room and I laughed because she definitely got everyone's attention.

Nagpa-alam ako sa mga kasama ko na nanonood ng beer pong. Some of them groaned when I said that I'd be leaving first and I laughed before I left.

Maingay ang lugar dahil sa tumutugtog na kanta. Amoy na amoy ang alak sa paligid at maingay ang tawanan sa kung saang parte ng bahay. Medyo dim ang lighting sa lugar. Maraming nandoon at ang iba ay hindi ko pa ka-batch sa high school. I bet that there are college students here too and probably some fraternity and sorority groups.

I was a seventeen-year-old girl at that time who wore a nice red bodycon dress my friends totally liked. I don't even know whose party it was. Dahil isinama ako ng isa sa mga kaibigan ay pumunta naman ako.

Bella, one of my friends was grinning from ear-to-ear while talking to this guy who wore a polo shirt for that house party. He was wearing a pair of glasses. Matangkad, maputi dahil may lahing banyaga, at may light brown na buhok. I immediately walked to them and smiled at everybody.

He's tall just like the usual American boy. Ang kaibahan lang, he isn't wearing a varsity jacket the usual jocks wear. 'Yon kasi ang madalas na hitsura ng mga sikat na lalaki sa university. I guess, he isn't one of the popular guys on campus, although I can see that he's cute.

"What's up?" I asked Bella.

Nakangisi si Bella sa akin at nakikita ko sa medyo pink n'ya nang mga pisngi na medyo may tama na rin s'ya. Medyo malalim na rin kasi ang gabi kaya hindi na nakakapagtaka. 

"This is Cray," inilahad ni Bella ang kamay n'ya sa nakasalaming lalaking katabi n'ya.

Tumango ako at tiningnan si Cray na mukhang unang beses lang din akong nakita dahil hindi n'ya maalis ang tingin sa'kin. Nang tumama ang tingin ko sa kan'ya, t'saka lang s'ya nahihiyang nag-iwas ng tingin pero ibinalik din naman kaagad sa'kin.

"Hey, how're you doin'?" I smiled at him.

Mukhang hindi n'ya inaasahan na kakausapin ko s'ya kaya napatingin s'ya sandali kay Bella bago ibinalik din kaagad sa'kin ang tingin.

"Good. I'm good," he smiled back. "How about you?"

"I'm good too. I'm Rinnah," pakilala ko.

"Yeah," he stuttered a bit. "Uhm. Nice to meet you."

Tumango ako at tumingin kay Bella para panlakihan s'ya ng kaunti ng mga mata dahil hindi ko na madugtungan ang sinabi dahil sa awkward na disposisyon ni Cray.

"Rinnah here, apparently, doesn't have a date," Bella insinuated and I laughed because I know what she's up to. Bella has been unsuccessfully setting me up with different guys for the past years kaya naman nasanay na ako sa mga pakulo n'ya. "So, how about you accompany her, uhm, Cray?"