Helveryst Series #2 : The Cassanova and The Hater

Chapter 23 - Avoiding Him

"Pansin ko na parang gusto mo ng mga hard drinks. Who taught you to drink? Hindi ka siguro nagpapigil sa Mama mong uminom 'no?"

Damn! He's so talkative!

"I started to drink after graduating highschool. Marami lang akong pinagdaanan no'n kaya natuto akong uminom at manigarilyo. No one could stop me from doing what I what, not even Alina. 'Wag ka na ngang magtanong." Inis akong tumayo at naglakad-lakad para makapagpahangin.

His questions were suffocating me and I don't feel like answering those. Wala akong gustong pag-usapan tungkol sa mga bagay na matagal ko nang kinalimutan. I might beat him up while telling him the reason.

"Wuy! Sorry na! Hindi ko naman napigilang itanong pero titigil na ako. Just talk to me. Magmumukha akong baliw dito, eh." He keeps on following me wherever I go.

Bigla akong huminto at lumingon sa kanya kaya halos magkadikit na lang ang mukha namin. Just one wrong move and he'll going to kiss me. Pero bago pa man mangyari 'yon ay ako na mismo ang umatras at lumayo sa kanya. He was stiffened a bit and gulped for so many times. Ni hindi ko na nga mabilang kung pang-ilan na at may laway pa ba siyang malulunok.

"Keep a distance from me. I don't like being near with guys especially to you. So if you want to be with me for this night, obey my words." Nagpatuloy ako sa paglakad-lakad at ramdam ko pa ring nakasunod siya sa'kin.

He didn't talk anymore maybe because of what happened earlier. Wala rin naman akong plano na mag-open up ng topic dahil bukod sa hindi ako pala-kwento ay hindi ko rin ugaling mag-first move. Like duh?! He's the one who brought me here so he should say something involving this place where we are. Nakakabingi talaga ang katahimikan kaya naiinis ako.

I stopped walking and turn around to face him."Ano? Are you going to follow me until death do us part?"

"Hindi ba vow 'yon sa kasal? Uh...k-kase...bakit mo sinabi ang line na 'yon?" He immediately looked away, obviously avoiding my eyes.

Pagak naman akong natawa nang mapansin ang pamumula ng tenga niya."At bakit mo naman naisip kaagad 'yon, aber? Why aren't you talking, huh? Biglaang pagkapipi ba ang nangyari sa'yo?!"

"Baka kase nakukulitan ka na sa'kin o baka naririndi ka na sa boses ko. But honestly, I badly want to spend the whole night talking with you. Para kaseng nakakagaan sa pakiramdam na hindi ko alam. It's a strange feeling for me maybe because I'm with the girl I like."

Matagal niya akong tinitigan na para bang binabasa ang reaksyon ko. In the end, I turned my back on him because I couldn't resist his eyes staring differently on me. 'Yon bang tingin na parang ngayon lang siya sumaya. But that eyes...I could see the same emotion before. Gano'n na gano'n ang reaksiyon ng mga mata na niloko lang pala ako.

"Makinig ka sa sasabihin ko. I don't know if you're just playing with me or what. Pero kung totoong gusto mo talaga ako, maghanap ka na lang ng mga bagay na paglilibangan mo. You can see someone or date some other girls as much as you want. Doon mo mapapatunayan na pansamantalang atraksyon lang ang nararamdaman mo para sa'kin," I said in a monotone voice.

Sumulpot siya sa harapan ko na nakakunot ang noo."Alam kong hindi kapani-paniwala pero sa maikling panahon na nakakasama kita, nahulog kaagad ang loob ko sa'yo. I have this feeling that something's different on you that no one has. Ikaw kase 'yong klase ng babaeng imbis na mahulog sa mga salitang binibitawan ko, sasampalin lang ako sa mumurahin. I like you because you're the only girl that could do this to me so please don't push me away."

I could see the determination and plead on his eyes but I stopped myself. I know on myself that I could never forgive someone again...never. Tama na ang mga pinagdaanan ko at ayoko nang madagdagan pa 'yon. Being fooled hurts like hell and I don't want to experience it again.