Bits of Chemistry | ✓

Kabanata 33

Naisipan na nilang umuwi at at ihatid ako. Habang nasa biyahe kami ay iniisip ko kung paano ko kakausapin si Etienne. Euan was driving while Snyder was peering over me, katabi n'ya lang ako habang nakatitig sa akin na nagtitipa sa aking phone para kay Etienne. I was wondering how to craft my words so that it wouldn't sound desperate or offensive.

Lavy:

Panagutan mo ako or tulfo???

"What the fuck, Lavender?" Nangunot ang noo ni Snyder nang mabasa ang text ko para kay Etienne sana.

Ngumuso naman ako. "Parang joke lang e."

"Not a good time for jokes," Snyder scolded.

My heart was racing. Pinapakalma ko na nga lang ang sarili ko sa ganitong paraan ngunit di naman nito napipigilan ang puso kong halos tumatakbo rin sa sobrang lakas ng tibok.

Lavy:

Can we talk?

I waited for his reply. Napatingin ako sa orasan at kung sinusunod ni Etienne ang schedule n'ya kadalasan — it was his free time.

He would reply to me in a second. Gano'n naman kadalasan, hindi n'ya hinahayaan na hindi siya makapag-reply agad sa conversation namin, he would even call if he was a minute late. Yet when a minute has passed, I swallowed my pride and decided to text him again.

Lavy:

Etienne.

Still no replies. Umakyat na ang kaba sa aking dibdib. My fingers were trembling as I composed a set of words to at least make the atmosphere lighter than it is.

Lavy:

Press 1 kung buhay ka pa.

Lavy:

Haha ayaw mo ibig sabihin patay na patay ka talaga sa akin. 👍

Still none. Parang may bumabara sa aking lalamunan. My eyes stings too. C'Mon, Etienne. You wouldn't like me roasting you, right?

Kahit noong galit siya sa akin ay nag-re-reply siya. He would do anything to pester me off. Kaya habang lumilipas ang oras ay lalo akong namumutla.

May nangyari kaya sa kan'ya?

"Nag-reply na ba?" tanong ni Euan habang nakatingin sa traffic lights na ngayon ay kulay pula. "Dapat nag-sky way na lang pala ako! Tagal!"

Napalunok ako. "Hindi pa."

"Busy?"

"Etienne is never busy when it comes to Solstice." Snyder chimed in, napalingon sa akin. "Ngayon lang."

"Tawagan ko ba?" alok ni Euan at nilingon kami sa likod.

I was petrified on my seat when he threw that question to me. Hindi ko kasi alam kung ano ang magiging reaksyon ko sakaling sagutin 'yon ni Etienne. A part of me was hesitating but I also wanted to talk to him. Para matapos na ang pangamba ko.

I need him now, more than ever. We need him. . .

Euan sighed before dialing a number on his phone. Isang beses lang itong nag-ring.

"Hello?" Etienne answered Euan's call. My heart sank.

It took him one second to pulverised my heart. It didn't even need a paragraph to ruined me. . .