I'm Getting Older While He's Not (Unconditional Love Trilogy #1)

Kabanata 1: Ang Paglalapit

"Because I've waiting for you, wait for this.
Dream to come true, just to be with you"
-Mayonnaise

*****

I rolled my eyes when I noticed a guy staring at me. He looked like a complete fool, nakatayo na parang timang habang nakatitig sa akin. Almost every student around was busy with their own lives. Some were still in class, trapped by professors who could talk endlessly with their past experiences, while others were eating as they waited for the gates to open. And I couldn’t understand why this guy’s stare was so intense when everyone else seemed too wrapped up in their own business.

Mukha ba akong kawawa?

I'm now standing near the campus' main gate. I've been sitting here for almost thirty minutes, dito sa batibot, which is parang waiting area na rin namin kapag uwian.

My brows are practically touching in frustration since the gate is taking forever to open, and the heat only makes it worse. I keep pacing back and forth between the main gate and the second gate, checking if it’s finally open, but wala. Laging Malas. Napapagod lang ako kakabalik.

“Kuya guard, 4:30 na. Open mo na 'yong gate!” narinig kong sigaw ng mga junior high school students sa likod na— tulad ko, mukhang irita na rin dahil sa init.

Because of that, I immediately glanced at my phone to check if it was really 4:30. But I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw that it was only 4:15 pa lang. Mga loko-lokong bata!

In an instant, the guy who was staring at me lately stepped closer to me, walking with such arrogance as if he owned the place. His smirk and the way he looked at me were infuriating, making me feel like wiping that smug expression right off his face.

“Hey, I’m Clyne. Nice to meet you!” even his tone dripped with confidence, as if he could have me with just a snap of his fingers.

Tinignan ko siya na parang wala akong pake sa presence niya sabay balik ang tingin sa gate.

“You looked like my ex. Can have we date?” after he said that, a slow, smug smirk spread across his lips. I looked at him, both annoyed and a little shocked, my brows furrowing in disbelief. Taking a steady breath, I slowly raised my hand and flashed him my middle finger.

I won’t ever let myself be his rebound. I know my worth too well for that. I refuse to be someone’s backup just because I remind them of their past love. Besides, I have no desire to date a guy like him. I’m not naïve enough to ignore the warning signs. Early red flags are already a sign.

“Hindi ka pa ready?” hirit niya. “If ayaw mo, fubu na lang tayo? Maraming babaeng tulad mo na mabilis mahulog sa guy na like me.”

Hindi ko siya pinansin.

“You should be proud. Sa daming babae na narito. You are the winner. Nakakairita nga ang iba. Ang dumi manuot ng damit. Labas dibdib. And your fits got my attention. I love conservative one.”

Biglang kumulo ang dugo ko sa narinig. Tumingin ako sa kaniya na parang ubos na ang pasensiya.

“If you think it’s so easy for you to get women just because of your looks, please, have some compassion for them. I'm not misogynistic enough to judge the women who fall for you so quickly. I can’t help but wonder what your parents taught to your sister, “magdamit siya ng maayos para hindi mabastos,” habang ikaw na lalaki, wala. It’s sad that it’s the women who are being lectured by your parents at hindi ikaw na dapat pigilan ang libido ang rumespeto.”