Splintered Heart (Eastwood University Series #1) ✔️

Chapter 22

"Then, start at the bottom?" I jokingly said to ease his nervousness ngunit bigo akong magawa iyon, sa halip ay lalo lang itong nabalisa at namula.

He cleared his throat.

"I've been wanting to t-tell you this ever since the semester started but I don't have the guts to tell you kasi pinangungunahan ako ng h-hiya..." Hindi makatingin na saad nito at huminga ng malalim. He is starting to clench his fist. Hindi naman ako nagsalita at nakinig lang.

"I like you."

Napanganga ako sa sinabi nito at hindi makapaniwala na tumingin dito. Is he for real? Pagkatapos niyang gawin sa akin ang nangyari last week, magc-confess siya?! Are you kidding me?

"I know, it's unbelievable but, yeah, I already like you since we're in high school. I just don't have the guts to tell—"

"Wait lang," pagtigil ko dito at huminga ng malalim, trying to calm myself. Hindi ko kinakaya! Kaka-confess ko lang last week, may ganito na naman!

"Was I too straightforward? Did I scare you?" Mabilis na saad nito habang sinusubukan na hanapin ang mga mata ko ngunit iniiwasan ko ang mga tingin nito at pilit pinapakalma ang sarili.

"You're not believing me, aren't you? Well, I can court you. I will ask permission to your parents and—"

"Kale, sandali lang..." Pagpigil ko dito kaya tumingin siya sa akin, naghihintay ng aking sasabihin kaya napahinga ako ng malalim. "I'm sorry to say this but I don't want you to court me."

I looked directly into his eyes and I saw how he gritted his teeth and clenched his jaw. Natigilan ako at kinakabahan na iniwas ang tingin sa kaniya. Nandito na naman yung nakakatakot na aura niya katulad ng last week na encounter namin.

"What? Is it about what happened last week?" Naguguluhan na saad nito habang nakakunot na ang noo. His eyes started to scared me. Parang 'yung state niya last week na nakakatakot ay parang bumalik ngayon as he started to walk towards me, slowly, with heavy footsteps. Napapaatras na lang ako sa takot na nararamdaman.

"I already apologize, didn't I? What do you want me to do, huh?" Mahinang saad nito habang madilim na ang mukha at lumalapit sa akin. I looked at him, terrified while walking backwards just to be away from him.

Ngumiti ito, "I thought you like me too. You show some signs—"

"What signs?" Naguguluhan kong tanong. I am so sure that all of my actions towards him are very platonic and vice versa. He also treats me as that which I thought is also platonic. Pareho niya lang namin kaming ituring ni Dione pati.

"That you care for me—"

"That's because we are friends, Kale. I did that because we're friends!" Hindi ko na napigilan kundi ay taasan siya ng boses dahil sa frustration at takot na nararamdaman habang kasama siya.

Natahimik kaming dalawa after my outburst. He was looking sideways while I was looking at him, waiting for what he's going to say.

Hanggang sa hindi na nga ito nagsalita kaya ako na ang nagsalita para matapos na kami dito. Sobrang takot na ang nararamdaman ko habang kausap siya.

"You can't just court me without my permission, Kale," mariin kong saad, meeting his gaze but still walking backwards. He clenched his jaw and looked away. Tumigil na rin ito papalapit sa akin.

Napahinga ito ng malalim bago galit akong tiningnan. I almost flinched because of that.

"That's why I'm asking for your permission!" Sigaw nito kaya lalong kumabog ang aking dibdib sa kaba.

"And I said no, Kale!" Sigaw ko din, hindi na makapagpigil. Natigilan ito at nalilitong tumingin sa akin. Tinitigan ko ito ng mariin. Bumukas-sara ang bibig nito. Maya maya ay yumuko ito at namulsa.