Later Than Never

05

24/7 Heaven

"May pinaggamitan ang mga kasambahay, Zender. May laman pa 'ata." Saad ni Teresita. "Sino bang nanghihiram?"

Zender followed her inside. Sumunod na rin ako papasok sa dining room. Medyo nanghihina pa aking tuhod dahil sa nangyari. One; It's because I stretched my legs enough for that damn cooler. Two; Because of Zender. No explanations. Just him, and him alone. How his words make me feel out of breath. And weakened my knees, too.

Siya ang dahilan ng lahat.

Umupo muna ako saglit sa lamesa, at pinanood ang dalawa na magkaintindihan.

"Si Ma'am Vanessa po." Sagot niya.

Tumingin siya sa akin pagkatapos. Walang pag aalinlangan binigay ni Teresita ang kaldero kay Zender. Of course, she would. It's Tita Vane who's borrowing. Ayaw naman nila sigurong makakita ng taong naghihisterikal.

I lifted my brow when Zender came in front of me. "Here. Tulungan mo ako."

Agad niyang itong binigay sa akin. Ni wala akong oras para maghanda. I slowly grunted. "Why it's heavy?"

"It has food inside. Ibibigay na lang daw sa kabila para hindi masayang."

"Ano bang ganap? Why is there a sudden fuss about this...thing?" Lito kong sabi. Hindi na rin alam ang sasabihin.

I came here unannounced. Kaya nalilito rin ako sa mga biglaang pangyayari. Uunahan ko na, I'm not assuming that they preparing something for me. i kinda don't like parties. I grew up in a very strict household. Umabot sa punto na hindi ako nakalikha ng sarili kong kagustuhan. I can't even have my own preferences and opinions. I grew up not liking parties not because I don't like them, but because I learned not to like them.

Zender replied. "That's why you should go out often. You'll know it when you get there."

Now, I'm assuming.

Nagmistulan siyang bomba. He just announced a possible welcome party for me, I guess. Paglabas namin ng mansyon ay nagsimulang tumakbo ang oras. What could it be? Will the bomb would explode to a happy celebration? O, baka false alarm lang na nagdulot ng kaba sa puso ko?

Bigla siyang nagsimula ng konbersasyon. "So...do you also graduated?" 

Nakuha ako ng kanyang tanong. Alam niya naman siguro ang sagot.

"Nope." Maikling tugon ko.

But I hope so...

Kasalukuyan kaming magkatabing naglalakad sa pathway. I can see his chest clenching so hard. Kitang-kita sa kanyang reaksyon na gusto niyang humaba ang aming pag-uusap. His tongue is wandering inside his mouth. Mukhang nakasanayan niya na dahil laging kong nakikita na kanyang ginagawa.