Take Me Home (City Series #4)

Chapter Thirty-Two

L

"Oh, napa-aga ata uwi mo ng Baguio, Shobe?" Hikab ni Ahia. "Buti 'di pa kami tapos nung nag-text ka."

"'Di ka pa umuuwi, Ahia?" tanong ko.

"Hindi." He giggled. "Sasabihin ko sinundo pa kasi kita sa bus station."

"Ginamit mo pa ako." I forced a laugh.

"Shobe, namamaga ata mata mo?" tanong niya. "May nangyari sa Manila?"

Umiling ako. I scoffed as if it was no big deal.

"Wala, Kuys."

"Sure ka?"

I nodded.

He didn't seem to be convinced, but started the car anyway. He didn't press on the topic, either.

Once we got home, gising pa si Kuya Gabe dahil kasama niya pa si Liam na nag-lalaro ng Play Station. Siguro naka-takas nanaman si Liam kina mommy at nakakalaro siya ng ganitong oras. Si Kuya Gabe rin naman kasi mahina kapag si Liam ang humingi. Palaging umo-oo.

I glanced at Kuya Gabe who gave me a small smile.

Tinignan ko nang maigi si Kuya. Mabait naman si kuya, eh. Matalino. He was once a close brother to me.

Paano mo kinaya, Ate Pau?

Namuo ulit ang luha ko kaya naman dumiretso na ako paakyat ng hagdan at sa kwarto ko. I took a shower—a really really long shower.

Maybe because in the shower I don't notice myself crying.

Maybe because in there, I can lie to myself and tell myself that it's just water falling on my face. That it's not Z causing it. It's not his actions. It's the water from my showerhead.

Maybe lying to myself is now my only source of comfort.

I went back to bed after drying myself off and wearing a fresh set of pajamas, trying my best to sleep.

Pero mas mahirap pala matulog kapag ang gusto mo nalang gawin ay sumigaw.

"Uy! Your shoes!" I grinned proudly as I eyed the shoes I gave him. "Ganda naman."

"Ganda nung nag-bigay, eh."

My smile got wider. "Araw-araw mo ba akong haharutin? Baka mag-sawa ka niyan."

"Haharutin. Papakiligin. Jojowain. Mamahalin. Pagsisilbihan. Iiyakan. Ano pa, Chen? You name it."

Kinagat ko ang labi ko habang inaalala kung gaano ka-dali noon. How easy everything else was when we were still in high school, just a couple of kids sneaking around, trying not to get caught by my mom whenever we'd stay up too late on the phone.

"You know what's not fair? The way you're on my mind every single day," he said. "The way I wanna hold your hand every time we're walking next to each other. The way I wish I could tell other boys off when they look at you a different way."

I licked my lips and suppressed a smile.

"It's not fair because it's killing me, Ellie." He sighed and looked at me. "I want to make you my girlfriend. Forever. So if I gotta court you for the rest of my life? That's absolutely fine with me."

I held the necklace he got for me on our fifth month. An initial of his name. I've never taken it off because I've never felt the need to do so..

And I don't want to remove it just yet.

Hindi pa ngayon.

Hindi ko pa kaya.

"Ouch.. ouch!"