My Amusement Trail ( Alca Penguña Series #1 )

Chapter 19

-Klouie
Prefer

The entire award ceremony and photo shoot make me feel like I'm on cloud nine. Her words stayed with me forever, lingering freely like a bird that has at last discovered freedom.

It's strange, but I feel like I've come back to life. All of my hidden and physical emotions have come to the surface and have united into an unfathomably new kind of joy and admiration.

It's been years since I felt like being noticed by someone again. It simply struck me differently because today, somehow it is so strong, so certain, and so right to be deserving of the admiration I get from her. Although it's just a word, it has the potential to cause confusion and make me feel overwhelmed by the situation.

Just can't get over it. My heart is currently having it's congratulatory beats that only for her... she's slowly occupying the special space inside it.

Mapapatanong na lang talaga ako ngayon.

Like...

Crush pa ba ito? Bakit pakiramdam ko biglang lumalim? Bakit sobrang bilis mag give in ng sarili ko sa mga salita niya? I... I am unable to put words to this feeling I am experiencing. It's so confusing yet certain.

Basta isa lang ang alam ko. Hindi na 'to crush, hindi na talaga. Ang nararamdaman ko sa kanya ay gusto ng tumungo sa malamin na pwesto ng paghanga. Sumobra na sa paghakbang nang hindi ko namamalayan.

It would be different this time, right?

I sighed, erased the further questions from my head, and smiled. I was close enough to be content with simply observing her and proudly clapping my hand away from where she was. 

She is being presented with the game's MVP trophy. She forced herself to be courteous to the administrators and thank them, even though it appeared that she was so done receiving one that her expression didn't even alter. 

Tipid akong ngumiti, puno ng paghanga nang mabasa ko ang klase ng reaksyon na pinapakita niya ngayon. She definitely embodied the idea of someone who pushes away the things they truly deserve and who no longer recognizes their own accomplishments. 

And I understand her.

She's really something. I felt the impulse to explore every facet of her actions and the secret emotions that lay beneath her phony exterior.

"Here, bigay mo sa kanya." Inabot ni Shentel sa akin ang bouquet na pinabili ko rito kanina bago magsimula ang ceremony.

Sobrang bilis makarating at hinihingal pa siya sa harap ko.

"Mukha ba akong alila mo?"

I rolled my eyes. "Pwede ka ng makapasok sa Subdivision ko."

"Should I be happy? Ang sama ng ugali mo, binilhan na nga kita ng bagong kotse tapos uutusan mo pa ako bumili ng bulaklak." Reklamo niya.

"You tricked me, sino ang may kasalanan?" Masama ko siyang tiningnan.

"Bakit ka kasi nagiging impulsive mag-isip pagdating kay Atty. Lexy? My gosh!" Stress niyang singhap at tinulak na ulit ako. "Bigay mo na do'n baka maunahan ka na naman ng papansin niyang ex."

"Ay kailangan kong makipag-compete?" Kumunot ang noo ko rito.

Umismid siya dahil sa confident kong tanong.

"Kapag ikaw maunahan, durog ka."

"Edi mag budget kana para sa alak." Tugon ko at ngumisi. Hindi niya ako makapaniwalang tiningnan.

"Umamin nga pero pagong naman."

Bulong-bulong niya at tinulak na ako ulit para pumunta na sa pwesto ni Miss Attorney nang makababa ito sa mini stage ng court.