"Hindi pa ako pwedeng mag girlfriend..." bulong niya.
"'Yan din ang sabi mo sa inyo ni Chesca eh. Pati kay Diana. Edi... rejected nga ako."
Tumawa siya at halos idiin ang labi sa kamay niya, hinahalikan na iyon.
"Iba 'yon sa kanila. Iba 'to sa atin," he murmured.
What...
Kumurap ako. "Paanong iba?"
"May mga gusto ako na mangyari," he said meaningfully.
"Like?" I leaned closer so I could hear him more, but the truth is, I just wanted to close the gap.
"Kung nakapagtapos ako ng Grade Twelve at gusto mo pa rin ako... at kung malalim na ang nararamdaman ko sa'yo..." he stopped as he looked at me carefully.
"Uhm, tayo na?" I interjected.
He barked with a low chuckle.
"Basta mag-aral muna tayo," namamaos ang tinig niya.
"Nag-aaral naman tayo."
"I mean, huwag mo muna akong i-distract."
My heart pounded. It was those words... those meaningful words...
"M-Merong relationship na... ano... 'yung... pwedeng... isabay?"
Kita ko ang pag-iisip niya. Tiningnan niya ako ngunit agaran ding umiling.
"Hindi eh. Parang di ko kaya."
"Why?" I frowned.
"Ang ganda ganda mo. Mababaliw lang ako kakaisip sa'yo pag girlfriend kita." There was a playfulness in his tone while his lips were stretching for a smile.
"And what's wrong with that? I am your girlfriend, and it's okay." I frowned more.
"And it's okay," he mimicked my words dramatically, his head moving and his voice sharpening as he taunted me. "Hindi nga okay," now he sounded so rough and thick.
"Bakit nga?" pilit ko.
He buried his face again in his forearm. I can see his thick brows furrowing. His chest was heaving, as if he were having a hard time.
"Basta..."
Napatingin ako sa mga tainga niyang namumula at sa kanyang buhok. I curiously brought my hand into his hair and touched it. His hand captured my pulse, but he didn't pull it away. He lets me play with his soft hair.
"I want to know..." masuyo kong sabi.
"Hirap nga akong bumili minsan ng tokneneng tapos mamomroblema pa ba ako sa pangload ko para makausap lang kita?" There's a bitterness in his tone as his fingers slowly crawl into my palm, completely slipping it into the corners of my fingers.
"Then I'll come here!" agap ko.
"Baka pagbintangan pa ako ni Mama na ginayuma kita. T-Tsinilasin ako no'n." He laughed a little, still burying his face against his forearm.
"Pag may trabaho na ako. Wala akong pang date. Ayokong ihingi 'yon kay Mama..." he said quietly and rested our hands on his leg.
"Edi... saan galing 'yung... bulaklak?"
"Pinagtrabahuan ko 'yon sa shop na tinatrabahuan ni Drystan. Ayaw ni Mama kasi gusto niya, pokus ako sa pag-aaral. Sabi ko nga, kaya ko namang ipagsabay pero ayaw niya. Nanglalabada 'yon at nagtitinda ng kung ano para lang may pangbigay ng baon sakin."
Natahimik ako. Umahon ang ulo niya at bahagyang sinilip ang ekspresyon ko.
"Ayos lang 'yon. Gano'n talaga ang buhay namin. Kaya nga magtatapos ako. Maiiahon ko rin si Mama. Matutulungan ko rin siya," he smirked confidently.
Chapter 13
Start from the beginning
