Chasing Fate [On-Going]

Chapter Nine

My knees buckled as I look at Nessa. I intended to stay late at Chaos' place para siguraduhing tulog na siya pag-uwi ko, but damn! Sinalubong pa niya ako sa sala!

"Gabi na, ba't gising ka pa?" I asked.

"Ha? 'Di ba nag-text ka sa akin na hintayin kita?"

My eyebrows furrowed. Wala akong naalalang nag-text ako sa kaniya. "Are you sure that's me?"

She nodded and showed me her phone. True enough, there was a message from my number. I'm sure I didn't text her!

"Chaos," I whispered under my breath.

"Ano 'yon?" she asked.

"Nothing. Sorry to keep you waiting. Inaantok ka na ba?"

"Medyo. Gabi na rin kasi."

"Next time, if I'm not home after ten, matulog ka na."

"Kahit mag-text kang hintayin kita?"

I nodded. "Get enough rest."

"Sige, good night, Jackson."

There's something about my name coming out of her mouth that made me happy. "Good night, Ness."

I went ahead to my room. I didn't bother taking a shower and went straight to bed. I stared at the ceiling thinking about what Chaos and I just talked about earlier.

I've only known Nessa for a few weeks. I don't think I have enough reasons to like her. I mean she's likeable and all, but damn I think I'm too fast.

"She's too good for you anyway," I whispered. That woman has dreams. At mukhang ayaw niya sa akin.

"Akala ko ba crush lang? Goddamn it, I'm too old for crushes!"

At my age, I'm ready to settle down. Pero 'tang ina, ni hindi ko nga sigurado si Nessa pero para na akong tanga kapag nasa paligid siya. It's like I want to impress her but always end up doing something weird or saying things that sound inappropriate towards her.

Ang hirap kasing basahin ni Nessa. Napaka-simple niya pero parang komplikado. Wala akong alam sa kaniya maliban sa mga bagay na nasabi na niya sa akin. Then something popped in my head. Sinabi noon ni Nanay Fe na gustong-gusto ng anak niya ang gardening!

I jolted from bed and sprinted to my backyard. Sinindi ko pa ang lahat ng ilaw para masigurong makita ko ang naiisip ko. At the far corner of my backyard, mayroong puwedeng gawing garden! Oh, and I could help her set up! Siguro magugustuhan niya 'yon.

I excitedly went back to my room and browsed the internet for some vegetables that are good for planting. Marami ang lumabas pero dahil limited lang ang space ko sa backyard, I decided to go to sleep but I set my alarm first.

THE NEXT day, I woke up at four AM, mas maaga pa kaysa sa alarm ko. I was planning to drive early, but since I woke up earlier, I decided to do a morning jog. Medyo malayo ang pupuntahan ko kaya nang makarating ako roon ay papasikat na ang araw.

I went to this place called Agrimall where they sell everything agriculture related. I bought some eggplant seeds. Bumili na rin ako ng tools na puwedeng gamitin and some fertilizers as well. Because I had no car and I couldn't' possibly carry all of these on my way home, I had it delivered. I jogged back home at nang makarating ako, nadatnan ko si Nessa sa labas ng gate hawak ang mga plastic bags.

"Good morning," bati ko at tumigil sa harapan niya.

"Magandang umaga rin. Ang aga mo yatang umalis?"

"Yeah went for a morning job."

"Wala pang pagkain," she said as she kontted the final bag of garbage.

"Pa-deliver na lang. Kagigising mo lang ba?"