Between the Rainbow (Strawberries and Cigarettes Series #1)

Chapter 24

Hard

"Where do you want to eat?" I asked, this time, a bit confident to converse with him.

"Sa unit nalang total wala na akong subject. Ikaw?"

Umiling ako. "Last na 'yon. Akala ko may klase ka pa. You didn't reply."

"Wala akong load."

Oh...

I opened my phone and clicked on an app so I could give him a load good for a month. Ilang sandali lang, tumunog na ang phone niya.

"We'll text."

Tiningnan niya iyon at tumango. Shit. He really approves of it.

"Sa condo nalang tayo. Magluto ka," he said while manipulating his phone.

He wasn't comfortable eating outside? Or... he wanted to see me cooking? But still, I nodded.

Sunod sunod na ang text sa akin ng mga boys, pinaghahanap ako. Shiloh was now texting too.

"May swimming party daw mamaya kila Angela," aniya. "Advance birthday celebration niya daw."

I nodded again. I know about that since the girls were so loud about it talking about games and bikinis.

"Pupunta ka?" tanong ko.

Tumango agad siya. I could sense that he looked excited. Ngumuso ako. I really need to calm my shit every time we're in public places so I won't ruin his mood. Nasira ko pa naman 'yung birthday niya...

Pagdating sa condo, ang agad kong inasikaso ay makapagluto. He changed his clothes while I didn't waste my time since he might be starving now.

Ang nakalapag kong phone sa sink ay nagbeep. Tumingin ako sa screen at nakitang nakabalandra ang text ni Shila roon.

Shila:

Nasa circles mo lang?

She noticed? Sabagay... nagmamadali ako kanina. I wiped my hand on the white towel and typed a reply.

Ako:

Yup

Lumabas ang ulo ni Shiloh sa kwuarto niya at sumilip sa table.

"Oh shit. Sorry..." agap ko at mabilis na inilapag pabalik ang phone at binaliktad ang niluluto ko.

Lumapit siya at kuryosong tumingin sa ginagawa ko. He was near me while his hands were behind him, his eyes looking at the buttered chicken.

My phone beeped. At dahil nasa gilid lang iyon, sabay na bumaling ang ulo namin.

Shila's name popped out. Natigilan ako.

Shila:

Knew it hahahaha

"She's just trying to confirm something," agap ko.

"Nagtetext pa rin kayo?" Maingat ang pagkakatanong niya.

Umiling agad ako. "Huli na 'yung..."

"Pero nagtext siya," agap niya, tila ba nahuli niya akong nagsisinungaling.

"She just..." I licked my lower lip. Damn it.

Tumango siya at nag-aamba nang umalis. Not so fast...

I grabbed his waist until he came back and leaned against the sink, his eyes widening a bit. Kinuha ko ang aking phone at itinipa ang aking password. I clicked Shila's text and showed him our convo.

"Our last text were during... those days... I didn't... told you about my feelings yet. Pero noong sinabi kong popormahan kita, hindi na ako nakikipagtext sa iba. Here. I just replied at her text because I felt like she's just asking about the person I like..."