First Fall of Snow

CHAPTER 10 - Hide and Seek

CHAPTER 10

DUSTIN'S POV

After the Year-End party, I'm just staying at home and enjoying my Christmas vacation alone. I haven't made any plans yet whether to go on a vacation trip alone or to go with my family to Japan. I've been to Japan several times already, so I don't feel like going back there. I'll just stay at home for now. And I'm happy even if I'm alone. Nothing to worry about naman. And to keep myself from getting bored, I decided to practice cooking, and tomorrow, ewan ko kung ano na namang gagawin ko. Now I am enjoying preparing the ingredients, but not until my phone rang and I saw that Nicky had texted me.

"Let's meet up, bro." I read his message and was about to reply when another message came from him. "Circle Plaza. 9:00 am. We just need to talk for a bit."

Hindi na ako nag-reply pa and I just called Manang to finish what I am cooking. It's almost 9:00 na rin kaya I need to go. And I guess, I already know what we're going to talk about. Tsk! Kailangan niya ring magpaliwanag sa akin. Sana masagot niya lang ako ng tama.

When I arrived here at Circle Plaza, I looked for a parking area first before I went to him. He was sitting on the bench habang nakatitig lang sa kawalan. I sighed and then diretso akong umupo sa tabi niya. Hindi pa siya nagsalita kaagad at narinig ko lang na bumuntong-hininga siya.

"Nakauwi ba siya ng maayos?" panimulang tanong niya at alam ko na kung sino ang kanyang tinutukoy.
Tumango lang ako bilang sagot at narinig ko na namang bumuntog-hininga siya sa pangalawang beses. "Okay lang ba siya?" he asked again, causing me to furrow my brow.

"Why don't you ask her personally?" tanong ko rin at hindi na siya umimik. "You need to explain to her kung bakit mo iyon nagawa."

"She's not responding my texts and calls," sagot niya at napasinghal ako sa sinabi niyang iyon.

"What do you expect? She'll still talk to you after she saw you kissing someone else? Knowing that you're courting her?" I sarcastically said, and he glanced at me. "Sige, sabihin mo sa akin kung sino ba ang babaeng iyon?" hamon ko sa kanya.

"Si Zoey iyon," sagot niya kasabay ang isang malalim na buntong-hininga.

"Your ex?" pagklaro ko and he nodded. I just sighed at his answer. Knowing that he was desperate before na makipagbalikan kay Zoey, and now, parang nangyari na nga. And I don't know if he just used Snow to forget Zoey.

"Anong gagawin ko, bro?" aniya na parang hindi talaga alam ang gagawin. You're such a jerk, bro!

"Just say sorry and don't bother her anymore," sabi ko at parang nagulat pa siya. "Focus on your relationship with Zoey at huwag mo nang guluhin pa si Snow," dugtong ko pa.

"But, bro-"

"You're not even together, yet you've already hurt her. And I can't tolerate what you did. Hindi nakakalalaki," sabi ko saka tumayo. "I'll go ahead. I still have something to do," paalam ko saka humakbang na paalis.

"Pupuntahan ko siya ngayon. Hihingi ako ng sorry!" pahabol na sigaw pa niya at tinaasan ko lang siya ng kamay senyales na bahala na siya kung anong gagawin niya.