Tangled Hearts [On-Going - Slow Update]

CHAPTER 15

Minutes past midnight, I'm still rolling back and forth in my bed as I read Dylan's replies to my texts. It's been days—or should I say, nights—since the night we exchanged numbers. He sent me home that night with his car, and had an interesting chat with him. He's far from how CJ described him; Dylan seems nice. Aside from his long hair, being tall, and one of the smartest, he's a good guy.

In fact, it'll be so soon I'll find myself hanging out with him, more than just friends.

But, about CJ, I haven't heard of him since that night.

To: Dylan
Antok na ako. Good night. :)
Sent 12:15am

Dylan
Sige. Good night rin. Sweet dreams ;)
Sent 12:16am

The next day, I was kind of busy reviewing all these scholarship grants in my emails, until Mama knocked on my door. "Nak, may gustong kumausap sa'yo."

CJ showed up, but it was unusual that he came in a casual fit. Mama left us, closing the door as he approached my bed and took a seat.

"Busy ka?" he asked so casually, as if we never fought at the party.

"Busy," a straight to the point answer coming from me.

"Aayain sana kitang gumala—"

"How about your friends?"

"Busy rin sila."

"Then find someone to go with you," I said.

"Gusto lang naman kita makasama dahil aalis na kami," he added, which bothered me instantly.

I turned to him, somehow in disbelief. "Kailan?"

"Bukas," he smiled, trying to cheer me up, but doesn't help either. "Doon na kami sa Cebu titira. Kaya, gusto kong gala muna tayo bago kami umalis."

The next thing I knew, we're in a taxi cab, sitting beside each other at the back seats. Just like our usual set-up, I'd be just looking out the window quietly. In my peripheral view, he was just chatting on his phone.

We drove on the uphill outskirts of the city, away from the concrete jungle of soaring buildings and busy streets. I put on my earphones and slept instead.

When I woke up, I checked my watch and it's already been hours since we left the city. At first, I didn't have much idea where we were heading to, until I started seeing some colorful banderitas hanging over the streets. It took us a while before we finally pulled over, just in front of the entrance to the festival grounds in the town.

"Asan ba tayo?" I asked, while fixing my shirt.

"Kaamulan," he casually said.

"HAH?" I gasped in shock. "Gago ka ba? Ba't andito tayo? Eto ba pinaalam mo kina Mama?!"

There, he did it again—his usual habit of putting his arm over my shoulders. "Sssh, pasok na tayo! Libre ko naman lahat," he babbled.

"It doesn't matter kung libre mo man o hindi! You didn't inform me kung saan tayo papunta, tapos paggising ko, andito na tayo?!"

"Pwede kumalma ka saglit? Ang taas-taas ng boses mo. Tinitignan ka na nila..."

The whole time we were walking along an alley between these kawayan-made food stalls, I was complaining why he chose to bring me here without my knowing. This place was just too far, and the fact he just took a taxi was so insane of him.

"Dalawang tanghulu nga po," he suddenly asked a vendor in the middle of our conversation. "Ang ingay-ingay po kasi ng kasama ko. Mukhang gutom na."

"Excuse me?!"