Always Have Been, Always Will Be

20

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Chapter 20

Talk

"Parating na ba sila?" Thaianara nervously asked as she was checking her phone for our friends' messages.

Binalingan ko siya galing sa pagsusuri ng mga pictures na kinuha ko sa aking digital camera habang nakaupo sa isang stall. Bakas sa mukha niya ang pagkaproblemado habang hindi mapakali sa kaniyang inuupuan sa harap ko.

"You need to chill, Thai. They're coming any time soon and you're going to make them worried with that look on your face," I commented and directed my eyes back to my camera again. "Mayroon ka pang ilang minuto para kumalma, baka na-traffic pa sila."

We were in South Point, SM City, waiting for our friends to arrive for a very important announcement Thaianara and I agreed on telling everyone.

After I returned the favor and asked Thaianara about Amara, she eventually came out to me. She said it was what she was planning to tell me anyway that day she took me out to eat batchoy. I also kind of felt bad that I prompted her to say it when she was trying to brush it off, but to my defense, she was the one who bombarded me with questions about a particular person. Mas malala nga yung sa kaniya kasi inisa-isa niya pa talaga ang lahat na napansin niya sa amin.

Nevertheless, we agreed to not tell Tita Nara for now—it was our little secret, considering na pareho kaming dalawa na bago pa sa pagtutuklas ng aming sarili at hindi pa kami handa magsabi sa ibang tao. Besides, it wasn't like we owed everyone an explanation of what our sexuality was. Pinili naming lumabas muna sa mga kaibigan namin tutal karamihan sa kanila ay queer din.

Still, knowing that Thaianara and I were on the same page, it kind of felt comforting knowing that...someway somehow, we had each other to relate to.

"Si Euclid ba 'yon?"

Thaianara craned her neck from her seat and saw Euclid entering the area, scanning the whole space until his eyes went to us. He immediately beamed and started walking towards our direction. Everyone's head simultaneously turned and followed Euclid's back as he was coming near, like a magnet of attraction.

"Mag-isa ka lang?" Tanong ko nang makalapit na siya.

He smiled sweetly and took a sip of his iced caramel macchiato.

"Yeah. Hindi ako sumabay kila Kaia kasi may humatid na sa akin." He tucked a strand of hair behind his ear as his natural blush became even more evident.

Napasinghap si Thaianara. "Kaya pala ang laki-laki ng ngiti mo ngayon, ah? Sino na naman ba 'yang lalake mo?"

Mabilis siyang binalingan ni Euclid at kinunotan ng noo. "Grabe ka naman sa 'kin. Naging loyal na ako, 'no...simula nung makilala ko siya."

"Ulol!"

Nagtawanan silang dalawa nang umupo na rin si Euclid sa tabi ko. Bigla namang nawala yung kaba ni Thaianara nang nagsimula na silang magkuwentuhan ni Euclid.

Euclid was blabbering about his short vacation. Sabay-sabay silang naghihiyawan ni Thaianara kapag may binabanggit si Euclid na nakakaintriga na pangyayari. Tahimik ko lang silang inoobserbahan at napapasabay na lang din sa tawa kapag may nakakatawang sinasabi silang dalawa.