Chasing Boundaries (Parallel Rhythms Series 1)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Hindi ba uso ang pagkatok sa'yo?" may bahid ng inis sa boses na iyon ni Archein.

My heart was still palpitating. Shit, what just happened? I just wanted to hide my prolly crimson face. Hindi ako makatingin nang diretso kay Brent o maging kay Archein.

We almost... kissed. Or was it really what he was going to do. I don't want to assume too much but...

"I was about to knock, but I noticed that the door was unlocked." Brent's expression calmed down. Bumaling siya sa akin kaya't agad akong yumuko upang itago ang namumula kong mukha. Fuck!

Narinig ko ang pagtikhim ni Brent kaya't muling bumalik ang tingin ko sa kaniya. Inikot niya ang kaniyang mga mata sa kabuuan ng bahay bago muling bumalik ang tingin sa amin.

"K-kayong dalawa lang dito?" ramdam ko ang kaba sa bawat salitang kumawala mula sa labi niya. He looked at me. Hindi ko iniwas ang tingin at kinagat ang pang-ibabang labi bago mahinang tumango.

I saw how his adam's apple bobbed up and down and how his jaw clenched. Napansin ko rin ang bahagyang pagsasalubong ng kaniyang mga kilay.

"Nagpapaturo lang ako mag-bake sa kaniya." narinig ko ang boses ni Archein. Bumaling ako sa kaniya at nakitang prente lang siyang nakaupo. He was still holding his guitar, and he looked... calm.

Na para bang hindi kami nahuling may... ginagawa? What are we even doing? Wala naman kaming ginawa, 'di ba? Maybe I should just calm down.

Mula sa kusina ay narinig namin ang tunog ng timer. "Speaking of." saad ni Archein nang marinig ang timer. "Excuse me." Ibinaba niya ang kaniyang gitara sa sofa at tumayo na. He looked at me and a slight curve formed on his lips. My heart raged from his slight gesture. Matapos ay naglakad na siya pabalik sa kitchen.

"Ah, B-Brent." sinikap kong ngumiti nang humarap ako sa kaniya.

Certain emotions were evident in his eyes as he looked at me. There were glint of shock, doubt, and disappointment. Pilit ko iyong binalewala nang makitang lumapit siya sa akin. Pinanood ko siya habang nakasalubong ang kaniyang mga kilay na umupo sa tabi ko.

I swallowed hard as I tried to speak.

"You told me you already had a boyfriend, right?" he asked, naunahan akong magsalita. His face was calm, yet his voice was confronting.

I pursed my lips. Walang salita ang lumalabas sa aking bibig.

"That's why I stopped bothering you." kalmado pa ring aniya.

Tumingin ako sa kaniya at bahagyang tumango. I was still biting my lower lip. Gosh, why am I so tensed? Tinatanong niya lang naman ako 'di ba?

But I was just afraid as I don't know what to say. Paano kung tanungin niya kung si Archein ang sinasabi kong boyfriend ko? What will I answer? Magsisinungaling pa rin ba ako at sabihing si Archein nga ang sinasabi kong boyfriend? O ipagtatapat ko na lang sa kaniyang wala naman talaga akong boyfriend? I'll just tell him to stop bothering me even when he knows that I don't have a boyfriend.

"Tell me." Napatingin ako sa kaniya. "Siya ba, Harley?" makabuluhang tanong nito.

My heart almost skipped a beat as a bead of sweat formed on my forehead. Shit, anong sasabihin ko? Sinasabi ko na nga ba't itatanong niya 'to eh.

"Si Archein ba ang boyfriend mo?" muling tanong niya, his eyes were piercing through my soul, like he was desperate for an answer.

"Ah, Brent—"