Spaces Between Us

Chapter twelve

I nodded and say thank you again.
I didn't imagine that convincing mom would be this easy. Akala ko kasi hindi siya papayag sa invitation ni Cleo, buti na lang magaling umarte yon kaya napaniwala niya kaagad.

#

Days and weeks had passed. Nothing much surprising and thrilling about my life. Well, except that I have a two friends who'll drag you to your embarrassment. I guess I have to cross out the thrilling. But we agreed to stay away from the club until the party. Cleo don't want it at first, but in order to have me and Dan to be with her, she was forced to follow it.

Dahil kilala na din sila ni Mama, malaya na akong nakakapunta sa bahay nila at minsan nagsleep over pa. Nawala ang kaba ko hindi katulad dati na kailangan ko pang mag-isip nang irarason kay mama kapag di kaagad ako nakabalik sa mansion. And if we're going to talk about him, nothing change. Hindi pa din kami nag-uusap, and I'm not hoping anymore. I already set a barrier between us and maybe he do it as well. Minsan ko na lang din siya makita sa mansion nila, I don't know what's going on in his life. But base on the news inside our school, they're busy for their soccer team. Malapit na kasi ang school tournament kaya puspusan na din ang pag-eensayo nila.

Actually, we're heading to the college building to watch their pre-tournament play. They were competing with the other school as a practice. As much as I didn't want to, we are forced to be there—requested by the teachers— to show our support.

It's almost six when the game started. Puno ang bleachers ng mga estudyante mula sa college at highschool department. The lights are all set on the field, and the players were arranged in the middle to prepare.

Kahit di pa nagsisimula ay may naghihiyawan na. Mostly, they're shouting Julio's name. They even bring a banner.

“Is it okay to support the other school? Parang ang yummy nila.” Cleo whispered maliciously beside us while she bit her lips.

“Disgusting.” Dan muttered,  clearly grossed out with Cleo's comment.

“Wala ka pang girlfriend ever since, Dan. How about you tried dating men, baka diyan pa lumabas ang totoo mong kulay” she grin and stick her tongue out.

Dan glared at her, clearly offended. “Just shut your mouth.”

I was sitting between them kaya medyo sumasakit ang tenga ko sa pagtatalo nilang dalawa. As much as I want to be the mediator, my patience are not that high.

They stopped arguing when the announcer called our school's team. Blue ang kulay ng jersey nila while the opponent wears read.

The crowd went wild when they announced the team captain — which is Julio Rodriguez.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw Julio on the soccer field, he was smiling and waving to people like he's not arrogant as he is. I swallowed hard, my throat dry, feeling the emotions I though I'd buried.

It’s been weeks since we last talked, and no matter how much I tried to ignore it, seeing him again brought everything rushing back. I couldn’t deny it — the way my chest tightened, the pull of attraction I thought I’d moved on from.

No, I can’t feel this way. He’s not who I thought he was. But the intensity in his eyes… it felt like he was seeing straight through me.

For a moment, it was just the two of us, and everything else disappeared. I couldn’t ignore the spark inside me, a sign that maybe, just maybe, I still felt something for him.

Why am I still feeling like this?

Pilit kong kinukumbinsi ang sarili ko na nakalimutan ko na siya, na hindi ko na siya kailangan. Pero heto ako, nararamdaman pa rin ang parehong sakit, ang parehong pangungulila.