Chasing Boundaries (Parallel Rhythms Series 1)

Chapter 17

- Atrius

I felt myself heating as I read the note he left. Naaalala ko pa kanina na chat niya agad ang bumungad sa akin paggising ko sa umaga. He only said good morning and asked if I had my breakfast already. Pero since medyo na-late gumising ay sinabi kong hindi na ako magbi-breakfast.

Medyo sumama pa nga ang loob ko dahil hindi na siya nagreply pagkatapos no'n. Yun pala, his response will be this.

I bit my lower lip as I tried to stifle a smile, but damn, I failed miserably. So this is what he meant by you're not meant to be loved silently, huh?.

"Pasado naman pala, sagutin mo na agad." rinig kong sabi ni Sid na katabi ko pa pala ngayon. Matapos ay humagikhik pa ito. Sinundot niya ang aking beywang at pinasadahan ako ng makabuluhang tingin bago naiiling na naglakad palayo.

Umupo na ako sa aking upuan at nakangiting tinitigan ang sandwich at Dutchmill na hawak ko ngayon. I was about to open it when someone sat beside me, interrupting what I was doing.

"May pinatunguhan naman pala ang pag-iwan ko sa 'yo kahapon." natatawang ani Liam nang tumabi ito sa aking umupo.

My brows furrowed as I stared at him. "Letche ka!" inis kong saad sa kaniya.

"What?" he laughingly answered. "Tingnan mo oh," tinuro niya ang hawak kong sandwich, "wala sana 'yan ngayon kung hindi ko pinilit ang plano ko kahapon." he laughed.

I just silently rolled my eyes. Tumawa na rin ako nang mahina at tiningnan siya.

"Thank you ah." I said.

"Bakit parang sarcastic pakinggan?" he teased.

I tsked. "Edi 'wag!" sumbat ko. Bumalik ang tingin ko sa aking sandwich at binuksan na iyon. I took a bit off of it and finally, I felt like I actually had something in my stomach.

"Joke," Liam laughed. "Pero I'm happy for you." he added.

Napatingin ako sa kaniya. "Thanks." I softly said, smiling ear to ear.

Well, I got to thank him actually. Kung hindi niya ako iniwan kahapon ay baka hindi rin kami nagkausap ni Archein. Kung hindi niya nilinaw kay Archein na hindi naman talaga siya nanliligaw sa akin ay who knows kung kailan ulit ako papansinin no'n.

It was thanks to him that Archein and I talked things out yesterday. Kaya I'm thankful for him.

"So... ano na'ng score niyo?" mapagbiro nitong tanong.

"Wala, nanliligaw pa lang." I answered before taking another bite from my sandwich. I smiled as I said the word manliligaw. Kahit ako, hindi makapaniwala eh.

"Goods ah. Pasalamat ka talaga sa 'kin." natatawang anito.

"Oo na nga, thank you na!" I laughed as I rolled my eyes at him. He took it lightheartedly and laughed as I did.

Ilang segundo pa ay tuluyan nang pumasok ang unang teacher namin ngayong araw. Nagpaalam na si Liam na babalik na sa upuan niya at minadali ko na rin ang pagkain ng sandwich.

Sunod naman ay kinuha ko yung Dutchmill at tinusok ang straw sa loob nito. I sipped on it and the cold made my spine shiver. Ah, the taste of being loved.

And landi!

I wonder why he gave me a strawberry flavored Dutchmill. Well, there mightn't be a specific reason for it. Baka siguro wala nang ibang flavor na available. Or baka since trip niya ang strawberry ay isi-share niya na rin sa 'kin. Ah, I shouldn't think much of it.

Time passed at hindi ko iyon namalayan hanggang sa narinig ko na lang ang school bell, hudyat na break time na. Hindi na muna ako lumabas dahil hinahanap ko sa bag 'yong kopya ko ng assignment sa GenMath na nakalimutan kong sagutan kagabi dahil sa dami ng nangyari.