Going the Distance (Book #1 of Distance series)

21: Love-Hate

"Andy," may himig ng pananaway sa tono ng pagtawag ko sa kanya.

Nilingon ko si Hans sa kanan ko at nahihiya ko siyang tinanguan, ang ekspresyon ng mukha ko ay nanghihingi ng pasensya. He cheerfully smiles at me like he's just cool about it, all the more making him look like Ansel Elgort when he portrayed Augustus Waters in The Fault In Our Stars movie. Earlier I thought he looked familiar but I only shrugged it off until now.

Tumayo ako sa kinauupuan at nilapitan si Andy. Hinawakan ko siya sa braso. "Andy, he is Hans. He's the younger brother of Dianne's fiance. He kept me company while you're away. Hans, meet Andy."

Hans stands up and offers his right hand to Andy for a handshake. "Nice to meet you, pal."

Displaying a poker face expression on his face, he accepts Han's hand and shakes it firmly and quickly, giving him a short nod. After he lets go, he places his hands on my shoulder and pulls me closer next to him, giving me a feeling that he's purposely showing that I'm his property. "Let's go. I'd like to introduce you to some of my friends"

Andy and his poker face expression. I hate it. Ganito rin siya sa akin noon nang matagal ko siyang pinaghintay sa webcam noon. Ang sabi ko ay babalikan ko siya agad dahil pupuntahan ko lang si dad sa kanyang kuwarto. Kararating lang kasi ni dad galing trabaho. Hindi ko akalaing mapapatagal ang kuwentuhan naming mag-ama.

Hindi naman nagalit talaga si Andy sa akin. Medyo nagtampo lang siya kasi may dalawang araw kaming hindi nagkita noon in a videochat at nang nakapag-usap kami ulit sa wakas ay panay naman ang paglabas ko ng kuwarto. At itong huli nga ay napatagal ako.

I threw Hans a short smile, gesturing him a farewell by giving him a small nod.

Back at Andy, I can say that the popular saying "The more you hate, the more you love" applies to me here. I hate it when he does that face but at the same time I love how he looks when he paints that expression to me. Indeed, he's the handsomest poker face I've seen in my entire life and there's no doubt that in the future I might plot some stuff that would irate him to see that expression again.

God, I want to kiss his face right at this moment! But it goes back to me thinking, why can I not find him in their crowd earlier?

"You were not acting nice to Hans." Naglalakad kami patungo sa French glass door at maya-maya lang ay nasa labas na kami. He dawdles along the flagstones at the middle of the well-trimmed glass, his both hands stuffed inside his pockets. I am careful about walking as the slim heels of my shoes can be caught up in between the gaps of the flagstone pavement. Napakapit ako sa braso niya.

"I was nice," he answers coldly without looking at me.

"That was your 'nice'?" I ask him sarcastically. "You acted 'nice' after disappearing with Sarah back there."

Huminto siya sa paglalakad kaya nahinto rin ako. Humarap siya sa akin. He stands straighter and straightens the collar of his top. "Were you watching me there?"

"No," tanggi ko.

"Because if you watched me, you could've seen that I've left with a couple of my mates. And as for Sarah, I don't know where she went and I haven't even noticed it."

"You did not go back for me." I sketch a brief brow and assume a regal pose.

"I was watching you. But I told you I went off with my friends for a moment then got you some snacks."

"Have you been drinking hard in there?"

"Do I smell disgusting?"

"You smell awful."