Loving a Believer

Chapter 13: Faith is the Key

Warning: Religious argument.

I heard my phone ringing. With my eyes closed, I groped for my cellphone beside me. I blinked my eyes open when I finally felt it in my hand, checking the Caller ID.

Kirby Dude Calling...

Matagal-tagal na rin kaming hindi nakapag-usap ni Kirby. Buti naisipan nitong tawagan ako? I thought.

"Hello?"

"Fara..." aniya. Nagtaka ako dahil malumanay ang boses niya.

"What? I'm still sleepy," I complained as I closed my eyes again.

"Fara, I have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I thought I was okay. I pretended that I was happy for the both of you... at your wedding," sabi niya dahilan para mapamulagat ako ng mga mata. Ano'ng pinagsasabi nito? I thought. "Matagal ko na 'tong gustong aminin sa'yo..." sabi pa niya.

"W-wait, Dude. You're confusing me. Tell me right away."

"Dude, I'm in love with you," he said, his voice quivering.

My eyes widened slowly. My heartbeat went fast and I didn't know how to react. Best friend ko si Kirby at halos kapatid na rin ang turing ko sa kaniya. He can't be in love with me. No way! I thought.

"W-what are you saying? Are you drunk?" I asked. The mere thought of him being in love with me made me feel uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry. I know I'm just a friend to you. Besides, you are already married. Wala na akong magagawa."

"No..." mahinang usal ko. Hindi ako makapaniwala sa mga sinasabi niya. It was so cringy.

"I'm sorry. It's not your fault."

"No..."

"It's not you, it's me."

"No..."

"Because... it's April Fool's Day!" he suddenly confessed. Then, I heard his loud laugh.

Unti-unting naproseso sa isipan ko ang mga sinabi niya. Was he just acting right now? He wasn't in love with me! We were just like brothers and sisters so it was really impossible to happen. Honestly, I was already on the verge of believing him. I've never felt so relieved than now.

I frowned and whispered, "D*mn you!"

I didn't want to wake Storm up who was still sleeping like a log beside me.

"Admit it. Kinabahan ka!" Puro halakhak niya ang narinig ko sa cellphone ko.

Dahil sa sobrang inis ko, binabaan ko siya. Napailing na lang ako sa kalokohan niya. I closed my eyes again and went back to sleep.

I felt someone shaking me, waking me up. I slowly opened my eyes. I sat up in surprise when I saw Storm's face. His brows furrowed because of how I acted. I moved past him, got off the bed, and went to the bathroom.

Hindi pa rin ako sanay na gumising na mayroon akong katabi, lalo na't bihira ko lang maabutan si Storm sa paggising ko sa umaga.

After I prepared for the day, we ate breakfast together.

"Mom invited us for a family vacation," Storm spoke while typing on his phone. I was eating while he was just sitting next to me and texting someone.

"Where?" I asked.

"At my Lolo's hacienda."

I had never been in that kind of place before. I only saw such a place like that on television. All I knew is it looked like a farm. There were crops and horses. I wondered if there's the same in the hacienda of Storm's Lolo.