Crazier [a text talk novel]

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"Brother nya ba sarili nya, ha?" Ricci interrupts from afar. He heard what I said kahit pabulong na. Siniringan ko sya at umimik, "Alam mo, ikaw, napakasungit mo. Nireregla ka ba ha? Red flag nanaman ah--"

"Eh kasi!" reklamo niya pa. Pinanlakihan ko ito ng mata na siya namang naging signal para ikalma nya ang sarili nya. "Cci, please! Alam kong namiss mo 'ko pero pwede sandali lang? Chill..... pere nemeng shira to eh...", pagiinarte kong siguradong iirita nanaman sa kanya. "Tsk! Bahala ka nga!" he replied and turned away. I smiled at his brothers and said "Sanay na tayo diyan." They both agreed. "You know the drill na. Ang galing. How many months have you been talking na?"

"I honestly lost count." sagot ko. "Di ako nagbibilang ng buwan kapag may kausap ako."

Rasheed stepped in. "Kumusta siya kausap?" he smiled and I got the chills. Gago, nakakalunod yung mata. Ang ganda. "Uhhh, okay naman po. Magkasundo naman kami....minsan. Bagal magreply eh. Minsan oras ang pagitan, but its working."

"What's working?" Prince asked, a little stunned. May mali kaya sa nasabi ko? "U-uhhm, yung friendship....? Kung friends talaga kami. I mean... we're not anything more than that pero baka di niya din ako tinuturing na kaibigan. Acquiantance, acquaintance. This acquaintance is working." I smiled at him and he looked convinced. Lumapit ito near my ear and whispered, "tell me if friends na kayo...or mafeel mo na more than that. I'll help you to continue and finally win his heart." he winked then Rasheed came in again to change the topic. They asked basic questions and made my heart skip beats— they're just truly amazing. Wonder why people bother to think of their girl friends as romantic partners eh talaga naman ngang masaya silang kasama without commitments.

I talked to Rasheed and Prince 10 minutes more bago ko marealize na naghihintay nga pala si Cci sakin sa likod namin.

——

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——

Nagpaalam muna ko kina Prince, tumalikod at nilapitan si Cci. "Ricci." pagtawag at kulbit ko dito ngunit hindi ito lumingon kaagad. Dahan dahan akong naglakad papunta sa harap nya, cautious enough to not touch him before he allows me to.

Nakasimangot ito sa akin at iniirap irapan ako. "Hoy, kung dukutin ko kaya yang mata mo--"

"Hug naaaa, gutom na ko! Tsk! Kainis naman 'to eh" inis nyang sabi and opened his arms wide enough for me to fit. "Aarte pa o aalis na ko? Kumakalam na sikmura ko. Yakapin mo na ko, kailangan mo ng yakap diba?"

A weird smile formed on my lips. Tangina. I chuckled and walked baby penguin steps to get in his arms. I kept my arms to myself while he was the one who hugged and tucked me in. I smiled at the feeling of being here— safe, comfortable and calm— like I've never felt this ever before.

I placed my chin on his shoulder then hid again. I forced him to walk and hid between cars para di awkward at walang makakita. Hindi siya umiimik. "Natameme ka ata?"

"Ayoko masayang energy ko. Baka wala kang makuhang energy, mamaya di ka pa marecharge." he spoke softly, without a hint of irritation na. "Fluffy. Patouch sa cheek-"

"Ayoko."

"Dali na!" panggigil ko. He tightened his hug like he was trying to strangle me. "Ayoko nga!"

"Hinahayaan na nga kitang yakapin ako eh. Kahit gaano kahigpit kasi ikaw ata may kailangan magrecharge, Cci."

"Hindi. Feeler ka."

I bantered immediately. "Ano kamo?! Feeler ako? Oo, feel na feel ko ngang hindi mo 'ko gusto kaya si Gab nalang--". Bigla naman akong kinurot sa arm which made me pinch him back. "Masakit??? Nakikiyakap at recharge na nga lang eh. Rereklamo pa, Cci? Rereklamo paaaa?"

"Ang dami mong sinasabi. Sige nga, paano marerecharge? Yakapin mo kaya muna ko pabalik?"

"Paano kung ayoko?" pangungundisyon ko habang nakatayo lang, still keeping my hands to myself. Hindi siya kaagad umimik. "Grabe naman.. Napaka one way naman nito... tsk tsk tsk.." he chuckled softly with a bunch of sarcasm. I chuckled too. "Hindi to half-hearted hug ha?"

Umiling si Ricci and semi- snuggled in my neck and rested his chin on my shoulder. "Mauuna ba ko yumakap kung half-hearted to?" he shrugged. "Sige na, konti nalang to. Sabi mo seconds lang sayo diba?"

"Ha? Ayoko nga!" gulat kong depensa. "Bawal ba magbago ng isip?"

"Pwede. Bawiin mo rin yung sinabi mo kanina."

"Alin don? Yung patouch ng cheek?" I said and he nodded. I pouted. "Eh ang fluffy eh!" reklamo ko. He finally tried released hold of me pero ako naman ang yumakap ng mahigpit sa kanya, making him stop leaving and giving him no more choice but to stay.

Ganito talaga siguro pride ko. Umaabot lagi sa punto na pag may bibitaw na, saka lang bibigay at kakapit ulit. Sama sa feeling. What if I didn't get to hold him just as he was about to leave? Would that leave me here hanging, asking for a pissed off and done Ricci Rivero to give me another chance?

"May moon?" tanong nya out of the blue. We both looked up at sabay rin umiling. "Walang moon sa umaga." I said. Umiling siya ulit. "The moon's somewhere up there. Di mo lang kita kasi may nangingibabaw. May mas lamang."

"Anong mas lamang?" tanong ko. "Yung araw. Sunshine ba?" sagot nya. "Ang liwa-liwanag eh, oh. Nasisilaw ka na nga eh."

"Ricci, the moon always comes back. I'm far way more into looking at the moon than the sun." Silence then wrapped the next moments.

Later on, we came to realize we have been really hugging for the past minute. "Okay ka lang?" I asked Ricci. Umiling siya. "Ikaw?" I sighed deeply, umiling and let go of the tension. "Magiging okay siguro, pero kakailanganin ulit kita." sabi ko and he nodded at hinayaan na akong bumigay sa kanya and hugged him tightly, gathering all the energy that I'll need and giving all that he'll need too, nakayakap lang with no intention of letting go. I pinched his cheek once too, kilig ako sa sobrang fluffy at dahil sa fact na hinayaan niya ako. He smiled and spoke, "Ako din, kakailangan ko." he sighed, "ako din."