Broken Strings || ✓

Chapter 14

Chapter 14.

‘ADELINE, can we meet today?’

Kakagising ko lang at 'yon agad ang bungad na mensahe sa akin ni Justin. Kahit inaantok pa ako, nagtipa ako ng reply sa kaniya.

‘Why?’ Then I tapped the send button. Wala pang isang minuto ay nag-reply siya kaagad.

‘I miss you, that's all.’

Hindi na ako nag-reply. Wala akong mai-reply sa kaniya. I felt guilty. Bumuga ako ng hangin at in-off ang cellphone ko para maligo na.

Sobrang bilis lang ng mga araw. Bukas, prom day na namin. I was so awkward during practice with Ken, but I got used to it as days passed by. Pero ngayon, nako-conscious na naman ako.

Pupunta kami ngayon ni Mama sa pinagpatahian niya ng gown ko. And then, after that, we would go to the mall to buy some accessories. Papa would be our driver and chaperone.

Pagkatapos kong maligo, nagbihis agad ako. I wore my simple white t-shirt with its hem tucked inside my black jeans. Pinalugay ko lang ang buhok ko since basa pa. After I was done, kaagad kong kinuha ang cellphone ko at nag-text kay Justin.

‘Okay. Let's meet at the park. Now.’

Pagkatapos ma-send ay pinasok ko sa maliit kong sling bag ang cellphone ko kung saan din ang wallet ko bago ako patakbong bumaba papuntang sala.

“Ma! Alis na muna ako. Babalik ako mamaya!” sigaw ko habang pababa ng hagdan.

“Ha?” si Mama na nasa kusina. “Saan ka naman pupunta?”

Huminto ako nang nasa tapat na ako ng pintuan ng kusina. Tumingin ako kay Mama. “May pupuntahan lang akong kaibigan.”

Tumango siya. “Sige. Balik ka mamaya bago pa makauwi ang papa mo, ha?”

Ngumiti ako. “Opo!” At saka patakbo na lumabas ng bahay.

Sumakay lang akong traysikel papunta sa park na sinabi ko kay Justin since malapit lang naman sa amin. Pagkababa ko ng traysikel, napaawang ang mga labi ko nang makita si Justin na nakaupo sa bench malapit sa pond habang nakayuko sa kaniyang cellphone.

I tilted my head. “Ang bilis niya, ah.” Dumukot ako ng pambayad sa wallet ko at saka ibinigay kay Manong Driver.

Nang nakaalis na ang traysikel, nakadalawang hakbang pa lang ako nang tumunog ang cellphone ko. When I looked at it, si Justin pala. He texted me that he's already arrived at the park. Napangiti na lang ako bago patakbong lumapit sa kaniya.

Nang ilang metro na lang ang layo ko sa kaniya, normal na lang akong lumakad. I clasped my hands behind my back. Nang nasa likuran niya na ako, I slowly lowered my head near his ear.

“Hi,” I whispered.

Napahalakhak ako nang bigla siyang tumalon at umalis sa bench. Kaagad siyang humarap sa akin. Mas lalo akong natawa nang makitang bilog na bilog ang kaniyang mga mata, halatang gulat na gulat.

Sinimangutan niya ako. “Adeline!”

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry!” sabi ko habang hawak ang tiyan kakatawa. “Ang epic kasi ng mukha mo!” Then I laughed again.

He narrowed his eyes at me. Nahinto ako sa pagtawa nang inisang hakbang niya ang distansya namin, hinawakan niya ang bewang ko at hinila ako papalapit sa kaniya. Napasinghap ako at kaagad na napahawak sa kaniyang dibdib in a defensive way.

He smirked. “Ngayon, ikaw naman ang gulat. How's my revenge?” mayabang niyang sabi.

Mahina akong natawa. I pushed him away from me at binitawan niya naman agad ako.

“So... ngayong nakita mo na ako, pwede na ba akong umalis?” I joked.

He chuckled. “Not yet. Let's have a date.”

Napakurap ako. “Anong date?”

“Don't pretend as if we haven't done this before,” aniya. “So? Let's go?”

Inabot niya ang kaniyang kamay at napatitig na lang ako ro'n. When he asked me what's wrong, napaangat ako ng tingin sa kaniya.

“Justin, do you like me?” diretsang tanong ko. I know it's obviously a yes, but I want it to hear it from him.

“No,” tipid na sagot niya. “I love you. Romantically.”

Umatras ang dila ko. I couldn't find any exact words to tell him after his direct confession.

He chuckled. Namulsa siya. “I thought you already realized it a long time ago.”

Napayuko ako. “J-Justin...”

Tumalikod siya. “You don't have to answer that, Adeline. I'll give you time to think about it.” He gave me a sideway glance before he turned around again to face me. “For now, let's have a date? You can consider this as a friendly date. Don't be so awkward with me. Act normally like before.”

Ngumiti na lang ako bago tumango. He smiled back before he held my hand and slowly pulled me with him.

--

WE WERE enjoying our date. We went to an arcade and played all of the games there. We even went to a bookstore at binuklat lang ang mga libro at 'di bumili. After we got tired from stroller around the mall, kumain kami sa isang fast food since I told him I was craving for fries.

“Where should we go next?” he asked after we got out of the fast food restaurant.

“Hmm... Saan pa ba hindi natin napupuntahan dito sa mall?” I asked. Nang tumingin ako sa kaniya, he was already staring at me. And looks like we had the same thing in mind.

“Movie!” pareho naming sabi at nagtawanan kami pagkatapos.

“Alright!” He blew a soft breathe. “Let's go to the cinema!”

Tumango ako. “Hmm!”

--

HE LINED up at the cinema for us while I bought the popcorn and the soft drinks. Saktong pagbalik ko ay kami na pala ang papasok. He chose a seat that's at the back, where there were less people. The movie was a romance movie, he chose it.

Noong nagsimula na ang movie, focused kaming pareho sa pinapanuod. There was a little bit of comedy in the story kaya natatawa ako minsan.

There was a scene in the movie na nasa tabing-dagat ang dalawang bida. Gabi 'yon at sobrang liwanag ng buwan.

Unti-unting naglaho ang ngiti ko. The scene was so familiar. And remembering it makes my heart ache a little. Kahit sobrang romantic ng scene sa movie, parang maiiyak naman ako dahil may naalala ako.

I was pulled back to reality when I felt Justin's hand on top of mine. Napabaling na ako sa kaniya ng tingin nang pinagsalikop niya ang mga kamay namin.

He was looking straight at the large screen when he spoke. “When you're with me, don't think of anyone else. I want you to focus on me, Adeline. Just me.”