Head Over Heels For Ezzio (Villaverde Series #1)

Chapter 13

Paris

Ezzio was true to his words. Tumulong nga siya sa booth-making. I honestly didn't want him there pero naisip ko, okay na rin. We could use some extra hands. At isa pa, hindi ko na rin naman nabago pa ang isipan niya dahil talagang ayaw niyang magpapigil!

Besides, I thought he'd only help on that specific day. Kaya hinayaan ko. Pero laking gulat ko na lang talaga nang makita ko siyang dumating sa booth sa sumunod na araw.

"Ano na naman bang kailangan mo?" I asked when he went to me. We spent lunch together this day so why's he here? Kapag ito pumunta lang rito para mangulit, sisipain ko 'to palabas.

Kumunot ang noo niya. 

"Tutulong," he replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He walked past me. Sinundan ko siya ng tingin at napansin ko ang pasekretong baling ng mga kasama ko sa akin at kay Ezzio. Kunwari busy sila sa ginagawa pero alam kong nakikinig sila. Ugh. Mas nai-issue kami dahil sa ginagawa ng lalaking ito!

I sighed and followed him. Kinakausap na niya si Jerome, yung kasamahan ko rito na kaibigan niya. I smiled at the guy before grabbing Ezzio's arm to lead him outside. We stopped just outside the booth.

"Hindi ba dapat nasa training ka?" diretsahan kong tanong. Hindi ko kasi talaga ma-gets bakit gustong tumulong ni Ezzio rito. It's not his thing. Never naman talaga siyang tumulong sa mga ganito over the years. Isa pa, may mga bagay pa na mas importante kumpara rito, katulad na lang ng training niya.

I heard the football team's working harder these days dahil palapit na ang Semi-finals ng Inter-School Tournament nila. The tournament would serve as the last sport event of the school year. 2 months na lang kasi, matatapos na ang school year na ito. Kaya naman of all the tournaments, ito ang pinaka inaabangan ng mga estudyante, hindi lang dito sa LMU, kundi pati na rin sa ibang schools.

"It's still 4pm. Mas matagal kaming matatapos ngayon kaya ayos lang kahit humabol na lang ako mamayang alas sais," sagot niya. Meanwhile, I couldn't stop myself from feeling a bit of sympathy for him. Mapapagod na nga siya sa training nila tapos heto siya't tutulong pa sa amin. He'd probably feel so exhausted afterwards.

Tumitig ako ng ilang segundo sa kanya bago nagsalita.

"Ezzio," I realized I rarely call him by his name... but yeah, whatever. "Hindi mo naman kailangang tumulong. We can manage."

"Yeah, but I-" before he could finish, I cut him off.

"Magfocus ka na lang sa training niyo."

Why does he wanna help, anyway?

He paused. With his lips parted, he stared at me. Medyo nakakunot ang kanyang noo, tila nagtataka. After a while he said, "You know, what? Tama ka."

Tumango-tango pa siya bago nagpatuloy. "Why..."

He looked at me with a puzzled look. "Why do I want to help, anyway?"

It was as if he was asking it more to himself than to me. Ako naman ay bahagya na lang naguluhan. So, we were wondering about the exact same thing? Hindi niya rin alam kung bakit?

Nababaliw na ba itong taong ito?

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts up.

"Alam mo, mas mabuti pang pumunta ka na roon," sabi ko na lang. I even made him turn around and push him lightly to the direction of the football field.

"Tsk, fine, fine." lumingon pa siya sa'kin habang naniningkit ang mga mata. "Tinataboy mo ang taong gusto mo."

Napatigil ako sa pagtulak dahil sa sinabi niya. He faced me. Ugh. Damn. Was I being too harsh to him again?