Trapped with the Cactus-Lover

Chapter 25

"What about you?"

"I'm the fox." She chuckles like a kid. "In reality parang feeling ko nga ganun ako e. Imagine that I'm already taming you because I want to devour you. But I don't believe that out of the garden of roses, there's one rose who will be unique enough to pique my curiosity. Because I desire people than plants. Literally. "

Natawa naman ako dito. She's really funny and is oozing with sense of humor.

"I like you." Nakangiting sabi ko na inabot yung kamay nyang nakalahad.

"Hey, are you just saying that I'm your rose?"

"I didn't say that!"

"But you just told me that you like me."

"Not thay way, stupid!"

We both shared a good laugh then. Maybe she's right. Am I being tamed or being asked to tamed her? Because either way, I just like the idea. The idea of being not alone.

When the surroundings is perceiving you as perfect, you became alone in your head. But there's someone offering me company. How could I refuse?

"You have to be responsible for me now since you told me that you like me." Biro pa nito na ikinapangiti ko.

"But you're not a rose."

Nagpout ito. "But you don't like roses di ba? Kasi they're a liar for you."

Umiling ako. She's right. That's why I don't like roses. But why does it symbolizes pure love, sweetness, and romance?

"Then, like a cactus. It's not lying." Pabirong sabi pa ni Grant. "Their thorns are the honest thing you can get from them. They're painfully pretty."

Why not? She's right. If I want an honest one, cactus is the one for me.

"What is essential is invisible to the eye."

Grant is right. I desire belongingness. I desire to be loved. To be wanted. To be someone's rose and not just everyone's.

Napabalikwas ako ng bangon.

Fudge! Grant!

Napatingin ako sa malaking painting naming dalawa na nasa kwarto ko. It was a shot when we both graduated in highscool. Since we're part of the acceleration program, kaming dalawa lang yung maagang nakapagtapos ng highscool sa grupo.

"Where are you, Grant? Fudge! I almost forgot you."

I checked my alarm clock na nakalagay sa bedside table. It's only four in the morning. I'm still an hour early.

Kinuha ko yung phone ko na nakalagay din sa bedside table. I dialled Grant's number. It cannot be reached.

I checked her other number. Yung binigay nya saking number na pang emergency daw nito sakaling hindi ito makontak.

That one is ringing.

In just four to five rings ay sinagot nito iyon.

"Who's this?"

Napakunot ang noo ko. Why her voice is almost out of breath? Is she in trouble again.

"Grant, It's me. Where are you? Why can't be reached yung isang phone mo?"

Tahimik lang sa kabilang linya.

"Grant?"

Ibababa ko na sana yung phone ko nang may marinig akong incoherent sounds.