Sunlight Deception (Isla Series #1)

09

"Cali, I have a question."

Cali looked at me while she was drinking her smoothie. "What it is?" she asked, a bit curious, and placed the glass back on the table.

"This is just a random thought," I acted casual. 

She slightly raised her brow as a  gesture for me to continue. Tumikhim naman ako at nagpatuloy kahit medyo hindi sure kung paano ba ike-kwento. I didn't know what to do or how to ask for an advice, so I need to make something up!

"What if a girl received a confession from a guy, and the guy said that he likes her daw. And as a natural reaction to any out of the blue confession, she just stared at the guy after his confession and didn't do or say anything..." 

"Hala. Bakit naman ganoon?" She suddenly looked invested.

"But they are still talking!" agap ko. "But it's as if no confession ever happened. What do you think is the right thing to do next?" I sound so stupid for sure.

"Siguro kapag ganoon, dapat i-figure out muna ang feelings at hindi kaagad umamin, 'di ba?" Napatanong din tuloy siya. 

"That's all?" nagtatakang tanong ko. Nabitin sa ere ang kamay ni Cali may hawak na tinidor. She looked at me again and gave me a small smile. 

"Let's be honest, I don't know anything about love!" She giggled. "Pero ganoon naman yata. Sure, it's flattering when someone likes you. Pero hindi dapat nagpapadalos-dalos sa pag-amin dahil lang may umamin sa 'yo. Feelings kaya ng tao ang involved."

I sighed and drank from my cup. I don't know... but she kind of made sense. 'Wag akong magpadalos-dalos. It probably took him a lot of guts to confess—if ever that was true—so the least I could do is to figure whatever I'm feeling for him instead of telling him immediately that I don't feel the same. 

"Bakit naman ang random ng thought na 'yon? Nangyari  sa 'yo?" She looked so innocent and clueless when she asked that but I guess my heavy sigh threw me away. "Hala, sino? Si Echo?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

Cali squealed and covered her mouth with a hand. "When?" she asked again, her eyes a bit wide, much more excited this time. 

Oh-kay. Is she going to be on 'Jericho enthusiast' mode right now?

"A week ago. Birthday ni Kito," I answered.

"That took him long enough," she stated like a whisper.

"What?" I didn't get what she said. Took him long enough? What?

"Ah!" She let out a nervous laugh and shifted on her seat. I raised a brow at her. She shook her head repeatedly.

"What do you mean?"

"Iniiwasan mo siya?" pagbaliwala niya sa tanong ko. I didn't push it. Pinatong niya sa lamesa ang pinagsaklop na mga kamay, waiting for my answer.

I nodded as a response. "I don't know if I should believe him."

"Why? 'Di naman playboy si Echo, ah," depensa niya. Okay, here she goes. Basta usapang ako at Jericho, masyado siyang invested!

"Sila ni Roxy, right?" I asked. I didn't believe him when he said that they were cousins. Gano'n naman ang palaging sinasabi ng mga lalake, 'di ba? Then at the end, you'll find out that they are not cousins!

Her eyes widened a bit before she bursted out laughing. "What are you talking about? They're cousins. Ano 'yon? Incest?" She was still laughing.

"But, she calls him 'babe'!" I almost screamed, trying to defend myself.