Winning Hurricane

XVI - Syncope

His eyes glimmered again.. I can feel him smiling against my hands ang hindi ko in-expect ay nang kagatin niya ang kamay ko! Marahan lang pero kahit na, agad ko siyang pinalo.

"Kadiri ka, yong laway mo." I said in calm yet irritated tone.

He throw his head back as he laughed. "Siningahan mo nga damit ko e."

"Because you insist."

"Ikaw mag-laba neto."

"Fine."

"Joke."

"No. Ako mag-lalaba."

"Joke nga lang."

"Bata ka ba? Bakit ka joke ng joke?"

"Hindi bawal mag-joke, doc." He answered with a teasing smile.

"Tsk. Give me your shirt, lalabhan ko."

"Sus, gusto mo lang arborin e. Iyo na."

"Saksak mo down your throat."

Tumawa na naman siya ng malakas.. if he's just a normal person in my life I'll be annoyed by now but he's not.. hearing him laugh is like an addiction.. I want to hear more of it.. It was so contagious.. unti unti nadin ako napapatawa.

"Conyo mo doc!"

"Whatever." I answered, a chuckle escaping my lips.

"Aren't you gonna judge me?" I asked after a couple minutes of silence.

Tumaas ang kilay niya sakin. Napasimangot. "Sa?"

"For crying over grades." Because most people does..

"Why would I laugh at someone's pain? Iniiyakan mo yan kasi mahalaga sayo , dba? Hayaan mo sila kung hindi ka nila maintindihan, hindi mo kailangan ipaliwanag nararamdaman mo."

I only smiled.. gusto kong mag-pasalamat pero hindi ko din naman kaya sabihin.

"Pero alam mo din naman siguro na hindi naka-base sa grades ang halaga mo, dba?"

Tumango ako. I am hard on myself but I still know my worth..

"Good." He said looking front.

Nag-iwas ako ng tanong bago nag-salita, "Ikaw.. how's your day?"

I can feel my heart beating loudly. It was my first time to ask someone-not my relative-on how their day goes.. I felt him looking.

"Ayos lang. Ngalay."

"Why?"

"Sa recit, daming tanong ni Attorney."

"Maybe your answer was wrong."

"Oy, judger ka talaga no? Talino to." He said pointing at his head. Nailing nalang ako. "Hindi ka naniniwala?"

I squinted my eyes. Bigla niyang nilabas yong phone niya, nag-type.. I watched how his furrowed brows eased as he broke into smile.

Pinakita niya sakin ang phone niya.. parang may kung anong bumara sa dibdib ko nang makita kung sino ang ka-chat niya sa telegram.

Hurricane: sino best sa recit lagi?

Barboyq: wag moko yabangan ngayon delubyo!

Hurricane: HAHA! Sino nga?

Barboyq: Papakita mo'to sa chix mo? Lol. Fine, ikaw.

"Ano? Naniniwala ka'na?" he asked with a big smile.

I cleared my throat as I looked away. Suddenly getting annoyed! Really? Kailan pa nauna emotion ko kesa sa isip? Tsk.