The Curse

Chapter 7

"Hindi pa ba obvious?" mahina kong sabi.

Sumisid na si Phoebe at doon ko lang nilingon si Rogue. Titig na titig na naman siya sa mukha ko na para ba itong may dumi.

"Grabe kang makatitig," puna ko, itinatago ang ilang.

"Your fault. You're so gorgeous." He pursed his lips, obviously suppressing a smile.

Hindi ko natagalan ang tingin niya. Wala akong maisip na sabihin kaya nanahimik na lang ako. Pero kahit ano talagang gawin ko ay nakakailang pa rin dahil alam kong nakatingin pa rin siya.

"What's your course?" he suddenly asked.

"Nursing."

"Me, architecture," he said though I didn't ask. "Is that your dream course?"

Tumango ako. Bata pa lang ay nasa isip ko nang magiging nurse ako. When I graduated kindergarten, there was a segment in the program where we had to dress up for what we wanted to be in the future. At uniform ng nurse ang sinuot ko noon.

"It suits you."

I looked at him. His eyes were serious and somewhat unhappy. Tumabi siya sa akin at medyo dumistansya ako, pero lumapit pa muli siya hanggang sa magdikit ang aming mga braso. Nanahimik na lang ako.

"I don't like architecture." He let out a sigh.

Tumutok ang mga mata ko sa kanya. Dumiretso ang tingin niya sa unahan namin.

"My father wants me to pursue it. And I don't want to disappoint him." Tiningnan niya ang mga kamay niya sa tubig. "It's good that you can pursue what you like."

Hindi man siya tuluyang magpakita ng emosyon ay alam kong hindi siya masaya. Nahihirapan kaya siya sa course na kinukuha niya? Mukha namang hindi. He looked really intelligent.

"Ano bang gusto mo?"

"I want to be an actor."

I was astounded at his answer.

"Just like you, I have dreams when I was still a kid."

I couldn't question him 'cause everyone had his own dreams. Nabigla lang ako dahil wala sa itsura niya na iyon ang pangarap niya. Pero kung mag-aartista ang isang tulad niya ay imposibleng hindi sumikat. Napakagwapo niya at alam kong isa iyon sa magiging advantage niya sa iba kung sakali.

"I just like being onstage. I like acting. Back then, I was part of a theatre group and it made my elementary and high school years so much fun."

"Bakit mo kinukwento sa akin ang mga 'to?"

"'Cause I'm courting you," he answered. "I searched on the internet on how to court a girl. It says I should be honest with her, so I'm telling you these things."

Pinagdikit ko ang mga labi, pinipigil ang pangngiti. The fact that he had put an effort into searching on the internet made my heart flutter.

"Through acting, I can show emotions people usually suppressed in themselves. I can pour out emotions through it."

I just nodded my head. It was also my first impression of him, he was reserved.

"Mahihirapan na kaming lapitan ka sakaling mag-artista ka," biro ko para pagaanin ang usapan.

He chuckled and it was so pleasing to the ears. Mas isinandal ko pa ang likod sa tiles. Bigla akong napatingin ulit sa kanya nang gumapang ang kamay niya sa braso ko at hinawakan ang kamay ko. Nagtama ang mga mata namin. Hinayaan ko siya dahil baka sakaling gumaan ang pakiramdam niya rito pagkatapos ng inamin niya sa akin. My eyes roamed the area and I was thankful that the three were having some chitchats.