Fleeting Moments

Chapter 18: Secret

Bad publicity nga lang itong nag-retaliate si Tita sa kaniya. I couldn't blame Tita, though. It was disgusting to read how Talie acted like the victim, as if Ryo cheated on her. How could he cheat on her kung hindi naman naging sila?

Sabi nga ni Tita, ilusionada.

I pretended to act cool when Ryo entered the room. Nakangiti siya sa akin pero nang pumaling ang tingin kay Nate, agad na sumimangot. I haven't told him yet that Nate and Cali have a thing going on and that he should let go of his unreasonable "anger" and jealousy towards Nate.

"Bakit mo ba 'to dinadala, Cali?" tanong niya na parang wala si Nate sa iisang kuwarto. Natawa lang ulit si Nate doon.

Like Cali, he was not telling me anything. Ang obvious naman na, ayaw pa nilang sabihin sa akin. I am happy for the two of them. Sure akong magiging ganoon din si Ryo.

I looked at Cali. Parang nangapa pa siya ng isasagot. Ang alam kasi ni Ryo, ayaw rin nito kay Nate kasi nga sa kaniya kumampi si Cali noong college days.

"Oo nga, Calila. Sabay pa kayo. Did you go here together?" sabad ko. Para naman kahit isang beses lang, makaganti ako kay Cali sa lahat ng pang-aasar niya sa akin. Tumalim nang bahagya ang tingin niya sa akin.

I glanced at Nate and found him smiling while scrolling on his phone. I doubt that he was actually doing something. Nagkukunwari lang siguro para hindi niya kailangang magsalita.

"Hindi, a. Nakasalubong ko lang 'yan." Cali sounded too defensive, too obvious. I looked at Nate and caught him stifling a laugh. Itong dalawang ito, parang ewan.

Ryo rolled his eyes. Padabog niyang inilapag sa mesa ang tray ng pagkaing dala niya. Umangat ang tingin ni Nate sa kaniya dahil doon. Kitang-kita ko ang masamang tingin ni Ryo sa kaniya.

"Ryo," saway ko. He hissed before heading to the bed to sit beside me.

Parang bata. Well, it was his fault that he's bothered.

The thing is, I haven't asked Ryo yet on what he wants to happen in our relationship. The past few days have been okay. We sleep on the same bed. I can tell that he cares for me as much as he cares for Raiko. We act like we weren't constantly at each other's throat during my first few months here. We act differently. And maybe we've gotten quite used to it that it didn't seem like an important thing to address.

But it is important to me. I know that he's been trying, and I trust that he won't disappoint me again, so I'm giving him a chance.

All I'm waiting for is for him to ask. Pero mukhang wala naman siyang balak.

How could I give that chance to him if he wouldn't ask? I'm not even sure if he wants it.

Or maybe, mas iniisip niya ang pag-uwi namin sa amin, at kung paano siya babalik dito nang buhay pa at kompleto pa ang mga daliri. We have decided to travel by land nang kaming dalawa lang. Tita and Tito would follow the next day via plane. Si Raianne, baka hindi makasama dahil busy sa school.

Kung tinatanong na niya ako, e di sana, may pinanghahawakan na siya ngayon.

"Be nice to him. Ninong ni Raiko 'yan," I told him. Mabilis na nalukot ang mukha niya roon. He looked like he wanted to argue but held it back.

Nate chuckled loudly. Pumaling tuloy ulit si Ryo sa kaniya na sigurado akong masama na naman ang tingin.

"Seriously, Frankie?" bulong niya sa akin.

"Be nice to him, Ryo," I whispered back. If he would continue to be mean to Nate, baka magalit sa kaniya si Cali. Mawawalan na talaga siya ng kakampi.

He scratched the back of his head. Ewan ko ba riyan kung bakit sobrang seloso talaga pagdating kay Nate. E umatras na nga ang tao bago pa man makapanligaw dahil sa takot sa kaniya. I never even liked Nate that way.