Chasing Mr. Right [Complete]

Fifty-second Chase

Fifty-second Chase 

Fourth year college. July. 

Do you know the feeling you have when you suddenly see someone you're dreading meeting again and you don't know what to do? You're torn between running away as soon as you can, or you "play dead" (go very still and pretend that you didn't see them) and wish that you actually become invisible and they don't notice you.

Ganon yung naramdaman ko nung marealize kong si Ella  pala yung babaeng nasa harap ko sa pila sa counter ng National Bookstore. Sobrang natetempt na ko na tumakbo palayo dahil hindi ko alam kung pano ko siya haharapin. Actually yun na nga lang yung gagawin ko ngayo---

"Cha?" Humarap sa'kin si Ella nung papaalis na ko sa pila.

"Hi! Uh... Graciella!"

"Graciella? Really?" Tinaasan niya ko ng kilay. 

"Sorry, this is really awkward for me. Naguluhan lang."

"I know." Binigay ni Ella yung mga bibilhin niya sa cashier. Nung matapos siya, akala ko aalis na siya pero mukhang hinihintay niya kong matapos.

Binayaran ko yung mga pinamili ko at naglakad ako papunta kay Ella. 

"Alam mo, it's your fault that I can't hang out with my friends. So you're treating me coffee!" Nakangiting sabi ni Ella.

"Huh?" Kinawit niya yung braso niya sa braso ko tapos hinila niya ko papunta sa isang malapit na coffee shop. "Teka, ano bang sinasabi mo? Anong kinalaman ko dun?"

"It's so awkward to be around Jas." Umorder si Ella ng coffee at kahit pa naguguluhan ako sa mga sinasabi niya, napagaya pa rin ako sa kanya, umorder ako at ako na nagbayad pati nung kay Ella.

"B-bakit?" Ibig sabihin ba nito, hindi naging sila ni Jasper?

"Because he rejected me when I confessed to him. Nafriendzone ako, akalain mo yun!" Umupo si Ella sa isang table at umupo ako sa harap niya. "I realized it really sucks to be the best friend of someone like Jasper, you can't help but fall for him but in the end, hanggang best friend ka lang." She sighed tapos tinuro niya ko. "At alam mo, wala namang kaso sa'kin kung nireject niya ko eh. Matagal na kong may unrequited love sa kanya at siguro nga, deep inside, narealize ko na ring hanggang kaibigan lang talaga yung turing sa'kin ni Jasper. But Jas is being really stupid, tuwing makikita niya ko, he feels like he needs to make it up to me! Lagi siyang nagsosorry, he's always careful when he's around me. Can't he understand that I just want us to go back to normal?"

"Um..."

"At kasalanan mo 'yun kasi kung di mo iniwan si Jas, hindi ko sana maiisip  na magconfess sa kanya!" Ilang segundo akong nakatitig lang kay Ella bago sa hindi ko malamang dahilan, I started giggling. Ella did the same too. Para kaming ewan na parehong tumatawa ng walang dahilan.

"Minsan talaga may pagkadense si Jasper pagdating sa mga ganyan." Sabi ko while remembering how he was when my father left us. He tried his best to cheer me up, and although it didn't work (katulad ng ginagawa niya kay Ella ngayon) I really appreciated everything he did for me.