Kailangan ko nang kainin ang mga sinabi ko.
Badtrip kasi sina Ara e. Bakit kasi ang kakapal ng mukha nila, and mas malalakas loob nilang sumingit at makipag-selfie? Magpa-picture na nga lang, nahihirapan na 'ko e. Sumingit pa para lang dun? Hassle.
Wala na. Si Sev nalang talaga. Kahit dun sa ampalayang Prince kanina, nakapagpa-selfie na rin ako. Nilunok ko talaga ang pride ko. And because I think wala nang natira sa pride ko, tingin ko kaya ko nang lapitan si Sev.
Huhu! Looooord!
I took a deep breath and forced my feet to move towards him. Madami-dami pa rin ang mga nagpapa-picture sa kanya. May name na naman kasi talaga siya, kaya mas malakas hatak niya apart from the other Candy Cuties here.
He looked up. Our eyes made contact. May nagpa-picture pa uli sa kanya kaya nag-break yung tinginan namin. I noticed na panay ang glance niya sa'kin.
Oookay.
Nag patay malisya nalang ako. Kunwari hindi kami magkakilala (hindi naman kasi talaga). Oo, tama! Kunwari hindi kami nagusap kanina. Kunwari hindi niya ko tinignan ng nakakalaglag panty na titig.
Nung wala nang lumalapit sa kanya, lumakas ang tibok ng puso ko. I took that as my cue. He watched me as I approached him.
“Hi, can I take a picture with you?” I asked, flashing him a small smile.
Wow. Ang tangkad niya. Hindi pa 'ko nakakalapit ng ganito sa kanya before. Medyo nagulat ako. Tapos, bigla kong naalala na kulang pala yung sinabi ko.
“It's for a dare.”
He smiled – or was it a smirk?
“Sure,” he said, sabay akbay sa'kin.
Ehem, his hand was big. 'Lam na this. Wait, ano yun? Hmm . . . Ang bango niya ah. Pawis ba niya yun? Weh? Hindi yun pabango?
I sniffed casually. Hmm. Parang hindi naman cologne . . . No way. Sweat niya yun? Super manly! Dayum.
We posed, as I raised my phone. Nanginginig yung kamay ko. Badtrip.
Why are you shaking, you treacherous hand?
Obviously, napansin ni Sev na blurry yung nakuha ko. Kasi hinablot niya yung phone ko from me and said, chuckling, “Akala ko ba photographer ka?”
“Pasmado ako e,” I lied.
Hindi ako pasmado. Kinakabahan lang talaga akong maging ganito kalapit sa kanya. Ewan ko ba. Usually, at ease naman ako kapag may kaharap na gwapo. Pake ko naman sa mga mukha nila, diba? Pagdating lang talaga dito sa Sev Rufino na 'to, nanghihina ako.
Ayoko ng ganito. Tsk.
“Say 'cheese',” he grinned at the camera.
I smiled.
“Say it.”
Sumimangot ako. Makautos 'tong lalaking 'to, wagas.
Sakto, he took a shot – laughing as he did so.
Damn it. Ang cute ng tawa niya; wholehearted and carefree.
“One more,” he told me, posing again. “Ngiti naman dyan.”
Magtimpi ka, Asia.
Ngumiti ako. Tapos biglang kong pinindot yung phone ko, taking a picture bago pa siya magsalita at lalo akong ma-badtrip.
Sev burst out laughing.
“You got quite the temper,” he stated, amused.
I ignored him. “Can we take a wacky shot?” I asked instead.
Gusto kong makakita ng hindi kaaya-ayang expression from his face. Masyadong gwapo e. Hindi patas para sa mga normal na nabiyayaan.
His brows furrowed in confusion.
“What's a 'wacky'?” he asked carefully.
Luh. Seryoso ba 'to? 'Di niya talaga alam?
“Making faces,” I explained slowly.
He scratched his head. Then, he awkwardly stuck out his tongue and winked his eye. Attempt na niya siguro yun mag-wacky.
I couldn't help it. Natawa ako. He seriously looked so cute and goofy. Mukhang hindi niya alam ang gagawin niya. Ruggedly hot siya, tapos ang goofy? Cuteness overload, 'te.
“Not cute faces.” I shook my head. “Ugly faces.”
He smiled. “How do you do that?”
“Uh . . .”
Ayokong mag-wacky face sa harap niya. Hello! Our faces aren't even a feet apart! May dignity pa rin naman akong natitira. For all I know, pinagti-tripan lang ako ng gagong 'to e.
“Just an ugly face,” I shrugged.
“Sige na,” he urged. “Example lang.”
Tinitigan ko siya. Tapos, bigla kong naalala yung mga posts niya sa Instagram. My eyes grew into slits as I rounded on him.
“Joke's over,” I told him. “Alam kong marunong kang mag-wacky.”
Dafuq. Pinagaawayan namin ang wacky shot? Ang babaw.
“Pano mo nalaman?” tanong niya.
I rolled my eyes. “Duh, yung mga posts mo s – Nevermind. It doesn't matter. Give me back my phone.”
Bakit. Kasi. Wala. Akong. Filter.
Muntik ko nang aminin na fino-follow ko siya sa Instagram! Muntik nang mawala ang kaunting pride na natitira pa sa'kin.
Instead of giving back my phone, tinignan lang niya ako. Wala na yung ngiti niya. He kept studying me, tilting his head.
“When exactly did you start hating me?” he asked, his voice suddenly lowering.
“I don't hate you,” I corrected him a-matter-of-factly.
“But you don't like me.”
“I don't dislike you either,” I shrugged, looking away.
Safe answer, Asia. Good.
“Ang labo talaga ng mga babae,” I heard him say.
Tumingin ako ulit sa kanya. I reached out my hand.
“Phone ko.”
He sighed, as he handed me my phone.
“I took your pictures kanina.”
Ano daaaaaw?!
I stared at him, dumbfounded. We stayed like that, staring at each other for a few moments. Hindi ko alam kung anong gusto niyang mangyari.
“W – What?” I stammered, still in shock.
Kinuha niya yung phone niya sa pocket ng jeans niya. He unlocked it, scrolled a bit, tapos pinakita niya sa'kin yung mga stolen shots na kinuha niya kanina habang nagiikot ako para sa dare naming magkakaibigan.
My jaw dropped. Ang dami niyang kuha! Parang paparazzi lang ang peg! Swerte siya kasi matangkad siya. Hindi siya masyadong nahirapan.
Uy, wait. Parang ang ganda ko dun ah.
But going on important matters . . .
When did he have time to do that?!
At bakit ako kinikilig?!
Shit!
“Why?” I demanded, to hide my kilig mostly.
There goes his slow grin again. Did I say 'cute' kanina? Well, now it's sexiness overload. Dayum. Bakit kasi kahinaan ko yung tipo ng hinayupak na 'to?
“Para quits na tayo.”
Holy mother of happiness, bakit binubuhusan mo 'ko ngayon ng magic dust mo?
I managed to keep my cool as I said, “You got hassled, too?”
“Actually,” he started, his grin broadening, “I had fun watching you.”
Hyperventilating.
I'm hyperventilating over here!
“Oh, shit,” said Sev, his voice concerned. Napansin niya na ata na namutla ako, kulang nga kasi ako sa hangin. “Did I creep you out?”
Hindi ako makapagsalita. Masyado akong busy sa paghinga.
“Stalker ba yung dating?”
Bulag ba 'to? Hindi ba halata sa itsura ko na kinikilig ako ng todo to the point na hindi na ako makahinga?
“Sorry, I couldn't help it,” he smiled sheepishly, scratching his head na parang batang nahuli mo yung kamay sa cookie jar.
Imagine moreno siya, tas chinito. He's half Russian, half Filipino-Spanish – ang dami niyang lahi na nakakasabaw na ng utak. Moreno siya kasi outdoorsy siyang tao. He always went to the beach to wake-board and surf.
He is HOT. Like, I'm-dangerous-and-challenging-but-I'm-really-nice-and-confident-in-my-own-skin kind of hot. Tapos he made a sheepish shy smile?
Oxygen please!
“Cute mo kasing mataranta e,” he added with a soft smile.
I fucking need oxygen now!
“I'm gonna go,” I managed to croak out. I cleared my throat. “Kailangan pa namin i-tally yung pictures e.” Tumalikod na 'ko before he could convince me to stay.
“Do I have to delete the shots?”
I stopped. Taking a deep breath, I looked over my shoulder. Siguro nagha-hallucinate lang ako pero mukhang ayaw niyang burahin yung stolen shots ko sa phone niya.
Dayum. Haba ng hair, kahit na shoulder length naman talaga ang buhok ko.
“Up to you,” I shrugged, as casually as I could. Then, before I could chicken out like a coward, I flashed a real smile at him. “Quits na tayo.”
At that, naglakad na ulit ako at madaling hinanap ang mga kaibigan ko.
Quits na kami ni Sev. Kasi madami naman na siyang stolen shots sa DSLR ko – on and off the court. In my defense, hindi ko siya sinusundan. May pride nga ako, diba? Kapag natataon lang na parehas kami ng eating joint or same cafe na pinuntahan.
Hindi ko yun sinsadya.
Like the fact na bumalik bigla yung pagka-crush ko sa kanya na pilit kong binaon these past few months.
Hindi ko din yun sinasadya.
_____________
Puro Zeo kayo last chappie ah. Hahaha! Whatcha think of Sev naman now? ;)
Sa totoo lang, tingin ko sa kanya, parang sobrang refreshing. Hindi siya yung stereo-typical book boyfriend na kelangan e may certain characteristic talaga. I think he's so normal it's fascinating. :)
Btw, the songs of this short story are so bling. Hahaha!