Chapter 12🥀
Happiness
"Salamat... hero."
Hindi ko mabigay ng tuloyan kay Raya ang painting dahil nawalan ako ng lakas dahil sa mga ngiti at sinserong pasasalamat niya.
"Uy, Hero." she said snapping her fingers that made me snap back to reality as well.
I blink couldn't believe for a moment that I may like her genuine smile.
"B-bakit ba?!"
Ngumuso siya at nagsalobong ang dalawang kilay. "Pininta mo 'yan para sa'kin di'ba? Kaya ibigay mo na."
I got embarrassed imagining that she may laughed at me or tease me for painting her face! No way in hell! Maybe painting her was a wrong idea?
"I-it's not finish yet---"
"Eh bakit dala mo?"
Fuck, I could really say more reasonable than that! I bite my tongue before licking my lower lip.
"I was just... looking for something to paint!" pagsisinungaling ko.
Mas lalong nagkasalobong ang mga kilay niya. Tumango siya at akala ko ay maniniwala siya sa kasinungalingan ko but she dashed towards my back and snatched the painting showing me her rascal smile.
'Speed bar ka 'ba raya?!'
"Give it back---" before I could finish she tore the paper open and what she saw made her eyes circle in shock.
'Putangina, Nakakahiya men!'
After staring at the painting for minutes she turned to look at me, her eyes wasn't angry, it was more filled with gratefulness.
Tinagilid niya ang kanyang ulo at ngumiti. "Salamat... maraming... salamat..."
She continued and I can almost see glisters but she wiped it off. For a moment there, as I watched her adored my gift, Now I see happiness in those eyes of hers.
Wala nang balakid, lahat ay nawala dahil lang sa ginawa kong obra, ang obrang nagpasaya sa kanya.
~
"Hero, nakikinig ka ba sa 'kin?" aniya ni Jules na kanina pa may kinukwento pero nasa kawalan ang atensiyon ko, pero ngayon pinukaw niya ang diwa ko.
"H-huh? I'm sorry, Jules, I was just thinking about---" she cut my words with her words.
"Someone?" all her doubts is visible through her tone.
Madali akong umiling. "No, not someone. Busy lang ako dahil dalawang araw nalang tournament na."
Nakita kong kumbinsido naman siya sa sinabi ko. "As I was saying, Meron kaming new cheerleading attire para sa tournament na magaganap and you know what's amazing? Matching ang sports wear natin!" she grinned, happy as she announced it.
Ginantihan ko ang kanyang ngiti at tumango sa kanyang mga sinabi. Habang hindi naman sumagi sa aking isipan ang kanyang pinagsasabi.
Hindi ko kayang isipin ang iba kundi ang isang tao lang.
At iyon ang babaeng bigla-biglang pumapasok na walang pa sabi-sabi, katulad ng pagpasok niya sa puso ko. And now I can't deny it anymore.
I have a crush on Hiraya, and I want her near me, and man, I'm in real fucking trouble between what I like and what I want.
