Just The Strings (COMPLETED)

Kabanata 57

#JustTheStrings

Kabanata 57

What Parker told me caught me off guard. Ilang beses na rin naman niyang sinabi sa akin iyong tungkol sa feelings niya. Ilang beses ko na rin naman na sinabi sa kanya na pagkakaibigan lang iyong kaya kong ibigay. Iyon lang 'yung gusto kong ibigay. If I could only tell him, I only wanted to become his friend—or maybe best friend if opportunity permits... But he was so persistent. He didn't like being just friends.

"Parker..."

He smiled. "I thought these coupons are real?" sabi niya sabay hawak sa unang coupons na nasa page 100.

"They're real pero..." I stopped midway. I didn't know how to continue. I didn't know how to properly say it. Ayoko na mailang ako sa kanya. Ayoko rin na mailang siya sa akin. I was really appreciating what we had. Iyong friendship. Iyong nakakapag-usap na kami kagaya nung dati. But that's it. Hanggang doon lang.

It took me seconds before I gave up. Wala talaga akong masasabi.

"It's okay," he replied. "You still have the whole day to think about it."

I still couldn't say anything.

"I'll try my best to understand if you decline," he said. "But I'll appreciate if you'll consider."

Since when did he become this considerate? 

I sighed. That was all I could do. Mabuti na lang talaga at tinawag na ako ni Jovi. Dahil nasabihan na siya ni Mama kagabi, nagkaroon lang ako ng sandaling orientation. I asked her not to introduce me as the daughter of the part-owner dahil baka i-trato ako nila na iba. I just wanted to work. I just wanted to do this for myself... but how could I do that with Ria as my work mate?! Why was she everywhere? She made my art classes stressful enough dahil palagi niya akong tinatanong tungkol kay Saint. Tapos ito naman?

"Work mates na tayo!" she shrieked. I awkwardly smiled. "OMG! Two years na akong nagwowork dito pero never ko pang nakita si Saint dito! Pero since dito na nagwowork ang girlfriend niya, makikita ko na siya!"

"Hindi ko na nga siya boyfriend," I corrected her for the umpteenth time.

"Whatever, in-denial kong work mate," she replied. Napailing na lang ako dahil sobrang kulit talaga ni Ria. She should be friends with Kath. Magkaka-sundo sila. Iyong isa ay obsessed kay Psalm, siya naman ay obsessed kay Saint. I just needed to find someone na obsessed kay Cohen at Austin tapos pwede na silang bumuo ng grupo.

After the orientation, nagpaalam na ako dahil may klase pa ako. I was only required to work during my freetime. Mas maluwag pa nga sa akin si Jovi dahil kay Mama. I felt like she was giving me a free pass for everything. Siguro ay dapat nag-apply na lang ako using a normal way.

"Mary, hindi pa rin ba maglalaro si Saint sa next game nila?" biglang tanong sa akin ng classmate ko na ngayon ko lang nakausap. Tapos si Saint agad ang tanong niya sa akin.

"Uhh... I'm not sure," I politely replied.

"Tanong mo naman," she urged.

I wanted to say that we weren't exactly on speaking terms. Na ang hirap makipag-usap kay Saint ng hindi ko siya nao-offend. Dati, sobrang dali ko siyang kausapin dahil iniintindi niya ako palagi. He always made me laugh. But lately, it felt like I was walking on thin ice whenever he was in front of me. And it was called for. Siguro mas mag-aalala ako kung magiging normal lang kami ni Saint after the break-up... kasi if we could just switch to becoming friends after everything, it would make me doubt if what we had was real. Kung madali lang ba talagang bitawan iyon at maging magkaibigan na lang.