Ericka
"A-anong ibig mong sabihin?"
Saglit na napatingin sa akin si Norris bago niya napagpasyahang bitawan yung braso ko.
"Baka kasi mapagod ka sa pag-akyat. Concerned lang ako. Ako na lang ang aakyat para tignan siya. Hintayin mo na lang kami dito." He smiled.
He looked sincere and really concerned kaya naman hindi na 'ko tumutol pa. Pumayag na lang ako sa suggestion niya at tumango.
Then he went up and I walked back to the parking lot para doon na lang maghintay.
I fished for my phone from my pocket and plugged my earphones in. Nakinig na lang ako ng music para kahit papano hindi naman masyadong tahimik yung paligid.
A few minutes later, Keil was already running towards me. Napaayos ako ng tayo.
"Are you okay? Masama ba pakiramdam mo?" He asked worriedly as he approached me.
I shook my head. "Okay naman ako. Sobrang nainip lang kasi ang tagal mong bumaba."
He sighed in relief. "Shit. Akala ko naman kung ano na." Naghahabol pa siya ng hininga kaya di siya nakapagsalita agad.
"Why? Ano ba sinabi sa'yo ni Uri?" I can't help but ask. Mukha kasing tinakot siya ni Norris kaya naman nagmamadali siyang makababa agad.
He just shrugged. "Uwi na tayo? Sorry natagalan ako. Gusto mo kumain muna?"
Tatanggi pa sana ako but my stomach gave me away. It grumbled so loudly, I had to step a few onches away from Keil. What the hell? Bakit ngayon pa?! Kanina naman hindi ako nakakaramdam ng gutom ah?
Keil laughed. "Sige na, kain muna tayo. Bawi ako sayo kasi pinaghintay kita."
We got in to his car and he started the engine. Di muna siya nag-drive because he was still catching his breath from running.
"Okay ka lang? Bakit ka kasi tumakbo? I asked him.
"Nataranta kasi ako sa sinabi ni Norris eh." I raised my brow and he continued talking. "He said you're in immediate need of company. Akala ko naman kung ano na nangyari sayo. Yung mukha niya kasi kanina, hindi maipinta."
Napatawa ako. This guy's too gullible. "You're too worried about me. Nagiging funny ka na tuloy. Funny-walain."
He pouted. "Bakit? Masama bang mag-alala? Kanina ka pa kaya matamlay. Siyempre matataranta ako kung may bigla lalapit sa akin tapos sasabihin kailangan mo 'ko."
"Oo na. Oo na. Alis na tayo. Gumagabi na, oh. I need to get home by 8."
He did as I said. He revved up the engine and drove out of SJA's parking lot.
We went to a food park within Valenzuela. Maliit lang yung place and it opens at 4pm kaya naman ma-swerte kami dahil may nakuha agad kaming table. Madami din kasing nagpupunta sa place na 'to since there are different varieties of food you could find. I didn't want to eat a heavy meal because I still have to join my family for dinner. Um-order lang si Keil ng burger and grilled cheese sandwich since late merienda lang naman daw namin 'to.
As we ate, hindi ko napigilan yung sarili kong magtanong.
"What took you so long? Wala ka bang katulong maglinis ng classroom niyo?"
Napatigil siya sa pagkain and glanced up to look at me. "A-Ano mag-isa lang ako. Tapos sobrang madumi yung room."
"Ganun ba. Dapat sinama mo 'ko. Para kahit papano may katulong ka."
He shook his head. "Mapapagod ka lang. Okay na 'yun." Tapos ngumiti siya sa akin.
Bakit parang lahat ng tao sa paligid ko, concerned sa mga kilos ko at ayaw akong mapagod? Hindi naman sobrang strenuous yung paglilinis ng room or pag-akyat ng hagdan, diba?
Nagpatuloy na lang kami sa pagkain at di na nag-usap. Ewan ko ba, pero parang normal na lang sa amin yung ganito. Mag-usap o hindi, okay lang. Parang wala lang.
"Kanina ka pa tahimik tsaka matamlay, ah? Okay ka lang ba talaga?" he asked as we stood up from our table right after eating.
I nodded. Seriously, these guys just have to stop worrying about me. They're acting like I'm a person who is about to die! Porke't tahimik lang hindi na kagad okay? That's a weird kind of thinking. After all, hindi naman connected yun sa sakit ko.
"Alright, let's get you home." he smiled and ushered me to his car.
On our way back to the subdivision, I can't help but notice that his phone on the dashboard kept flashing this certain number on it's screen indicating that there's someone who's trying to call him.
"Aren't you going to answer that?" he turned to look at me and raised a brow. I tilted my head towards his dashboard and he glanced at the same direction.
"Oh. That. No, I'm driving. Mamaya na lang siguro pag nasa bahay na 'ko."
"You want me to answer it for you?" I was about to reach for his phone but he immediately caught my hand midway.
"No. Don't bother. I-It's not that important anyway."
My forehead went to a crease. How would he know that? I just shrugged and went to look outside the window. Ang weird talaga ng mga tao ngayon. Hindi ko alam kung ayaw lang talaga nila akong pagawain ng kahit ano or sadyang weird lang sila ngayon.
Hindi kaagad umalis ng bahay si Keil pagtapos niya 'kong maihatid. Apparently, my parents went out to fetch some supplies from the shop and didn't bothered to at least send me a text that they would be out. Buti na lang at may sarili akong susi ng bahay. Dahil kung wala, hindi ko alam kung saan ako pupulutin. I called dad and he said that they won't make it to dinner and asked me if I was okay with delivered food. Sinabi ko na lang na magpapa-deliver ako, when in fact, ayoko na rin namang kumain. Keil insisted that we should go to his house and have our meals there with his family but I refused. May mga food pa naman sa refrigerator namin na pwedeng i-microwave na lang. In the end, nakumbinisi ko rin siya na wag nang abalahin pa ang parents niya na ipagluto kami ng pagkain.
"You should go home. Anong oras na, oh. May pasok pa tayo bukas." I told him as we finished watching the very last episode of Game of Thrones.
"You sure you'll be okay?" he asked.
I rolled my eyes at him and scoffed. "Seriously? Hindi ako 7 year old na bata na hindi kayang mag-stay sa bahay kahit walang kasama, 'no."
"Nag-aalala lang naman ako, paano kung bigla kang atakihin, tapos wala kang kasama. Sige nga, isipin mo. Paano kung ganoon ang mangyari?"
Actually, he has a point. Iniisip ko pa lang na baka nga mangyari 'yon, kinikilabutan na 'ko. Pero hindi naman pwedeng dito siya mag-stay hanggang dumating sina mommy at daddy. Halos maghapon na kami sa school and I'm pretty sure he's tired. Duh? Naglinis kaya siya ng isang buong classroom.
"Sige na, akyat ka na. Matulog ka na. Dito lang ako sa baba. Hintayin ko dumating sina tita."
"But--" I was about to protest but halted in to a stop when he placed one finger on my lips.
"Sssh. No more but's. You go to your room, you rest and that's it. I'm staying here until your parents come. Okay?"
I absentmindedly nodded.
He lift his finger off but I was surprised when his thumb replaced it and traced the outline of my lips.
Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko lalo na nung mapansin kong mula sa mga mata ko ay bumaba ang tingin niya sa mga labi ko. Napalunok ako.
Gusto ko nang gumalaw at tumakbo paakyat ng kwarto ko pero mas lalo yata akong nanigas doon sa pwesto ko nang magsimula siyang ilapit ang mukha niya sa akin.
What the hell am I doing? I know I should move and stop this, but a part of says no. Part of me says that this is something that I want.
His face were already a few inches from mine and my thoughts were flying out the window. All I could do was close my eyes and wait for the next moment.
I was waiting for it to happen when suddenly his phone rang. My eyes flew open.
"Shit." He cursed under his breath.
He ran his hands though his hair and let out an exasperated sigh. "I shouldn't have removed you from silent mode. What the fuck."
Napangiti ako. Sobrang disappointed niyang tignan ngayon. And I was stopping myself from laughing because it might irritate him.
I'll admit na kahit ako naman, na-disappoint din sa nangyari. But somehow, I'm still thankful na hindi natuloy. His phone saved me from a situation na alam kong hindi ko pa kayang harapin. Deep inside, I know I wasn't ready for this yet.
Masyado kasing mabilis. Kailan lang kami nagkausap. Nito lang kami nagka-ayos. And we're just starting to piece it back together. At sa pagkakataong ito, ayoko nang madaliin. Doon kami nagsimula, naging mabilis kami, nagpadalus-dalos. Kaya ngayon, gusto ko pareho na kaming sigurado sa mga gusto namin. Gusto ko pareho na kaming handa.
Bigla akong nakaramdam ng hiya. Shit, Ericka! Ano pang ginagawa mo diyan at nakatayo ka habang nakatingin sa kanya?!
Ang awkward.
Hindi pa rin tumitigil sa pagri-ring yung phone niya. At hanggang ngayon ay nakatingin lang siya doon habang nakasimangot.
After a few seconds, nahanap ko rin ang boses ko para magsalita. "I'll go ahead. Matutulog na ko. Sagutin mo na yang tawag." Pagpapaalam ko sa kanya.
Tumingin siya sa akin at ngumiti. "Sige. Sleep well, baby. Good night."
I turned my back from him and started heading to the stairs. When I was a few steps from my room, I heard him answer his phone.
"What is it, Ahki?"
