Only If I Were Twenty

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Only if I were Twenty

"Every girl needs a guy, every princess needs a prince, every lady needs a gentleman, every queen needs a king and every woman needs a man."

I sighed reading those words. "Each of us needs to have one but not all can have one," naiiling kong bulong sa sarili. Isinara ko ang librong binabasa ko at isinilid sa bag.

I am a girl who loves and believes in fairytale. Fairytales and fantasies are real for me dahil sa palagay na ganoon, pakiramdam ko ay nagagawa kong ilayo ang sarili ko sa masasakit na katotohanan sa mundo ng reyalidad. Well, that's a fact about most people. They always wanted to escape reality and I am one of them.

"Secret!"

Nilingon ko ang pinanggalingan ng boses. My lips immediately form into a curve when I saw who is it...

"Kuya!" I waved my right hand. "Dodong!"

Tumayo ako mula sa upuang kinauupuan ko dito sa café kung saan ang madalas kong tambayan.

"Nene!" he mocked which made him laugh so hard. Napanguso ako dahil doon.

Agad ko siyang hinampas sa braso ng pabiro nang makalapit na siya sa akin. "Stop it! Inaaway mo na naman ako!" I groaned.

"Ikaw kaya ang nauna!" he laughed once again atsaka ginulo ang buhok kong nakalugay. "Namiss lang talaga kita."

My heart skipped a beat, hearing those words from him. He never failed to do that. Damn it. My heart can't calm down right now.

"Sus! Kahapon lang naman tayo huling nagkita ah!" I said, wincing.

"Masama ka bang mamiss agad?" naniningkit na tanong niya. His is forcing himself not to smile.

Now, it's time for me to laugh. Humalakhak ako at napailing dahil sa pinagsasabi niya. Ang kalokohan niya on top as always.

"Ewan ko sa iyo! Ilibre mo na nga lang ako!" asar ko sa kaniya.

"Tara," he said with a smile atsaka umakbay sa akin.

Damn, his touch.

Naglakad kami patungo sa counter para umorder. He ordered mocha and cappuccino frappe for the both of us. He also added a slice of red velvet cake for me and a blueberry flavored pancakes for him, and of course, the bill will come from his wallet.

"So, how are you baby girl?" tanong niya nang saktong pagkakaupo namin ulit sa aming puwesto.

I rolled my eyes heavenwards and winced because of the way he called me, "Like how the hell am I a baby girl?" nakangiwing sabi ko, "Seriously? And why are you even asking me that when yesterday was only the last time that we saw each other?"

He chuckled, "Bakit? Anong masama? You're really my baby girl, bunso. At masama bang kumustahin ka? Many tings might happen in just a span of hours, what more for a day?"

The annoyance I felt disappeared. Napalitan ito ng isang pakiramdam na hindi ko maintindihan. Nabalewala iyong pangungumusta niya. My heart clenched hearing the reason why he calls me 'baby girl'— it's because I am his 'bunso' which means I am a little sister to him.

"Hoy, Secret!"

I snapped back when he called my attention.

"B-bakit?"

"You don't want to be called baby girl? Oh, sige. I'll call you nene instead!" he mocked again.

Awtomatiko akong napangiwi at pabiro siyang hinampas sa braso. Inirapan ko pa siya at inismiran bago ako nag-iwas ng tingin.