44

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[John Carlo Dela Cruz]

I noticed these days, medyo topakin si Danskie. You know that? Para siyang sinaniban ng kaharutan.

She's not like these the other chapters. Madalas, mataray, kontrabida, hindi maintindihan, masungit or kung hindi eh walang paki.

But now that changed. Natuto na siyang bumanat na pampakilig,

Tonge tinuro mo kaya yun.

Ah ganun ba? ... Yes, naalala ko na. I know why.

Lagi lagi ko kasi siyang binabanatan sa tuwing makikita kong kukurba pababa yung labi niya. Hanggang sa dumating ang time na'to na nakikisabay na din siya sa pambabanat.

Tsaka marunong na din siya magsambit ng "joke" that i didn't expect she can tell. Also, nalaman ko din na kaya niya pala ang makialam sa iba.

All this time, i thought Danskie is a bad girl na nakulang sa aruga and a person that don't mind other business unless she's involved in that issue.

Akala ko pa nakakatrauma siya because of what Brisk told me the past few weeks. Na yung sinabi niyang "Danskiephobia" that is funny but not.

When i started living with her, nalaman ko na hindi talaga masama ang puso niya. Na hindi talaga nasakop ng sama ang puso niya por que nanggaling siya sa Drayren na yun.

Danskie is,,, caring too. Eventhough she can't clean our unit—kasi di niya alam— but she still tries her best kahit pa kailangan kong ulitin yung mga trabaho niya.

Tulad na lang ng pagtutupi ng damit. Siya kasi ang kumukuha ng laundry namin tapos susubukan niyang itupi.

Perfect square naman ang ginagawa niyang kalalabasan but that's wrong.

All the time when weekends come and nananatili ako ng unit, o kung may oras, i teach her do those simple things. Like sweeping the floor or using the vacuum. I also teach her simple sunnyside egg cooking. Wala kasing alam iluto yun kahit magsaing ng rice sa rice cooker.

Kababae pa man ding tao. Tsaka nagkulang dun si Drayren. Siguro puro pinapagawa sa kaniya eh pagpatay ng mga inosente o kalaban nilang mga tao.

Natutuwa nga'ko kasi nagegets niya agad yung mga tinuturo ko. She's a fast learner after all.

Danskie is,,, the type of girl na ayaw magpaka-girl. Naiinis siya kapag minamaliit ang mga kababaihan. Ginagawa niya ang lahat para ipamukha na kahit babae siya ay masmalakas pa siya kaysa sa mga lalaki.

Naranasan ko na yun. And i admit that she does very well on guy "things" like car repairing. Magaling din siya sa suntukan but i'm always better when it comes to that.

Danskie is,,, i think crush ko na siya na totoo. Hindi ko alam kung pano nangyari yun pero sapul, i have a crush on her.

I know din naman that she feels the same to me. It was just that na ayaw niyang ipaalam sa'kin. Naiinis nga siya kapag nagpapakita siya ng kabaitan.

Ewan ko ba dun.

Nakapasok na kaming café. I looked at her then at the counter. "What's yours?" i asked.

"You—joke— i want that French Roast Whole Bean. No sugar" she said. Napangiti ako sa part na sinabi niyang "You"

"Cake? Brownies? Bread or what?" i asked again. Tsaka bakit ba siya nagkakape eh tanghali ngayon.

Ah, di pala siya nagbreakfast. Yan. Yan napapala ng hindi nagbebreakfast.

Abnormal ang eating scheme.

"Pecan tart and CC" -Danskie

"You want sweets? Kaya pala gusto mo'ko" i said. Luh kinilig pwet ko.

"What?"- Danskie

"I didn't know that you eat sweets for lunch. Kala ko ba sumasakit ulo mo sa matatamis?"- ako

"Nah, sweets are essential to human body. Tsaka pake mo ba? Eh kung gusto ko ng matamis"- Danskie

Ayan. Nagsusungit nanaman. Para na din siyang ibang babae. Or maybe meron siya ngayon.

"Edi gusto mo. Gusto ka ba?" i teased.

Nanliit mata niya sa'kin saka pinitik ilong ko. Sus. Di naman masakit. Pero feeling ko nagrered ilong ko.

"Ano naman kung di ako gusto? Is that required anyway? Psh. Order ka na i'm hungry"  she hissed.

I raised my hands. "Yea yes. Papunta na" i said then walked to the counter.

Sasadyain kong tagalan para mainis pa siya lalo. Hihihihihi.

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[Danskie Montpellier]

Almost everyone looks at us curiously. Bakit ba sila nakatingin? Every where i go everyone stares at me. Ganoon ako ka essential sa mga mata nila.

Wala na'kong paki sa iniisip nila, in case they have isip. I told JC my orders since he volunteered na siya na ang pumunta ng ordering station.

Bakit ba kailangan pa niya mambwisit kung sana nag-order siya edi mas maaga kaming makakakain.

Me, who didn't volunteer, obligated to find a seat for the two of us. Of course meron akong nahanap. There would be always a seat for a queen.

Okay na lahat. May upuan na kami. Walang labis si JC na lang kulang. Tsaka bat ba ang tagal niya eh oorder lang naman?

Matagal talaga eh. Sisisantehin ko na mga crew dito. Ayokong pinag-aantay.

But before JC comes first, heremy colleagues coming. Except for the girl of course. Hindi ko siya ituturing na colleague kahit kelan.

"Alone?" Jayzam said. I don't know if that's a certainty or a question. The three of them took their seats.

I answered him, "I have JC with me" saktong dumating siya.

Nagtaasan ang dugo sa ulo ko na kumulo bigla. "Carlo!" i was shocked when Lowie hugged JC. Hays. Why does it need that all girls would fell inlove with him at maging ganiyan kadesperada.

Buti pa'ko hindi ganiyan.

"Hey watch out! Yung lunch namin!" i really made my voice so loud para umalis ang pesteng linta.

"I can't believe to see you here Carlo" the lint uttered.

JC pushed her gently. I can't keep my eyes off them, iba kasi ang titig nilang dalawa sa isa't isa. You can't easily get in their to break it, thinking that they were only two in the world here.

"Lowie, my friend! Nice to see you here" he said, glancing at me. Hindi nga tumingin si JC sa mga mata ni Lowie eh.

I feel something is going on here na silang dalawa lang nakakaalam. Umirap ako kasi alam niyo iyon? Gutom na'ko tapos may eksena pa silang ganiyan.

"Hoy gutom na'ko" sambit ko na umirap ulit. Gusto kong manampal at the moment.

JC gave me my meal. He sat beside me where Lowie sat a while ago. "M-my friend?" mahinang usal ni Lowie. She slowly turned to the man who's sitting beside me.

Inaabangan ko ang susunod na mangyayari— and i can't believe what she did next. Lowie sat beside JC. Reall? Why tucking in?

I squinted my eyes looking at her. Dumating si Merch na may tatlong Blueberry oat cakes and cold pressed pineapple juices.

He sat with us then no one's talking. Yung magsasalita mamatay. Parang ganun yung atmosphere dito.

"JC, i'm really sorry cause my 'friends' came to our lunch, that should only be the TWO of us" i talked loud. I didn't bother surveying their reactions.

"Danskie, it's okay. Your friends are my friends too" JC replied, smiling. I don't know if that's genuine or pretent kasi iva ang atmospira nang andito si Lowie.

I glanced at Lowie, just wanna know what's her reaction. she obviously records what JC says in her mind.

Speaking of friends, how's Thorie?" i asked Merch. Siguro naman this time itatago na niya ang phone sa safe vault para hindi maulit ang ginawa ko last time.

"Actually, he's—"

"I'm not asking you" i hissed at the bitch on JC's other side.

"He's not okay" that's it. Iyon lang ang gusto kong madinig.

We all know Lowie's talkative na ang simpleng tanong has hundred of answers. We should not let her do the talking. Mabibingi na kami if we let her do the chattering and chattering this time. Ask her one question and she answers endless. Proven and tested 100%

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😈

[Danskie Montpellier]

We're still here at the café, talking.

"If that's the case, it's a must to pay him a visit" i told thee all.

"That's automatically had to be done" Jayzam said. He joined the talking.

I peered at JC, telling "Maybe i'll be late this evening. You can lock our door. I have my card". I just said i can't be up for dinner. Lagi kasi kaming sabay

"Our door? Do you live in?" Merch inquired. I glimpsed at Lowie then smirked.

"Yes. We live in our unit" pilosopo kong sumbat.

He rolled his eyes. "I mean nagsasama ba kayo?"

"Yeah. Nagsasama kami sa isang bahay. We live in our unit nga diba?" pilosopo ko ulit na sabi.

"Argh! Ewan ko sa'yo" di na nga siya nagtanong.

Humigop ako ng kape ko. Saka tuminidor ng tart. Napatingin sa'kin si Jayzam.

"You drink coffee on lunch?" - Jayzam.

"Bakit? Gusto ko eh. Try mo din kasi minsan" sarkastika kong sabi.

"Nah, baliw" bulong nito. Hindi ko na papatulan yung sinabi niya kasi wala namang kwenta.

We got out the circle nang natapos na kaming kumain ni JC. Hila hila ko talaga yung kamay niya while walking out the café.

Binitawan ko na yun nang nasa hagdan na kami. Pinagtitinginan kasi ng mga tao yung kamay namin. After that, doon gagana ang mapupurol nilang utak. Isyu ulit.

"You know Lowie?"  those words came out my mouth. Bakit ko nga ba tinatanong yun?

"She's a... friend" his voice tryna convince me.

"Then why did she call you Carlo? Para kasing mas higit pa kayo sa friends" i said furrowing my eyebrows.

He left out a sigh. "The truth is,, she really used to call me Carlo"

A conclusion made up my mind: malandi talaga ang babaing yun.

I crossed my arms which he saw then asked, "Are you mad?" he said na parang pinapa-obvious na nahahalata niya ako.

Tinignan ko siya. "Of course not! Why should i?" i rolled my eyes.

He smirked gaggily. Akala niya siguro hindi ko nakita yun. Tinalikuran ko na lang siya kasi gigil mo si ako eh.

I hurriedly marched up the stairs, sinisigurado kong dapat na sumusunod siya sa'kin.

"I can see what's happening here" he sounded teasing me. Hindi ako lumingon sa kaniya bagkus pinagpatuloy ang paglalakad.

Nagdahilan ako. "Just to tell you, that Lowie is a lint—and a cockroach. I don't it when she's around" i stumped harder.

"Okay. Okay. Whatever" he chuckled then said a word. "Jealous" he whispered.

I turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "No, i'm not" i confidently said. I pushed the door going to the rooftop. Students actually are prohibited here.

"Jealous" he teased.

"What? JC stop that!" hindi ko siya tinaasan ng boses but i sounded irritated.

"Jealous jealous jealous jealous" sirang plaka niyang sambit.

Napapikit ako sa inis. "I'm not jealous i swear!!!" humalukipkip ako. Kusang inirapan siya ng mga mata ko.

"Okay. Fine. You're not jealous" he laughed under his breath.

"Yes, i'm not. I am really not" sagot ko.

"Yes, i really know that you are not jealous" humalukipkip din siya.

Tinaas ko ang kilay ko sa kaniya at umupo sa railing dito sa pinakatuktok ng 6-Storey  building. He looked at me laughing. Maya maya sumeryoso yung mukha niya then he smiled again.

"You know what? I find it cute when you're jealous" he uttered, pinching my cheeks. Dalawang pisngi ang kinurot niya.

"I said i'm not jealous. Is that a compliment or an insult?" i crossed my arms looking away.

He chortled, then sighed. Maybe he gave up teasing. "I know this is wrong" simula niya. He viewed the whole view first before continuing. Wrong? What wrong?

"But i can't help. I'm informed that tgis would risk everything and fall... nah, nervermind" he looked somewhere infornt while i'm staring at him.

"What are you saying?" i uttered. I heard no response but a chuckle.

"Forget what i've said. Just be safe when coming home, yes?" he commanded me. Sweet, nilagay niya ang mga palad sa'king magkabilang pisngi.

"Your command is my must" said i, holding his warm hands.

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