8 Call

PART 2

   I smiled again, and he chuckles at my story, "Di seryoso haha, moon represents more of something like the sun, di man siya kagaya ng sun na kayang gawing liwanag lahat but at least the moon tried it's best. I salute the moon because it's true, maraming faces, maraming dark sides that represents flaws, like ours. How can the moon be unlovable? It deserve all the love in the world, yet the world gave the moon all of the blame why it's dark at night just because it doesn't emit enough light."

   Tumingin ako sa side niya and medyo tumalon puso ko when he's looking at me again like what he did noong araw na nagbreak sila ng ex niya. The same stare na parang dini-dig deeper ang kaluluwa ko. Na parang anytime aangkinin niya ito.

   "Hindi ko alam but para kang diwata o kung ano mang diyosa sa mundong ibabaw kung makabigay ng halaga ng sa kahit ano," and he chuckles at tumingin sa moon, "You make me want to love everything in this world, despite of the bad things that's in it too," he's still young but kita na iyong adam's apple niya, how much more if we will start high school, he will break thousands of hearts, or even more than that.

   Nagbuntong hininga nalang ako, "Marami kasing mga tao ang galit sa mundo when in fact it has to be appreciated kasi nakikitira lang naman tayo dito, might as well love everything before we pass away, like how He want us to do, love."

__________

"He likes you!"

    Napataas naman ang kilay ko sa prediction ng kapatid ko, "He does not. Ano ba 'yang pinagsasabi mo Zara! He's nice to everyone, di ba iyan ang sinabi ko sayo una pa lang? Don't blurt out something like 'impossible' in the middle of our conversation nga," and ngumuso nalang ako.

   Tinaas din niya ang kilay niya and nilaro ito up and down, "Why? Because kinilig ka din? OMG naman ate! I can't believe you're being dense! Are you nagaarte na maging humble or being just maarte or pabebe? You can't be serious! He's totally into you!"

   Napangiwi nalang ako, because me, for myself, I know na impossible, "Tsk, so ayun nga, after that he just hatid ako sa sakayanan and then that's where it ends. It has been half of the month now sa April and we can't stay here as long as we want, and Zara, I don't know... I don't know what's bothering me anymore, about time and him and us," utal ako nang utal and then napahiga nalang ako pabagsak sa aking kama.

   Nagkibit-balikat nalang siya, "Well, don't ask me ate. You're the ate sa ating dalawa, you and your words of wisdom about that kind of things, how am I suppose to help you? You help yourself," tinignan ko siya na tumayo, "Gotta get some snacks nalang muna ate babush!"

   And then umalis na nga si Zara. 

   Napatingin ako sa ceiling namin and intertwine my fingers on my tummy.

   I cover my face and shriek when I realized that my mind keep thinking about him. The way he look, the way his mouth moves, his voice.... Damn it!

   My attention diverted to my phone and I almost hulog sa higaan ko when his name pop out of the screen. He gave me a text... And yes, we exchange numbers the moment his parents bought him a phone. I was his first contact aside from his family... Argh! Chloe! Are you umaasa right now?!

   I read his text and it is, "I can't sleep, gising ka pa Angel?"

   I bit my lip, but it shows from eyes ang mga ngiti ko. Then I smile while typing my reply, "Yep, still awake. Why? Insomnia?" 

   Nagro-roll na ako sa aking higaan while waiting for his reply and parang tumalon puso ko when my phone beeps, damn, "Nah, just thinking about... Things."

   Hmm, things? What kind of things? So we're on the same page, kaya lang, I'm thinking about him that's why I can't sleep and he's thinking about other things. I'm about to ask him what are those 'things' that he said but then...

   "Can I call you?" suddenly pops out, a message from him again!

   "Ehem!"

   And iyon nga nahulog na talaga ako sa higaan ko after Zara teased me while she's standing in the back na parang white lady. She's so pale kasi.

   "Zara! Shut up ka nga!"

   She just gave me meaningful-- more like a judgemental look. Tinignan ko ulit ang message niya sakin. We text, sometimes and we call once, kasi hindi pa siya naglo-load once in awhile. He's lazy but he's never too lazy when it comes to me, well of course because I'm his friend.

   I replied, "Sure."

   Nakita ko my phone lit up and screams "Nyte" in it, kaya agad ko itong sinagot and hugs my pillow kasi feel ko parang lilipad na talaga ako. I can't be able to feel so much happiness like this.

   "Hey," pag-uuna niya sa conversation, it's the second time but it still tickles like the first one. Argh! You are so baliw na Chloe Miyuki Park!

   I bit my lower lip, "Hi, ahm, what's up?" gumulong na naman ako nang pabalik balik sa aking higaan, but damn he has a great voice kahit sa phone, kahit ulit ulit pa siyang tumawag.

   "Can't sleep," bumuntong hininga naman siya, "How 'bout you Angel? Insomnia? It's already 11:42 PM, h'wag mong sabihin na nanonood ka na naman ng kdrama?" 

   Napangiti ako unconditionally sa sinabi niya, he's really like my papa, "No, silly! Hahaha, I just can't find myself sleepy, and... I'm thinking about... Ahm, things too," I bit my lip again, and things means him.

   Tumahimik naman ng ilang seconds, "Things? Do you miss someone Angel?"

   Nagulat ako sa biglang tanong niya, "H-Huh? Anong m-miss ka dyan?! Bingi ka ba? I said I'm thinking, not missing," and I roll my eyes, okay am I being too guilty? Hmm, "Baka ikaw may namimiss, am I right?" 

   "Bakit naman kita mamimiss?" namula ako ng sobra dahil sa sinabi niya, he's a joker, but this is not funny.

   "Bakit?! Sinabi ko ba na ako ang namimiss mo? I meant your ex, jerk that's born in june at night!" I always tease him or call him that whenever I'm angry, his name was made because he's born on June at night. Cute but I find my way to make it an insult, or adding an insult, just to get even.

   I heard his chuckles, deep but sweet, heck, "Chill Angel, I was just kidding, you should really get use to me being bully to you kid, I'm the only boy that can do things like that, so bare with it," and he chuckles again, he's liking the thought of it. 

   Ngumuso nalang ako kahit hindi niya naman nakikita, "Nah, you're not the only one Jerk-Who-Is-Born-on-June-at-Night! I have a pest who happens to be a boy like you, so if you are kind enough, hindi ko kailangan pangbu-bully mo!"

   I really don't understand why boys bully girls. Like, they should be aware that girls are fragile and sensitive! Pero hindi naman siya bully sa ibang babae ah? Does that mean... He likes me? O baka naman katulad ni Parekoy best friend tingin niya sakin? Damn, that hurts.

   Medyo nagtaka ako kasi hindi siya kumikibo, "Hey?" I said.

   "Who's that? Siya... Siya ba namimiss mo ngayon kaya ka di makatulog?" I don't know if ako lang ba iyon or guni-guni ko lang but his voice is cold, pero baka naman inaantok na so I let it slide.

   "My best friend in Manila, of course I miss him, we're inseparable since forever! Alam mo ba we're very alike! He likes black too! Though we kinda argue about pizza and cheese burger, huh, and he's a potterhead too! He's like my other half but he's a pest so one summer without him would not hurt, if andito pa siya siguro--"

   "Chloe..." 

   Napatahimik ako. He's calling me by my name.

   May nasabi ba akong mali? Na hindi niya nagustuhan? Kilala niya kaya tinutukoy ko? 

   "Oh, nagiging madaldal na ba ako? Are you sleepy? I can hang up if you want, gabing gabi na din eh," iyan nalang ang sinabi ko. Ang daldal ko kasi ayan tuloy, baka na bored na siya.

   Ilang segundo din bago siya nagsalita...

   "Angel?" 

   I blink thrice... Now he's calling me Angel, shocks, "Y-Yeah, Nyte?" damn that malambing na boses! I stuttered! Bobo Chloe bobo!

    "Ako... 

     When will you miss me?"

   I blink for a thousand times and my right hand is on my chest now, one thing is for sure, hindi na normal ang heartbeat ko. Hindi na normal ang nararamdaman ko. I felt electricity all over my body just by... By his mere voice plus that question!

   Is he freaking serious?! Should I answer him? Baka naman he's being moody and OA lang diba? He's like a girl sometimes naman diba? 

   "A-Ahmm, o-of---" I didn't finished my sentence.

   He hung up.