Chapter #2

Sab

"How sweet" my mother remarked.

"Kain na" utos ni dad habang nakahanda lahat ng pagkain sa lamesa.

I didn't even saw our house helpers prepare the food and such. Parang saglit lang kaming nag usap pero pagtingin ko ay naka set up na ang lahat.

We stood up and went infront of the table looking at those delicious foods.

Naramdaman kong binitawan na ni Ryan ang kamay ko at may ginawa sa cellphone niya.

"Ryan hindi ba dadating ang mga kaibigan mo?" mom asked him.

"Dadating po tita, mamaya" he said politely.

Mga kaibigan niya? oh those guys, my brother also belongs to their group. What do boys call it again? tropa I think. I guess my so called brother invited them, para hindi siya ma-op dito.

There's a certain person that would pop up in my mind kung ang mga kaibigan niya ang tinutukoy.

I felt a bit nervous,

I would be able to see him again.

Napabuntong hininga ako at sinubukang hindi mag isip ng mga bagay tulad nito.

We sat down, and started to eat, but just as then, we heard a car engine. Napalingon kami doon, at nakita ang dalawng lalaki na lumabas.

One guy who emerged from the passenger's seat is wearing white long sleeves with black skinny jeans for as long as I remember he is Oliver. At ang isang lalaki naman ang huling lumabas.

Suddenly the nervousness that I was feeling awhile back has multiplied.

He's really here, standing infront of me.

As if time has stopped, he remained standing there, looking at each other, not really minding other people.

I tried to avert my eyes to him, but it's no use. Parang may tumutulak pa rin saakin para tignan siya.

Hazel nut eyes, that makes me ask myself,

If I would stare at it for so long, will I be sucked in the deepest depth of it?

His dark brown hair that's styled as two block cut, which is split at the center.

As if he were in a red carpet, he walks like a prince. Black denim jacket with a white shirt inside, and jeans. He would easily pass as a leading man in a korean novela.

It's an understatement to call him handsome.

Sinundan ng mga mata ko ang bawat paglakad niya. I don't know what the hell am I thinking or doing this time.

I noticed that the four of them, including my brother wears the same white shoes. But they all look good with it.

Tinignan niya ako ulit pabalik,

A glance that could easily freeze you.

Kaya iniiwas ko ang tingin ko sakanya at ibinaling nalang kung saan.

Napatayo si Ryan sa kinauupuan pati na rin si mommy at inasikaso sila.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit napatayo rin ako. Pero hindi ko nagawang lumapit sakanila.

Binati niya si mommy at daddy, pati na rin ang mga taong nandoon.

Tumingin ako sa paligid, trying to focus my attention to something.

"Hey" tumingin ako kung nasan nanggaling ang boses. I saw him and Liam talking to each other and laughing.

Ryan and him are both wearing jackets but I wonder who looked better.

I bit my lip, stopping myself to think about these kind of thoughts.

I have a boyfriend, that I love so much. Yet right now, I'm fangirling over his bestfriend. I shouldn't think about things like this.

I exhaled, and tried to convince myself to remain calm.

I cleared my thoughts, and tried to think about other things.

"Congrats"

I froze to where I stood up, that deep manly voice whom I used to hear everyday, gave me chills.Parang lahat ata ng ginawa kong pag papa kalma sa sarili ay nawala.

I didn't answer him, pretending to not pay attention to what he was saying. Which is a stupid thing to do.

Hindi ko alam pero, nandito pa din yung konting pag ka-ilang.

"Babe, are you good?" I snapped back into reality when i saw my boyfriend's worried look.

"Ah yes!" i told him immediately, trying to get my act together.

"Hindi ka ata okay, kanina ka pa kinakausap ni Liam" Ryan said as he moved infront of me and touched my forehead.

Kanina pa ako kinakausap? Oh, I didn't notice. Sanay naman na kasi akong hindi niya napapansin dati palang.

"Di ka naman mainit ah, gusto mo na bang umuwi?" tanong niya ulit ng may pag aalala, sabay alis sa kamay niya na nasa noo ko.

See? I have a boyfriend who loves me so much, but I'm still thinking over something like that.

And that's not good.

"Im good! promise" i told him and smiled sweetly, but that didn't convinced him. God, what did I do to deserve someone like him?

Nagulat ako ng biglang may lumapat na kamay sa noo ko, it's warm.

Ipinikit ko ang aking mga mata at niramdam ang paglapat ng kamay na iyon saakin.Para tuloy akong sira sa itsura ko ngayon.

"Are you really alright?" narinig ko ang boses ni Liam at saka lang ako natauhan.

Nagangat ako ng tingin at tinignan ko siya sa kanyang mga mata, damn those eyes, If I could just stare at it forever. But my eyes are already for Ryan.

Bigla akong lumayo sakanya na ikinagulat niya.

"Ihahatid na ba kita?" tanong saakin ni Ryan.

Napansin kong silang dalawa lang ni Liam ang nasa aking kana at kaliwa habang si Oliver ay nakikipagusap kay kuya sa malayo.

I looked for mom and dad, but I can't see them here.

"O-okay" sagot ko sakanila. Hindi naman masama ang pakiramdam ko, but I wanted to go home. Because if I did stay here? I might end up recalling something I doesn't want to.

Maglalakad na sana kami papunta sa parking lot pero nag ring ang phone ni Ryan. Sinagot niya ang tawag at saka lumayo. Naiwan kami ngayon ni Liam na mag-isa.

We're just friends, that's it. But because of us, we nearly lost that friendship.

"Uhm babe hindi kita maihahatid eh" bumalik agad si Ryan at makikita mo sa mukha niya na nag sosorry talaga siya.

"B-bakit naman?" And why the hell am I stuttering?

"May pinapa asikaso kasi si Dad sa company"

Well thats totally fine with me as long as nakasama kita ngayong araw.

"Mag papaalam lang ako kay tito at tita para sila na ang maghatid sayo" sabi niya saakin.

He really is a good man, mataas ang respeto niya sa mga magulang ko that's why he never took advantage of my weakness.

Naiwan nanaman kaming dalawa ni Liam at hanggang ngayon wala paring nag kikibuan, nakita ko siya sa peripheral view ko na nakatigtig saakin.

Kanina niya pa ba kami tinitignan ni Ryan? whats his deal?

Saglit akong lumingon sa direksyon niya at nagkatitigan ang mga mata namin.

Curse this cliché scene.

Gusto ko nang umiwas ng tingin pero di ko kaya, parang kanina lang ang lamig niyang tumingin, pero ngayon? parang kahit anong oras matutunaw ako sa titig niya.

Pain and regret reflected his eyes. What's his deal? It already happened in the past.

He's not the first person who would greet me goodmorning everytime, the person that would always make me laugh and smile.

In short, I don't love him anymore. And I don't plan to.

Yes, I do admire him, kasi kahit sino naman ang makakita sakanya hindi maiiwasan na i-compliment siya.

It's still Ryan, who holds my heart.

"Babe" muling bumalik si Ryan saakin ng nagmamadali.

"Hindi ka daw maihahatid ni tito at tita kasi pupunta na daw sila sa airport after 8 minutes" pagpapaliwanag niya.

Akala ko ba we don't give a fuck? tumingin ako kay mom at dad na nag hahanda nang umalis at na ka-suksok nanaman ang airpods sa tainga nila dahil may kausap sila sa telepono.

"Pinagmamadali rin ako ni dad na makapunta doon eh, I'm sorry" he said and smiled apologetically to me. "I really need to go" pagpapaalam niya, he wrap his hands around me as I returned the hug.

"Liam, ikaw muna ang maghatid sa girlfriend ko" Liam nodded at him.

And now, that my brain has processed things. I realized that,

Si. Liam. Ang. Maghahatid. Saakin.

I don't know how to open a conversation with him which will lead to awkwardness inside the car. And if that thing will happen. Ewan ko nalang.

Medyo malayo ang bahay namin, at ayoko rin maboring sa biyahe.

Hindi naman boring kasama si Liam, but it'll be hella awkward.

Luminga linga ako sa paligid at hinanap ang driver namin. Kahit sana si Oliver or my brother, even though I really dislike the idea.

"if you're looking for the driver, ipagdri-drive niya ang mama at papa mo di ba?"

Napalingon ako sa direksyon ni Liam na walang ekspresyon ang mukha niya, his reaction changes really fast. Can I call that a talent?

Not knowing what to say, I just nodded my head and looked down. Trying to avoid looking at him again.

"Lets go" said him, as his voice sent shivers to me.

Nang hindi ako sumunod sakanya, nilingon niya ako.

The gaze which shouts concern, and love.

But instead of returning that look with the same amount of care, I didn't bother to stare at him, I coldly walk past him like nothing happened.

I was wondering Liam, why didn't you look at me before, like the way you did this time?