Chapter 28

Charlotte Monica POV

"Let's date." Utos nya. Eh? Ano daw? Date?

"Eh?" I'm quite speechless, tama ba iyong narinig ko?

"Let's date.." He paused. "Before we get back to London. If you don't.."

"Okay." Amp! Bakit okay nasabi ko? Natakip ko ang aking dalawang kamay sa aking labi dahil sa nasabi ko. I'm dead. Nakakahiya.

Sumilay ang ngiti sa labi nya at naka-arko ang itaas na bahagi ng labi nya. "You can't go back on your word. You said okay." Tapos natawa na lang sya.

I sigh for giving up. Hindi na ako umapela kahit wala pa akong naiisip na irarason. Haha. Am I crazy? "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay." Humalakhak naman sya ng malakas.

"You're stuck with me, then."

"I guess, I am." Natawa na lang din ako.

Ang date na tinutukoy nya ay maglaro kami ng playstation doon sa cabin house. I think, favourite place na nya iyon dito sa Hacienda Casteel.Actually we're going there now. Gusto din daw nyang mamasyal kami sa bayan. It's a date then.

I brought along some snacks and drinks. Maybe it's now to get to know Thirdy more.

"Thirdy.." I called him.

"Uhm.." He's eating popcorn. Hindi sya makapagsalita ng maayos. "What is it?"

"What's your favourite color?" Siguro dapat magsimula sa basic information about him, right?!"

"Well, I like color orange."

"Really? It's not common for a guy to like that shade. Why does it's your favourite?"

"Uhm, it's like the shade of sunrise and sunset. It's just amazing watching.."

"Ow." Aba. Maganda nga naman talaga pagmasdan ang sunset or sunrise.

"How about you, Charlotte."

"Uhm, I love purple. Even on ice cream, ube flavor is my favourite in the world."

He offered me again the popcorn, kanina kasi tinanggihan ko sya kasi busog pa ako pero ngayon.. "Gimme some." Lumapit naman sya sa akin. Malapit na malapit. Walang space. Hawak nya ang plastic cup na naglalaman ng popcorn. Isusubo ko na sana ang dalawang piraso ng popcorn na kinuha ko sa plastic cup but I caught him been staring at me. Napatigil ako, hindi makagalaw, ang kamay ko na hawak ang popcorn ay nanatili lang sa labi ko and can't stop staring at him too but I can't read him. He's not even blinking. What's wrong with him?

"Thirdy?" Pero wala man lang reaction. Hindi man lang umimik. Then he hold my wrist with popcorn on my hand, he pull it down still holding my hand. He came closer and closer. Is he going to kiss me?  Nakatingin lang sya sa mga mata ko. Sa sobrang takot sa gagawin nya pilit kong inalis ang kamay ko sa pagkakahawak nya hanggang sa binitawan nya at sa sobrang tindi ng push and pull namin sa kamay ko dahil ayaw nya talaga akong bitawan  napunta sa plastic cup ang kamay nya at nabuhos ang popcorn, binaba nya ito sa sofa kanina na pinaggigitnaanan namin.

"Shit." He cursed in a low tone. "I'm sorry, Charlotte. Forgive me?"

I sighed. Pinikit ang mga mata saglit. "Don't do that again." I said it in a very awkward. Shucks! Pero I need him to know that I didn't like it.

"I promise. I won't do that, unless it has your consent." I was a bit taken by the words he said but I didn't let him noticed it.

"We're still young." Mahina kong sabi.

"I know." Nakababa ang paningin nya ng tinuran 'yon.

"We're not dating. We're not supposed to do things like that."

"Alright." Malungkot nyang tugon. "I'm sorry for intruding. Made you feel violated. I will never do it again, Charlotte." Pero niyakap parin nya ako. Nanghina naman ako sa gesture nya.

"Alright." Tinapik-tapik ko naman likod nya to compensate him that it was okay already.

Kumalas sya sa pagyakap sa akin, kinuha ang dalawa kong kamay at hawak-hawak ng dalawang kamay nya, "You're too charming that I almost lose myself, you're right, we're young, we should put limits on how we, I mean, on how I acted. You agree?!"

"Yes." Ito na siguro 'yong sinasabi ni Enrique na warning nya sa akin, that Thirdy may lose his control because he likes me too much. Now I understand what he was talking about. Thank you Enrique for trying to protect me.

Umalis si Thirdy para kumuha ng empty garbage bag.

*Ringtone Sounds*

"Chris?" Sagot ko sa tumatawag sa phone ko.

"I'm here."

"Here? Saan?

"Sa bahay nyo. Kasama mo daw si Thirdy, nasaan ba kayo?" Ano? Nandito sya, bakit?

"Ow, sige, pauwi na kami. Wait for us. Ok bye." Hindi ko na hinintay pa ang sasabihin ni Chris binaba ko na agad ang tawag nya.

"Thirdy?" Nang hindi sya sumagot, pinuntahan ko na sya sa kusina. "Thirdy, let's go?!"

"Why the sudden?" Lumiit ang mga mata nya.

"Chris is here. He's waiting for us, we need to go now." Kinuha ko na agad ang black garbage bag sa kanya para mabilis na pulutin ang mga popcorn na nahulog doon sa sofa at sahig, tumulong din naman sya at pumulot na din.

Matapos ko i-lock ang front door ng cabin house pinagmasdan ko muna ang kabuuan ng bahay.

Napansin naman nya ang ginawa ko, "What's wrong?"

"Eh, nothing. This house is precious to me." May sentimental value na 'to sa akin.

"I know." Nilingon ko naman sya at ngumiti. "We should be here, oftenly." He said.

"Yes, sure. Let's go?" Aya ko sa kanya. Nagsimula na rin akong naglakad palayo sa bahay, sumunod na din sya.

"Is he visits you here, oftenly?" Tanong nya.

"Yes."

"But why?!"

"We're friends. We've been doing this ever since. And sometimes I visits him, in his house. So it's a back and forth, with Erica and Jeane. Stop overthinking, Thirdy."

"Okay."

"And I thought, you were friends now?"

"Yeah." Alanganin nyang tugon.

"You're not sure now?" Natawa ako.

He glanced at me after he heard my soft laugh. "Do you feel gladness, when you're with me?!"

"I'm glad to know you, Thirdy. Even if we will have some few misunderstandings, sometimes. To be honest, I was excited to meet you at my seven birthday. But you know I was a bit disappointed because you arrived so late.."

"Is that true? Really?"  Hindi makapaniwalang tanong nya.

"Sorry if I didn't tell you earlier, I'm glad, Thirdy." I sincerely told him while I made eye contact with him.

"Thank you, Charlotte." He flash with a wide smile. He's happy.

Natatanaw ko na si Chris sa hindi kalayuan pero nagulat ako na mabilis syang lumapit sa amin at hinawakan ng dalawang kamay nya ang kwelyo ng shirt ni Thirdy. Galit ang expression ng mukha nito. Anong nangyayari, bakit galit sya kay Thirdy.

Nagulat din si Thirdy sa ginawa ni Chris na hindi agad sya nakapagreact.    Nanatili lang silang dalawa nakatitig sa isa't isa, naglalaban ang mga paningin.

"What did you do to her?" Singhal nyang tanong kay Thirdy.

"Chris, stop!" Sigaw ko. Hawak ko ang braso ni Chris gamit ang dalawang kamay ko. "What are you doing? He didn't do anything!"

"Shut up, Charlotte Monica!" Sigaw nya sa akin. "Now you tell me what did you do?" Baling nya kay Thirdy and he shouted again.

Hindi naman nagpatinag si Thirdy lumaban sya ng pakikipagtitigan kay Chris, tahimik lang sya at hindi man lang nanlaban kay Chris kahit kiniwelyuhan sya nito. Kalma lang sya.

"Please Chris, let go of Thirdy. Please?"  I begged him. Ayaw ko na mauwi sila sa suntukan. Dahil alam ko konti na lang, susuntok na si Thirdy. I saw his knuckles fist into a ball and his jaw clenched hard. Nagtitimpi lang ito hanggang sa kaya nya. Hanggang sa lumuwag ang pagkapit nito sa kwelyo ni Thirdy at tuluyan nang binitiwan. "Thanks Chris." Si Thirdy naman ang hinarap ko, "We will talk later."

"Tell your friend that I didn't do anything inappropriate." Sinabi nya iyon without looking at me, ang mga paningin nya ay na kay Chris nakatuon, ang sama ng tingin nya kay Chris. My heart pounding so fast. I'm frightened.

Aakmang susugod ulit si Chris sa kanya pero pinipigilan ko, hinarang ko ang sarili ko. "Go away Thirdy, please?"

"Alright, I'll go inside." Banayad na ang boses nya kesa kanina. Tumalikod na sya at pumasok sa loob ng bahay.

"What's your problem? Gosh, Chris!"

"Sorry kung padalos-dalos ako pero.."

"Pero ano?" Nakapamewang kong singhal sa kanya. "He didn't do anything, he just almost kiss me."

"What the heck, Charlotte Monica! You let him kiss you?"

"Eh, are you deaf? Chris, I said almost. I stopped him."

"Ow. Good."

"Ow good, mukha mo! Kaya nga kung susuntukin mo sya, maling-mali iyon."

"Hindi mali iyon, he still almost kissed you."

Huminga na lang ako ng malalim. Ang kulit lang eh.

I understands Chris action, he was just trying to protect me. "I thought your friends now? Or maybe approved of him?"

"Well.." Ngayon hindi ka na makapagsalita. "I was acting in adrenaline rush. Can't blame me with that."

"Tsk. I just want you to say, sorry to him later. Okay? Is that okay?"

"Fine, I will." Pagkatapos naglakad na kami papasok sa loob ng bahay at inakbayan ako na parang wala lang nangyari.

Mga siraulo mga 'to. Parang napapaligiran ako ng mga lalaki na basagulero tapos ako pa ang sinisisi. Tsk.

To be continued..

📝 Jannmr