When Love Stays Forever (Book 3 of WL Trilogy) (ML, #3)

Kabanata 3

Kabanata 3

I’m not cool

“Honestly, you’re the only girl who looked at me that way. I liked the way you give all your attention to me and anything else about the world is just a crap… I like it…no…God, I love it.”

My voice echoed in my mind. Nanatili pa rin akong nakapikit at biglang bumabalik sa akin kung ano iyong mga pinagagawa ko noong mga nakaraang araw. Kung paano ako unti-unting kumakalas sa kinagigisnan kong gawin. Kung paano ako nababago ng atensyong binibigay niya sa akin ngayon—ni Scar.

Yes, I think, something changed on me.

Naalala ko noong minsang nakita ko siya sa malapit na shop ng Ericka’s ay nagmamadali siyang pumunta sa shop namin. I didn’t know what her reason to be nervous. Alam ko ring nagulat siya nang biglang lumapit si Marco sa kanya. And my cousin asked her if it was okay on her to be our model. But damn, she didn’t refuse. Alam ko noong una nahihirapan siya kung anong gagawin niya. But when her smile came naturally, damn, I didn’t know what happen to me. I found myself smiling, too.

Napadilat ako nang may tumapik sa balikat ko. Napaalis ako ng earphone sa tenga ko nang makita si Sebastian na nagsasalita.

“Franco?”

“O?”

Napatawa si Sebastian nang ngayon lang ako nakasagot. May tinanong yata siya sa akin habang nakasalampak ang earphone sa akin.

“I’m asking about Leighly…” Sebastian bit his upper lip to keep him from smiling widely. While, I am terrified thinking about what happened in the shop.

“Is Sebastian your boyfriend?”

“Ha?”

“He’s…good.”

“Hindi! Ano bang sinasabi mo?”

“Magkaibigan din kayo katulad ng mayroon sa ‘tin ngayon.”

“Oo naman, nauna lang siya.”

“How I wish I met you first.”

Napalunok ako nang maalala kung anong sinabi ko at ano ang nararamdaman ko noong araw na ‘yon. I think…something—something is wrong with me. Ilan buwan na ba ang lumipas simula ng mawala si AJ sa buhay ko at hindi ko na siya iniisip? Noong huling pagkikita namin sinabi ko pupunta akong Manila ngunit bumalik din akong sa Quezon City.

“Okay lang ba siya? Are you dating her?”

Bigla akong naistatwa sa tanong ni Sebastian. There is something on the tone of his voice that confuses me. ‘Di ba magkaibigan lang sila ni Leigh? Best friend I think or more than friends? Well…that is something.

Ilan beses ko ng nararamdaman ‘to. Ilang beses simula noong umalis ako nang dahil hindi maganda at masyadong close ang porma nila Sebastian at Leigh. They were close. They were talking. And I didn’t know why I reacted that way. It made me pissed so I just walked away from them.

“Yes, I think so. And no, I’m not dating her.” Not yet.

Napalunok ako sa naisip ko. Sa sinabi ko sa isip ko.

Bast laughs. “Okay. Alam mo Benj. It‘s too complicated to date her.” He combed his hair using his right hand. He closes his eyes and speaks, “Too complicated to date Leigh Alegre.” Umiling siya na nagpakunot ng noo ko.

Paanong komplikado kung wala naman siyang boyfriend?

Is Sebastian warning me to stay away from her?