Scandalous Affair: Oliver Valez

Epilogue

O L I V E R   V A L E Z

"Gawin kitang ninong ng anak ko, Oliver." tatawa-tawang sabi ni Atlas sa 'kin. 

I looked at him like he grew three heads and shook my head. We are still young—too young, honestly, to even talk about this thing. I think Atlas has eaten spoiled food making him feel like a dumb horny teenage boy. He put his arm around my shoulder and smirked while looking ahead dreamily. I shrugged his arm off, but he was persistent and kept his arm on my shoulder.

"Come on,  Dude, I'm just thinking about the possibilities."

I raise an eyebrow then looked at his stupid face. "Are you hitting on someone?"

Agad naman lumawak ang ngisi nito sa labi dahil sa 'king sinabi. Mukhang tama nga ang aking hula. Mayroon na naman itong pinupormahan sa kaniyang grade level. Sa totoo lang ay hindi ko talaga alam kung bakit ba kami naging magkaibigan nito. Given the fact that we're not in the same grade but we hang out like we're twenty-four-seven together. Atlas is three years younger than me and currently in the third year of high school. While I on the other side is in my freshmen.

Siniko ko siya nang may kalakasan kaya napabitaw siya sa pagka-aakbay sa 'kin. 

"Don't tell me you're going to be a dad at that age?"

Atlas smile sheepishly, "Why not?"

I made a disgusting expression, "If I have a daughter, I would not like her to date a man like you."

"Baka nga mas mauna ka pa sa 'king magkaanak. Err... I don't think so. You're too serious to even explore kaya ninong kana lang." tumawa pa muli ito na para bang na hihibang na siya.

I left him there still daydreaming about his girl and the possibilities he's talking about. Tumunog na ang bell ng mga high school hudyat na tapos na ang break nila, pero mukhang wala pang balak kumilos si Atlas sa kaniyang kinatatayuan. Habang naglalakad papuntang college of business department ay natanaw ko ang likod ni Odette. Binilisan ko ang paglalakad para maabutin siya. Napapitlag pa si Odette nang hawakan ko ang balikat niya nang maabutan ko.

"Oly, h'wag ka namang nang gugulat diyan." malumanay nitong sabi habang ang isang kamay ay nasa dibdib.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. We have the same class right?"

She just nodded her head and bowed a little. I looked around us to see some of our block mates whispering to one another as they look at Odette. My forehead creased as I look at some of them darkly. Odette didn't deserve such treatment from them. They didn't know her story, so they better shut their opinions to themselves.  

"Give me your book."

Agad naman siyang napalingon sa 'kin dahil sa sinabi ko. Inilahad ko naman ang aking kamay habang nakatingin nang seryoso sa kaniya. Tumikhim si Odette saka bahagyang sinilip ang iilang taon na nagbubulungan. 

"I don't think that's a good idea."

Mas lalong kumunot ang noo dahil sa kaniyang sinabi. Why is helping her is not a good idea? Kailan pa naging mali ang pagtulong? Muli kong binalingan ang sinulyapan niya kanina at binigyan sila nang seryosong tingin. Agad namang nagsi-iwasan ng tingin sa 'kin. Walang alinlangan kong kinuha ang libro ni Odette na nasa braso niya. Magproprotesta sana siyang muli kaso nang tignan niya ako, na may seryosong mukha ay hindi na niya itinuloy. 

I like protecting her ever since I saw how cruel the world is to her. I never had a sibling, and I look at Odette like a sister. That's why I'm protective of her. She never said that she liked how I hang out with her, but she never disliked it either. Odette would just say thank you for being there then be a little distant again, but she would have that cute little smile on her lip.